Studying for an Examination
Estudiando para exámenes.

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ÍNDICE
STUDYING FOR AN EXAMINATION
Taking an examination
Learning from an examination
I. Some general remarks about objective tests.
II. Some general remarks about objectivetests.
III. Some general remarks about objective tests.
AFTER THE EXAM:

Studying for an Examination

A. Lecture Notes

1. Give professor's orientation and view of the material.
2. Contain professor's points of emphasis.
3. Serve as an outline for organizing material.
4. May imply or state questions that might appear on a quiz.
5. May specifically tell how to read the textbook.
6. Serve as a learning reinforcement.

B. Textbook

1. Elaborates lecture notes aid gives extra sources.
2. May be helpful in providing questions at end of chapter.
3. Gives purpose of study 4.n preface, introduction, forward and salary.
4. Provides excellent summary if one reads lst and last paragraphs of each chapter for overview and review.
5. May require re-organization or re-outlining when various orientations are presented in lectures.

C. Outside reading material

1.Is a "must" assignment if professor "suggests" it be read.
2.Provides clue to professor's orientation-is often a supplement to.his lecture notes.
4.Sometimes comprises the totality of professor's lecture notes.
5.May be professor's publication or may cite him as a source.
6.Therefore, 1-4 may be the only basis for an examination question.

D. Watch for material which is emphasized both in the textbook and in class.

E. Former tests on similar material show generally what to expect ill the way of questions and emphasize professor's stress areas. May also discuss or imply how to answer future questions.

F. Former tests on previous or different material give clues to organization and presentation of questions. may discuss o; imply how to answer future questions.

G. General outline - incorporates all material into well-organized, meaningful learning unit.

IMPORTANT: NEVER MISS THE CLASS PERIOD IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AN EXAMINATION: It may give hints or actual test questions during the review of the material.

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TAKING AN EXAMINATION

A. General Suggestions

1. The questions you will be asked to answer will be "reasonable" questions. The instructor is trying to get an estimate of how much you have benefited from the course. He's not out to trick you.
2. You can't know everything. Do your best, and expect a reasonably high score on the test-not necessarily a perfect score. Some tests have items that are used to provide "top" for the test and you aren't expected to know.
3. Check the materials you will need for the test. Do you need a bluebook, pencils, pens, erasers? Check to see what you need and always take a watch. Check to see whether special equipment is required, such as a slide rule, a ruler, compass, calculator, etc.
4. Resolve to pay special attention to your handwriting. Grading papers is no fun. A badly written paper puts no instructor in a happy or generous mood. He or she, too, are human.
5. Read the directions for each part of the test carefully. Now read them again just to be sure.
6. Underline key words in the directions. Some of these are list, outline, enumerate, state, define, describe, explain, trace, compare, discuss, evaluate, etc.
7. Get to the examination ahead of time. Sit down and relax for a few minutes before the test begins.
8. Look through the questions in a business-like manner, not hurriedly nor disdainfully.
9. Words to underline and be wary of are: all, most, some, no, none, always, usually, sometimes, seldom, neve3:, grant, much, little, more, equal, less, good, bad, is, are, may, should, would. They can change the meaning of the question and affect the correct answer.
10. Ignore members of the class. Trying to judge your time by the amount of time they take is risky business.
11. It is no crime to stay until the examination is over. Spend some time checking your paper carefully
12. Don't argue with the exam: answer questions and discuss later

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LEARNING FROM AN EXAMINATION

Careful examination of your paper when it is returned may reveal points that need to be learned or re-learned. "A failure is a failure only when it is not capitalized in the direction of success."
1. Find out what you missed. Check over each item you received only part or no credit for in the examination.
2. Find out why you missed it. Using the following checklist, see if you can determine why you missed each item.

a. Misread the question.
b. Tried to avoid the question by "writing around" it.
c. Carelessness in computation.
d. Poor organization of answer.
e. Poor selection of points for the answer.
f. Inaccurately drawn sketches or diagrams.
g. Writing too much and exposing ignorance.
h. Writing too little.
i. Slips of the pen.
j. Incomplete answers.
k. Poor reasoning.
l. Improper distribution of time resulting in incomplete answers.

3. Decide how you can avoid these in the next examination. Make a note of your errors and review the types of errors you made before the next exam.
4. If the test papers are not returned, ask for permission to see yours.
5. Ask for specific criticisms. If you are not certain why a question has been marked wrong or partly wrong, ask your instructor about it. Ask, though, with an attitude of not wanting to gain a few extra points.
6. When talking over your paper, forget the grade. The instructor has made an honest effort to grade all papers fairly. Emphasis on your grade is only an indirect attack on his fairness. Of course, he'll resent it.
7. Check the correct answers, too. This will serve as a means of emphasizing them in your mind. Furthermore, it may have been just a "good guess" on your part, and you may not be as fortunate next time.
8. Find your relative standing in the group. The score you receive on your paper is usually meaningless until you know where the others in your group stand.
9. Save your examination questions and answers. These will be valuable for a future review. Sometimes a part of the questions are used over again. With subjective questions, the exam will give you some idea concerning how the instructor likes to have the answers presented. Finally, it will give you clues concerning how the instructor tends to word his questions and what type of questions he selects.
10. Read a few of the best papers. This will be helpful in several ways.
It will:

a. Help you to understand your own errors.
b. Emphasize correct responses.
c. Aid in understanding what the instructor considers a good answer.

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I. Some general remarks about objective tests.

Objective Tests

Objective tests serve many purposes. They may measure a student's knowledge of facts or his ability to reason logically from evidence, organize material, recognize similarities and differences, make fine distinctions, or apply general concepts to particular problems.
Objective questions come in various forms: outright questions of fact, sentence completion, true-false, analogy or the many kinds of multiple-choice questions, including matching type.
They cover more ground than essay tests and usually have many more questions on them.
Probably the most important fact about objective tests is this: EACH QUESTION HAS ONE, AND ONLY ONE, CORRECT ANSWER.

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II. Preparing for an objective test.

Because of their nature and design, objective tests have a wider range than essay tests, and cover the material in quite a different way. An essay test will go deeply into three or four major concepts at most. An objective test can cover most of the concepts developed in the course, but no single question will go beyond a certain depth. Preparation for an objective test, therefore, might appear to differ somewhat from preparing for an essay test.
The basic principles, however, are the same.
A. Find out what the exam will cover. Most instructors will tell you quite specifically. "The test will cover chapters one through four in the text, the lectures, and one or more extra readings.', In fact, instructors may even tell you what not to study: they'll say "This type of problem will not be on the exam." or "you need not memorize this formula. If I want you to use it, I'll supply it as part of the question."
B. If possible, find out what type of objective question is favored. Since some objective tests require memorization of principles, formulae, dates, details, etc., while others simply require you to recognize correct answers, different review techniques are called into play.

Example 1: (sentence completion): The Panama Canal shortened the all-water route from New York to _________________.
Example 2: (multiple choice): The Panama Canal shortened the all-water route from New York to: (a) Buenos Aires, (b) Capetown, (c) Lima, (d) Vera Cruz

Both questions require familiarity with where the Panama Canal goes, but example I requires you to remember, whereas example 2 merely asks you to recognize the answer, and you know in advance that one of the four options is correct.
C. Find out whether there is a penalty for guessing. This type of scoring deducts additional points for questions answered incorrectly. If you can't find out beforehand, try to find out at the exam. This is very important.
D. Devise an intelligent, systematic method for review. If you know in advance that you will be held responsible for recall of a mult4.tude of details, you will be tempted to start right in memorizing. But this is the worst possible approach.
Study the big ideas first. Then fit in the details. (The ability to separate important principles from supporting details is one of the chief attributes of the good student.)

STUDENTS WHO MAKE THE HIGHEST SCORES ON OBJECTIVE TESTS REVIEW AS IF THEY WERE PREPARING FOR ESSAY TESTS. The level of abstraction is just as high on objective tests as it is on essay tests. One research study
proved this point very clearly. One hundred students were divided into four groups and each given the same reading assignment. Group A was told that it would be tested by an essay exam. Groups B, C and D were told they would be tested by various kinds of objective means. The students were given no guidance about how to review. When the test was administered, all students received the same test; part essay and part objective. The students in group A, who had prepared for an essay test, did better on the objective questions than the students in groups B, C and D, who thought they were preparing for objective tests.
But, you may ask, what about all those details I am supposed to remember? A basic learning process is in,,7olved here. It is easier to master details if they are fitted into a framework. The course is given for a purpose. What is the purpose? The syllabus has a careful plan. What is the plan? What are the main emphases in the course? What is the instructor trying to bring out?

Consider the following two questions, one in short essay form and the other multiple-choice.
1. You are given two test tubes, one labeled Protein Q and the other labeled Protein Z. How could you tell if these tubes really contained different proteins? Outline the experimental procedures you would follow and explain why you would proceed as you do.
2. You are given two test tubes, one labeled Protein Q and the other Protein Z. Which of the following would be the best first step to find out if these tubes really contained different proteins? (a) Inject a rabbit with either Q or Z. (b) Mix Q and Z together to see whether a precipitate is formed. (c) Take blood fr6m a rabbit and centrifuge out the red blood cells. (d) Add a serum to either Q or Z. (e) Inject a rabbit with a combination of Q and Z.
(The above material is adapted from "Making the Classroom Tests: a Guide for Teachers," published by the Educational Testing Service.)
Note that a knowledge of the basic principles of testing for proteins is essential for answering either question. Just memorizing, by rote, the steps in such an experiment might get you through that one question, but it would not help you with a different type of problem involving the same principles.
How would you extract the basic principles, theories, trends, policies, or whatever broad organizing force is at work in the course?
Review your notes, looking for ideas and concepts that have been stressed in lectures. Review chapter headings and summaries. Ask yourself questions. (In an American History course, if you knew you were to be tested on the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution, you might ask yourself "What was the basic question that led to the calling of the Constitutional Convention? What was the fundamental change wrought by the adoption of the Constitution?" Your details would then fall into place under headings somewhat like these:
I. Basic question: more authority for the federal government, or less.

A. Causes of desire for more federal authority.
B. Leading advocates of the change.
C. Main events leading to calling of the convention.

II. Fundamental change: more authority for the federal government.

A. How manifested? In what areas of government?
B. By what means were the changes accomplished? etc.

Boil it down to a rather tight outline form. Then start on the details.
As for memorizing, if you have to do any at all-and by the time you have systematically reviewed, you will be familiar with most details anyway - probably the best place to start is with the basic terminology used in the course if you don't know it already. Terminology can trip you up badly and cause you to misinterpret questions.
Memorize in the way that suits you best. Just make sure what you memorize makes sense to you.
Some students use the backs and fronts of index cards, putting the word, date, or name on the front, and the pertinent information on the back. Then they flip through the pack of cards, first the fronts and then the backs, trying to remember what is on the other side.
Some students do better, depending on the subject, by making a drawing or diagram, labeling it, and remembering how the labels look. This works well in courses involving a lot of names and dates - a time chart in a history course, for instance, because it helps you locate key dates in a time relationship.
Some students use various strange memory devices such as nonsense words, each letter of which stands for the first word in an important series of facts. Beware of this though: you may spend a lot of time thinking it up, and then get it all wrong anyway.
Whatever you do, remember the details are just that: They're only details. They are important, but they are not the most important aspect of the course. Get them straight, but don't overlook the forest for the trees.

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III. Taking an objective test.

A. Listen carefully for oral directions, if any. They often are crucial.

B. Glance quickly through the test. This has several purposes.

1. Observe the relative point values of different sections, and gauge your time accordingly.
2. Check to make sure you have all the questions and that they are in the right order. (Some tests are collated incorrectly.)
3. Get an "overview" of the test. It won't look so overwhelming then: you're bound to see something you recognize.

C. Follow written directions carefully.Don't throw points away through carelessness.
There are wide variations in instructions. For instance: Underline the one correct answer.
Pick out the one word that does not belong with the others, and mark its number in the answer space.
Mark T for true; leave false answers blank.
Complete the following instructions by filling in the blanks with a single word. Check the correct answer.
In the blank in front of each statement in the first column, place the letter preceding the word or phrase in the second column that is most closely related to it.
If a test is being scored by mask or machine, the simplest (and stupidest) kind of error in following directions may change an A to an F. If the directions ask you to mark the true answers but leave the false one blank, and instead you put F opposite false answers, you might lose points though you were correct, since the answers may be scored by where the marks are, not by what they say.

D. Read the questions careful.1y. Circle key words, if necessary. If you don't understand the question, skip it and come back to it later. DO WHAT YOU KNOW FIRST.
Most objective tests are constructed so that there is a short pool of basic questions that everyone can answer. Get them out of the way.
The least intelligent approach to a long objective test is to plug right through it, working doggedly at one question after another just because they were presented in that order. The only exceptions to this recommendation are (a) when the directions insist you work in a certain order, or (b) when the test is sequential, one question leading into the next one.
Put a check mark opposite questions you intend to come back to, and then make sure you get back to them.

E. Resist panic.
Everybody is making mistakes, not just you. Most objective tests contain several questions that every student in the class will miss. The better-designed the test, the more likely you are to miss questions because the best tests contain items deliberately inserted to reveal the upper limits of student performance. Some test-makers claim that a test in which a student can score 100% is a bad test.
Never mind what the students around you are doing. The person who rushes through and leaves early has probably made a number of careless errors.
Furthermore, you can take wry comfort from the fact that if you miss two out of every five questions on a 100-question test, you have still passed it.
And finally, if the test is to be graded on the curve, an 80 may turn out to be an A.

F. Should you guess? On the whole, yes.
At this point, your knowledge of how the test is to be scored will come in handy.

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AFTER THE EXAM:

An excellent way to learn how to take exams is to analyze what you have done on one. When you get your paper back, go over it, noting not only what you did wrong, but why, An hour or two spent in this way may be extremely valuable. See if you detect any point-eating tendencies, such as getting the main idea and then rushing sloppily through the proofs, or simply not following directions, or bogging down on relatively unimportant- items, or misreading questions entirely. The next time you face an exam, consciously watch yourself for the weaknesses.
Also note what you did right! This may save you hours of worry, the next time around. That question on the English test, that haunted you for the next several days, may prove to be the one you did best on. Why did it get such a good reception? Often, such analysis proves genuinely reassuring. Studying For Final Exams

1. Make a quick survey of your notes and readings and try to get a normal picture of what you have tried to cover over the semester.

a. Jot down a few words about the purpose of the course.
b. Make a quick, brief time line or outline to get an overall picture of material.
c. Note areas you are weak in.

2. Go over old tests paying attention to the kinds of questions generally asked.
Note any special instructions you have been given regarding the kind of test. Note examples of professors questions.
3. Know what the final will cover and with what weight.
4. It is best if finals are a time for review and integration, rather than new learning.
5. Rather than careful rereading, it is often better to skim the material and stop at material you don't know.
6. Study as you go. Don't put it off as last minute cramming may confuse you.
7. Subject matter is often organized according to the process of something, the development of something, the history of something or the comparative relationships of several things. Know the organizational system and make your own charts, diagrams or time lines to help you see the structure you are using.
8. If a particular course includes many specific points which you know that you must memorize, keep a card pack (3x5) on which you have placed the specific points. Add to this pack as you progress through the semester and eliminate cards from it as you learn the facts. Carry the pack with you and thumb through them off and on during the day rather than to spend an hour or more in one sitting trying to memorize the facts. Review all the cards before the examination.
9. Know your instructor and his biases. Find out what kind of test to study for. Look at old tests if available.
10. Look at sample questions and problems at the ends of chapters for additional clues on what to know.
11. On the basis of this information, try to predict questions (both broad and . specific) then make sure you can answer such questions.
12. If you have questions, go ask your instructor but don't wait until the last minute. All instructors are willing to aid their students as long as you ask for help well in advance.