| Improving Your Test Score - Jun 09, 2010 |
Archive |
Testing is controversial and, not so incidentally, is a big, big business. Progress during school years is measured solely by various tests that are approved by school districts, are mandated by state legislators, and that match hotly debated national standards. Tests have to meet certain statistical requirements. Gainfully employed writers of test items (questions) have completed advanced degrees involving psychometrics. Good tests are designed to display knowledge, and are generally constructed to defeat test takers who are guessing. Good tests must divide test takers into two groups—people who have learned a major portion of the subject material and those who have not.
Remember fifth grade when some children breezed through every test whatever the subject, and some children seemed destined to fail no matter how they labored? Is what we label intelligence actually the ability to respond well in test situations? The answer is probably “yes”.
Are you becoming depressed? There is good news for all in this message. Taking tests is a skill that can be acquired with practice. Practice does make perfect. Anybody can improve personal passing rate by taking numbers of tests based on the subject matter at hand. Repetition is the key to memory. Repetition is the key to passing tests. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? --- Practice, practice, practice.
Dallie Moriarty
Senior Instructor
Cooke Real Estate School
|
|
