Beating the Exam Jitters
By Michael Ritacco

HOW TO PREPARE FOR CERTIFICATION EXAMS

1. Most people find it essential to establish some special time for learning. Be sure to set it for when you learn best ... in the morning, early evening, etc., and stick to your schedule.
   
   
2. Use an effective method of study. Your own plan, if effective, is good. If yours didn't work, you might try SQ3R method which involves 5 steps: survey the test objectives, generate questions before reading a section of the text, read a section, recite what you have read, and review the chapter.
   
   
3. When you are just beginning to organize your study habits, don't be too ambitious. Don't try to crowd all your time for study in the day and leave no time for other things.
   
   
4. Do not assume you can increase your capacity more by adding more hours of study. The idea is to use your time wisely. Ever notice the students who get the high grades are usually active in extra curricular activities? They can't all be geniuses. They budget their time.
   
   
5. Make a chart of your activities for the week. Block in study time.
   
   
6. Space your learning periods during the week rather than concentrating them all at one time. You will be less fatigued and each time you will come with a new fresh approach.
   
   
7. Do not study similar technologies, back to back. This tends to increase interference and makes the retention of material more difficult.
   
   
8. Plan in advance for times--when more intensive study will be needed for exams.
   
   
9. Follow the schedule after it has begun and do not let it "slide". You will probably need revisions, but you must stick to it to succeed. Do not let yourself be distracted. Let everyone know that this is your study time and you will be free at a later time.

EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL PREPARATION

1. Your attitude toward the subject influences your effectiveness and/or ability to learn the subject. "If you think you can, you will"
   
   
2. Poor or bad attitudes towards exams are usually due to the fact that:
   A. The student is asked to perform a task which he/she has not practiced in real life. The questions are asked differently and he/she is afraid she/he will not be able to recognize the correct response.
   
   B. Much emphasis is placed upon the terms hard and difficult, when
   thinking of exams. Who ever heard of-an easy exam? This puts you in the attitude of thinking "I can't do it" with the resultant panic.
   
   
3. Panic is the greatest enemy of the test taker. You might also add "worry" to this statement. It is natural to have some tension, but panic is destructive. What causes it? There are four (4) real or supposed causes:
   
   A. Real incompetence. This is rather a common cause. The student sees a great deal to learn and he is afraid he knows nothing and really doesn't know what's important. He/she lose all perspective.
   
   B. Social sheep-following. Here the student follows the group. If the gang thinks it's (panic) the thing to do, then the student follows suit. Seen usually in teenage groups.
   
   C. Seeds of doubt. Here the student listens to panic builders who are
   always saying, "this test is horrible". "No one ever passes that exam."
   The more the student thinks about it the greater the panic.
   
   D. Students have also pointed out that the following will produce panic;
   not knowing what the exam expects of the examine, trick questions,
   lack of knowledge about vocabulary.
   
   
4. How can you help yourself if you're a panicker? Try these:
   a. Believe what panic you have built up you can break down.
   b. Don't expect miraculous results but work steadily.
   c. Be practical. You can't just 'will' to not panic.
   d. Use your planned study as insurance. It's a means of strengthening your confidence.
   
   
5. Study wisely and do not allow poor study habits to rob you of rest, recreation or refreshments. You need all four in moderation.
   
   
6. Get some testing software and use them. Give yourself the allotted time and check answers.
   
   
7. The use of "pep pills", or stimulants, is foolish. You pass the exam at the expense of physical health. The old saying that "once or twice can't hurt you" is not true. It usually leads you to do it the 3rd or 4th time.

If you are rested, relaxed and ready, You will perform much better.

TAKING CERTIFICATION TESTS

1. Come prepared with pen, pencil, and paper.
   
   
2. Arrive ahead of time. If you rush in, find your seat and begin, you are in no frame of mind to take the test. Now you must spend precious time catching your breath and settling down.
   
   
3. Know the general nature of the test: Adaptive, Multiple choice,etc.
   How much time do you have? How much does each question count?
   Can you leave out any questions? Do you understand the directions?
   Plan your time before you begin. Be strategic!
   
   
4. If, during the test, You find yourself panicking, take 10 slow, deep breaths. The preoccupation of taking them slowly will allow you a rest period.
   
   
5. Answer the easy questions first. This way you will give yourself confidence and can tackle the hard ones.
   
   
6. Don't become upset by the apparent length or complexity of the test.
   One of the advantages of this type of test is that the exam can ask
   more questions about a variety of material and can, therefore, cover
   more material. The length has nothing to do with the content.
   
   
7. Read and follow the directions carefully.
   a. Many times the test will have a sample question as a guide.
   b. Do as the exam asks: Circle, Underline, List. etc.
   c. Watch the wording.
   
   
8. Be sure you understand the question. Reread or comeback later, if necessary.
   
   
9. Don't spend too much time on any one question. Mark It and check later. Sometimes a later question will "trigger" your memory. If not, you've only lost a few points.
   
   
10. Do not think the every question is out to trick you. Questions are to test knowledge, not semantics.
    
    
11. Use cunning. Watch for those give away words (Always, All, Every, Some, Usually).
    
    
12. In answering matching questions, do the ones you know and cross
    out the answers as you go along. You'll save time by not having to look through all of the terms for the answer you select.
    
    
13. In multiple choice questions, mark out the wrong choices to eliminate.
    Then read the statement through and see if you agree with your answer.
    
    
14. In completion of questions, watch the endings (a, an), length of line,
    number of lines. These are clues to answers.
    
    
15. Read the whole question twice! Pay particular attention to questions that have an "all of the above" alternative. Some test takers stop reading the question if the first answer is right. If two of the answers are right, the third must be right, and "all of the above" is the correct answer.
    
    
16. Mark clearly those questions you got stuck on. When you finish the test,run back through and spend extra time on these. Don't change answers. This is the usual panic time and you'll tend to want to read over the whole test. Don't do that.
    
    
17. When you have accomplished all this, end your test!!!!