Testing-taking test
Testing methods
A test is an assessment of an individual’s knowledge and/or skill. Some testing is informal. Other testing is formal.
Most individuals often link testing to a list of questions either given on paper or via a computer. However, testing can come in the form of a portfolio of a person’s achievement, an oral presentation given to a panel, a performance on a musical instrument, a display of athletic abilities, and even a job performance appraisal.
Regardless of how a test is administered, most tests can fall into one of these two categories:
Criterion-referenced test
Norm-referenced test
Criterion-referenced tests are tests used to measure an individual’s level of understanding or skill. Most tests and quizzes taken for training purposes are criterion-referenced. Criterion-referenced tests include a benchmark that must be reached to indicate a level of achievement, often referred to as mastery.
Citizenship tests are criterion-referenced tests; a person must correctly answer a set number of questions to indicate an understanding of a country’s history/government. A driving test is also a criterion-referenced test because it requires an individual to demonstrate a level of ability before a driver’s license can be issued or renewed.
If a driving test was used to compare one driver to other drivers of the same age, it would be a norm-referenced test. Norm-referenced tests are tests used to evaluate an individual against a defined group. A norm-referenced test measures how much better or worse a person performs in relation to all others within a group, such as the SAT, a test used for college admissions, or pediatric growth charts, which are used to evaluate child growth and development. A norm-referenced test does not measure a person’s level of understanding of a concept or ability to perform a task.
Tests can be administered as a:
Standardized test
Non-standardized test
n 7th century China, standardized tests were used to evaluate individuals applying for governmental positions. Educators have given standardized tests since the 1800s to assess student performance. Today, there are numerous professions that require individuals to take standardized certification tests. Most standardized tests are norm-referenced, but not all.
A standardized test is one in which test-takers experience consistent testing features, including test structure, question presentation, length, time limitations, and/or delivery. All standardized tests have measurable components and follow set evaluative guidelines. Many formal standardized tests are monitored or taken in the presence of a proctor.
Many issues with standardized testing relate to “high-stakes” standardized tests. High-stakes standardized tests are tests that have significant consequences or impact important events, for example a driving test is a high-stakes standardized test. Failure to reach the desired criteria in a driving test means no driver’s license.
Once a standardized test is attached with a high-stakes result, controversy may follow. The issue(s) may be with the time spent “teaching a test,” an extreme high-stake result placed on a test, the use of the test results, etc. Often the issue is not the test itself, but the circumstances or events related to the test.
Test-Taking SkillsTesting Methods
Non-standardized tests are tests that follow one or both of these criteria:
1. To assess skills not easily measured, for example, an essay test given in a creative writing class
2. To assess information directly related to a person’s knowledge or ability
When non-standardized tests are used to assess skills, the end results are noticeable, but may be subject to interpretation. That does not mean that an essay assignment is compared to another person’s to determine a score, but rather each essay is treated separately in reference to a rubric. A person who wrote a two page essay and a person who wrote a three paragraph essay may both receive an A if both essays address items on the rubric. One essay may just address the items more thoroughly than the other.
A non-standardized test may have different end results, for example, a project assignment with the topic: encouraging healthy lifestyles. The project submissions may include a commercial, a poster, an app for a tablet, a motivational speech, etc. Any of these would be acceptable as long as each contained the elements required on the rubric.
MEANING:
Proctor-Individual who supervises the administration of a test
Rubric-Tool used to define specific criteria for grading a paper, project, essay, or other assessment
Success requirements on non-standardized tests may differ from person to person based on individual ability. Non-standardized tests may have different presentations, for example, giving different questions to different students, therefore offering unique testing opportunities for individuals.
Non-standardized tests are criterion-referenced, since these tests evaluate an individual to a benchmark and not a group of other people.
Sometimes tests have a combination of standardized items and non-standardized items. Even some formal standardized tests include essay items to evaluate an individual’s writing ability.
Test Anxiety
It is common for people to experience anxiety before and during a test. When the anxiety becomes more extreme, it can greatly affect an individual’s performance on tests. Test anxiety can impact one’s ability to recall information and focus.
Signs of test anxiety are evident in a person’s mind and body. Cognitive symptoms of test anxiety can include abrupt forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and problems with reasoning. Physical symptoms of test anxiety can include perspiration; headaches or other body cramps; increased heart rate; and feeling tense, faint, and/or nauseous. These symptoms can be overwhelming. There are ways to manage test anxiety.
There are many ways to manage test anxiety. The most important one is to be prepared. Develop efficient study habits. Do not wait until the last minute to prepare. Many people tend to procrastinate when it comes to something that may be unpleasant, such as a test. Procrastination is a poor habit that could affect every area in life. Waiting until the last minute to do something often results in a poorer outcome or creates a high level of stress. The extra stress created can impact test anxiety and test performance.
MEANING:
Procrastinate-Act of putting off something; delay; waiting until the last minute to accomplish something
To prepare for a test, it is best to manage time wisely and review. This can be done through organization. Keep up with assignments and reading. Do your studying in short sessions. Review material either with study aids or friends. Regular reviews help to store information in long-term memory. If possible, take practice tests. Make the practice environment as similar to the test environment as you can. This will help you to adjust to a testing environment and may lessen anxiety levels.
Test anxiety can be managed with mental preparation techniques, such as maintaining a positive attitude. Positive self-talk is a powerful tool; it can be used to build confidence. When negative thoughts arise, making statements to yourself, like, “I know this stuff.” and, “I have worked hard to prepare and be ready for this.” can help to minimize negative thoughts. Approach a test with confidence. Consider it an opportunity to show how well you studied.
Mental imagery or visualization can also help manage test anxiety. Mental imagery occurs when an individual pictures an action being performed. Prior to a test, picture yourself in the test setting successfully addressing the material. Focusing on this image can boost performance, increase self-confidence, and reduce stress. This process can be done any time the feelings of anxiousness occur.
Even after testing, test anxiety can sneak up on an individual. This happens when an individual is worried about the outcome of a test. Again, mental imagery can be used to create a positive picture of success.
Stress and test anxiety can be reduced, but they can also be increased. Negativity is contagious. Keep away from negative situations and thinking. You may want to avoid talking about the test and sitting by individuals who also may be stressed about the test. Focus on what you know. Remind yourself of all the work you have done and how it is going to benefit you.
If you have had unsuccessful attempts in the past, do not allow yourself to dwell on those. It is easy to fall back into the trap of negative thinking. Concentrate on any positive changes you have made.
Make sure you are physically ready for a test. Get plenty of sleep. The brain works better when rested and when it has the proper fuel. Therefore, drink water and eat something healthy before you take a test. Avoid sugars and caffeine. These can cause blood sugar crashes and increase anxiety.
Relaxation techniques, like deep breathing exercises and relaxing the muscles, also help to manage anxiety. Deep breathing also gets more oxygen into the body which helps the body perform more efficiently.
Test-Taking Strategies and Tips
There are several general things you can do before and during a test that are effective test-taking strategies. These strategies can also reduce test anxiety:
Write down information you may forget (do not bring this with you)
Skim through the test to determine the type(s) of questions and how to dedicate your time
Read the directions and test items slowly and carefully
Focus on the simple questions first
Skip questions that you cannot answer and come back to them later
Stay focused on one question at a time; do not think about questions you skipped or may have answered wrong
Depending on the testing environment, some of these may not be possible. Sometimes online tests do not allow for the possibility of skimming or skipping questions.
Careful reading is an important strategy for any test and all questions. It is very important to read all directions and each question thoroughly. Depending on the type of question, also carefully read all possible answers provided. When reading, pay attention to these items:
Vocabulary
Context Clues
Qualifiers
Negatives
Grammatical Cues
Look at the words in the question. Look at how the words are used and what is required for the answer. Are there any cues? Are there repeated keywords?
When reading essay questions, make sure to mark or underline what is required for the essay.
If given the question:
What are advantages and limitations to essay questions?
In your opinion, support why essay questions should or should not be used to assess an individual’s abilities. Which words/phrases should be marked for a complete answer?
When reading questions with choices for answers, notice patterns of words, such as the use of antonyms and synonyms. Often, an exact definition is not used in a question, but is a restatement of the definition with similar words. Opposite words are frequently given as distracting answers. If several words with similar meanings are provided as answer choices, then chances are those are used to distract from the correct answer. Also, an answer choice that repeats key words from the question is most likely to be correct.
MEANING:
Key Words and Phrases-In this example, the key words and phrases are:
Advantages
Limitations
Your opinion
Support
Should or should not
To completely answer the essay question, the answer should include advantages and limitations of essay questions and a personal opinion of whether or not those should be used. Your opinion should include a valid reasoning for your answer.
Antonym-Word that means the opposite of another word
Synonym-Word that means the same or almost the same as another word
Additional Qualifiers-Additional qualifiers to be familiar with include, but are not limited to—must, all, every, none, no, usually, sometimes, most, some, probably, possibly, should, likely
Additional Negative Prefixes-Additional prefixes that can be used in negative words include
A—atypical
Anti—antihero
Dis—disharmony
Il—illogical
In—indecency
Ir—Irresponsible
Always consider context clues. Context clues are pieces of information that help determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. Context clues can also be helpful in figuring out the answers to questions. For example:
Identify the word that best defines the underlined word in the sentence: While Kristi was indifferent to riding bikes, her best friend Pearl was an avid fan.
a. disloyal
b. apathetic
c. devoted
The similarity of the words indifferent, disloyal, and apathetic should be indicators that avid has an opposite meaning.
Context clues within a single question can also provide clues to other test questions within the test. Sometimes, one question can help to provide an answer for another test question.
Watch out for qualifiers. Qualifiers are words that give value or connect a condition to other words. Qualifiers are typically used in true/false and multiple choice questions. Be cautious of absolute qualifiers, like always, never, or only. Absolute words imply that there are no exceptions to what is stated. Statements with absolute qualifiers tend to be wrong or false (but not always). Words like some, often, and frequently are conditional qualifiers that allow possibilities. Statements with conditional words are more likely to be true (again, not always). Consider the following two statements:
The use of alcohol often leads to the use of illegal substances
The use of alcohol always leads to the use of illegal substances
These statements are similar, but only the first statement is true. The word always makes the second statement false, because not every person that drinks alcohol will go on to use illegal drugs.
Pay close attention to negative words and do not get tripped up by those. Negatives can come as words, like no, never, not, and none; but negatives can also be represented by prefixes, such as im in impossible and un in unforgivable.
Negatives impact the meaning of a statement. Be especially aware of double negatives. Those cancel each other, for example, Samantha’s behavior was not illogical. This statement really states: Samantha behaved sensibly and with logic.
Negative statements can be true. Look at this statement: Spanish is not the official language of Florida. If negatives within a statement are confusing, try to rephrase the statement in a different way. Be careful that you do not change the meaning when doing so.
Grammar rules apply to tests too. Use grammatical cues to eliminate answer choices. The correct answer will most likely agree grammatically with the question. Here is an example:
A solution that states what is required to solve a problem successfully but with insufficient detail for further action is called a __________ solution.
a. operational
b. general
c. ideal
d. all of the above
Options a and c can be removed immediately because those options should have the article an not a. These options are likely to be wrong because of grammatical reasons.
Beware of questions with None of the above and All of the above choices. A large majority of the time, None of the above will be an incorrect response, and All of the above will be a correct response. Do not depend on that alone.
You can do a simple test to confirm if that strategy is true. If one of the answer choices is correct, None of the above should be eliminated as an option. If two answer choices are correct, All of the above is most likely the correct answer.
There are also specific tips for certain types of testing questions. Some tips include strategies mentioned earlier.
Some tips for taking true/false questions include:
Carefully read the question—if any part of the statement is false, the whole statement is false
Watch qualifiers and negative words
When in doubt, choose true. True is more often used than false
Some specific tips for multiple choice questions include:
Try to answer the question BEFORE looking at any possible choices
Read the question and directions carefully; if there is a statement like Select the correct answers., that is a clue that more than one answer is required
Eliminate any wrong response to reduce choices
Watch for qualifiers, negatives, and grammatical cues
Avoid changing an answer; most often your first instinct is correct. Only make changes if you misread the question or are 100 percent sure the new answer is correct
A humorous response is often wrong
The longest response is typically correct
More often than not, the correct answer for a multiple choice question is b. or c.; however, this is not true on computerized tests when answer choices are randomized
Problem-solving questions can be tackled by using these tips:
Problem-solving questions can be tackled by using these tips:
Scan the entire exam looking for the point value of questions; then, plan your time
Immediately write down hard to remember formulas, rules, etc.
Read carefully, making sure to fully understand what is required
Answer the easy questions first to allow more time for the harder items
Do not spend too much time on a single question; if you are struggling, move on and come back. Partial credit is better than no credit for an unanswered question
Show the steps involved to get to the answer
Check your work and make sure all parts of the problem are answered
Essay questions can be addressed with these tips:
Scan the entire exam looking for the point value of questions; then, plan your time
Read carefully, making sure to fully understand what is required
Mark key words and required elements
Jot down a simple outline featuring key information you should include
Include supportive detail and apply order of importance or chronological order when required
Stay on topic; more words do not mean a better grade, especially if the words are off-topic
Check your spelling and grammar
Keep in mind that people who write questions also know these tips. So, they may not always apply. The best strategy for success on a test is dedication to learning the information, good study habits, and self-confidence.