Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success : A Self-management Approach

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258  CHAPTER 11

WHAT STRATEGIES CAN I USE TO ANSWER OBJECTIVE TEST QUESTIONS?

Before I review specific test-taking strategies for different types of

objective questions, it is important to review some general strategies

to use for all objective questions (Urman 1982):

How Should You Manage Your Time?

To properly manage your time, adhere to the following guidelines:

• Always know how much time you have for the test.


• During the test, check the clock once in a while so that you will
  know how much time is left.


• When you begin the test:
  a. Answer questions you know first.
  b. Do not spend too much time on hard questions. Try not to
  get upset when you cannot answer a hard question.
  c. Skip hard questions and go back to them at the end of the
  test.


• When you have answered all the questions, go back and check
  your work.

How Should You Approach Each Question?

Use the following guidelines to approach each questions:

• If you do not know the answer to a question, read the ques-
  tion again.


• Read each of the answers.


• Mark the best answer only after you have read all of the
  answers.


• If you cannot figure out the answer to a question, guess.


• Be sure you mark one answer for each question. Do not leave
  a question blank.

When Should You Change an Answer?

You should change an answer:

• When you make a mistake.


• When you think another answer is better. A few minutes after
  you start taking a test, you sometimes get into the swing of the
  test and see things in the questions that you did not notice at
  first. After you finish the test and start going back over the
  questions, if a different answer seems better, you should change
  your answer.