Test Taking Tips:
There are three types of
questions:
· The
ones you know
· The
ones you may know if you think about them or you know part of the answer
· The
ones that you leave blank (on first read) – that you do not know at all.
1. For the ones you
know, read the question carefully, answer it and do NOT go back to it.
2. For
the ones you know partly, eliminate the answers/options that you know are wrong
and either mark your BEST choice or put down a mark to tell yourself to return
to the question later.
3. For
those you do not know at all, put down an answer according to the clues we will
be giving you.
4. Try
to reason out the questions.
a. Decide
what the key concepts or keycepts/keywords are.
b. See
if the answer you choose fits in with key points of the question.
c. Circle
all the keycepts/keywords in the question, such as symptoms, lab test, Hx clue,
whether question is a negative
form.
d. You
may want to work backward, seeing if a answer fits in question.
e. Check
for Double negative.
5. Clues
to the wrong answers:
a. An
answer that “does not fit” with other options is probably wrong.
b. A
wordy answer/option that is unclear or does not read well is probably wrong.
c. An
answer with word Always or Never is probably wrong.
d. An
answer that is ungrammatical with the question is probably wrong.
6. Pace
yourself
7. If
you have no idea of the answer, try the following:
a. Similarities:
If two answers are similar but NOT the same, One of them is usually correct.
b. Opposites:
If two answers are opposites. One of them is usually correct.
c. Odd
man out: The answer that does NOT read well is
probably wrong.
d. Wordy:
A wordy answer that does not read well is probably wrong.
e. Ungrammatical:
If grammar does NOT fit the question, the answer is probably wrong.
f. Always/Never:
Answers with word “Always” or “Never” are usually wrong.
8. Answer
all the questions you know FIRST and then go back to work on those you don’t
know.
9. Read
the stem carefully, Circle the key words. After you have decided, read the stem
and ANSWER one LAST time.
10. Give
yourself a rest period for minute or two after every hour or so, to maintain
your mental efficiency at high level.
Learn how to relax while taking test. Don’t prompt yourself
with NEGATIVE sentences such as “Don’t feel anxious” but rather with “I can
feel relax now” – a POSITIVE sentence.
