Unit 2 SeminarUnit 2 SeminarTest TakingTest Taking

Academic Strategies Academic Strategies CS 119CS 119

Petra Jones HillPetra Jones Hill

Petra JonesHill (Petra, Petra JonesHill (Petra, Professor, Prof) Professor, Prof)

Whatever makes you most Whatever makes you most comfortablecomfortable

AIM-Petra4kaplanAIM-Petra4kaplanEmail-Email- PJonesHill@kaplan.eduPJonesHill@kaplan.edu

Contact me for all curriculum and class Contact me for all curriculum and class related issues. related issues.

Reminder- When will I get Reminder- When will I get my Grade???my Grade???

Assignments (course projects) will be graded the Sunday following the due date.

Discussion grades will be updated each week no later than Sunday of the week following the Unit’s completion.

Personal questions about grades should be discussed privately and will not be discussed in Seminar or the classroom. Contact me directly through email or AIM

Define is Define is anxiety? anxiety?

A relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortunewordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Anxiety is that phenomenon that focuses on the future… both the possible good (wonderful, terrific) and the possible bad (ugly, horrible, catastrophe!) Kaplan

Identify 2 types of anxiety?Identify 2 types of anxiety?

Types of StressTypes of StressDebilitating anxietyDebilitating anxiety

Is when you start to worry Is when you start to worry uncontrollably about uncontrollably about what what hasn’t happened yet…hasn’t happened yet…

The project becomes an The project becomes an external threatexternal threat

TheThe emotions become the emotions become the focus focus and not the real life and not the real life situationsituation

We get caught up in the We get caught up in the “disaster stories”“disaster stories”

The running thoughts The running thoughts make the “threat” seem make the “threat” seem bigger and bigger!bigger and bigger!

We are sure that We are sure that our our ability (or intelligence, or ability (or intelligence, or strength) is smaller and strength) is smaller and smaller smaller and cannot meet and cannot meet the threat…failure is surethe threat…failure is sure

Facilitating anxietyFacilitating anxiety

Keeps you motivated to Keeps you motivated to succeedsucceedDoes not hinder test Does not hinder test preparation and test taking preparation and test taking abilitiesabilitiesThis type of anxiety may help This type of anxiety may help to improve performance to improve performance

Examples:Examples:Adrenaline rush before the game Adrenaline rush before the game

Positive/nervous energy before a Positive/nervous energy before a datedate

More than likely many of you experience More than likely many of you experience anxieties prior to taking test. anxieties prior to taking test.

How does it get in your way as a new How does it get in your way as a new student?student?

How can it get in the way of learning How can it get in the way of learning

activities like taking tests? activities like taking tests?

Based on our weeks text Based on our weeks text what what

are some specific are some specific strategies strategies

for dealing with anxiety?for dealing with anxiety?

We can all agree that an essential way to prepare for academic success is to develop effective study habits.

ORGANIZING YOUR STUDY ORGANIZING YOUR STUDY TIMETIME

Did you know that there are 168 hours in Did you know that there are 168 hours in a week? a week?

Observe how you use them. Decide how Observe how you use them. Decide how many hours a week you want to spend many hours a week you want to spend studying.studying.

Try a little affirmation. “I have plenty of time for the things that matter to me.”

It will help you a lot more than saying, “I don’t have any time.”

1.   1.   What are some specific test What are some specific test taking strategies you can use in the taking strategies you can use in the online test taking environment? online test taking environment?

2. 2. How can changing your How can changing your environment around you help you environment around you help you perform on your tests? perform on your tests?

Figure Out What You Need to Learn

Gather Information About The Test

Create an Effective Study Plan

Practice Answering Test Questions

Pre Test- Before the Test

Display a POSITIVE attitudeSet Learning GoalsQuiz Yourself Use Review or Objective Questions

Take and Review your Notes Paraphrase or Summarize Teach the Material to Someone Else

Apply What You Learn Become Aware of Gaps in Your Understanding

Troubleshoot

Self Testing Self Testing MethodsMethods

3.   How can reviewing the test after it’s graded help you for the next test?

Test-Taking Test-Taking Formats and Formats and StrategiesStrategies

Multiple ChoicesMultiple Choices Eliminate answers you know are wrongEliminate answers you know are wrong Don’t look for patternsDon’t look for patterns Read all the answers before making a final choice-Read all the answers before making a final choice-

Choose the Choose the BESTBEST answer answer Watch for “all of the above” and “none of the above.” If Watch for “all of the above” and “none of the above.” If

at least 2 answers are true, then the answer is all of the at least 2 answers are true, then the answer is all of the above. If at least 2 answers are false, then the answer above. If at least 2 answers are false, then the answer is none of the above. is none of the above.

In questions with NOT, you can look at each answer In questions with NOT, you can look at each answer like a True or False question and you are looking for like a True or False question and you are looking for the false answerthe false answer

Determine keywords in the question and in the answersDetermine keywords in the question and in the answers Try to answer the question before looking at the Try to answer the question before looking at the

answersanswers If you do not understand the question or an answer, try If you do not understand the question or an answer, try

rephrasing it, drawing it, or picturing your notes. rephrasing it, drawing it, or picturing your notes. Read the question and answers out loud Read the question and answers out loud

True-FalseTrue-False Read the entire statementRead the entire statement Look for key wordsLook for key words Watch the exact wording: if any part of Watch the exact wording: if any part of

the statement is false, then the entire the statement is false, then the entire statement is false. The opposite is not statement is false. The opposite is not necessarily true.necessarily true.

Don’t look for patternsDon’t look for patterns Watch these keywords:Watch these keywords:

Every, never, and always- Usually FALSE Every, never, and always- Usually FALSE Usually, sometimes, and generally- Usually Usually, sometimes, and generally- Usually

TRUETRUE

Online Test Online Test Taking Tips Taking Tips

Take the test when you will not be distractedTake the test when you will not be distracted Turn off your cell phoneTurn off your cell phone Take the test during your peak hours (i.e. If you Take the test during your peak hours (i.e. If you

are a morning person, then take it in the are a morning person, then take it in the morning). morning).

Eat a light, healthy meal before taking the test Eat a light, healthy meal before taking the test (protein and healthy carbs)(protein and healthy carbs)

Do not cram right before the testDo not cram right before the test Organize your notes and testing materials Organize your notes and testing materials

before you start the testbefore you start the test If you are prone to anxiety, do some relaxation If you are prone to anxiety, do some relaxation

exercises before taking the testexercises before taking the test Know the weather in your area before taking the Know the weather in your area before taking the

test (you don’t want to lose your internet test (you don’t want to lose your internet connection)connection)

TimeTime Divide the number of minutes you have to complete Divide the number of minutes you have to complete

the test by the number of questions on the test. This the test by the number of questions on the test. This will give you have many minutes you have for each will give you have many minutes you have for each question. question.

For example, if there are 30 questions on the test and For example, if there are 30 questions on the test and you have 60 minutes to complete the test, then 60/30 you have 60 minutes to complete the test, then 60/30 is 2. Therefore, you have 2 minutes per question. is 2. Therefore, you have 2 minutes per question.

(number of minutes in the interval / number of total (number of minutes in the interval / number of total minutes) X number of total questions)minutes) X number of total questions)

Example: Example: (30/60) X 30 = 15. Therefore, at 30 minutes, you should (30/60) X 30 = 15. Therefore, at 30 minutes, you should

have completed 15 questions. have completed 15 questions.

During the test, check how many questions you have During the test, check how many questions you have answered during each interval. If you answered too answered during each interval. If you answered too few, then you need to speed up. If you answered few, then you need to speed up. If you answered more, then you can slow down. more, then you can slow down.

The Case of EduardoIn high school, Eduardo did not like taking tests, and he often waited until the last minute to study, studying with friends in a late-night cram session, if at all.   He never seemed to do well on the exam, regardless of whether the cram session seemed effective or not.   During the exam, he usually became so nervous that he could not remember the material, and this affected not only his performance on the exam, but also his grade.

He is now taking an online college course requiring him to complete two exams. For the first exam, he did the same thing he did in high school – crammed the night before became nervous during the exam, and failed.   For the second exam, he refused to let this happen again and realized that he needed to utilize more effective test preparation strategies.

Eduardo often became stressed and anxious during his exams.

How is test preparation directly related to stress/anxiety levels before, or during, an exam?

In this case study, Eduardo followed a similar pattern on his first college test that he used in high school- cramming for exams. Why might this cramming the night before cause a problem when taking exams?

How realistic is Eduardo’s story? How realistic is Eduardo’s story?

Can you apply his situation to your own Can you apply his situation to your own life?  life?  

Consider what effective test taking Consider what effective test taking

methods might work well in this methods might work well in this situation.   Why did you choose these situation.   Why did you choose these methods? methods?

Unit 2 AssignmentsUnit 2 Assignments

SeminarSeminarDiscussion QuestionDiscussion QuestionQuizQuiz

Discussion BoardDiscussion Board

Requirements for Discussion Questions are in each Unit.

There is a 150-word count or roughly 7 to 10 sentences

Use these as a guideline to be sure that you have included enough information.

BEGIN BY SATURDAY! Your response to the discussion question should be made no later than Saturday.

Do you have any Do you have any questions or concern questions or concern regarding our regarding our discussion? discussion?

Any questions Any questions pertaining to your pertaining to your course work?course work?

ENJOY YOUR EVENING!ENJOY YOUR EVENING!