Test Preparation

Here are some general test-taking stratefies to help maximize score on the test:

1. When you receive the test, briefly close your eyes, breathe in and out slowly, and mentally visualize yourself working through the test successfully.
2. During the test, read and follow all thedirections. If you do not understand something in the directions, ask the test administrator for clarification.
3. Work through the test at a steady pace. Part 1 of the test consists of 40 multile-choice items. As you begin the test, skim through the booklet to find multiple-choice question 20, mark this question as an approximate one-third-of-the way point. When you get to question 20, check your watch to see how much time has passed. If more than 40 minutes have gone by, you will need to pick up the pace. Otherwise, continue to work as rapidly as you can without being careless, but do not rush.
4. Try to work the problems in order. Skipping around can waste time and might cause mistakes on your answer sheet. However, if a question is taking too much of your time, place a large check mark next to it in the test booklet. mark your best guess in the answer booklet, and move on.
5. Read each question entirely. Skimming to save time can cause you to misread a question or miss important information.
6. Write in the test booklet. Mark on diagram. draw figures, underline or circle key words or phrases, and do scratch work in the test booklet. Remember, however, to mark your answer choice in the separate answer booklet. Answers marked only in the test booklet are not scored.
7. Don’t read too much into a question. For instance, don’t presume a geometric figure is drawn accurately or to scale.
8. Use your calculator, but use it wisely. Keep in mind that graphing calculators are powerful tools, but they can make errors. See the discussion about graphing calculators that follows this section.
9. Be sure you are answering the question asked. Circle or underline what you are being asked to find, to help you stay focused on it.
10. Read all the answer choices before you select an answer. You might find an answer that immediately strikes you as correct. but this determination might have occurred because you jumped to a false conclusion or made an incorrect assumption.
11. Eliminate as many wrong choices as you can. Estimate the answer to help you decide which answers are unreasonable.
12. Change an answer only if you have a good reason to do so. Be sure to completely erase the old answer choice before making the new one.
13. If you are trying to making to recall information during the test, close your eyes and try to visualize yourself in your study place. This might trigger your memory.
14. Remain clam during the test. If you start to feel anxious, briefly close your eyes, breathe in and out slowly, and mentally visualize yourself in a peaceful place, to help you relax.
15. Record your answers to the multiple-choice items in the answer booklet carefully, this part of the test is scored electronically, so it is critical that you mark your answer booklet accurately. As you go through the test questions, circle the letters of your answer choice in the test booklet. Then mark those answers in the answer booklet in bunches of 5 to 10.
16. Even though the testing company recommends that you spend only 40 minutes working the constructed-response questions, try to save at least 45 minutes for this part of the test - because it counts 33 percent of your test score.
17. Be sure you answer all parts of each constructed-response question and that you give complete and full explanations for your answers.
18. Before turning in your answer booklet, check that you have marked an answer for every multiple-choice test question. You are not penalized for a wrong answer, so even if you have no clue about how to work the problem, make a guess.
19. Before turning in your answer booklet, erase any stray marks in the answer booklet and brush off any loose eraser dust.
20. As you work through the practice tests provided in this book, consciously use the strategies suggested in this section as preparation for the actual praxix Middle School Mathematics test. Try to reach the point where the strategies are automatic for you.