Mastery of Multiple Choice Exams

In this lecture, I'll share with you the real secret to making any test easy. It's called hard work and preparation. Now that is really easy to say, but we'll cover the details in this Part 1 of the real secret to passing exams.

In this lecture, we'll build on Part I and discuss the real reason why taking tests becomes much, much easier with a good solid plan for test preparation. One of the easiest things you can do is to use the official testable objectives as part of your road map to success.

In this lecture, I'll share a video testimonial of Corey, one of my students, who was blown away after taking the test taking clinic. His testimonial speaks for itself.

In this lecture, I'll share with you the traditional "old way" of taking tests. Now this relates to how we learn and now we prepare for taking tests. Most people will identify with "the old way" because this is what was taught to us through our "academic" education in high school, college, university, etc.

If the old way does not work, what is the right way? It's basically the exact opposite of the old way. It's important to understand Edgar Dale's "Cone of Learning" and Bloom's Taxonomy because these are essentially learning "ladders" that you can climb. Doing is better than simulation, which is better than seeing, which is better than hearing, which in turn is better than reading.

In this lecture, we'll discuss what smart test takers learn and observe as they are learning new material. We'll begin to look at the key questions that a smart test taker asks.

In this lecture, we'll discuss what you already know about a topic. If you already know 30% of a body of knowledge, you are better off prioritizing and focusing on the 70% that you don't know first, then skimmimg over the 30% that you do know after you already have the proper context.

Good test takers are always grounding themselves with the "big picture." These are perfect opportunities to keep yourself grounded in the learning objective which prevents you from steering off topic.

Here we will look at the predictive language that authors use that suggest how their materials are laid out. We'll look at clues like First, Second, Next, Last etc...

How do you turn a bad question into an expert question? You add detail and compare and contrast! In this lecture, we'll explore those details.

In this lecture, we'll show you how to forecast information that can be helpful at predicting the types of information that are generally used for test taking. We'll also identify the pattern of three. Three of anything is always a good pattern to identify.

This is the important information that relates to your grade or directly affect your test scores. If you can't identify the key information that is tested on when you are learning, you'll be wasting a lot of time. The focus of this lecture will be to identify what is important and what is testable.

This is where the real thinking starts to happen. Instead of just "copying information," good test takers "re-purpose" information. This lecture will be the key element that starts your thinking process.

Organization is a must for the serious test taker. Should you compare or contrast? How about cause vs. effect? This organization directly relates to the test taking experience, but the process is the same that is used in almost every multiple choice format.

In this lecture, we will not only look at how you picture information, but also how you can recall information that you will need in an exam. Most exams wont let you take information in or out, but what you do during the test matters. One technique that we love is to be able to recall information and also to take the information given to you in the exam and use it "against" the exam.

Although one of the longer lectures, we'll cover how to relate information in your head and learn to recognize the patterns that tie information together.

This lecture is a continuation of How Does This Information Fit In With What I Already Know, Part II.

In this lecture, will will learn the rules of good test taking so that we can apply them in a later lecture. Here are some of my favorite test taking rules that I use over and over again during multiple choice exams.

In this lecture, I'll discuss the case study of Andy, a story of $6000 and 10 failed attempts. This is a real world example of a person who now is an expert test taker. The goal here is not to point fingers, but rather to learn from our mistakes. The story of Andy is one of my favorite stories, because it was really about making the test taking experience a game: a game that you can win!

In this lecture, we will go through real practice test questions and demonstrate how to approach them and apply what we have learned through this course.

This is a continuation of Pratice Test Questions, Part I.

In this lecture, I will explain exactly why the odds are in your favor if you look for the wrong answers rather than the correct answers. DO NOT SKIP THIS LECTURE!