12 tips for taking online college tests

Its about time for our college students to head back to school. I would like to share some tips that I have discovered that will help you when taking online tests and quizzes. Since online tests are open book, open notes, and open Internet, learned to use those resources to find answers quick. Many of these ideas I have learned from my teachers. So here are some tips:

1. Actually study for the test. When you do study think like the teacher. Ask yourself, “If I were the teacher what would I put on the test.” You will be surprised how often you can figure out what will be on the test that way. It will help you focus your studying.

2. Pay attention to any hints the teacher give you about the test material and write them down. Some teachers will practically hand the students the test answers on a silver platter if the students are paying attention. If the teacher repeats material, it probably will be on the test. Some teachers will ask the students knowledge questions on class material. Write them down. They likely will be on the test.

3. Answer the easy questions on the test first before working on the hard ones. You need to study enough that most of the questions are easy. This will leave time to research the answers on the hard ones.

4. Review your questions before submitting the test. I often have caught dumb mistakes or realized I had misread the question. This helps especially to catch trickily worded questions.

5. Does your textbook have a glossary? Put a bookmark in it and use it. Seriously. Many teachers like key term definition questions. Many of them are right out of the glossary word for word. Look at the keyword list at the end of the chapter when studying. Many textbooks place keywords in bold in the text. Learn the definition of key terms and you will ace many tests.

6. Use the index of the textbook.

7. Does the textbook have multiple choice review questions at the end of the chapter? Textbook makers give teachers pools of test questions to use. These usually are the same questions as the chapter review questions. So don't be surprise if the chapter review questions end up on your test.

8. If you have an electronic version of the textbook have it open. You can use the search function to quickly find key words. Some paper textbooks have a CD with a PDF version of the book on it. If yours does have it open at test time.

9. Have online study material open in a separate browser tab. Use the search function to find keywords.

10. Google is your friend.

11. Wikipedia is another friend. Granted the quality of Wikipedia varies, but it is good enough for test taking purposes.

12. If your class has both weekly quizzes and major tests, review the weekly quiz questions before taking the major tests. Teachers will often recycle quiz questions in their mid-term and final tests.