7. Note Card Activity
What year are you in your program?
When was the last time you took an
important multiple-choice test?
How did you do?
What questions/concerns do you
have about NPTE or other tests?
9. General Test Taking
Strategies:
Read each question carefully and
thoroughly.
Keep your mind open as you read test
items. A question or answer can trigger
your knowledge about another test item.
Before answering, look at all of the
answer choices.
Pace yourself on a timed test. At the
start, glance through to determine the
number of questions on the test.
It is not a race to the finish! Use the time
you are given.
10. Answering Options
Employ a “cover-up” strategy by trying to answer
a question before looking at the choices.
Treat each answer choice as a true or false
response. Select the “most true” answer.
Rephrase a question as a statement using each
answer in the sentence. Which seems most true?
If the test format allows, mark question numbers
that you can’t answer and continue working
through the test.
Save time to return to the skipped questions at the
end, even if it is simply to mark a guess.
11. Eliminating Choices on Difficult
Questions
When you are unsure of an answer, try to
eliminate as many answers as possible.
(Eliminating one or more choices increases your
odds!)
Use prior knowledge of word prefixes, suffixes,
and roots to make intelligent guesses about
unknown terms.
Beware of the use of negative terms used in
answers, such as none, not, and never.
Be aware of superlatives in answer choices, such
as all, more, always, and only. Superlatives
usually indicate an undisputed fact.
12. Difficult Questions, continued:
Guessing Strategies
Try to make an educated guess.
Choose the most precise answer.
Avoid answers that seem out of context or that
that are grammatically incorrect.
Choose a numerical answer from the middle of
the range, not from either extreme.
If all else fails, have a guessing strategy: make
the same letter your guess for each question,
choose the longest answer, or make C, or D your
favorite.
13. Final Test-Taking Advice
Be prepared! Study ahead of time
and review in advance to avoid last-
minute cramming.
Get a good night’s sleep the night
before the test.
Eat breakfast the day of the test.
Be confident to do your best.
15. Test Format
Become familiar with the format of the
test.
Practice using the same medium as the
one you will face on test day, or as close
as possible
Learn the length of the test and how
many sections it has, as well as the
subjects tested and how much you have
to know on each.
Review sample tests published by the test
maker, reading through and memorizing
the instructions to each section so you
won't waste precious time on the real
test doing so.
16. Practice Test
Take a diagnostic practice test, using a
facsimile of the real test, in test-like
conditions.
Buy a test prep book, take a course or go
to a test center to take a practice test.
Take the test in one sitting if that is how
it will be administered when you take it
for real.
Once you have your results, review and
bone up on your weak areas.
17. More Points
Slow down and get more easy answers
right.
Many test-takers will rush through the
easy questions, getting a few wrong in
their haste, and then get stuck on the
harder ones, where more time won't
necessarily help them find the answers
anyway.
If the test scores every answer
equally, use your time to rack up as
many easy points as you can.
18. Leveraging the Scoring
System
If there is no error penalty, make sure
that no answers are left blank.
If time is short, just fill every
remaining answer with the same
letter, going straight down. (This also
helps you analyze your results, as you
will recognize that letter as the one
you chose for those questions that you
didn't have time to do.)
19. Keeping Perspective
Test tricks help you leverage partial
knowledge, optimize your test-taking
time, and avoid typical errors.
The best way to increase your score,
however, is through thorough and pin-
pointed study, practice tests and
review of your mistakes.
Plan a long-term schedule that allows
you to take the test more than once,
if possible, so that you may have a
chance to raise your score.
21. Before the test
Get a good night’s rest
Bring a watch to your exam
Have your bag packed
Set multiple alarms
22. Test Day!
Take a deep breath to relax
Eat a healthy breakfast high
in protein
Figure out how much time
you get for each section
Read the directions
23. Test Day, continued
Pace yourself
When in doubt, guess (strategically)
Use any extra time
Don’t change your initial answer
unless you have a good reason to do
so; research indicates that 3 out of
4 times a first choice is correct.
25. Dealing with Stress
Positive self-talk
Breathe, deeply from your belly, at least
four cleansing breaths
Center yourself
Creative visualization—what is the image
you want to hold with you?
Befriend your fight-or-flight response.
Your bodily reactions (however
misguided) are there to help. Thank them
and move on.
26. Let’s hear
from you
What should DPT students
know and do about taking
tests?
Which questions/concerns
do you still have?
27. Resources
The Center for Academic Excellence
www.franklinpierce.edu/academics/cae
https://www.facebook.com/FPCAE
Test Taking Strategies: Multiple Choice
Tests. Muskingum University CAL
Learning Strategies Database
http://www.muskingum.edu/~cal/dat
abase/general/testtaking.html#MChoic
e
NPTE Candidate Handbook
https://www.fsbpt.org/Portals/0/docu
ments/free-
resources/CandidateHandbook2013091
0.pdf
Editor's Notes
The Center for Academic Excellence is an integral part of the Franklin Pierce community, offering a variety of services to help students achieve academic success. We work to assist students in developing the skills and strategies to be confident, interdependent, active learners and to provide equal opportunity for academic development and excellence to ALL students.Reasons to Contact the Center for Academic ExcellenceYou are having difficulty finishing or comprehending your assigned reading.You have a big exam coming up and you don’t know how to study efficiently for a college-level exam.Your motivation is challenged, you get distracted, or you find it difficult to start—or finish—assignments.You are doing all the work required for a class but your grade is not where you would like it to be.You would like help brainstorming, organizing, writing, or editing your next paper.You want to balance your coursework, commitments, and social life.Visit UsOur staff consists of four full-time professionals, one part-time language specialist, an administrative assistant and a team of well-prepared peer tutors and peer leaders. Our professional staff maintain active memberships in NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising; the College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA); the Learning Assistance Association of New England (LAANE); the National Association of Developmental Education (NADE) and AHEAD: Association of Higher Education and Disability, in order to remain current in the fields of learning support, academic advising and supporting students with disabilities.
