So here we are, my dear, facing the test. I showed you all the learning techniques, and you know which methods are efficient, and which aren’t. You know how to take good notes in class, you read your assignments, you do your homework. And most importantly, you know that the most efficient method of studying is self-testing. Minute per minute, you will retain more if you spend one hour taking a test on a topic than studying an hour on the same material.
Long before the test
Do a pre-test before you start any study for the test.
How to find a mock test?
Perhaps your teacher gave you practice tests, or the textbooks have sample questions. If not, gather your class notes, your reading notes and your assignments. Search online for tests on the subject. Get together with your colleagues and create a pre-test of your own. Pick questions from these materials, but stick to the major concepts, not trivia questions.
Now, put a timer of how long the real test would take and take the pre-test. No need to worry about a topic you don’t know or understand, as the purpose of the pre-test is to discover your weak areas. After you finish the test, grade yourself objectively. Perhaps you answered correctly only 30-40% of the questions on your pre-test. That’s good news! That means there is 30-40% of the material you do not need to study.
Because this is the secret to learning for a test: you shouldn’t focus on areas you already know. You study the unknown parts of the learning material.
Make a list of subjects to study based on the questions you missed. Next, study these topics in-depth, using the learning strategies from the article I linked in the first paragraph of this post.
Perhaps you might find strategy unintuitively: shouldn’t I study everything? Not really. It would help if you were strategic in how to pass a test. I know that repeating what you already know and getting questions right gives you that little dopamine hit. Being objective and curious about your weak areas might not come easy because they require self-discipline and acceptance to improve.
So, look over your study notes, see why you got wrong the questions in your self-test. Was it a lack of study, or that questions might be too difficult? Perhaps you could search online for answers or ask a colleague to help you? If somebody helps you, don’t forget to return the favour.
When you feel confident, take another pre-test. Check your answers. Are there any other questions you missed? If yes, you know the procedure: review the notes, apply learning strategies, search online, ask a colleague. If you still feel puzzled, go to your teacher, show your process in detail, and be explicit about what you don’t understand.
One thing that bothers instructors the most is when students come unprepared and ask them for further explanations. Do as much as you can without a teacher’s help, and only after show them how far you got and where you got stuck. This behaviour confirms to your teacher you are committed to your learning. You have more chances this way that teachers could make time in their busy schedules for your questions.
Do as many pre-tests as you find necessary. You should see improvements with each repeat of the pre-test.
How long in advance to take the first pre-test?
It depends on when the teacher announces the examination. If the test is scheduled a week from now, you should pre-test yourself the same day the teacher notified you. Then, use your results from the pre-test to create your study plan (distributed practice):
Day 1: review chapter 1 / pre-test chapter 1
Day 2: review chapter 2/ pre-test chapter 2
…
Last day before the exam – final review/ final pre-test
Of course, you know you. You can adjust this strategy as you see fit:
- Start with chapters in the textbook’s chronological order.
- Start with the chapter you find most challenging.
- Start with the most extensive chapter.
- Mix different chapters in one study session (remember interleaving).
If the exam is known well in advance, you can pre-test yourself regularly, so you have less to review when the week of the exam approach.
The night before the test
You should know what you are allowed to take to the test: pencils, pens, a water bottle, books if it is an open-notes test. Prepare everything the night before. Then, aim for a good night’s sleep.
The day of the test
Don’t eat refined carbohydrates before the test, as you might get a sugar rush then a mental crash. Eat some protein and good fats instead.
Plan to get to the examination room with enough time to avoid racing at the last minute and being late.
The test
The first thing you will always do is make sure you have your full name on the examination medium, digital or paper.
Then, read the whole test and be careful there are no sections you might miss (if the exam is on paper, turn all examination pages to check).
Only fill in the answers you absolutely know. If allowed, circle the questions you are not sure about so you can come back to them quickly.
Then, stop, drink a sip of water, focus. You will take the second pass of the test. Only this time, you will read very carefully the questions you didn’t answer. Skip the questions you already answered. Now you know which parts of the test are the hard sections.
It is time to apply the “hard start – jump to easy” technique. You will start with what you consider it is the most challenging assignment or problem from the test. After working on that task (write, draw, diagram any notes you can think about the subject on your draft papers), you will feel stuck, as it is expected.
Don’t stay too much being stuck (maybe two-three minutes), as you will switch to more manageable test sections. After resolving some of the easier parts of the test, go back to the harder problem. Because you paused the work on the hard problem, you might have more insights into approaching it. This technique takes advantage of the focussed and diffused modes of the brain.
If you have multiple-choice questions, eliminate first those answers that are clearly wrong. Pick the most obvious answers if you are in doubt.
When I had the geography exam during my baccalaureate in Romania (equivalent to the Irish Leaving Cert), there was a question about the location of the Stâna de Vale resort. I didn’t know the answer, but luckily I had bought beforehand a water bottle. This phrase was on the bottle’s label: “In the heart of the Apuseni Mountains, there is the famous Stâna de Vale resort.” You simply don’t know how the answers can come to you.
During an exam, it is usual for your heart to race, for your thoughts to precipitate. If you feel anxious, apply the framing effect. Instead of telling yourself, “I am not good enough for this. I might fail this test.”, tell yourself, “This test got me excited to try my best! Let’s do this.” Relax your stomach and put your hand on it, say a mantra you like, inhale and exhale as you would do in a meditation session. Try this relaxation technique while you learn so you can apply it easily during the test.
If you have finished the test, don’t leave the examination room early. Use this time to check your exam. Reread all questions and your answers slowly as you might catch a mistake.
You will have second thoughts about some of your answers. Only change your answers if you found errors in your work. Otherwise, I would suggest leaving your work unchanged, even if you doubt it.
After the test
Take a break and enjoy it! You deserve it!
Now, I will give you a tip I picked from Socratica. Here’s how great students distinguish themselves from the rest. The test is over, but the problems you missed might still reappear in the following examination.
You will use the corrected test to understand what you missed. Did you misread the problem? If so, you know you have to slow down next time and read the questions more carefully. Was there something you missed to review? Be more thorough in your study and pre-test sessions. Is there something you genuinely didn’t understand on the test even after checking your notes, searching online, and asking your colleagues? It is time to take your research and questions to your teacher.
Finally, never let the result of a test define you. Do not equate intelligence with passing or failing tests. Some of us might perform better in stressful conditions, some of us might not. Then, don’t forget the famous quote:
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.
My sweet daughter, you know me and your father will never be disappointed with you. Sure, we might be feeling anxious or unsure about some of your possible test results. But feelings are just that, passing states of mind, clouds coming and going. Will we ever stop believing in you? Never.