Many experts recommend this method because they maintain that
answering so many questions one after another gives you immediate
confidence to tackle the questions you’re not sure about. If you find
that you agree, then by all means use this strategy. However, you may
consider just notingeasy ones as you preread the test. This takes less
time and, to me, delivers the same “confidence boost.”
The last approach is actually the one I used. In fact, I made it a point
to do the very hardest questions first, then work my way “down”
the difficulty ladder. (Which means I often worked backwards,since
many test-makers and teachers make their tests progressively more
difficult.)
It may sound strange to you, so let me explain the psychology.
I figured if time pressure starts getting to me at the end of the test,
I would rather be in a position to answer the easiest questions—and
a lot of them—in the limited time left, rather than ones I really had
to think about. After all, by the end of the test, my mind was simply
not working as well as it was at the beginning!
That’s the major benefit of the third approach: When I was most
“up,” most awake, most alert, I tackled questions that required the
most analysis, thinking, and interpretation. When I was most tired—
near the end—I was answering the questions that were virtually
“gimmes.”
At the same time, I was also giving myself a realshot of confidence.
As soon as I finished the first hard question, I already felt better.
When I finished all of the hard ones, everything was downhill.
I would always, however, try to ensure adequate time to at least
put down an answer for every question. Better to get one question
wrong and complete three other answers than get one right and leave
three blank. It is not the approach for everybody, but it may be right
for you.
194 How to Study