acdv 70d test taking

ACDV 70DTest Taking

Lab #3

Lesson Two, Module 10 Examinations

(taken from Mini-Courses in Academic Skills by Jurgen Wolff)

Lesson 2 Topic 3: Reading the Directions

Topic 4: Taking Objective Tests

Topic 5: Taking Essay Tests

Free powerpoint template: www.brainybetty.com 2

Topic 3: Reading the DirectionsOBJECTIVES

1. Know the general directions to look for on examinations.2. Know how to answer questions that ask you to identify

information.3. Know how to answer questions that ask you to

demonstrate information.4. Know how to answer questions that ask you to compare

information.5. Know how to answer questions that ask you to evaluate

information.



DIRECTIONS TO LOOK FOR

1.Time limit.2.How many questions should be answered…and in what order.3. How many points each question or section is worth.4. How to answer the question.

--underline, circle, draw a line, etc.--length allowed--in math or science exams, should you show calculations?


READ EVERY WORD OF THEDIRECTIONS AND THEQUESTIONS.

Sample Questions. (In each question, write one word that youthink students are likely to miss if they don’t read the questioncarefully):

1. Which of the following is not an element?2. Which of the following is representative of most

vertebrates?3. True or False: Statistically, all men are taller than women.


Questions that ask you to identify information use wordslike:What is NameCite StateIndicate EnumerateList Identify

Identification questions ask you to name some-thing—no further explanation is necessary.


Below are 5 questions and answers. Check the onesthat are good examples of an identification questionand an appropriate answer:

__1. Name three “naturalist” writers. Stephen Crane, Jack London, Theodore Dreiser__2. What is the novel in which Stephen Crane wrote about fear as a basic human motive? “The Red Badge of Courage,” a novel in which a young soldier comes face- to-face with his own fear of battle, after first being eager to fight.__3. Compare the writings of London with those of Dreiser. Both authors wrote about survival. London usually pitted his characters against nature while Dreiser was concerned with the struggle against social forces.

Continued on next slide


CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS SLIDE:

__4. List three of Mark Twain’s works about life in America. Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, The Gilded Age__5. Identify one characteristic of Mark Twain’s writings: a. they described the American character b. they were written in intellectual language c. they were humorless

Check youranswersin Back-up 8.


Questions that ask you to demonstrate information use wordslike:Show how or why JustifyProve SupportExplain why Demonstrate

Demonstration questions ask you to give evidence tosupport something.


Below are three questions and answers. Check the ones thatare good examples of a demonstration question and anappropriate answer:

__1. Explain why the 1950 McCarren Act is now considered to have been “un-American.” The McCarren Act required communists to register; it prohibited them from doing defense work; and it prohibited them from using U.S. passports. These things were later found unconstitutional, so the Act is called “un-American” because it violated the American Constitution.

(Continued on next slide)



__2. Support the statement that “The Sacco- Vanzetti Trial was the most controversial trial of this century.” Sacco and Vanzetti were executed for robbery and murder. Neither one had a good alibi. They were Italians.__3. Justify the statement that it is sometimes right for a country to send troops to fight within the borders of another country. The idea of self-defense is accepted by all countries. So if one country attacks another (for ex., with bombs), then invading the attacking country would be justified.Check answers in

Back-up 9.


Questions that ask you to compare information use words like:

Distinguish ContrastRelate AnalyzeDifferentiate Compare

Comparison questions ask you to tell how things arealike and how they are different.


Below are three questions and answers. Check any that aregood examples of a comparison question and an appropriateanswer:

__1. Analyze the way that American art developed in the late 19th century, compared to the way Amer. literature developed at the same time. They both became more realistic, and they both were more concerned with American themes. Before this, they were more strong- ly influenced by Europe. One difference between the two is that the new literature was more quickly accepted by the public than the new art.




__2. Relate Darwinism to Social Darwinism. Darwinism said that in nature there is evolution and that only the fittest survive.

__3. What types of men were most successful in industry from 1865 to 1914? The successful men of this period were competitive (maybe even ruthless), they weren’t afraid to try new things, they worked hard, and they expanded their businesses with their profits. Check your answers in

Back-up 10.


Questions that ask you to evaluate information usewords like:

Comment on InterpretWhy do you think AssessGive your reasons why EvaluateCriticize Analyze

Evaluation questions ask you to give your opinionand back it up with facts.(Often it’s a good idea to give both sides of an issue…and then your evaluation.)


Below are three questions and answers. Check any that aregood examples of an evaluation question and an appropriateanswer:

__1. Why do you think the settlers of the American West hated the Indians? The settlers wanted to exterminate the Indians. They used the Army to kill Indians, and they resettled many Indians far from their original homes.__2. Comment on the image we have of the cowboy. The myth of the cowboy says he was brave, good with his guns, handsome, strong, interested in justice, and independent. Real cowboys did work hard and their jobs were dangerous, so they…




__2. (continued) …probably were brave and strong. But most of them never used “six guns” and were not concerned about justice. They also made very little money and couldn’t be too independent. Our image is romantic, not realistic.__3. Assess the impact of the Oklahoma Land Rush on the settlement of the American West. In 1889, the U.S. government threw most of the Indians out of the Oklahoma region and opened up the area for home- steading. The people who wanted land rushed in, using wagons, horses, and other kinds of transportation.Check your answers in

Back-up 11.


In the blanks provided on your worksheet, write a “T” if the statement is true or an “F” if it is false:

__1. It’s safe to assume that on a test you should start with the first question and work your way through until you’ve answered all the questions. Continued on next slide



__2. You should always read every word of each question when taking a test.__3. For a question that asks you to “demonstrate” information, you would compare that information with something else.__4. For a question that asks you to “contrast” information, you would tell how it differs from something else.__5. For a question that asks you to “evaluate” information, you would just list facts about it.__6. For a question that asks you to “identify” something, you would name it.

Check your answers in Back-up 12.


Topic 4: Taking Objective TestsOBJECTIVES

1. Know how to answer multiple- choice questions.

2. Know how to answer matching questions.

3. Know how to answer sentence completion questions.

4. Know how to answer true-false questions.


TIPS FOR ANSWERING MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Anticipate the answer.

In the blank below each word, jot downwhat you think it means. Then look atthe three choices on the right and writedown the letter of the correct definitionfor each word:

1. Clandestine ___________

a. excitingb. secretc. wet



CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS SLIDE

2. Ambiguous ___________

a.eagerb.hugec.uncertain

3. Astute __________

a.musicalb.greedyc.shrewdHmmm…

Let me see.




2. Consider all the answers.

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?A. Abe LincolnB. Thomas JeffersonC. Thomas Jefferson & several of the “founding fathers”




3. Try rephrasing the question in your own words.Asking questions about a book before you thorough-ly read it helps you:

a. avoid having to read the whole book.b. get an overview of the book and begin to

interact with it.c. learn all about the author.

*Possible ways to rephrase the above question:How does asking questions about a book before reading

it help me as the reader? ORWhat’s the purpose of pre-reading? Continued on next slide



4. If you guess, first eliminate the wrong or unlikely choices.


TIP FOR ANSWERING MATCHING QUESTIONS

1. Match the easy items first.

Sample question. Match each kind of mammalwith one member of that group:

A.Even-toes 1. rhinocerosB.Odd-toes 2. bearC.Carnivores 3. apeD.Rodents 4. kangarooE. Primates 5. mouseF. Marsupials 6. deer


Free powerpoint template: www.brainybetty.com


Match each group of the animal world (on the left) with oneclass of that group (on the right):

A.Protozoa 1. tapewormsB.Vertebrates 2. amoebasC.Mollusks 3. centipedesD.Flatworms 4. clamsE. Arthropods 5. mammals



TIPS FOR ANSWERINGSENTENCE-COMPLETION QUESTIONS

1.Check the number of blanks.

A noninflammable colorless liquidoften used as a solvent in cleaningmixtures is called ________________________________.

As you can see, there are 2 blanks inthe sentence completion above.




2. See whether the word before the blank is “a” or “an.” If it’s “a,” the fill-in word will begin with a consonant; if it’s “an,” the fill- in word will begin with a vowel.

A former gold coin of the United States, worth $10,was called an __________. (dubloon or eagle?)The answer would be “eagle” because the word “an”is before the blank, thus requiring a word that startswith a vowel to follow it. Continued on next slide



3. If you don’t know the exact answer, come as close as you can.

A noninflammable colorless liquid often used as a solvent in cleaning mixtures is called carbon ____________________.


TIPS FOR ANSWERING TRUE-FALSEQUESTIONS

1.If a statement is to be marked “true,” all parts of it must be true.

Nerves are found in animals with millions of cells, just asthey are found in one-celled animals. __T __ F

2. If a statement is to be marked “true,” it must be 100% true.Animals have nerves. __T __F




3. Definite (absolute) statements are often false.All animals have nerves. ____T ____F

4. Indefinite (i.e., having general qualifiers) statements are often true.

Some animals have nerves. ____T ____F


Review: Topic 4In the blank provided on your answer sheet, write a “T” if thestatement is true or an “F” if it is false:

__ 1. On a multiple-choice question, it’s best to consider all the possibilities immediately rather than trying to anticipate the answer.__ 2. On a multiple-choice question, if the first choice seems correct, it’s not necessary to read the other choices.__ 3. On “matching” questions, you should match the easiest items first.




__ 4. On a sentence-completion (a.k.a. “fill-in-the- blank”) question, if the word “an” appears in front of the blank, the fill-in word usually will start with a vowel.__ 5. All definite (absolute) statements are false.__ 6. Many indefinite (having general qualifiers) statements are true.

Check youranswers inBack-up 14.


Topic 5: Taking Essay TestsOBJECTIVES

1. Know how and why to outline each answer before you write it.2. Know the best kind of opening for an answer.3. Know how to write an effective answer.4. Know what to do when you don’t know the answer.5. Know what to do when you run out of time.6. Know what format to use for your answer sheet.


Make a brief outline of your answers to all thequestions before you write any answer.

Why to write an outline:1. It forces you to be organized.2. It gets your mind working in the right direction.3. It puts your subconscious mind to work.

How to write an outline:Step 1: List all the points that occur to you.Step 2: Number main ideas in logical order.Step 3: Number & letter important details.



CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS SLIDESample Question: Identify the stages of economicdevelopment and briefly describe each one:

1 2 3

Preindustrial-hunting primitivePostindustrial-more leisureIndustrial-mass production specializationDeveloping-agricultural travel economic growth

1. Preindustrial-hunting

primitive4. Postindustrial-more

leisure5. Industrial-mass

production

specialization6. Developing-

agricultural travel

economic growth

1. Preindustrial-1b. hunting

1a. primitive

4. Postindustrial-4a. more

leisure

5. Industrial-3b. mass product.

3a. specialization

6. Developing-2b. agricultural

2c. travel

2a. economic

growth



Below is a question and a list of points that could be includedin the answer. In the blanks on your worksheet, number themain points (1, 2, 3, etc.) and then number & letter theimportant details (1A, 2A, 3A, etc.) that go with each mainpoint. The first has been done for you as an example:1.Name the five senses and briefly describe how each one works: __ A. Hearing __ F. Smell __ B. Retina __ G. Taste Buds __ C. Eardrum __ H. Taste __ D. Sight __ I. Touch __ E. Olfactory Nerves __ J. Nerve endings

in the skin

1

1A



Your opening sentence should be direct and tothe point.

For each question, write down the letter of thebest opening sentence of an answer:

1. Do you think the performance of the U.S. Post Office would be improved if competition were allowed?

a. This is an interesting question because the Post Office provides a service used by almost everybody.b. The Postal Service was established many years ago.c. The performance of the U.S. Post Office would improve if the services it provides were subject to competition.



2. What was Wilson’s idea of Americanism?

a. To the question, “What was Wilson’s idea of Americanism?”, I have the following answer: b. Wilson’s idea of Americanism incorporated four basic points. c. Wilson’s idea of Americanism is different from mine.


U.S. PresidentWoodrow Wilson


Support your answer point bypoint, and use transition wordsto guide the instructor throughyour answer.

1. To prepare the reader for a series of ideas:2. To prepare the reader for more of the same:3. To prepare the reader for a contrast:4. To prepare the reader for examples:

First, second, third1, 2, 3There are several

Additionally, Also, And,FurthermoreBut, On the other hand,However, In contrast

For example, For instanceContinued on next slide


CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS SLIDERead both paragraphs and then write down the number of theone that was easier to understand:

1. Children watch television for three reasons. They find it entertaining. They say The Flintstones makes them laugh. They learn social things. Whether

you tip a stewardess on an airplane, howto make your hair more attractive. Itgives them a shared social experience.The next day they talk about how theyliked the story on Six Million Dollar Man.The children will usually mention the firstreason, they will not be as aware of the other tworeasons. Continued on next slide


CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS SLIDE2. Children watch television for three reasons. One, they find it entertaining. For example, they say The Flintstones makes them laugh. Two, they learn social things—for instance, whether you tip a stewardess on an airplane and how to make your hair more attractive.

Three, it gives them a shared social experience. For instance,the next day they talk about how they liked the story on SixMillion Dollar Man. The children will usually mention the firstreason, but they will not be as aware of the other two reasons.


When you don’t know the answer to an essayquestion, write down as much as you do know.

Warning #1: Don’t offer excuses! (In other words, do not offer reasons as to why you do not know the material.)Warning #2: Don’t pad the material! (Don’t add empty, “filler” words.) Continued


CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS SLIDERead the question and the three answers. In the blank givenon your worksheet, write one of the letters below to indicatewhether an answer is:

A.an example of padding.B.an example of an answer that offers excuses.C.a reasonable attempt to make the most of what little the student happens to know about the subject.

Question: Describe the Gospel of Wealth thatwas preached by Andrew Carnegie.

Continued


Question (REPEATED): Describe the Gospel of Wealth that was preached by Andrew Carnegie.__ Answer #1: The Gospel of Wealth is a gospel that

was put forward or, to put it another way, preached by Andrew Carnegie. It concerned wealth—money, property, and other goods that could be considered to reflect how well-off one is, in a material sense.__ Answer #2: Andrew Carnegie was a rich industrial- ist of the American Industrial Revolution. The Gospel of Wealth reflected his attitudes about what rich people should do with their money.

Continued


CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS SLIDE__ Answer #3: The Gospel of Wealth is one of the topics covered during the week that I was seriouslyill. Well, I had the flu, but it was a bad case and Ihad to go to the doctor and everything. I can get anote from the doctor proving it. Otherwise, I’msure I could answer this question.



When you’re running out of time, jot down themain points of your answer in outline form.

Describe the Gospel of Wealth thatwas preached by Andrew Carnegie.

Gospel of Wealth = Rules for the Rich

1. Shun extravagance a. set example of modest living2. Use money for good of community3. Use money to help the poor a. use superior wisdom b. use ability to administer


NEATNESS COUNTS!

QUESTION CHECKLIST

1. Is your handwriting easy to read?2. Have you left enough room in the margins and between answers?3. Are your outlines and calculations out of the way?


Review: Topic 5In the blanks provided on your worksheet, write a “T” if thestatement is true or an “F” if it is false:

__ 1. One advantage of outlining your answers before writing them out is that it forces you to be organized.__ 2. When outlining an answer, you: (1) list all the points that occur to you, and then (2) number and letter important details.__ 3. The opening sentence of your answer should restate the question.__ 4. When you don’t know the answer to a question, you should write down as much as you do know.




__ 5. When you’re running out of time, it’s acceptable to write your answer in outline form.



Module ReviewUsing your worksheet, write down the letter of the phrasethat best completes each statement:

1. During the last two weeks before an exam, your schedule should include: a. time for sleep, meals, classes, and review. b. time for sleep, meals, classes, review, and free time. c. time for sleep, meals, review, and free time.2. The best source of information about what’s likely to be covered during an examination is: a. the instructor. b. your classmates. c. old examination papers. Continued



3. When you practice taking an exam in advance, the questions you write and answer should be in the same format as: a. the author’s questions in your textbook. b. questions that occurred to you as you studied. c. the questions that are going to be on the test.

4. Reviewing with a classmate should take no more than: a. half your study time. b. ten hours a week. c. two hours a week.

Continued



5. The reason NOT to take stimulants before an exam is: a. it is morally wrong to take drugs of any kind. b. they may give you the idea you’re doing much better than you are. c. they don’t actually keep you awake.

6. The first thing to do when you receive an examination paper is: a. read it. b. work out an exam schedule. c. make an outline for each question.

Continued


CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS SLIDE7. How long you should plan to spend on each question depends upon: a. how difficult it is for you to remember the answer. b. whether it’s an essay question or an objective question. c. how many points it’s worth.8. If you don’t know the answer to a question, you should: a. schedule an extra five minutes to think about it. b. mark it and return to it later. c. copy it down so you can study it after the examination.9. If the instructor doesn’t say he’s penalizing for wrong answers, it’s a good idea to guess: a. on true-false questions c. on all kinds of questions b. on multiple-choice questions. Continued



10. When you get back an exam paper, you should look it over and ask yourself: a. Which questions didn’t I expect, and why? b. Why did I use the exam schedule I did? c. Did I get enough sleep before taking this exam?

Continued



11. The most common examination mistake made by students, even when they’ve studied and re- viewed well, is: a. forgetting to write their names on the test. b. misreading the directions. c. not going to the last few classes before an exam.12. Questions that ask you to identify something use words like: a. state. b. support. c. contrast. Continued



13. Questions that ask you to demonstrate something use words like: a. criticize. b. evaluate. c. explain why.

14. Questions that ask you to compare something use words like: a. cite. b. contrast. c. enumerate.

Continued



15. Questions that ask you to evaluate something use words like: a. why do you think. b. differentiate. c. list.

16. When dealing with a multiple-choice question, you should: a. outline the answer. b. anticipate the answer. c. underline the answer.17. On a matching test, you should first match: a. the most difficult items. b. the first items presented. c. the easiest items. Continued



18. On a sentence completion test, if the word before the blank is “an,” then the fill-in word probably will begin with: a. an “e.” b. a vowel. c. a “d.”

19. If a statement is to be marked “true”: a. it must be true most of the time. b. all parts of it must be true. c. it must be a definite answer.

Continued


CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS SLIDE20. The main purpose of making an outline before you answer an essay question is to: a. help you answer the question in an organized way. b. save time. c. show the instructor that you have good test-taking skills.

21. The opening sentence of an answer to an essay question should

contain:a. your opinion of the question.b. a part of the answer.c. your reasons why you don’t know the answer as well as you should.

Continued



22. A transition word: a. is unnecessary padding (i.e. “wordiness”). b. prepares the reader for what’s coming. c. is used in evaluation questions.

23. When you don’t know the answer to an essay question, you should: a. write down a rephrasing of the question. b. skip it. c. write down anything you can remember that relates to the question.

Continued



24. When you are running out of time on an essay question, you should: a. skip it and mark it. b. indicate that you would have answered it if you’d had time. c. jot down a quick answer in outline form.

Check your answersin Back-up 19.


Congratulations!!You have completed Lab

#3 of Test Taking.Turn in your completed

worksheet to yourinstructor.


Back-Up 8: Answers to Slides 7-8

1. 2. The answer is longer and more detailed than is required by the question. “The Red Badge of Courage” is all that was necessary.3. The question is not an identification question. It asks the student to compare 2 things, not just to name something.

4. 5. Return to Slide 8



1.

2. The answer just states three facts that describe the case. None of these facts support the statement that it was the most controversial trial of the century.3. Return to Slide 11.



1.2. The answer only defines Darwinism. It doesn’t relate it to Social Darwinism.3. The question doesn’t ask you to compare things. It is really an identification question—it could also have been written this way: “List the qualities of men who were most successful in industry from 1865-1914.” Return to Slide 14.



1. The answer doesn’t really give any reasons why. This is a good example of an answer that is true but doesn’t fit the question.

3. As in #1, the answer is true, but it doesn’t fit the question. It merely describes the Land Rush. It doesn’t give the student’s opinion of the impact of the Land Rush. Return to Slide 17.

2. Notice that the student first set out thefacts and then stated the opinion that hefeels is supported by those facts.



1. F (Slide 4) 4. T (Slide 12)2. T (Slide 5) 5. F ( Slide 15)3. F (Slide 9) 6. T (Slide 6)

If you answered any of the questions incorrectly,review the slides indicated.

Return to Slide19.


Back-Up 13: Answers to Slide 27

A. 2 B. 5 C. 4 D. 1 E. 3

Most students find the easiest matched to be “D” and “1” (since both contain the word “worm”); “E” and “3” (because they remember that in an earlier topic of this module we used these terms in a sample question); and “B” and “5” (since they may recall that “vertebrates” are animals withspines, and “mammals” fit that description).

Return to Slide 27.



1. F (Slide 21)

2. F (Slide 23)

3. T (Slide 26)

4. T (Slide 29)

5. F (Slide 32)

6. T (Slide 32)Return to Slide 34.

*If you answered any of the quest. incorrectly, review the slides indicated.


Back-Up 15: Answers to Slide 38

A. 1B. 2AC. 1AD. 2E. 3AF. 3G. 4AH. 4I. 5J. 5A

If written in order, the outline would looklike this:1. Hearing a. Eardrum2. Sight a. Retina3. Smell a. Olfactory Nerves4. Taste a. Taste Buds5. Touch a. Nerve endings in the skin

Return to Slide 38.


Back-Up 16: Answers to Slides 39-401.c (The instructor doesn’t care about your opinion of the question, only the answer, so “a” is not a good response; “b” is true, but it doesn’t get to the point of the question; “c” answers the question—of course, the student will have to go on to give reasons that support his opinion.)2.b (“a” is a waste of time. There’s no need to restate the question, as long as you label your answer with the correct number; “c” is not a good response because the question doesn’t ask for your opinion of Americanism; “b” is good b/c it immediately tells us something about Wilson’s idea: that it incorporated 4 basic points.)

Return toSlide 40.


Back-Up 17: Answers to Slides 46-47 1. A (This is padding that simply restates the question. It is more likely to annoy the instructor than to fool him or her.)2. C (The student shows a knowledge of who Carnegie was, when Carnegie lived, and that the student has a vague idea of what the Gospel of Wealth was about. The student certainly hasn’t described it well but may get a few points.)3. B (This is a rather pathetic excuse. But if you are ever seriously ill, discuss it with your instructor as soon as possible so that special arrangements can be made for you.)

Return toSlide 47.



1.T (Slide 36)2.F (Slide 36)3.F (Slide 39)4.T (Slide 44)5.T (Slide 48)

If you answered any of the questions incorrectly,review the slides indicated.

Return to Slide51.

http://www.all-occasion-clipart.com/html/15044.html





1. b 2. a3. c4. c5. b6. a7. c8. b9. c10. a11. b (Slide 5)12. a (Slide 6)

13. c (Slide 9) 14. b (Slide 12)15. a (Slide 15)16. b (Slide 21)17. c (Slide 26)18. b (Slide 29)19. b (Slide 31)20. a (Slide 36)21. b (Slide 39)22. b (Slide 41)23. c (Slide 44)24. c (Slide 48)

If you answered any of the above questions incorrectly, review theslides indicated in the parentheses.



1. b 2. a3. c4. c5. b6. a7. c8. b9. c10. a11. b (Slide 5)12. a (Slide 6)

13. c (Slide 9) 14. b (Slide 12)15. a (Slide 15)16. b (Slide 21)17. c (Slide 26)18. b (Slide 29)19. b (Slide 31)20. a (Slide 36)21. b (Slide 39)22. b (Slide 41)23. c (Slide 44)24. c (Slide 48)

If you answered any of the above questions incorrectly, review theslides indicated in the parentheses.

acdv 70d test taking

Documents

slide free powerpoint

t slide

question c

question doesnt

f slide

previous slide

sample questions

good response b