out what you need to know; and it is know- · Rosalyn Sussman Yalow . Page 2 Unique News Spring 2009 Page 2 A Principle-Based Approach to Testing Jim Bryson, Faculty/Counsellor Georgian

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Unique News Spring 2009

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SPRING 2009 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 2

Jim Bryson: A Principle Based Approach to Testing

2 - 4

Grading and Assessment

5

Extended Time On Tests

6

Writing Good Tests 7

Writing Multiple Choice Questions

8 - 9

Special Testing Considerations for Students With Disabilities

10

Test Preparation 10 - 12

In This Issue “Education is knowing where to go to find out what you need to know; and it is know-ing how to use the information you get.”

William Feather

“It is not so important to have all the answers as to be hungry for them.”

Carol Ann Tomlinson

“We must believe in ourselves as no one else will believe in us; we must match our expectations with the competence, courage and determination to succeed.”

Rosalyn Sussman Yalow

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A Principle-Based Approach to Testing Jim Bryson, Faculty/Counsellor Georgian College

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.”

Aristotle

When I was asked to write a short opinion piece about testing, from the perspective of a universal, principle-based approach, I was happy to accept. Of all the components of col-lege and university teaching, I believe that evaluation has the most need and potential for improvement. Testing is one of the most im-portant forms of student evaluation because, used correctly, it has the potential to provide us with more varied and more accurate infor-mation about student learning and the acquisi-tion and application of knowledge than almost any other form of evaluation. This is not to dis-count the merit of other forms of evaluation in providing evidence of learning, but to empha-size the importance of testing, test design and proper test application. Many teaching faculty are acutely aware of the importance and evaluative capacity of formal testing and they approach the design of their tests with that in mind, giving the task the time and effort that it requires. Others do not fully appreciate the value of the skill, time and ef-fort required to properly design a formal test that does the job well and achieves that poten-tial. So I talked with students and a few col-leagues, near and far, and asked what I should address in this article with a focus on what they felt the best of test designers do in the context of the principle-based approach to teaching that I think serves teachers and stu-dents best. From a principle-based perspective, educa-tional design is about ensuring that the design, delivery and evaluation of postsecondary in-struction allows all students, regardless of learning style or disability, an opportunity to succeed. The goal is to create a supportive

and engaging learning environment. Testing is one component of that environment and I be-lieve that effective tests must meet at least the following five criteria. They should be clear. They should be fair. They should have a high degree of interest. They should be relevant. And students writing them should have ade-quate support. This contributes to a learning and testing environment that enables all stu-dents to demonstrate learning and its successful application on demand. I want to begin, however, by setting the goal-posts, the two ends of the continuum, at least from my perspective. In my view, the least ade-quate and least effective form of testing remains common – the „multiple-choice-only‟ test. This test format represents the „seduction of conven-ience over good learning and teaching,‟ robs testing of much of its potential and, for the most part, reduces the process of assessment to de-termining if individual students can memorize, recognize and recall information. I find little in this form of testing that is useful or relevant to „higher‟ education. Even those who continue to use such tests because of their convenience, a lack of time or a lack of expertise in designing better tests rarely make serious attempts to de-fend the practice. The format lacks merit on many levels. Having irritated some readers and hopefully having validated more, I would say that the most adequate and most effective form of testing is an „open-book,‟ „multiple-question-type‟ test. By „open-book‟ testing I mean that students can bring their texts and any resource materials they feel might be helpful to the test session. This form of testing has questions of many types: es-say; short answer; fill-in the blank; true false; matching; matrix; scenario analysis; comparison and contrast; opinion . . . and more. This type of test takes more time, effort and skill to design, but I believe that it produces a better assess-ment of student learning and application be-

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cause it permits and requires higher order think-ing. If we look at the elements of test design that meet the principles outlined earlier, there are several that come quickly to mind. First, questions should be clear, meaning clearly worded. One of the most frustrating ex-periences for students is dealing with questions that are ambiguous, confusing or grammatically incorrect. This makes their task doubly difficult. This can happen when teachers cut-and-paste from test banks or lack expertise in drafting questions. If you are not certain about the clar-ity of questions on a test you have developed, have a colleague or other students review the questions and provide feedback on question precision and intelligibility. Second, tests and test questions should be fair. The majority of the test should cover the essential content of the course and each ques-tion should be directly related to one of the in-tended learning outcomes of the course. There should be a variety of question types – long an-swer; short answer; multiple-choice; true-false; matching; comparison; opinion – and so on, so that students are not penalized by having to deal with any one type of question. The test should be able to be completed within the time allotment; in fact, I design a test to be com-pleted in 80% of the available time so that stu-dents who may process a little more slowly, who go into more detail or who need time to re-view their responses have that time. There is ample information available online or in articles on how much time to allot for specific types of test questions. There is also the question about how „difficult‟ a test should be. In working with a variety of teaching faculty, I have seen a range of approaches based on an individual orienta-tion to testing and a familiarity with the student groups taught. Some use tests to measure re-tention only, using other evaluation tools to

measure higher order thinking. Some want the test to simply measure how many students have mastered the essential curriculum con-tent sufficiently to „pass.‟ Others want the test to distinguish between those who understand the content and those who can apply it knowl-edgeably. Still others want the test to differenti-ate between those whose knowledge is just enough to pass and those who have excelled in the course. Whatever your preference, the primary goal in testing is to measure the un-derstanding and application of essential con-tent as defined by the intended learning out-comes of the course. Third, tests and test questions should be interesting. Such tests include a variety of question types, as noted above. They also en-gage students in higher order thinking through questions that ask for opinion, analysis and even creativity. They include scenarios and case studies that give practical application to questions that are asked. They challenge stu-dents to engage with content in the process of responding rather than simply regurgitating facts and data – though some of that is part of testing. Higher order cognitive processes are the domain of higher education and, properly prepared, students find these questions more interesting and challenging. Even a simple true-false question can become a higher-order question by asking students to explain their answers. It also helps if the test questions flow well. Tests are not random questions tossed together like a salad, but an unfolding set of thinking challenges. Students have asked, for example, why test questions cannot flow in the same general order that course content was delivered – an entirely reasonable request and expectation in my view. One question can lead into another, challenging students at a different level of thinking or with a different type of task. That provides a supportive and interesting test experience.

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Fourth, tests and test questions should be relevant. For that reason, I believe that the most adequate and effective tests are open-book tests. Open book testing is particularly relevant to the real world. Higher education is not solely about recognition and recall – it is about the acquisition and management of knowledge and the ability to apply learning successfully upon demand. In the workplace we regularly use books, articles and other re-sources when confronted with a problem or challenged by a question. If we expect higher education to prepare students for life beyond the institution, we should be teaching them how to use acquired knowledge and re-source materials in advanced ways to answer questions or solve problems. Quite frankly, I am far less interested in what students remember than I am in what they understand and how well they ap-ply what they have learned.

In addition, open-book tests permit us to design more in-teresting and relevant questions, since students have access to re-sources (texts and notes) to assist them in demonstrating the higher order cognitive proc-esses that we model in teaching. These ques-tions would not be as fair if students had to rely on memory alone for the information nec-essary to produce an answer.

Fifth, students require support in order to perform well on tests. By their design, open-book, multiple-question-type tests are more challenging to students. First, many will not be prepared for such a format, despite being in-formed of the challenge. Second, the sorts of responses, those higher on the Bloom taxon-omy scale, will challenge many students not used to being asked for these levels of re-sponse in a test. This can be provided in a number of ways. A short test in week 3 or 4 of a semester can give students an early view of

the type of test and test questions they can ex-pect in mid-term or final testing. Teachers can provide students with sample questions or can do sample questions in class when time per-mits. I provide students with a QuikTip sheet on how to prepare for an open-book test that guides them through preparation steps includ-ing indexing their text and notes. There are also many online sites that help students to study and prepare for specific types of test questions. Feedback from performance on mid-terms can also help students better prepare

for end-of-semester testing. I believe that if tests are de-signed with these five principles – clarity, fairness, interest, relevance and support – in mind, they will provide an en-gaging learning experience for students. It is my intent that at the end of a well-designed test, students will know more about the curriculum content, and its application, than they did when they sat down to write. In order for that to be true, careful con-

sideration, as well as adequate time, expertise and effort must be devoted to the design of the test. The highest quality in educational practice remains the goal for most of us, and as William Foster wrote, “Quality is never an accident. It is the result of lofty intentions, persistent and sin-cere effort, knowledgeable self-direction and skilful application. It reflects a series of intelli-gent choices among alternatives along the way.” There are many ways to assess student learn-ing and the application of learning. Tests, by their nature, provide a variety of ways to do so, and their importance and utility can be en-hanced when we employ the highest-quality practices in their design and application.



Higher education is not solely about rec-ognition and recall - it is about the acqui-sition and manage-ment of knowledge

and the ability to apply learning success-

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Grading and Assessment Using Principles of Universal Instructional Design (UID)

Courses designed and delivered according to “Universal Instructional Design” principles are

more accessible and effective for all people -- regardless of possible disability, learning style preference, or personal background.

Instructional materials and activities should

EXAMPLES FOR GRADING AND ASSSESSMENT

be accessible and fair. Consider using on-line quizzes for at least some of the graded portion of the course. Allow sufficient time for students to demonstrate mastery without undue time pressures.

be straightforward and consis-tent.

Ensure consistency among the stated learning objec-tives and the methods of assessment.

provide flexibility in use, partici-pation and presentation.

Offer alternatives to in-class written exams.

be explicitly presented and read-ily perceived.

Provide clear wording on tests and exams, avoiding complex sentence structures, double negatives and em-bedded questions.

provide a supportive learning environment.

Give constructive as well as encouraging feedback (this includes computer-generated feedback). Organize peer-reviewed practice periods.

minimize unnecessary physical effort or requirements.

Allow the use of suitable tools such as word processors, calculators, etc.

ensure a learning space that ac-commodates both students and instructional methods.

Ask students for ideas about appropriate assessment schemes given the parameters of the course and the classroom environment.

Source: Teaching Support Services at the University of Guelph http://www.tss.uofguelph.ca/projects/uid/guides/gradingUIDprinc.html

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EXTENDED TIME ON TESTS

The following questions and answers have been compiled to give some clarification

as to why students with disabilities qualify for academic accommodations,

in particular extended time for tests, at Confederation College.

“Q”UESTIONS & “A”NSWERS

REGARDING EXTENDED TIME ON TESTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Q: Why should a student get extended time for exams? A: Even though a student may have average, above average or very high intelligence, he/she may need extra time to read, write, comprehend or process information. With extended time for a test, a student is allowed this opportunity. In ad-dition, extended time can afford a student with a physical disability the option to get up and stretch. Q: Is this student being given an unfair ad-vantage over other students by giving them extra time? A: No. These students must show content mas-tery without compromising program standards. If a program competency dictates a skill must be performed in a specific duration of time, ex-tended time would not be permitted. For exam-ple, a flight management student would not be granted extended time to recover in an engine failure scenario. Students with extended time are not being given an advantage - rather a disad-vantage is being eliminated for the student and he/she is allowed the opportunity to overcome an educational-related barrier. Q: Why should the student be given extra time? He doesn’t need it. He did well on his last test. A: A student‟s prior grades should not be criteria to determine extended time accommodations for an upcoming test. Conversely, time would not be reduced for an exam(s) administered to a non-disabled student, who receives A‟s. Therefore, accommodations are based on the identified academic needs, not on the perceptions and ar-bitrary review of what the time extension of ap-propriate accommodation should be. If a student knows that he is capable of delivering an A-grade exam, he should be given the opportunity to do so. The fundamental question is whether it

is knowledge of the course material or the speed of completion of the exam that is being assessed. Q: How does the Learning Centre determine the extended time needed? A: The answer here depends on the type of exam as well as the nature of the disability. Usually, it is 1.5 times the regular exam duration. The time rec-ommended is based on Psychoeducational As-sessment results and/or the past experience in previous educational settings and/or prior docu-mentation as well as an interview with the stu-dent. Q: On the basis of the above response, why not give the student with a disability unlimited time? A: The student either knows the information or doesn‟t. We, as a post-secondary institution are legislated by Bill 82 of the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to provide “reasonable” academic ac-commodations for students with special needs. Unlimited time may be considered an “unreasonable” accommodation, given that other students are not provided with the equal/matching option. A time limitation is therefore necessary. Unlimited time would not provide appropriate as-sistance to the student in the long run.

Testing with accommodation is a right,

not a privilege.

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Writing Good Tests

Used with permission from Virginia Commonwealth University Center for Teaching Excellence Resources

Tests should reflect the student‟s ability with the material – what they have learned – rather than their ability to guess what the instructor wants. Tests should be written with clear, straightfor-ward language keeping in mind the course ob-jectives, teaching methods, and level of the stu-dents. Students should not encounter lan-guage, content or skills not represented in the course.

Tests should also provide clear directions at the beginning and every time the type of question changes. For example, if you want students to provide an essay that takes up only one-half page, tell them so in the directions. If the multi-ple choice questions have only one answer, tell them to provide the “one best answer.”

Provide point values for each question. It helps students organize in case they run out of time. It also gives them an indication of the im-portance of the question and how detailed their answer should be.

Consider placing the easiest questions at the beginning and end of the test. In this way, stu-dent confidence is increased and test anxiety is reduced.

Check your rough draft to assure the course content and objectives have been covered to a degree equal to their importance and time spent with learning activities. A grid or checklist is helpful to keep you organized.

Once you have finished writing, have an experi-enced colleague review your test.

Take the test yourself. It should take you about one-fourth the time it takes your students.

The answer to a question should not depend on the answer to a previous question. In this situa-tion, the student is doubly-penalized for one wrong answer.

Other considerations

In order to avoid bias in essay or short answer questions, try these hints:

Make sure you have established the ac-ceptable answers and grading criteria before you grade. Keep the acceptable answers close at hand while grading.

Rather than grading one test at a time, try grading one question at a time. In this way, you can be more consistent. Blind yourself to whose test you are grad-ing. Have the students write their names only on a cover sheet and fold the cover sheet over. Alternatively, you can have the students write their names on the back of the test.

Review the test or quiz with the students. Re-viewing the test can help a student learn if you structure the review carefully. You can review simply by stating the correct answer and why the answer is correct. Better yet, pick a few questions and have the students problem-solve the answer. No matter how you review the test, make sure you have a „challenge pol-icy.‟

Challenge policy

Having a formal system by which students can challenge a question or answer will help you proceed through a test review and help the student learn. Make sure your challenge policy is in your syllabus or, at least, students have access to the policy before the test.

Make up tests? Students who come in

late? These decisions will have to be yours.

Whatever your decision, students must be

treated fairly and equally. What you decide

for one situation must be carried through for

another student in a similar situation.

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Exams with multiple choice questions are per-haps the most common way professors evaluate their students‟ knowledge. Despite their common usage, good multiple choice questions can be difficult to write. Multiple choice questions are commonly used because they are easy to grade and students are familiar with their structure. It‟s also easy to write a multiple choice question that involves only recognition or recall of facts. Questions can be written to test higher level thinking skills, such as problem-solving, but those multiple choice questions are harder to write. Writing a good multiple choice question, no mat-ter what level of knowledge you are testing, be-gins with good course objectives. Course objec-tives need to be written in measurable terms. Definitions

Item = the entire multiple choice question Stem = the first, sentence-like portion of the multiple choice question Alternatives or options = all of the possible multiple-choice responses Keyed response = correct answer Distracter or foil = the wrong answers. They are called distracters or foils because they should be written to closely resemble the keyed response, therefore distracting or foil-ing students who are good at guessing.

General Hints There are several tried-and-true techniques for writing multiple-choice questions 1. Write the stem as a complete sentence.

Incorrect: The speed of light is: Better: What is the speed of light?

2. Avoid “negative” stems, or using negative

words such as “except” or “not.” If you can‟t avoid a negative, then bold, capitalize, or un-derline the negative word.

Incorrect: Which of the following is not an Irish poet?


Used with permission from VCU Center for Teaching Excellence Resources

Better: Which of the following is NOT an Irish poet? Best: Which of the following is an Irish poet?

3. Make sure the grammar and syntax in the

stem and options are the same. Incorrect: A word used to describe a noun is called an:

a. Adjective b. Conjunction c. Pronoun d. Verb

Better: A word used to describe a noun is called:

a. An adjective b. A conjunction c. A pronoun d. A verb

4. Make sure your alternatives are worded in

a similar way. Incorrect: You have just spent ten min-utes trying to teach one of your new em-ployees how to change a printer car-tridge. The employee is still having a great deal of difficulty changing the car-tridge, even though you have always found it simple to do. At this point you should: a. Tell the employee to ask an

experienced employee working nearby to change the ribbon in the future.

b. Tell the employee that you never found this difficult, and ask what he or she finds difficult about it. c. Review each of the steps you

have already explained, and determine whether the employee understands them.

d. Tell the employee that you can‟t work with him/her anymore because you are becoming

irritable.


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Better: You have just spent ten minutes trying to teach one of your new employ-ees how to change a printer toner car-tridge. The employee is still having a great deal of difficulty changing the toner. At this point, you should: a. Ask an experienced employee

working nearby to change the cartridge in the future.

b. Mention that you never found this difficult, and ask what he or she finds difficult about it. c. Review each of the steps you have already explained, and determine whether the employee understands them.

d. Tell the employee that you will continue teaching him or her later because you are becoming irrita-ble.

5. Make sure your alternatives are approximately the same length.

Incorrect: Which of the following is the primary reason people moved to

California in 1849? a. Climate b. Religion c. Gold was discovered in central

California d. Farming

Different Levels of Questions

Multiple choice questions can be written at lev-els to asses if a student is able to remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate and cre-ate facts, concepts, and procedures. Below are hints and/or templates for writing a multiple choice question at different levels. 1. Remembering factual knowledge: a. Write the fact as a statement. b. Transform the statement into a question.

c. Ask the student to supply the answer (fill in the blank) or write the question as a multiple choice question. 2. Understanding conceptual knowledge:

Template: Which of the following is an example of __________________?

3. Apply procedural knowledge: a. Prepare a short case study or example. b. Write a stem that asks the student to demonstrate the use of the procedural knowledge or solve a problem. 4. Analyzing conceptual knowledge

Present the student with a diagram and ask for analysis. For example: On the given chart, which of the following is most likely to occur next?

5. Evaluating procedural knowledge: a. Give the student a short case study. b. Ask: which of the following would have been a better plan of action? What Can’t Multiple Choice Questions Do? Multiple choice questions are not good at meas-uring a student‟s ability to:

Articulate explanations Display thought processes Furnish information Organize personal thoughts Perform a specific task Produce original ideas Provide examples

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Special Testing Considerations for Students with Disabilities

TEST PREPARATION Submitted by Jeanette Johnson,

Learning Skills Advisor at Confederation College

1. Study Actively, Not Passively

When talking about memory and studying, think of this hammer and nail analogy. If a builder just barely taps the nail into the wood, the nail can easily fall out. If the builder lightly taps all nails for the entire house, the frame could collapse. Once that nail is pounded all the way into the wood, very little can dislodge it, and the house is solid. Likewise, students need to „hammer‟ knowledge into their minds to the point where nothing can take it away. For exam-ple, if Student A passively reads over class notes prior to a test while Student B ac-tively memorizes material, creating pictures and diagrams to remember complex con-cepts and tests himself with flashcards, the latter student will retain more information and do better on the test. The more a stu-dent can actively work with the material by using self-testing, making the information personally meaningful and discussing it with others, the more likely will be the chances of successful retention.


Students with disabilities need to be very strate-gic in developing test preparation strategies that take advantage of their strongest learning style. For example, a student with a learning disability who processes auditory information with the greatest retention may prefer a read-aloud test administration. A critical test-preparation step for students with disabilities may be to ask for accommodations to their test-taking. This might include provision of a reader or scribe, getting additional time to take the test, taking the test in a different room than the class, or having the test presented in a for-mat that allows the student the same advan-tages in taking the test as those experienced by students without disabilities. The Learning Cen-tre at Confederation College provides proctoring and other special testing accommodations. Some may say that these testing accommoda-tions give students with disabilities an unfair ad-vantage over their peers. Such a statement is equivalent to saying that allowing the use of a wheelchair to a person who is unable to walk gives an unfair advantage. Testing accommoda-tions do not offer an unfair advantage to stu-dents with disabilities. They are designed to “level the playing field” so that students who are otherwise capable of succeeding academically in college are not prevented from doing so be-cause of a disability. Only students with a documented disability are entitled to test accommodations. The disability must be diagnosed by a recognized profes-sional. There must be recent documentation that the disability still exists and is interfering with academic functioning. Accommodations which are offered must be justifiable given the stu-dent‟s specific documented disability and how his/her disability affects his/her academic per-formance. First, students must demonstrate in the test that they can meet the objectives set out in the course outline. However, they may do so in a different way than other students. For example, a student who does not have the use of his/her

hands can still keyboard 25 wpm using voice-to-text software (Dragon Naturally Speaking) etc. Second, tests must measure the same content for all students. They should never be modified to produce an easier test (such as eliminating difficult content), but they may have to be modi-fied so that the student is able to access the test. For example, a visually impaired student may need the test offered in an auditory format. Also, a student may do the test in two appoint-ments and see only one part at a time Effectively responding to the individual needs of students with disabilities in testing scenarios is a determining factor in the success and satis-faction of their educational experience.

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Overlearning the material involves learning information so thoroughly that it is recalled easily, often without prompts or clues. Over-learning is an excellent way of studying for multiple choice tests because the more the student knows the material from memory, the easier he/she will be able to recognize the correct alternative – which can be tricky when there are similar multiple alternatives to choose from. A student has overlearned ma-terial if he/she is able to state the answer to a multiple choice question just by looking at the stem (the introductory portion of the question before the alternatives are presented) or if a student is able to present learned material verbally or in written form without the aid of text or notes.

2. Review Material on a Regular Basis

Some students think of test preparation as oc-curring a few nights before the test when reading is done quickly and notes are crammed into memory. Not so! Test prepara-tion starts the first day of class! Keeping up on reading and frequent reviews of notes are as important as any other aspect of test prepara-tion. Students will find an increased retention of material and opportunities to discover areas of difficulty while there is still time to get help. Repetition and review are key elements to get material into long-term memory. Previewing notes briefly (ideally after each class) and writing summaries (every 2 to 3 weeks) will aid in retention. Again, the more active the re-view, the more effective the result will be. For example, instead of just rereading notes, writ-ing test questions or trying to recite concepts from memory and review notes for accuracy will help in memory. Some students balk at the time spent in active review but need to re-member that brief reviews can save consider-able time when studying for tests!

1. Study Actively, Not Passively con‟t 3. Spread Learning Over Time

Cramming houses information in short-term memory. Reviewing large amounts of mate-rial in a short timeframe usually impedes memory because of retroactive interference (new information interfering with previously learned information or proactive interfer-ence (old information interfering with new information). To learn large amounts of ma-terial, students are better off if they take a longer period of time and combine learning new material with frequent reviews of previ-ously learned material. A lucky student who has crammed may re-tain enough material to squeeze by the test but will retain little afterwards. This is par-ticularly a problem when a test or final is cumulative. Information learned while cram-ming is also particularly susceptible to be-ing blocked during recall by test anxiety. It is helpful to begin formally studying at least 3 days in advance of a test, longer if the test involves very complex material. All readings and assignments should be com-plete prior to this 3-day period so that test preparation can be prioritized. During test preparation, the student should review re-quired material to ensure all information is in long-term memory.

4. Make Good Use of Your Learning Style

If a student has a visual learning style, drawing diagrams or pictures or even visu-alizing pages of text or notes can help when preparing for a test. Auditory learners can make and play tapes of key material while driving, riding the bus, etc. Kines-thetic learners can associate certain body movements with key material to be learned, or study while standing, walking, etc. Ac-commodating one‟s preferred learning style can decrease the time needed to learn ma-terial while increasing retention.


Test Preparation continued from page 10

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The Learning Centre

Confederation College

P.O. Box 398 Thunder Bay, ON P7C 4W1

Office Hours: 8:30 – 4:30 Mon. – Fri. Phone: (807) 475-6618

Fax: (807) 475-0003 TDD/TTY: (807) 475-6669

E-mail: [email protected]

Contributors con‟t:

Norma-Jean Kamerman Natasha Kenny Cathy Maydo

Susan Mounstephen Jennifer Peltonen Susan M. Polich

Janine Shandroski Alice Trush

Virginia Commonwealth University Center For Teaching Excellence

Editor: Jeanette Johnson Layout Design: Jeanette Johnson Grateful acknowledgement to this

issue’s contributors:

Jim Bryson Vilma Filice Jeff Howie

5. Listen for Clues About What Will Be On The Test

Clues can range from subtle comments by the professor to formalized study sheets. Professor comments such as, “This is the most important point”; or “Make sure you know this” are red flags for probable test questions. Most instructors will give infor-mation about the type of test that will be given.

6. Match Studying to What the Test will Demand

It is helpful for the student to know what type of test to expect, the amount of time allowed, as well as content on which the test is based. Studying for the test should match the demands expected. If the test is objective, creating or accessing (on-line) multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, or true/false questions from notes and readings can be helpful study aids. Essay test prepa-ration may include sample outlines to ac-company study questions.

For tests in math, science or engineering, test preparation should focus on problem-solving ability. Most importantly, the stu-dent should initially survey the test to de-cide what problems will earn the most points. When reading a problem, the stu-dent should strategically make sure every part is complete before going on to the next problem. Converting word problems to numbers and number problems to words

can often help in problem solving.

7. Use Study Groups

Some students study better in groups where course content can be discussed and diffi-cult concepts can be explained. Both hear-ing and discussing concepts often helps re-inforce memory.

8. End Test Preparation a Few Hours Before the Test Studying until just before the start of the test often increases anxiety and does not allow the mind time to relax and focus before the test. It is not likely that last minute studying will significantly improve a student‟s test per-formance; in fact, it will likely prove counter-productive to a higher mark.

9. Follow-up After Your Test Has Been Returned

Review your marked and returned exam to learn from your successes and mistakes and to improve your performance on your next exam. Examine your correct responses and recall how you knew the information was im-portant when studying. How did you study this material? Examine your incorrect an-swers. Ask yourself why the correct answer is correct and why the other alternatives are in-correct. Remember, you are entitled to see your test and not merely your mark on Black-board!

Test Preparation continued from page 11

Documents

out what you need to know; and it is know- · Rosalyn Sussman Yalow . Page 2 Unique News Spring 2009 Page 2 A Principle-Based Approach to Testing Jim Bryson, Faculty/Counsellor Georgian