Preparing For Tests

Preparing for tests
Here is some advice that should help you prepare for your end of term tests. If you follow the suggestions below, you will have the best chance to show your teachers what you know and understand the subjects you are learning

• Keep on top of the work in progress
This means that you do the work as it is set (and make up what you missed if you were away). You also make sure that you understand what you are doing, or ask for help if you don't.
• Find out what you will be tested on
Most teachers will give you a review sheet so that you can be pretty sure what to study for the tests. You could also find out which part of the test carries most marks.
• Work out a review schedule
Make sure you know the test schedule, and make a plan listing the subjects you are going to review in the evenings leading up to the exams.
• Review your work
There are many ways to study for exams. The best method will depend on the subject and the kind of questions you are going to be asked in the test. In every case, however, you will remember more if you do something active. This means that you shouldn't just read through your work again and again; you need to make study notes!
Relax and get enough sleep
A little anxiety before an important test is a good thing, but some students get so nervous that they don't perform as well as they could. Of course, one way to avoid being nervous is to be well-prepared. Another good thing to do is to make sure you get enough sleep. And don't spend all your time just working; you will study more effectively if you take time off to be with your friends or do some sports.
• Use effective test strategies
There are things you can do in the test itself to help you get the best possible score. For example, you can ensure that you manage your time carefully. Don't rush into the first question. Look over the whole test and decide on the order in which to do the answers. Most students do the questions they find easiest first, and leave the harder ones until the end.
Another good test strategy is to make sure that you read the question carefully to understand exactly what you need to do. For many questions, it's helpful to spend some time thinking about how best to answer and making an outline.

Learning from tests
Whether you got a good or a bad grade in your test, it is important that you learn from it so that you can do a better job next time. Here are some of the ways that you could have gone wrong, followed by suggestions on how you can avoid the problems in the future.
• You never did (or understood) the work in the first place
Obviously it's important to keep up with the work in progress in your subject classes. If you don't understand something, make sure you ask your subject teacher at the time. It's certainly not a good idea to wait until just before the exam to try and catch up with work you missed or didn't understand.
• You did and understood the work, but you didn't study before the test
You can't expect to do well in a test if you don't review your notes. If you follow the advice in section 1 above, you can be sure that you have done everything possible to prepare yourself properly.
• You understood the work and studied for the test, but you didn't understand the question
If it is allowed, ask the teacher to explain what the question means. If you cannot ask, finish the questions you do understand before coming back to the difficult ones. You may now find that you understand what you have to do. If you are still unsure, make an intelligent guess on what your teacher is asking. Believe it or not, teachers do not set questions to trick students! They try to ask questions that test students' knowledge and understanding of the work they have been doing in class. Show the teacher what you know in your answer, even if you do not fully understand the question.
• You knew how to answer in English but you didn't give the right answer (or you didn't give the full answer)
Listen carefully when the teacher gives back the test papers and discusses the answers. Make sure you understand where you went wrong, or what you left out. If you don't understand why you got a low score on the test or a particular question, ask the teacher!
• You didn't check your work carefully
It is easy to make silly mistakes in the pressure of exams. That's why you need to give yourself enough time at the end of your test to check through your work. It's a shame to lose points through carelessness rather than lack of knowledge