Overview

As you may know, paying attention during class and taking effective notes are excellent ways to prepare for tests. Yet, you can be better prepared if you are armed with strategies for answering the different types of test items.

Multiple-choice items ask you to answer a question or complete a sentence choosing from a number of responses. Read these questions carefully and identify what information you are looking for. Then, read all the possible responses and eliminate any responses that are clearly incorrect. Be cautious about choosing responses that contain absolute words, such as always or never, as these are often incorrect. True-false items ask you to decide whether a statement is true or false. For the answer to be true, the entire statement must be true. If any part of a statement is false, the entire statement is false. Short-answer items ask for specific information. They are usually best answered with precisely phrased complete sentences. Fill-in items usually consist of a sentence with one or more blanks to be filled in. Your answer should make the statement true and also grammatically correct. In matching items you have two sets or lists of items, and you must match those in the first column or group to those in the second. Read the directions carefully so you know what type of match to make, and use the process of elimination when necessary.

Standardized tests compare large numbers of students with one another. Most standardized test fall into one of three categories: ability tests, achievement tests, and aptitude tests. Ability tests evaluate general learning skills; achievement tests evaluate knowledge in specific content areas; aptitude tests evaluate individual talents and interests.

Standardized tests usually consist of reading comprehension items; vocabulary items; and grammar, usage, and mechanics items. Reading comprehension items usually include a long passage about a particular topic and several questions about the passage. These items usually require you to identify main ideas, recognize supporting details, and make inferences. An inference item requires coming to a conclusion that is based on the information in the passage but is not explicitly expressed therein. Vocabulary items test your knowledge of word meanings. If you are unsure of an answer, analyze the parts of the unknown word. Analogies are vocabulary items that test your ability to analyze the relationships between words, not just their meanings. To answer a difficult analogy item, create a simple sentence in your mind that states the relationship between the first pair of words. Then, try each pair of words, using that particular sentence format. Some standardized tests may also include grammar, usage, and mechanics items that ask you to find grammatical errors in sentences, point out misused words, or choose the best way to correct an awkward or incorrect sentence.

You usually have only a limited amount of time to complete a test, so use your time efficiently. Skip difficult items at first. If the test does not penalize you for wrong answers, guess the answers for all the items you did not have time to complete. Mark only your answers on the answer sheet and frequently compare the item numbers on your test and answer sheet. If you have time, check your answers when you are done.