How to Do Well on Tests
Of course, the number one factor in doing well on tests is knowing the subject matter inside out. Paying attention in class, completing homework assignments, and studying the assigned material are all important in achieving this goal. However, whether you've prepared a lot or not at all, there are other factors that also contribute to determining whether you do well on tests.
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Instructions
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Prepare physically and mentally. Get a good night's sleep before a test, and eat a healthy breakfast. At the last minute, try to relax with some gentle stretches, smiling, and deep, even breathing. It's too late to do any more studying, and worrying about it at this point will hurt your chances more than it helps.
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Pace yourself. Unless your test has a very unusual scoring system, you will greatly improve your chances of doing well by answering all the questions, whether you feel that you know the right answer or not. However, you should spend most of your time on material that you know somewhat, leaving just enough time to make quick guesses on topics that completely baffle you. In order to do this, quickly look over the test when you receive it, then check the time occasionally to see how you are doing.
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Answer multiple-choice questions by eliminating any answers you know or suspect are wrong, then guessing between the remaining answers. Eliminating choices gives you a higher chance of guessing right, and so does going with your first hunch, which tends to be correct more often than second-guessing.
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Answer essay questions with plenty of information. If you know the answer, fill in as much background as you can without wasting too much time, but double-check to make sure that you have clearly answered the specific question asked. If you don't know the answer, fill in related information anyway--you may get partial credit. Reread your answer, and make sure it is legible, flows logically, and uses correct grammar and capitalization.
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Leave baffling questions and come back to them later. This means you won't waste your time agonizing over things you don't know unless you have finished everything you do know. Also, sometimes when you take a break from a question, the answer will suddenly come to you when you come back to it or while you are thinking of something else.
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Tips & Warnings
After (or before) all that work, don't forget to put your name on your test. Yes, it's a stupid mistake, but a surprisingly common one.
If the test is much harder than you expected, try not to panic. Sometimes you may surprise yourself by doing well. Even if you do not, remaining calm and making an honest effort may mean the difference between a tolerable score and a really bad one.
