PSAT – Oct Strattegies 11th Grade

8/11/2019 PSAT Oct Strattegies 11th Grade

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PSAT Oct. 17, 2012

Testing strategies and what toexpect on the test!

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Testing tips and strategies: Take the practice test in the Official Student Guide to the

PSAT/NMSQT. Learn the directions for each type of math and critical reading

question. Try sample questionsfrom past tests. Earn as many points as you can on easy questions. Read all the answer choices before marking your answer sheet. Do your scratchwork in the test book. Don't feel you have to answer every question. Work steadily -- don't waste time on hard questions. You can always

go back to them later. Check your answer sheet regularly to make sure you're in the right

place. Write your answers to grid-ins in the boxes above the ovals. Try educated guessing when you can eliminate at least one answer to

a multiple-choice question. Be sure you understand the differencebetween educated and random guessing.

Take a calculator.
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Calculators permitted: Students are strongly encouraged to take a calculator to

the PSAT/NMSQT, whether or not they plan to use it. Take a calculator you are comfortable using. Don't buy a

new one just for the test. Don't try to use the calculator on every question. None of

the questions require one.

Decide how to solve each problem before deciding whetherto use a calculator.

Practice sample questions with a calculator on hand. Students will not be allowed to share calculators with other

students. Approved calculators:

four-function calculatorscientific calculatorgraphing calculator


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Calculators NOT permitted:

pocket organizer hand-held or laptop computer

electronic writing pad or pen input device

calculator with a QWERTY (typewriter-like)keypad

calculator with paper tape

calculator that makes noises or "talks"

calculator that requires an outlet

*If you have not done so, please let yourhomeroom teacher or Mrs. Putnam in guidance

know if you will need a calculator for the test.


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About Guessing

Educated guessingmeans guessing an answerwhenever you are able to eliminate one or moreof the choices as definitely wrong. Educatedguessing may help you.

Random guessingprobably won't help youbecause of the way the test is scored. Random

guessing means that you have no idea whichanswer choice is correct. Don't waste time on thatkind of question. Move on to the next one.


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ReminderYou can earn an above-average score by getting only half the

questions right and omitting the rest.On the Tuesday test in 1999, for example, students who

answered 26 of the 52 critical reading questions correctly andomitted the others earned a score of 51. On the Saturdaytest, students who answered 26 critical reading questions

correctly and omitted the others earned a score of 52.Students who answered 20 of the 40 math questions correctly

on the Tuesday test (and omitted the rest) earned a score of50; on the Saturday test, they earned a score of 51.

Students who answered 19 of the 39 writing skills questions

correctly on the Tuesday or the Saturday test (and omittedthe rest) earned a score of 54.Because you lose a fraction of a point for questions you get

wrong, if you answered some questions incorrectly you wouldneed a slightly higher number of correct answers than the

numbers above to earn a score of 50.


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What to expect:

The PSAT/NMSQT includes the same typesof multiple choice questions as the SAT.The questions are based on:

Critical reading

Math

Writing skills


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Critical Reading - Two Parts:

Sentence Completion:questions measureyour knowledge of the meanings of wordsand ability to understand how the differentparts of a sentence logically fit together.

Passage-Based Reading:questionsmeasure your ability to read and thinkcarefully about a single reading passage ora pair of related passages


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Hints for answering SentenceCompletion questions:

Read the entire sentence to yourself.

Watch for introductory or connecting words andphrases like "but," "not," "because," etc.

In sentences with two blanks, make sure thewords for both blanks make sense in thesentence.

Start by working with one blank at a time.

Stay within the meaning of the sentence.

Before you mark your answer, read the completesentence with your choice filled in.


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Hints for answering Passage-Based Readingquestions:

Don't skip introductions to passages. Read each passage and any accompanying information

carefully. Follow the author's reasoning and be aware offeatures such as assumptions, attitudes, and tone.

You may find it helpful to mark the passages as you arereading, but don't spend too much time making notes. Read each question and all the answer choices carefully. When a question asks you to compare an aspect of a pair of

passages, don't be misled by choices that are correct for only

one of the two passages. Select the choice that best answers the question asked. Don't

select a choice just because it is a true statement. You may find it helpful to read the questions first to get an

idea of what to look for. Or, you may prefer to read the

passage and try to answer the questions.


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Math What to Expect:

The math section of the PSAT/NMSQT requires abasic knowledge of number and operation;

algebra and functions (though not contentcovered in third-year math classes--content thatwill appear on the new SAT); geometry andmeasurement; and data analysis, statistics, and

probability. You can use a calculatorto answermath questions, but no question on the testrequires a calculator.
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Types of Math questions:

Multiple Choicequestions ask you todecide which is the best of the five

choices given. Grid-ins, or student-produced response

questions, require you to solve a problem

and enter your answer.


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Hints for answering RegularMultiple Choice questions:

Look at the answer choices before you begin towork on each question.

Read each question carefully, even if it looks likea question you don't think you can answer.Don't let the form of the question keep you fromtrying to answer it.

If your answer isn't among the choices, trywriting it in a different form. You may have thesame answer in a different mathematical format.


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Hints for answering Student-ProducedResponse questions, also called Grid-Ins

Since answer choices aren't given, a calculatormay be helpful in avoidingcareless mistakes on these questions.It's suggested that you write your answer in the boxes above the grid to

avoid errors in gridding.The grid can hold only four places and can accommodate only positive

numbers and zero.

Do not worry about which column to begin gridding the answer. As long asthe answer is gridded completely, you will receive credit.

Unless a problem indicates otherwise, an answer can be entered on the grideither as a decimal or as a fraction.

You don't have to reduce fractions like 3/24 to their lowest terms.Convert all mixed numbers to improper fractions before gridding the

answer.If the answer is a repeating decimal, you must grid the most accurate value

the grid will accommodate.Some questions may have more than one right answer.You don't lose any points for a wrong answer.

Know the gridding rules before taking the test.
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Writing Skills

The multiple-choice questions on writing

skills measure your ability to express ideaseffectively in standard-written English, torecognize faults in usage and structure,

and to use language with sensitivity tomeaning.


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Identifying Sentence Errors

These questions test your knowledge ofgrammar, usage, word choice, and idiom.

You are required to find errors in sentencesor indicate that there is no error.


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Hints for Identifying SentenceErrors

Read the entire sentence carefully but quickly.

Look at choices (A) through (D) to see whether anythingneeds to be changed to make the sentence correct.

Don't waste time searching for errors. Mark (E) No error,on your answer sheet if you believe the sentence is correctas written.

Move quickly through questions about Identifying Sentence

Errors. The other kinds of questions (Improving Sentencesand Improving Paragraphs) will probably take more time.

Mark questions that seem hard for you and return to themlater.


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Improving Sentences

These questions ask you to choose the best,most effective form of an underlined

portion of a given sentence.


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Hints for Improving Sentences

Read the entire sentence carefully but quickly. Note the

underlined portion because that is the portion that mayhave to be revised.

Remember that the portion with no underline stays the same.

Mark choice (A) if the underlined portion seems correct. Check

the other choices quickly to make sure that (A) is really thebest choice.

Think of how you would revise the underlined portion if itseems wrong. Look for your revision among the choicesgiven.

Replace the underlined portion of the sentence with choices(B) through (E) if you don't find your revision. Concentrateon the choices that seem clear and exact when you readthem.


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Improving Paragraphs

These questions require you to makechoices about improving the logic,

coherence, or organization in a flawedpassage.


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Hints for Improving Paragraphs:

Read the entire essay quickly to determine itsoverall meaning. The essay is meant to be a draft,so don't be surprised if you notice errors. Don't

linger over those errors. Make sure that your answer about a particular

sentence or sentences makes sense in thecontext of the passage as a whole.

Choose the best answer from among the choicesgiven, even if you can imagine another correctresponse.


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2012 PSAT/NMSQT PracticeTest Explanations

Taking the complete Practice Test before test day gives youthe best preparation for the PSAT/NMSQT. It will help youbecome familiar with the test format and instructions foreach type of test question. After you score your PracticeTest, use the answer explanations here to help you improve

your skills and do your best on test day.If you do not have a copy of the 2012 Practice Test, please

ask your counselor for a copy of the 2012 Official StudentGuide to the PSAT/NMSQT.

Select a test section title below to download the answer

explanations for the questions that appear in that PracticeTest section:

The following web site will give you more information aboutthe practice test questions.

http://www.collegeboard.com/psatpractice/index.html
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/psatpractice/critical-reading-section-1.pdfhttp://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/psatpractice/critical-reading-section-1.pdf


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Sources

All information contained on these slides isfrom the CollegeBoard web site. Additional

content and practice questions areavailable at www.collegeboard.org
http://www.collegeboard.org/http://www.collegeboard.org/

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PSAT – Oct Strattegies 11th Grade