PIRATESTESTING STRATEGY

• •

P I R A T E S• Prepare to

succeed (PASS)

• Inspect the instructions (RUN)

• Read, remember, reduce (RRR)

• Answer or abandon (skip) (AA)

• Turn back (ARG)

• Estimate (guess) (ACE)

• Survey (look over)

(SS)

Test-Taking Strategy Affirmations

• I am a successful test-taker when I use “PIRATES” • I look for ways to use the Test taking strategy every

day• I believe that when I use the Test-Taking Strategy I

will be successful• I believe that use of the Test-Taking Strategy will

help me achieve my goal• I enjoy using “PIRATES” and showing what I know

on tests• I work through tests easily using “PIRATES”

Step 1: Prepare to Succeed

PASS• Put your name and PIRATES on the test

• Allot (assign) time and order to sections• Say affirmations (positive statements)

• Start within 2 minutes

Step 2: Inspect The Instructions

RUN• Read underlined and italicized

instructions carefully

• Underline what to do and where to respond

• Notice special requirements

Underline What to Do and Where to Respond

• Circle the letter to the most appropriate choice.

• Write TRUE not T in front of statements that are true. Write or FALSE not F in front of statements that are false

• Answer both essay questions on your own paper

Step 3: Read, Remember, Reduce

RRR• Read the whole question

• Remember what you have studied

• Reduce the choices

Reducing Answers

• Eliminate obviously wrong answers

• Eliminate duplicate answers

• Pay special attention to the longest answers

Step 4: Answer or abandon

AA• Answer the question

• Abandon the question for the moment

Step 5: Turn Back

A R G• Answer abandoned questions

• Repeat Steps I,R,A for each question

• Guess only as a last resort

Step 6: Estimate

ACE• Avoid absolutes

• Choose the longest or most detailed choice

• Eliminate similar choicesThis step is guessing do not use it

until you have answered all the ones

you can with what you know!!!!

Absolute words Usually poor choices

• All

• Always

• Every

• No

• None

• Never

• Only

Non-Absolute Words Better choices

• Few

• Some

• Seldom

• Sometimes

• Most

• Many

• Often

• Usually

Step 7: Survey

SS• Survey to ensure all questions are answered

– Make sure you haven’t• skipped any questions • misread any instructions • made any careless errors

• Switch an answer only if you are sure

Prepare to succeed

P A S S

Inspect the instructions

R U N

Read, remember, reduce

R R R

Answer or abandon (skip)

A A

Turn back

A R G

Estimate (guess)

A C E

Survey (look over)

S S