Helpful Test-taking Tips

Guess what time of year it is for many schools? Time to take those high-stakes tests! Of course, you want your students to get a good night sleep and eat a balanced breakfast before testing day. But here are a few tips that can help students do their best once they're staring that test directly in the face:

• First, complete those questions for which you already know the answers.
• Make sure you truly understand each question before you try to answer it. For clarification, try rereading the question, finding the key words, or turning the question into a statement.
• Read all answer choices before making a selection.
• Decide where you will look for the answer. Use information from the text--find key words in the text that match key words in the question. Don't forget to also use information from the graphics.
• Eliminate incorrect answer choices.
• If you're allowed to do so, utilize other tools (pencil and paper, calculator) for assistance.
• Choose the best answer.
• If you're spending too much time on a single question, skip it and return to it later if time permits.

Good luck!