Doing my BEST

TEST R ly & re-read to find the an-

Read the questions carefulswers.

E

Examine every answer choice before you choose your answer.

L

Look for evidence and label your answer in the passage when you find it!

A

Always check your answers by looking back.

X

X-Out answer choices that cannot possibly be correct.

Test taking tips and

10

tricks for

success!

1

Stay focused and relaxed.

2

Sit in a comfortable position.

3

A little bit of stress is okay— don’t worry!

4 5

Is this even possible?! You betcha! Keep your mind on the test, but don’t tense up. Stay loose and cool so you can move smoothly from one question to the next. If you feel yourself getting tense, don't worry! Try some deep breathing to calm your nerves.

Again, don’t stiffen your body. Also, don’t sit hunched over your papers. Sit in a relaxed way, and make sure to keep your body loose! Your body being loose tells your mind that everything is going great and gives it the freedom to focus on the test rather than your aching muscles.

A little bit of stress is okay—it means that you care about how well you’re going to do. The key is to accept this stress and don't let worrying about the stress make you even more stressed. Instead, tell yourself, “I’m a little worried, but that’s okay. I’m going to do well on this test!”

Read/listen to the directions! Be sure to pay careful attention to the directions you are given. This will keep you from making simple mistakes and guarantees that you won’t have to go back and re-do any work because you didn’t understand the directions.

Pace yourself. Tests are often timed. Pay attention to how much time you have to complete your test, but don’t focus on the clock. Glance up every so often to be sure you’re not falling behind, and make sure you’re not looking at a single question for too long.

6

Don’t rush! Try and keep a good pace, but make sure you’re not rushing through questions to keep up. Make sure you understand what is being asked, then make sure that you think clearly about your answer. Read every choice before choosing an answer.

Stay away from distractions.

7

Unless you are quickly glancing at the clock, keep your eyes on your own paper. Don’t worry about what others around you are doing. Pay attention to what matters most when you’re testing— YOU! Also, testing is not a race., so don’t worry if you’re not the first one done.

8

Focus on what you know. Stuck on a question that seems impossible? Skip it and move on to the next one! Don’t spend too much time on questions that seem too difficult to answer. If you get stuck, don’t stay stuck. Pass on the questions and come back to them if you have time.

9

Use up all of your time. Again, tests are not a race! If you happen to finish before time is up, don’t just turn your test in and sit there. Go back over the questions, especially the ones that were hard (and maybe you skipped) and check your work.

10

Stay positive! The test might be tough, but you can do it! Tell yourself that you have the skills and knowledge to be successful and you can be! A positive attitude goes a long way towards success!