Looking Ahead

Test taking is as much an art as a science. Knowing what you know is not enough. Knowing how to transfer that information to someone else via a written or oral series of answers to questions is an important aspect of assessing knowledge acquisition. Test taking is a fact of academic life. So the first task is to get used to it. The second task is to learn all you can about the process of test taking. And the final task is to determine specific test-taking strategies.

Is it a quiz? a test? or an exam? What's in a name? Plenty! The depth and breadth of study techniques and time spent will differ considerably depending on the scope of the assessment the professor requires. Pay attention to the professor's announcement of the test, or carefully read the syllabus. If you don't understand the nature of the test, ask!

Test types, such as multiple-choice, true-false, matching, and essay, all require different strategies in answering questions. As one way of trying to understand these tests, you will construct questions in the appropriate testing format as one of the exercises in this chapter.

Finally, test taking can be a frustrating experience and cause anxiety. But there are steps you can take to lessen the anxiety. In addition to the knowledge about test types and testing strategies, being prepared is the first and most important one. Thus, taking a test is not a one-day unusual occurrence, but part of the process of learning, the process that begins the first day of class.