Chapter 17 Flashcards
(7 cards)
What is the one extraordinarily important preparation step for taking a test? (Hint: If you don’t take this step, nothing else you do toprepare for the test maters.)
Explain how you would determine whether it is time to pull yourself off a difficult problem on a test when you are using the hard-start–jump-to-easy technique.
A deep-breathing technique was suggested to help with feelings of panic.
Why do you think the discussion emphasized breathing so that the belly rises rather than just the upper chest?
Why would you want to try to shift your attention momentarily before checking your answers on a test?
MULTIPLE “GUESS” AND PRACTICE TESTS . . . A FEW TIPS
“When I give multiple-choice tests, I sometimes find that students fail to fully grasp what the question is asking before they barge ahead, reading the answer options.
I advise them to cover up the answers and to try to recall the information so they can answer the question on their own first.
“When my students complain that the practice test was waaaaay easier than the real one, I ask: What are the confounding variables that make the two situations different?
When you took the practice test, were you at home relaxing with tunes on?
Taking it with a fellow student? No time limit?
Answer key and class materials at hand?
These circumstances are not exactly like a crowded classroom with a clock ticking away.
I actually encourage those with test anxiety to bring their practice test to another class (big classes where one can slipright in and sit at the back unnoticed) and try taking it there
DEALING WITH PANIC BEFORE A TEST
I tell my students to face their fears.
Often, your worst fear is not getting the grades you need for your chosen career.
How can you handle this? Simple. Have a plan B for an alternative career. Once you have a plan for the worst contingency, you’ll be surprised to see that the fear will begin to subside.
“Study hard up until the day of the test, and then let it go. Tell yourself, ‘Oh, well, let me just see how many questions I can get right. I can always pursue my other career choices.
’That helps release stress so you actually do better and get closer to your first career choice.
TEST PREPARATION CHECKLIST
Professor Richard Felder is a legend among engineering educators—he has arguably done as much as or more than any educator in this century to help students worldwide to excel in math and science.
1 One of the simplest and perhaps most effective techniques Dr. Felder has used to help students is laid out in a memo he wrote to students who have been disappointed with their test grades.
2“Many of you have told your instructor that you understood the course material much better thanyour last test grade showed, and some of you asked what you should do to keep the same thingfrom happening on the next test.
“Let me ask you some questions about how you prepared for the test. Answer them as honestlyas you can.
If you answer ‘No’ to many of them, your disappointing test grade should not be too surprising. If there are still a lot of ‘Nos’ after the next test, your disappointing grade on that test should be even less surprising.
If your answer to most of these questions is ‘Yes’ and you still have a poor grade, something else must be going on.
It might be a good idea for you to meet with your instructor or a counselor to see if you can figure out what it is.“You’ll notice that several of the questions presume that you’reworking with classmates on the homework—either comparing solutions you first obtained individualy or actually getting together to work out the solutions.
Either approach is fine.
In fact, if you’ve been working entirely by yourself and your test grades are unsatisfactory, I would strongly encourage you to find one or two homework and study partners to work with before the next test.
(Be careful about thesecond approach, however; if what you’re doing is mainly watching others work out solutions, you’reprobably doing yourself more harm than good.)
“The answer to the question ‘How should I prepare for the test?’ becomes clear once you’ve filed out the checklist.
You should:Do Whatever It Takes to Be Able to Answer “Yes” to Most of the Questions.
Test Preparation ChecklistAnswer “Yes” only if you usually did the things described (as opposed to occasionally or never).
Homework Yes __No
- Did you make a serious effort to understand the text?
(Just hunting for relevant worked-out examples doesn’t count.)Yes __No - Did you work with classmates on homework problems, or at least check your solutions with others?Yes __No
- Did you attempt to outline every homework problem solution before working with classmates?Test PreparationThe more “Yes” responses you recorded, the better your preparation for the test.
If yourecorded two or more “No” responses, think seriously about making some changes in how you prepare for the next test.Yes __No - Did you participate actively in homework group discussions (contributingideas, asking questions)?Yes __No
- Did you consult with the instructor or teaching assistants when you were having trouble with something?Yes __No
- Did you understand ALL of your homework problem solutions when they were handed in?Yes __No
- Did you ask in class for explanations of homework problem solutions thatweren’t clear to you?Yes __No
- If you had a study guide, did you carefully go through it before the test and convince yourself that you could do everything on it?Yes __No
- Did you attempt to outline lots of problem solutions quickly, without spending time on the algebra and calculations?Yes __No
- Did you go over the study guide and problems with classmates and quiz one another?Yes __No
- If there was a review session before the test, did you attend it and ask questions about anything you weren’t sure about?Yes __No
- Did you get a reasonable night’s sleep before the test? (If your answer isn’t, your answers to 1–11 may not matter.)Yes, no TOTAL
