This document provides strategies for taking standardized tests. It recommends getting enough sleep, eating a good breakfast, and solving problems before the test to reduce stress. On the day of the test, it advises following normal routines and thinking positively. It also provides tips for during the test such as reading directions carefully, pacing yourself, using process of elimination, and checking over answers. The main strategies are to follow the acronym DETER which stands for directions, examine test, manage time, answer easiest questions first, and review answers.

1. Strategies for Taking
Standardized Tests

2. „Twas the Night Before Testing
• Go to bed on time.
• Put a few number 2 pencils with
erasers in your backpack.
• Solve family/friend problems
before the testing date.
• Talk to your parents about any
concerns that you might have
about the test.

3. The Morning of Testing
• Start your day as you always do.
• Eat a good breakfast.
• Think of what you will
do to relax after you
get home from school.
• Think Positive!

4. Test Questions
• If you do not understand
the directions, ask for
help.
• Read the question and
read all answer choices
before marking anything.

5. Pace Yourself
• Don‟t spend too much time
on any one question. Do
your best and then move
on.
• Answers the easiest
questions first, but be sure
to go back to those
questions you skipped.

6. Try to Answer First
• Some students do well by reading
the question and then try to answer
it without looking at the choices.
• Cover up the answer choices with
your hand and answer it first.
• Then look at the answer choices.

7. Multiple Choice Questions
• Do not change your answers
unless you are very uncertain
about your first answer choice.
• Try to answer every question.
Make the most intelligent
guess you can.

8. The Process of Elimination
• After you have been through all of
the questions once, go back and find
questions you have some knowledge
about and eliminate choices that you
know are incorrect.
I know C isn‟t
the answer!

9. The Process of Elimination
• If you can eliminate two wrong
answers, your chance of
choosing the right answer is
greater.
Beamed is another way of
saying –
A screamed
B listened
C smiled
D laughed

10. Key Words
• Find key words or phrases
in the question that will help
you choose the correct
answer.

11. Be Careful!
• Be careful of “all of the above”
and “none of the above”
questions.
• Beware of negatives such as
“none”, “not”, “never”, or
“neither”.

12. Answering Questions
• Don't guess blindly, but if you
have time to think about the
best answer choice, make it!

13. Skip, Return, Check
• If you finish early, check to
make sure you have
answered all questions.

14. What Is It Asking?
• Make sure you understand what
the question is asking.
• Be sure you are responding to
the question that is being asked.
• Reread the question once you
have an answer and before
bubbling your answer on your
scantron.

15. Reading Passages
• If the test requires you to read
passages and then answer
questions about what you read,
Read the questions first
• By doing this, you will know
what you are looking for as you
read. This also helps you go
faster on the test.

16. Reading Passages
• When there are several
questions about a reading
passage or chart, look for
clues in other questions that
will help you with those items
about which you are unsure.

17. Math Computation
• When using scratch paper on a math
test, double check to make sure that
you have copied the problem correctly
from the test booklet!

18. Math Computation
• Line up place value correctly on your
scratch paper
(thousands, hundreds, tens, ones) or
the answer will be incorrect.

19. Math Computation
• If your answer does not match one
of the choices, reread the
problem, recopy the numbers, and
try solving it again.

20. A Matter of Time
• If any time remains, spend it on
those questions about which
you know nothing or almost
nothing.
• As you go back through, do not
change all answers.
Remember your first
guess is usually right.

21. Scantron Tips
• Fill in bubbles fully, write
neatly, and erase stray marks.
• Double-check the test number
in your test booklet against the
answer sheet every few
questions to be sure you have
not gotten on the wrong
number.

22. In Summary
• Use the DETER strategy.
–Directions
–Examine
–Time
–Easiest
–Review

23. D - Directions
• Read the test directions very
carefully.
• Ask your teacher to explain the
directions you do not understand.
• Only by following the directions
can you achieve a good score on
the test.

24. 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.

25. T - Time
• Once you have examined the
entire test, decide how much time
you will spend on each item.
• Planning your time will help you
avoid spending so much time on
one item that you have little time
left for other test items.

26. E - Easiest
• Answer the items you find easiest
first.
• If you get stuck on a difficult
problem that comes up early in the
test, skip it and go back to it later
because you may not have time to
answer items on the test that you
may know.

27. 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.

28. Test-Taking Skills Video
• Brain Pop Video
For username and password, exit slide show and
look at the notes at the bottom of this slide.