Tamara's Test Taking Tips

From the title, you may have guessed that I like alliteration. Yes, it is a wonderful thing. Anyway, from time to time I give my students test tips, and I feel I should record them. Then maybe publish them and sell them for a small profit. Just kidding! :) Anyway, they're practical, one (or more) may rhyme. If you have any that I should add leave them in the comments!

1. Study, sleep, eat.
   
   All-nighters are not the best idea. While the extra time may allow you to cram a few more facts into your memory, being tired during the test will mess up your ability to focus, problem solve or communicate as best as you can. Some have pulled all-nighters for subjects that involve a lot of factual recall, but my subject is math. And with math, you need to be able to think, not spit out memorized facts. Thinking is hard when you're tired, or hungry. So have a good breakfast too (something easy on the stomach - a nervous stomach plus bad food can be a BAD thing going into a test).
   
2. Do not erase, unless you can replace.
   
   I've seen students erase an answer (some which were correct) and put nothing in its place. Leaving a question blank leaves absolutely no opportunity for the teacher to reward any marks. So unless you have something else to write down, don't erase the answer. You won't be penalized if it's wrong, and you may get partial or full credit. You have nothing to lose!
   
3. ANSWER ALL MULTIPLE CHOICE, TRUE/FALSE OR MATCHING QUESTIONS!
   
   Notice this rule is in all caps. That is because this is the most frustrating rule I've seen students break. In the situations listed above, the correct answer is sitting in front of you. Why leave it blank when there is a good chance you'll get it right? It's just plain silly to leave it blank.
   
   For example, a typical multiple choice question has four options. That leaves a 25% probability that the answer you pick is correct. The probability not answering and getting the question right is 0%. Which is better? Exactly - guess if you must but do not leave blank! Be educated with your guess, and use some reasoning if you can - this may increase the likelihood of being right. Your friends Eeny, Meeny, Miney and Moe are not your best bet here, but may be called upon if you are absolutely desperate.
   
4. Show all of your work, whether confident or not!
   
   In math, many questions are assessed on the method the student uses AND the correct answer. A correct answer alone does not earn you all of the marks. Show or discuss whatever it was that you did to come up with the answer, whether you are confident in it or not. It may earn you partial credit.
   
   Many kids can punch stuff into a calculator and don't know what to show for their work. Here's what you do: whatever you told the calculator to do, write down. That is how you show your work. Because then, if your answer is wrong due to a typo, having written your work down may save you a few marks if you had the right idea.
   
   
5. Avoid suspicious looking behaviour.
   
   Teachers will penalize cheating. Make sure you don't look like you are doing it. Do not go through your bag to find something during a test, even if it's just an eraser. You could be totally innocent, but you could also be up to something. Your teacher will be suspicious, and may rightfully act upon suspicions in away that are not in your favour.
   
   To avoid looking like a cheater do the following:
   - don't cheat
   -don't lift your paper where others can read
   - have all the materials you need out on your desk before the test starts
   - do not speak/communicate with any other students at all
   - do not touch/look at/fantasize about your cell phone
   - don't hide your calculator in your desk the way you do a cell phone when using it
   - if you stare off into space in order to think, use a safe stare-spot (i.e. the ceiling, the front of the room, something the teacher will be able to tell without a doubt is not another student's test)
   - if you forgot something in your bag that you need, first call your teacher over and ask if you can get while they are watching - this makes us secure that your intentions are pure

Those are all the tips I can think of right now. I'll add more when I think of them.

*EDIT

6. Do not hand in your test with blank questions if you still have time - you never know when an answer will suddenly hit you. And once you hand in your test, you can't get it back!