• If you are an auditory person, try to study orally. Say the information out loud to yourself.

• If you are a visual person, make a diagram or outline.

• If you are kinesthetic, make the learning more active by copying and recopying your notes.

• Find a study location that has an optimal amount of background noise and activity. If it's too quiet, you will doze off; if it's too distracting, your attention will wander. If it's just right, you will stay on task.

• Plan frequent short breaks. Don't try to study for too long a stretch.

• When you have long lists to learn, create acronyms as cue words to help you retrieve the information. For example (HOMES is an acronym for the great lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).

Tips for Testing Day

• Arrive a few minutes early.

• Be wary of frantic last-ditch cramming with classmates outside the exam room. You will find that such conversations clarify nothing and only serve to make you nervous and anxious.

• If you feel overly anxious, calm yourself physically by controlling your breathing. Breathe deeply, slowly and rhythmically. You can also reduce physical tension by alternately tensing and relaxing various muscle groups.

• Be prepared to use all the time allotted for the exam; do not be upset or flustered if others finish early. They may have given up without finishing the test, or they may have neglected to do part of the test.

Tips for Objective Tests

• Carefully read the instructions on the cover of the test booklet.

• Read the directions for each test carefully. Some tests ask for the best answer. Read all the choices before you choose the one that best responds to the question. Some tests ask for the correct answer. Read each question carefully to make sure you understand the type of answer required.
• Read each question carefully.
  • Look for qualifiers in the sentence. Qualifiers are words such as: all, most, some, no, never, least, always, equal, maximum, greatest, not, less, mainly, highest, lowest, most nearly, best, etc.
  • For matching questions, read all the items to be matched to get an idea of the range of possibilities.
  • Fill in the blank questions are more objective than subjective ones because the instructor generally has something specific in mind. Try to fill the answer that really belongs.

• Answer the easy questions first. After you answer all the easy ones, go back and answer the more difficult ones.
• Circle or underline key words in questions. Multiple-choice tests examine your ability to read carefully and thoughtfully, as much as they test your ability to recall and reason. Watch for words like "all," "always," "never," "none," "few," "many," "some,", and, "sometimes"

• Try to recall a concept from memory. Think out the answer before looking at the options. Doing this successfully may help you "wade through" the alternatives and find a reasonable answer or choice.

• Consider the true/false label strategy. Label the alternative answers as true or false statements and then look for a pattern in the answers

• Use logic to answer difficult questions.

• Answer every question. Be slow to change an answer, because your first impulses are usually correct.

• Review your work.

• Write legibly. If you make a mistake, erase completely.

Tips for Essay Questions

• Remember the parts to an essay: introduction paragraph with a clear thesis statement, supporting body paragraphs and a good, strong conclusion. Also remember organization, clarity and unity.

• Organize before you beging writing. Start with a brief outline, mind-map or diagram.

• Avoid wordiness; the clearest writing is simple and direct.

• Avoid extraneous information. Adding extraneous information (ideas learned but not asked) into an essay waters down and weakens the strong points.
• Answer the question. Re-read the questions, carefully noting what each question asks you to do. At this point, your knowledge about organizing essays from key words like "compare and contrast" and "discuss" will be helpful in focusing you on what to say and how to organize it. Many students lose points because they fail to answer the question.

Other Tips

• Prepare well in advance. Keep up day to day, if you can; but don't judge yourself harshly if you don't. Avoid last minute cramming. Don't go without sleep the night before (though 4 or 5 hours may be enough). Stop studying an hour or so before the test and relax and compose yourself.

• Get plenty of rest and nutrition. Get a good night's rest before the test and have a healthy, hearty breakfast in the morning.

• Dress comfrotably for any temperature.

• Know your subject matter before entering the examination room.

• Try to sit away from potential distraction.

• If you tend to stress easily, take a moment to relax before the exam begins or while the test is being administered. Try closing your eyes, breathing deeply and focusing your mind on a calming, peaceful scene.

• Read over the test, plan your approach and ascertain time limits and point values.

• Uncertainty creates anxiety.

• Activity reduces anxiety. If you go blank and can't think of anything to write, go on to another question or another part of the test. On an essay, write anything you can recall on scratch paper to stimulate your memory and get your mind working.

• Pay attention to the test. Do not waste time worrying, doubting yourself, wondering how other people are doing, blaming yourself, etc. Don't worry about what you should have done; pay attention to what you can do now.

• Do not come into the examination room with thoughts of leaving early. Use all the time allotted to focus on your test and do well.

• Think positively!