Improve test taking skill, Reduce test anxiety, Enhance study skills

To change careers, with purpose, you need to improve your test taking skill, reduce test anxiety, enhance study skills, especially when the test you are taking is a job interview.

The need for improving your test taking skills will always be with you, especially as you change careers.

Seeing the job interview as a test requiring your best skills taking tests will help you in your "change career with purpose" strategy.

Strategies on How To Take Tests, Deal With Test Anxiety, and Develop Study Skills

Dr. Charles T. Mangrum and Dr. Stephen S. Strichart formed Mangrum-Strichart Learning Resources. These college professors give sound advice on improving your test taking skills, reducing test anxiety, and enhancing your study skills.

Use The Deter Strategy To Improve Test Taking Skill

To do well on a test, you must have good knowledge of the information that is being tested. But you must also have a strategy for taking the test that allows you to show what you know.

The DETER strategy can help you do your best on any test. Each letter in DETER reminds you what to do.

D = Directions

• Read the test directions very carefully.
• Ask your teacher to explain anything about the test directions you do not understand.
• Only by following the directions can you achieve a good score on the test.
• If you do not follow the directions, you will not be able to demonstrate what you know.

E = Examine

• Examine the entire test to see how much you have to do.
• Only by knowing the entire task can you break it down into parts that become manageable for you.

T = Time

• Once you have examined the entire test, decide how much time you will spend on each item.
• If there are different points for items, plan to spend the most time on the items that count for the most points.
• Planning your time is especially important for essay tests where you must avoid spending so much time on one item that you have little time left for other test items.

E = Easiest

• The second E in DETER reminds you to answer the items you find easiest first.
• If you get stuck on a difficult item that comes up early in the test, you may not get to answer items that test things you know.

R = Review

• If you have planned your time correctly, you will have time to review your answers and make them as complete and accurate as possible.
• Also make sure to review the test directions to be certain you have answered all items required.

Using the DETER strategy will help you improve your test taking skill, reduce test anxiety, enhance study skills and ultimately get better grades.

If the test you are taking is a job interview as you change careers, developing these test taking skills will help you change careers with purpose.

Dr. Charles T. Mangrum and Dr. Stephen S. Strichart formed Mangrum-Strichart Learning Resources, providing study skills resources at http://www.how-to-study.com, the number one resource in the world for FREE information on study skills, study strategies and study aids.