Title: Testing and Test Strategies
Course: Question Banks

Q: On your first day of Political Science class, the professor hands everyone a quiz asking you to identify all of your current state representatives and senators. What type of assessment did Oscar’s professor give?
- Formative assessment (Incorrect. Since the quiz was given before the professor has taught any concepts, the quiz cannot measure what you have learned in the class or provide any feedback:)
- Summative assessment (Incorrect. Since the quiz was given before the professor has taught any concepts, the quiz cannot compare what you have learned in the class to what you already knew before taking the course.)
- Physical skills test (This type of quiz is a written assessment. Depending on how the student is asked to identify current state and representatives and senators, it could be multiple choice, true/false, matching, fill-in the blank, or even a free form list.)
- Pre-assessment (Correct! Since the quiz is given before teaching the concept, the professor is hoping to learn what you already know by gathering baseline data to compare against later to measure change and learning.)
A: Pre-assessment

Q: Marilyn’s biology test has a written section with a set of specific terms and a set of definitions and identifying characteristics. She must connect each term with its correct definition or characteristic. Which question type does this section of Marilyn’s test contain?
- Multiple-choice (Incorrect. While multiple-choice questions might ask the student to identify the correct definition of a term, the format is comprised of individual questions rather than a set of terms and a set of definitions and identifying characteristics.)
- Physical Skill (Incorrect. Since Marilyn’s test is written, and the questions that are asked do not relate to the physical skills necessary for writing, she is not being asked to perform a specific task using manual or physical skill.)
- Oral test (Incorrect. Marilyn’s test is written with specific answers rather than the subjective, discussion-based questions of an oral test.)
- Matching (Correct. This type of question is used in written tests and asks that the student correctly matches a term to its definition or characteristic.)
A: Matching

Q: For Ryan’s archery final, he must be able to hit a target from 3 different distances and in another instance, hit the same target 3 out of 5 times. What type of assessment is this?
- Viva voce (Incorrect. Viva voce is another term for an oral exam, which is usually used during a foreign language exam or oral defense as a subjective discussion type of question.)
- Pre-assessment (Incorrect. Since Ryan is expected to perform these tasks at the end of his archery class, we can assume that these skills were taught to Ryan during the class and it is not a measure of what Ryan is able to do before taking the class.)
- It is an activity, not an assessment. (Incorrect. Although Ryan is being asked to perform an activity, he is being evaluated at the end of the course by performing a set of skills learned in class against a benchmark of expectations.)
- Physical Skills Test (Correct! Ryan is being asked to perform specific tasks that demonstrate his physical skill.)
A: Physical Skills Test

Q: Although Alexandra feels confident in her knowledge of the concepts that will be on her midterm exam, she knows that she experiences high test anxiety. What strategy would be most effective to help her prepare for her next test?
- Spend extra time studying for the test the week leading up to it. (Incorrect. Since Alexandra already feels confident in her knowledge about the concepts, spending extra time studying can actually increase her anxiety. She should try to create scenarios in which she will feel the same urgency and anxiety to practice.)
- Discuss class concepts with a study group (Incorrect. Since Alexandra already feels confident in her knowledge about the concepts, discussing concepts with a study group will likely not ease her test anxiety.)
- Get a tutor (Incorrect. Since Alexandra already feels confident in her knowledge about the concepts, a tutor will likely not help her to prepare better for her test.)
- Take timed practice tests using similar question formats that will be on the test. (Correct! By taking timed practice tests, Alexandra can practice thinking and recalling information while feeling a sense of urgency, time constraint and anxiety, which will improve her test-taking experience.)
A: Take timed practice tests using similar question formats that will be on the test.

Q: In Sharon’s study group, she disagrees with Emmett’s interpretation of the material. What is the most effective method for Sharon to address this disagreement in order to prepare for the test?
- Agree to disagree (Incorrect. Sharon has an opportunity to learn from a classmate’s point of view. Sharon may miss a chance to clarify her understanding of a concept be simply agreeing to disagree.)
- Poll the group to determine which interpretation is correct (Incorrect. While the intent to quickly resolve the dispute is good, the group members are not considered experts. Sharon should seek to clarify quickly with a reputable source.)
- Defer to Emmett since he seems like he knows more about the topic (Incorrect. Just because Emmett disagrees with Sharon’s interpretation does not ensure that he is correct. Nor that Sharon is, either. A better plan is to quickly seek clarification from a reputable source.)
- Reach out to the teacher for clarification as soon as possible (Correct! Since transfer to long-term memory occurs through early and often recall of information, Sharon should attempt to clarify the concept as soon as possible with her instructor.)
A: Reach out to the teacher for clarification as soon as possible

Q: Ryan is confused about a particular topic in his Economics class. Which test preparation strategy will be most effective for him as he prepares for his midterm?
- Spend the least amount of time studying the unfamiliar topic (Incorrect. Not only will Ryan likely miss the questions on the test about the topic, but his grasp on future concepts that build on that topic, either in this class of the next, will likely suffer.)
- Focus only on the unfamiliar topic until he knows it well (Incorrect. While Ryan should devote time to learning the topic, he should not sacrifice studying the other concepts as well.)
- Spend an equal amount of time studying everything (Incorrect. Ryan should devote more time to learning the unfamiliar topic while still studying the other concepts from class.)
- Get help from a tutor or classmate on the topic he is confused about (Correct! By devoting time and energy to study an unfamiliar concept, Ryan will have an opportunity to improve his test grade.)
A: Get help from a tutor or classmate on the topic he is confused about

Q: As Giselle reviews her test before turning it in, there are still a few questions for which she does not know the answer. A helpful strategy for Giselle to address these questions is:
- Pause her review and take as much as she needs for each unanswered question to consider all answers. (Incorrect. She should ensure that the budget she gave herself to review is used to look over the full test, otherwise she could miss careless mistakes on questions with higher point values.)
- Leave them unanswered (Incorrect. Unless there is a penalty for incorrect answers, it is better to guess rather than just accept zero points by leaving the question blank.)
- Mark more than one answer (Incorrect. Not only is this unethical, but Giselle will also automatically get no points for the question as marking more than one answer is considered incorrect.)
- Guess (unless there’s a penalty) (Correct! Unless points will be deducted for an incorrect answer, there is no harm in guessing if Giselle would otherwise leave the question blank. She may pick up a few extra points.)
A: Guess (unless there’s a penalty)

Q: Doug is preparing his study plan for his final exam. What strategy should Doug use when creating his plan to improve his test performance?
- Do the easy stuff first (Incorrect. If Doug leaves the challenging material or tasks until the end of his study plan, he may suffer from fatigue as well as waste time studying easier concepts on their own rather than review them as they are incorporated into more difficult concepts and tasks.)
- Schedule his study time when he normally relaxes in the evening (Incorrect. If Doug does not leave time for relaxation or other healthy habits that help him recharge and process his day, he will likely not follow through with his study plan or be unable to concentrate during the time that he regularly relaxes.)
- Re-read as much material as possible in his free time (Incorrect. Doug should aim to understand each topic, rather than simply re-read as much as possible. The latter will likely lead to little retention.)
- Do the hard stuff first (Correct! This will mean that as his exam gets nearer, his studying will get easier)
A: Do the hard stuff first

Q: Although Marta finished her exam, she had to rush through her essay which was worth 50 percent of the final. As a result, she got a low grade even though she answered the rest of the questions correctly. What is the likely cause of Marta’s poor test grade?
- She did not outline her essay before beginning (Incorrect. In this example, we cannot tell whether Marta planned her essay in an outline or not. More importantly, Marta did not give herself enough time to write a quality answer to a high point essay question.)
- She did not review her exam before turning it in (Incorrect. In this example, we cannot tell whether Marta reviewed her essay or not. More importantly, Marta did not give herself enough time to write a quality answer to a high point essay question.)
- She did not watch for key testing words like analyze, define, and illustrate (Incorrect. There is no indication in this example that Marta did not understand what was being asked of her. The main issue Marta faced was that she did not give herself enough time to write a quality answer to a high point essay question.)
- She failed to budget her time (Correct! She should have allocated her time based on the point allocation for each question, ensuring that the highest scoring questions are given the most amount of time to answer.)
A: She failed to budget her time

Q: Mike has weekly multiple-choice quizzes in his economics class. Which of the following is the recommended strategy for successfully answering multiple choice questions?
- Look for the extreme numbers in a range, as they are more often correct (Incorrect. Extreme numbers tend to draw attention. Unless Mike is sure that the extreme answer is correct, then he should avoid them since correct answers tend to be the most realistic.)
- Look for the hidden meaning in each answer choice (Incorrect. Usually, the first instinct is the correct one. Most test questions are not intended as “trick questions”)
- Consider the pattern of previous answer choices (Incorrect. Most tests answers are randomized and those that are not usually do not follow a particular pattern. Mike should try to focus on what he knows about the question rather than an outside pattern.)
- Formulate your own answer before reading the options given to you (Correct! Mike should try to confirm his answer rather than search for it in the answer choices. If Mike knows the answer before looking at the choices, he can avoid second guessing.)
A: Formulate your own answer before reading the options given to you

Q: Amanda’s final is timed. It has 2 essay questions and 30 multiple choice questions. What strategy should she use to successfully answer her essay questions?
- Use scratch paper to free-write until she knows what to write about (Incorrect. Since most of the content in free-writing is stream of consciousness rather than focused thought about the question, Amanda will likely be unproductive and waste valuable time by free-writing.)
- Compose her essay as she thinks through it so she doesn’t waste time (Incorrect. Even with a limited time, Amanda should take the time to organize her thoughts so that she can ensure she includes the most salient facts and ideas in answering the question.)
- Focus more on writing what she knows about the topic rather than answering the question (Incorrect. Unfortunately, an essay is still a test question and Amanda must answer the question first and foremost.)
- Use scratch paper to write a quick outline in order to organize her ideas (Correct! She will save time writing and make sure she includes the most salient facts and ideas by taking the time to organize and outline her ideas first. The scratch paper can be turned in with her test if she runs out of time to show her professor where she was going.)
A: Use scratch paper to write a quick outline in order to organize her ideas

Q: Jackson hates True/False questions because he feels like they are set up to trick him. Which strategy for answering True/False questions can Jackson use?
- Answer based on what the majority of the question is asking, not just a part of it (Incorrect. There is no “mostly” true in a True or False statement. If any part of the question is false, the whole thing is false.)
- When in doubt, answer ambiguously by creating a smudge or using illegible handwriting (Incorrect. Not only is this unethical, you will likely earn no points rather than simply guessing, which is at least a 50/50% chance of a correct answer.)
- Consider many different ways in which the statement can be interpreted. (Incorrect. It is all too easy to see how a statement can be interpreted a number of ways, which can change Jackson’s perspective from true to false and visa versa. He can avoid this tendency to overthink by considering the most straight-forward interpretation and answering accordingly.)
- Don’t probe for hidden meanings, just go with your first instinct (Correct! It is all too easy to see how a statement can be interpreted a number of ways, which can change Jackson’s perspective from true to false and visa versa. He can avoid this tendency to overthink by considering the most straight-forward interpretation and answering accordingly.)
A: Don’t probe for hidden meanings, just go with your first instinct

Q: Susan goes to the gym or for a run each morning, but she spent that time studying instead during finals week. In addition, she slept only a few hours each night due to late night and early morning study sessions. What is the likely reason that Susan experiences test anxiety during her finals?
- She did not set a study schedule (Incorrect. Susan likely had a study schedule, but her schedule prioritized studying oversleeping and exercising.)
- She did not ask about the exams (Incorrect. This example does not indicate whether or not she asked about the exams. However, there is a clear strategy that Susan ignored in this example.)
- She tried to be perfect (Incorrect. This example does not indicate whether or not Susan was striving for perfection. However, there is a clear strategy that Susan ignored in this example.)
- She did not consider her health and wellness (Correct! Health and wellness cannot be overstated as factors in test anxiety. Studying and preparing for exams can be easier when you take care of your mental and physical health.)
A: She did not consider her health and wellness

Q: Roy usually prepares for a test by setting a two-week schedule to re-read all of his notes in the class, write practice essays about every topic covered, practice with flash cards every vocabulary word learned in the class, and getting plenty of sleep so that he can remember everything that was read or discussed in the class up until that point. He finds, as prepared as he is, that he still has rather high text anxiety. What strategy can Roy use to prevent this anxiety?
- Set a study schedule (Incorrect. Roy has a two-week study schedule. His method and sheer amount of material, however, may be too intense and lead to anxiety.)
- Take inventory of your notes (Incorrect. Roy has taken inventory of his notes along with every class material available.)
- Get regular sleep (Incorrect. Although Roy is studying intensely, his schedule allows for regular sleep.)
- Ask about the exam (Correct! Roy is trying to remember every small aspect of the entire class and demonstrate his knowledge using every possible method. This overwhelming approach leads to anxiety. He can better prepare and relieve his anxiety by asking about the materials covered, format, points, level of detail, etc.)
A: Ask about the exam

Q: Shay is calm before her exam. She feels confident that she studied enough and got a full night’s sleep and even had breakfast the morning of the exam. She finds that as she enters the classroom she becomes very anxious. The regular sounds in the classroom such as the clock and students shifting in their seats become enormous distractions to her. What can Shay do to control her anxiety?
- Don’t try to be perfect (Incorrect. This example does not indicate whether or not Shay was striving for perfection, although she did feel confident just before her test. She needs something that can help her focus to reduce her anxiety.)
- Get regular sleep (Incorrect. While missing a good night’s sleep can put someone on else and make them easily distracted, Shay had a full night’s sleep before her test.)
- Know when to stop (Incorrect. Shay felt confident before her test in addition to getting a full night’s sleep. This example does not demonstrate that she was staying up too late studying.)
- Perform a mini-meditation (Correct! Taking a few mindful breaths or closing her eyes can help her to improve focus in the moment.)
A: Perform a mini-meditation

Q: Alan has a big exam coming up and he really needs to focus on studying. Which scenario below represents a Whole Person approach to test taking?
- He asks others to take over his other responsibilities so he can devote more time to studying. (Incorrect. While this is a common temporary solution for many students, it does not reflect a Whole Person approach, which demands that school is balanced with other responsibilities.)
- He makes time for studying by removing activities that he would be doing otherwise, like family time, sleep, or exercise. (Incorrect. While this is a common temporary solution for many students, it does not reflect a Whole Person approach, which demands that school is as important as other responsibilities, including family, health and wellness.)
- He sacrifices studying in order to meet his work deadlines and family demands. (Incorrect. While there are times that schoolwork must be sacrificed to meet unexpected demands in other aspects of one’s life, a whole person approach means that school, work, family, and individual health and wellness aspects of one’s life are balanced.)
- He manages his test preparation as one of the many priorities he has by organizing, scheduling, and paying attention to other details of his life. (Correct! A whole person approach to testing means that we understand ourselves within the broader context of our lives, which are often filled with many responsibilities, circumstances, and unexpected events that we need to balance with our schoolwork.)
A: He manages his test preparation as one of the many priorities he has by organizing, scheduling, and paying attention to other details of his life.

Q: Lexi needs help setting a realistic continuous improvement plan. What is a good step for her to take?
- Identify the highest grades she’s gotten in the past (Incorrect. Past grades do not reflect her current learning and may not be comparable to the level of processing she is being asked to currently perform, so it is not advisable to base her improvement plan on past grades.)
- Set lower standards for herself (Incorrect. While a realistic continuous improvement plan does include resetting expectations that may be too high, it does not involve accepting mediocre goals.)
- Refrain from challenges (Incorrect. In order to improve learning and performance, a realistic continuous improvement plan involves challenging oneself.)
- Identify her strengths and weaknesses (Correct! By understanding herself as well as her strengths and weaknesses, she can set more realistic performance goals as well as identify what to improve upon.)
A: Identify her strengths and weaknesses

Q: Allison is unhappy with her test performance and believes that she would do better with a test accommodation. Which of the following steps should Allison follow in order to receive an accommodation?
- Report to the dean that her instructor did not offer any accommodations (Incorrect. It is not the responsibility of an instructor to initiate testing or learning accommodations. Further, the dean should not be the first stop in receiving an accommodation.)
- Visit student services to choose an accommodation from a list of what is available (Incorrect. While student services is a helpful stop to see what type of requirements are needed in order to request a particular accommodation, it does not offer a list of available accommodations to browse.)
- Ask her instructor if she can receive a copy of the test a few days before she will take it in class as an accommodation (Incorrect. While this might help Allison perform better on her test, it is not a reasonable accommodation for privacy and fairness.)
- Identify her specific need and communicating it to her instructor (Correct. It is Allison’s responsibility to understand what her specific needs are and to communicate those needs with her instructors.)
A: Identify her specific need and communicating it to her instructor

Q: A year after she took the class, Andrea still remembers all of the muscles of the foot. What is the most likely reason she has retained that information for so long?
- She went to the anatomy lab once a week (Incorrect. While the anatomy lab is an excellent supplemental learning resource, a visit once a week will not transfer short term learning to long term memory)
- She had a good study group (Incorrect. Having a great study group can help Andrea better understand the concepts learned in class and to perform better on tests. Studying, however, is not as effective as other measures to transfer short term learning to long term memory.)
- She visually learned the material (Incorrect. We all have different learning styles. As a visual learner, Andrea may understand the material better by applying pictures and images to concepts. Learning, however, is different from long term retention.)
- She was repeatedly tested on the material (Correct! The more often Andrea retrieved information, the more likely she was to retain it.)
A: She was repeatedly tested on the material

Q: Alex’s history class covers all of the major battles that took place during WWII. Months later, he is most likely to remember
- The battles for which the instructor provided colorful examples (Incorrect. While this is an extremely effective way to learn about the battles, chances are that Alex will quickly forget the battles that he did not need to recall or retrieve later.)
- The first and last battles (Incorrect. While the primary /recency phenomenon is a legitimate way for people to remember information, it usually only applies to short term memory.)
- The battles he studied the most (Incorrect. Even though Alex may have understood or remembered details about those battles he studied the most, it was likely only used in short-term memory since he did not need to recall or retrieve information about those battles later.)
- The three he was actually tested on (Correct! In order to retrieve information as one does in a test, Alex was forced to organize it in a way that makes sense. The process of organizing and retrieving converts short term to long term memory.)
A: The three he was actually tested on

Q: Fred’s psychology class has weekly quizzes. How can weekly quizzes improve Fred’s learning?
- Each quiz is worth less than a big midterm or final (Incorrect. While this might be true, the weight of the quizzes has little to do with Fred’s learning. In fact, because they weigh less, he may not take them as seriously.)
- Fred doesn’t have to try as hard on weekly quizzes since there are so many (Incorrect. This attitude will not improve Fred’s learning. He should study for each quiz equally and try to learn from his result on each one.)
- His quiz grades will indicate how hard he needs work in the class (Incorrect. His grade does not predict how well he will understand and retain the information in the coming weeks.)
- Fred will be encouraged to study more and procrastinate less (Correct! When cramming for tests or quizzes, we tend to quickly forget the information once the test is over. By having to study for weekly quizzes, Fred is unable to procrastinate until the end of the semester to review the concepts covered each week.)
A: Fred will be encouraged to study more and procrastinate less

Q: Shane knew the theories on his sociology test, but he didn’t apply them properly to the problem. What can he do to perform better next time?
- Review his study materials or textbook and talk with his instructor to learn why he missed the problems (Incorrect. While this is a helpful strategy to learn from a poor test result, his study materials and textbook might simply explain the concepts that he already knows and not help him to apply them.)
- Set a time limit for each problem before moving on to the next one (Incorrect. Since Shane did not run out of time, he does not need to set a time limit for each problem to improve his test performance.)
- Watch carefully for simple mistakes as he answers each question and check again before he submits (Incorrect. Since Shane’s trouble with this exam was that he was unable to apply his knowledge in the way the questions asked, it was not making simple mistakes that caused him to do poorly on this test.)
- Ask in advance and practice predicting the type of problems that will be on the test (Correct! Knowing, predicting, and practicing how he will need to use the information learned in the class practice will help him learn and apply the material in the way that the instructor has laid out in the course objectives.)
A: Ask in advance and practice predicting the type of problems that will be on the test

Q: Zoe usually runs out of time before finishing tests because she focuses very deeply on one or two questions. Which strategy would help her most on future exams?
- Use any remaining time to review the last few questions thoroughly (Incorrect. While this is a useful strategy if someone consistently makes errors on the last few questions of tests, Zoe’s challenge is that she does not have time to finish her test, let alone review.)
- Read all directions clearly and slowly, underlining key words (Incorrect. While this is a helpful strategy to avoid making simple mistakes, Zoe’s problem does not stem from misunderstanding questions.)
- After finishing the test, review the easy problems first, then review the harder problems. (Incorrect. Since Zoe’s problem is that she is unable to finish her exam, she does not even have time to review. She must first find a strategy to help her finish the exam.)
- Set a time limit for each problem (Correct! By giving herself a time limit for each question, she can ensure that all test questions get addressed. If she is unable to answer a question in her appropriated time, then she can either guess or leave it blank and come back to it.)
A: Set a time limit for each problem

Q: Tara failed her history exam after studying really hard. How should she proceed with her studies ?
- Visit with her professor to ask for a higher grade (Incorrect. Unless Tara identifies a reason that her grade does not reflect what she has learned, her grade will likely not change. She should identify why her study habits did not work.)
- Focus more on studying for tests and less on homework assignments (Incorrect. Homework assignments are essential to build knowledge, practice using it in a way that will likely be tested later on, and retain that information.)
- Drop the class (Incorrect. Tara should work to identify where she went wrong so that she can improve for the next exam. By simply dropping the class, she may never learn the material needed to proceed in her courses.)
- Review the exam and compare her errors with her class and study notes (Correct! Tara could have been studying the wrong material, taken notes on concepts she did not understand, or misunderstood how she would be expected to use the information she learned. By checking her class and study notes, she can ensure that she is identifying and synthesizing the key concepts and ideas from each lesson.)
A: Review the exam and compare her errors with her class and study notes