Study StrategiesTest Taking Strategies

Objectives

OVERCOMING NEGATIVE THINKING ABOUT EXAMS

ESTABLISHING A REPERTOIRE OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXERCISES THAT HELP YOU RELAX AND UNLOCK BLOCKS IN YOUR THINKING

HARNESSING CRITICAL THINKING AS ONE OF YOUR BEST TEST-TAKING TOOLS

DEVELOPING YOUR OWN KEYS FOR MEMORIZING AND RECALL

ACQUIRING STRATEGIES FOR TURNING MULTIPLE CHOICE DECISIONS INTO MANAGEABLE FUN PUZZLES

PHYSICAL Wear appropriate clothing Eat before the exam Pack a snack for delays Pack for potential physical

discomforts (such as remedies for headaches or gastrointestinal upsets, kleenex, etc.)

Plan to rest before the test so you can do your best

INTELLECTUAL

Think of what you "must" complete versus what you "want or would like" to complete before the test.

Focus on the task at hand. Put all else aside. Think of the positive aspects instead of the

negative aspects. (for example-"I know some things and will be able to figure out the rest)

Learn to have fun; turn the event into fun puzzles.

Focus on the steps in the process rather than only on the outcome of the event.

EMOTIONAL

Tell yourself that you deserve this test. You have worked hard in preparation for the event.

Focus on the good feelings you are experiencing inside.

Have an attitude of preparedness, an anticipation that nothing will happen that you can't control or work through so that your concentration can be maintained.

Act happy - you will be happy. Think and act as if you make lemonade out

of the lemons thrown your way.

HELPFUL TEST BEHAVIORSPhysical

Go to bed early

Avoid tight clothes

Write things down (dump)

Avoid or minimize contact with negative people

Stretch

Breathe slowly and deeply

Dance to your favorite music

Whistle a tune

Pet an animal

Do it today; avoid procrastination

Do things in moderation

Stop and smell a flower

Find a "vent partner", someone who will listen without comment

Talk less and listen more

Get to class early

Keep a journal

Drive a different route to school or work

Get to work or school early

Play with a child

Do something new

Mental Actions

Say "no" more often

Identify difficult tasks; do those first

Look at problems as challenges & as opportunities to grow

Look for the silver lining or the good in any person or situation

Believe in yourself

Visualize the positive; visualize winning

Develop a sense of humor

Concentrate on the present, the "here and now"

Have a plan B and a plan C

Remember that stress is an attitude

Share a big grin or smile with a stranger or someone you love

Quit trying to fix others or situations

Strive for achievement, not for perfection - it has to get done, it doesn't have to be perfect

Be aware that thoughts of being perfect perpetuate procrastination

Get focused.

PositiveLearning Behaviors

I study at a consistent time daily

I have a daily time set aside for myself to play

I read the chapter summary before the class covering that content

I change my study location from time to time and limit it to two or three consistent places

I use review texts or cards to study

I select background music based on the type of content I will be reviewing

I review with friends for no longer than 1 ½-2 hours and we stick to the point

I take mental breaks when I feel tired or tense while studying

I tell myself I won't know everything

Negative Learning Behaviors

I study only a day or two before the test

I rarely read the text

I study only my notes

I review with friends, and talk more than study

I study with any kind of noise (TV, radio, etc)

I study so intensely that I keep the same position for hours as I study

I never change my study location

I keep feeling bad-I plan to change my study habits, but I never have the time

I think that daily things that pop up are more important, so I wait until the last minute to study

I study only my notes most of the time

During my study time, I keep having flashbacks of how poorly I have done on prior tests

I tell myself I'll need to remember all of the material covered to pass the test.

8 ACTIONS FOR TEST PREPARATION

Do something every daya. review some content for each

class dailyb. set your timer and limit yourself to get the most out of this (10 to

15 minutes)c. do the same for every class

Use the following process to read each chapter. Read in sequence:

a. the introductionb. the major headingsc. chapter summariesd. any content with which you are

unfamiliar

Check your syllabus before your classes to increase your listening skills and note-takingability during class.

Listen in classa. take notes only with focus on major

headings followed only by details unfamiliar to you

b. later look up those unfamiliar details Fall asleep on your books.

a. review for tests for 60-90 minutes then relax, maybe take a nap of at least 1 ½ to 2 hours

Review your notes just before bedtimea. this can increase your ability to retain

studied content as long term memory, in some cases for weeks rather than a few days

Limit study time to 1-2 hours per setting

Use association to remember difficult contenta. pneumonicsb. make up a storyc. think of a symbold. alphabetize

Your best place to study is: Everyplace!a. always have some type of study cards,

text, or notes with you at all times

VARK Study Strategies - Visual

Use pictures

Maps

Flow charts

Graphs Diagrams

Visual

Underline Different color highlighters

Use symbols for words

Visual

Convert Note Taking in class To Note Making

Reduce lecture notes 3:1

Draw lots of pictures of ideas Replace words with symbols & pictures

Make each study page look different Different color pens

Handwritten notes better than printed Use different font sizes and styles and colors

for visual variety

Visual

Notes with white space Spatial arrangements

Remember better & color of text

pages where words written

VARK Study Strategies – Aural (Oral)

Attend all classes, discussions, study sessions

Discuss topics with others Small study/discussion groups a must!!!

Explain concepts to others

Video / audio tapes

VARK Study Strategies – Aural (Oral)

Tape record classes Improve your note taking

Leave space for later “filling” Reduce notes 3:1 (Note Making)

Put summarized notes onto tape

Read notes/text aloud

VARK Study Strategies – Read/Write

Put info into lists with headings

Write notes from text and lecture Are good note-takers (verbatim) Keep re-writing and re-writing Re-write into other words Reduce 3:1 by summarizing in own words Keep reading and rereading

VARK Study Strategies – Read/Write

Read topic in multiple sources Do the extra reading

Make index cards

Write diagrams/graphs into words

Mnemonics, crosswords, scrabble games,

VARK Study Strategies - Kinesthetic

Use all your senses Sight Touch Taste Smell Hearing ...

Trial and error Talk about notes with another ‘K’

person Teach others

VARK Study Strategies - Kinesthetic

Do things to understand Skills lab Applications Case studies Hands-on approaches Write stories, case studies Think of examples

VARK Study Strategies - Multimodal 55%-70% of any group are multimodal Advantage

Have more choices than those with single preference

Disadvantage need to use more modes too

Use strategies from each of your modes identified For example before you buy a new cell phone

See a diagram of how it works Heard about if from a friend Read something about it Tried it for yourself

4 STEP PROCESS TO TEST TAKING 1. Be a detective: Look for clues in

the question and among the options

2. Read systematically: read the question first then all the options

3. Read all options before you decide

4. Review practice questions before every test.

The best piece of advice to take into a multiple choice exam is to

simply read the question critically!

Test Taking Action 1

Once you have made a decision look away from the question, take a slow deep breath then return to the test.

Read the question with the intention of picking up new clues.

Next read your selected answer with this same intention. Go with your initial choice if new information isn't found.

DO NOT CHANGE YOUR ANSWER UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN YOU MARKED THE WRONG ONE.

Test Taking Action 2 Draw a picture of the situation either

by closing your eyes for a few seconds or on paper.

Print key words (don't write in cursive).

Connect associated items with lines or directional arrows.

Test Taking Action 3

Reword the question in the format of subject, verb, object.

Leave out extraneous words.

Test Taking Action 4

Be alert to key words such as the following:most, leastfirst, initially, immediatelybest, maintoxic versus therapeuticmost likely, commonly, frequentlybe avoidedin addition toalways, never

Note unfamiliar words and reword the question without these words

Test Taking Action 5

Look for distracters. Popular examples of distracters are

mystery diseases or absurd conditionsextraneous information

LAST MINUTE STUDY TIPS On the day before the test be sure to read

over your class notes one last time to identify any gaps in material and specific instructor notes of what you "must" know.

Study before sleeping, since this tends to set the information into long term memory.

Use commercially available review cards or make your own. Highlight hard-to-remember material in yellow or lime green and carry the cards with you so that you can fit in short study sessions at times of unexpected waiting.

Use a note pad with yellow pages instead of white. Use yellow note cards or sticky notes.

Put them in places you frequently pass to remind you of material you want and need to know.

Put review cards on the sun visor in your car. Keep a few blank index cards with these along

with a pen to jot down content that needs further reading, review, or reinforcement.

Use highlighters that are in the colors of yellow or lime green. (Research on how colors affect memory and recall suggests that these are more effective to get the job done).

Review in your text the end-of-chapter summaries and the major and minor headings.

Review questions, charts, tables, and graphs in the chapter.

Look at the questions/critical thinking exercises at the end of the chapter

Buy an NCLEX review book and begin to do the practice questions that pertains to the information you are covering in class. (It has been shown that the best preparation for NCLEX exams is to review a minimum of 5,000 questions during your training and before you take the exam)

KILLER TEST QUESTIONS Killer test questions are questions that

ask for:-initial or first action

-priority factors or actions-identification of initial or beginning symptoms or signs-anticipated findings

Typically all options will be correct answers.

These are considered to be the harder questions.

Most times you are able to narrow down the options to two. Once this is done….

Is there a time element? Is there a sequence of human development? What is the length of the disease process?

(acute or chronic) What are the associated essential concepts?

1. Maslow's hierarchy of needs(physiologic needs take priority over safety and love/belonging needs)

2. Kubler-Ross' death/dying or loss theory (a process of denial, anger, bargaining,

depression, & acceptance)3. The ABCS of airway, breathing, circulation, and

safety

Read the questions, then the options in a sequence from option 'd' to option 'a' instead of the traditional way of reading from option 'a' to option 'd'a. select an optionb. reread the question with your selected option to validate

your choice

Use this action only if you have no idea of a correct answer!

Use cluster techniques on the options:a. group three options into similar items or categories

b. the odd option out is most likely the best option to answer the question

c. Go with your first inclination