IV.

MASTERING OUTPUT
A Few Words About Output:
Output skills are the skills most students think of when they consider their
study skills. To master output skills, students must acquire not only the
knowledge and information being evaluated, but also they must learn to
express this knowledge under pressure and complete the task at hand.
A. Test Taking Strategies
Since the major output measure in school is usually the test or examination,
it is crucial to become a savvy test taker. Follow this 4-step Test Taking
Strategy with every test or exam:
1. Begin to look over the test as soon as it comes to your desk. If you
cannot begin until everyone receives a test, count the number of
pages.
2. When you begin, preview the test noting how many of each type of
questions are included and how much each section is worth.
3. Then read the instructions carefully.
4. Figure out how much each question is worth and make a schedule
for yourself, leaving time to recheck your answers.
By the time you enter high school, you probably already possess some skills
in test taking due to past experiences. Still, your skills can be significantly
enhanced by practicing test specific strategies:
Triage Method
The term triage refers to a division into three parts or categories. In the
case of test taking, it means to go through the test and divide the questions
into three groups:
probables: the questions you can answer easily
possibles: mark the questions you think you can work out the
answers to with a
long shots: mark the questions you have no idea how to answer with
an X
As you go through the test, answer the probables first, and then come back
to the checks and X's. Try to stay relaxed throughout the test. Never
change your first guess unless you are certain you know the right
answer. When you finish the test, review it for careless errors.
True/False Questions
True/false tests are easy to make and easy to grade, therefore they are a
favorite for many teachers. Strategies for answering true/false questions
are listed below:
1. Beware of superlatives, such as best, worst, largest, smallest, most,
least, etc. Few circumstances are always present. Equally few are
never present. Remember that some actually are always or never;
but be careful!
2. Check the statement for qualifying words. A qualifying word is any
single word that changes the overall meaning of the statement. For
instance, does the meaning of the statement change if the adjectives
and adverbs are eliminated? Qualifying words are often keys to
choosing the correct answer.
3. Look carefully at the subject and the verb in the statement. Do they
belong together?
4. Be careful of reading too much into a statement. The more you
know about a subject, the less you will see statements about the
subject as true or false. Most statements are neither completely
true nor completely false. Ironically, choosing between true and
false becomes more difficult with broader knowledge. In one sense,
the true/false test penalizes you for knowing more.
5. Try to prove each statement false. It is easier to prove a statement
false than to prove it true. Every element in a statement must be
true for the statement to be true. If just one element in a statement
is incorrect, the statement is false. If you can find no error in a
statement, accept it as true; don't try to prove it. This will keep you
from reading too much into the statement.
Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple-choice questions are favored by more students than any other
type. These questions are easier on your recall because they only require
you to recognize the correct answer. However, well designed multiple-
choice questions can be difficult; dealing with shades of meaning, conflicting
information, appropriate conclusions can make these questions very
challenging. Teachers like multiple choice tests because they are easy to
grade, and for students to perform well on them they must know the
relevant details and understand the meaning and context of that
information.
Misconceptions about Multiple-Choice Questions
Multiple choice questions require you to choose the best answer,
not the correct one. All answers may be correct, or all may be
incorrect; you are required to choose the best of these
options. Therefore, you should always read every answer before
giving a response.
Many students have heard that you should choose a constant
response when guessing on multiple-choice questions and that the
best response to guess is C. This advice is misleading. When you are
forced to guess, always make a knowledge based guess. If you know
anything at all about the subject, use that knowledge to narrow
down the possibilities or at least to arrive at a direct hunch. Hunches
are somewhat knowledge based, and they will beat the odds of
giving a direct response. However, if you have used all you know to
narrow down the possibilities, and you still cannot decide between
two or more choices, you should use your knowledge of
probability. On teacher made tests, choices toward the end of the
list are generally more likely to be correct than the ones toward the
beginning. Therefore, if you absolutely cannot decide between A
and C on your teacher's test, it's better to go with C.
Beware of multiple/multiple-or-k questions as they do not work the
same as multiple-choice questions. Multiple/multiple-or-k questions
are those that ask you to select between possible combinations of
responses--e.g., between (A), (A&B), or (B), (B&C), (C), (none of
these), and (all of these). In this type of question, you are not being
asked to select the best answer; you must select all of the correct
answers. The appropriate strategy to use with these questions is to
treat each statement as a true/false question. First try to prove that
(A) is false. If you cannot prove it false, accept it as true and place a
check by the (A) statement. Follow this pattern with (B) and (C)
statements, and then mark off the appropriate choice.
B. Dealing With Test Anxiety
Anxiety is the body's method of dealing with situations that may cause personal harm. It is a
defense mechanism that elicits both a physical response and a mental or emotional
change. When people become anxious, their adrenaline flows, a large supply of oxygen travels
to their arms and legs, and they experience what is known as a fight or flight response: they are
physically and emotionally prepared to either fight or run from danger. A high level of anxiety
allows us to perform unbelievable physical feats, but decreases our mental functioning
considerably. During an attack of anxiety, oxygen that normally travels to the brain is
transmitted to the limbs. Without its usual supply of oxygen, the brain loses a degree of its
functioning capability. To avoid anxiety, you should understand:
what causes anxiety to occur
how to control the situations that foster anxiety
what to do if anxiety strikes
C. Learning From Tests
Each test should be a learning experience. Understanding the mistakes you've made gives you
valuable insights for future tests, and helps give you a feeling of control; this control will help
significantly in managing anxiety. Use these methods for analyzing the results of tests to help
you become a better test taker:
the moment you leave the classroom, make notes for yourself
analyze the test to determine why you missed what you missed
determine what type of error you made on a multiple choice test
keep a test taking record
D. Preparing Written And Oral Reports
Preparing Written Reports
The most important thing to remember when preparing written reports is that time is your best
friend. Try to begin as early as possible. The minute your teacher assigns the task, start
thinking about what you want to write. The following tips can help you organize your writing,
develop a paper over time, and avoid common pitfalls:
preparing to write
five paragraph paper outline form
the dirty dozen of writing
Preparing Oral Reports
Oral presentations involve performance, and performance demands preparation, practice, and
acting out the appropriate skills. To give a good oral report, you need to start early, prepare
thoroughly, practice the performance, and acquire the necessary skills for speaking in front of a
group.
preparation
practice
presentation
E. Participating In Class
Some measure of class participation is factored into grades by almost all instructors, either
consciously or unconsciously. It is difficult for a teacher to ignore how a student participated in
class when he or she begins to determine the student's grade. Class participation as output is
much more than being involved in class discussion; it also includes:
listening
note taking
body language
eye contact
completing assignments early
establishing yourself as a good student