Secrets of Great Test Taking

8/10/2019 Secrets of Great Test Taking

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SECRETS of GREAT TEST TAKING!

Copyright 2010 Easy Learning University Page 1


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PAGE:

Introduction: My Story 5

Tests you will see used for admittance to nursingprograms:what you need to know about them?

(TEAS) test of essential academic skills 6

(NET) nurse entrance test 7

(PAX-RN) Pre-Admission examination-RN 8

PSB-Nursing School aptitude Examination RN 9

HESI A2 Health Education Systems Incorporated 10

SAT/ACT 11

Experimental questions: what are these? 13

COST: 13

The secrets to doing well: 14

Why you need to Do your BEST the 1ST time: 14

Admittance scores needed: 14

Secrets for: TEST DAY

You must read all of these!

15

Test Preparation 19

Buddy System: who do I choose? 19

Research: 19Study Guides:found where? 20

On-line/ CD practice exams: valuable?

20

Prep Courses:Are they worth the $ 21

QUESTION ANSWERING/PREP: be prepared!

21

Answer all questions:

Track time:

21

Skip

To change or not to change:

22

How to tackle the multiple choice question: Thats what

these tests are made of: Rules 1-6:

24

Scratch paper: should I use it? 26

Do not assume more than what is there: 26

Not a trick: really! 26


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No Pattern: of what? 27

Reading for the exams/ reading comprehension :

Skim the answer choices first:

Main idea/points: Shift of viewpoint

Use your own knowledge

Eliminate

28

Illness or other major events: the best way to deal with it 31

Test and math anxiety and stress: how to beat it! 32

Cramming:can it work for you? 40

Secret of writing down your fears for better test

performance & re-training your brain

41

NCLEX-RN & NCLEX-PN: the hows and whys 42-47


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BONUS MANUAL # 3:

SECRETS OF:

PASSING ADMITTANCE EXAMS FOR NURSING SCHOOL

THE HOW'S AND WHAT'S of DOING GREAT on EXAMS

You may be asked to take an exam as part of the admittance process for nursing

school. Schools that require an exam are usually competitive in nature...which

means you have to do your best to be considered for admittance.

We will discuss the different types of exams that are offered...but, more

importantly we will go over the secrets to passing and DOING WELL on these

exams. You will have to take nursing exams in your program as part of the course

of study and after graduating you will face the challenge of taking the NCLEX

exam, the national exam that will determine if you receive your license to practice

as a nurse. So, learning the secrets to exam taking will go a long way for

admittance, while in the program and after graduating for the NCLEX exam.

I know that a little prep for these standardized exams can go a long long way.

Many schools limit the number of times that you can take the exams, so it is

important to do well your first time.

MY STORY

Over a dozen years ago I returned to grad school. I was required to take an exam

for acceptance into a Masters program. The test was the GRE. It had been over 25

years since I had looked at an algebra problem... and just as long for taking a

reading comprehension exam. The SAT's were probably the last time I had to take

an exam like I was scheduled to take. I had options: 1) I could wing it and try it out

for the first time just to see how I did...which I saw as a waste of the money to

take the exam...and those initial numbers would not look so good on my

transcript even if I improved the second time...and why would I do well on taking

an exam that I had not practiced in decades?


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Solution: come up with a quick/ fast/ easy plan to learn how to take the exam and

do well on it. I'm going to give you some of the secrets to my plan that you can

apply to nursing admittance exams. I'm also going to give you some secrets that

I've advised students to use, to do well on those exams. I'll show you what has

worked for them, and give you some insider secrets. I advise students on a

continuous basis on test taking skills. Listen and apply these tested methods. It is

not so much about "how smart you are" as it is "how smart you are in knowing

how to take the exam".

First, we will look at all the exams that you may encounter for admission. Then we

will get into the nuts and bolts of how to make it happen! How to get great

scores!

You need to learn everything you can about the exam that you will be taking:

Knowing what to expect and knowing what you will be tested on is vital

information. You need this information so you will know what to study and what

to prepare for, so you can do well on the exam.

My first practice exam I took for the GRE showed a very poor score. With practice

applying the secrets I am going to show you, I was able to learn how to take these

tests and doubled my initial score...in 3 weeks. "You can do the same" if you

apply these secrets and practice them.

You may have to take more than one exam if you are applying to several schools.

The good news, most of the tests are very similar and the skills learned for test

taking can be applied to all of them.

Here are the exams that you will encounter/ and the information, and the Secrets

you will need to be successful:

(TEAS) test of essential academic skills

This exam is becoming more and more popular for nursing schools to use as

pre admittance criteria for entrance to their nursing program. They are

trying to identify strengths and weaknesses in basic information needed to

successfully complete a nursing program and pass the NCLEX. The company


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has a long record of statistics that show student success in nursing

programs if they score a certain number on the exam.

Administered by: Assessment Technologies Inc. (ATI)

You will be given a composite score as well as sub scores for each of four

content areas. You will need to create an ATI account before taking theexam. Time limit is approx. 209 minutes where you will see 170 total

questions. Calculators may NOT be used for this exam. Again, this exam

appears to be gaining in strength and is being used more and more

frequently.

Covers 4 general areas

o

Math Skills: whole numbers, metric conversion, fractions, and

decimals, algebraic equations, percentages, and ration/proportion

o

Reading: paragraph comprehension, passage comprehension, and

inferences/conclusionso

English: punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, contextual

words, spelling

o

Science: science reasoning, science knowledge, biology, chemistry,

anatomy and physiology, basic physical principles and general

science

The following web link displays several items you may purchase to assist

with preparation for the examination. I would recommend the package that

contains the study manual with sample questions as well as the online

practice assessment. It is the most expensive of the products available butthis is the type of practice you need to do well on the exam.

http://www.atitesting.com/ati_store/TEAS-Products.asp

(NET) nurse entrance test

Administered by: Educational Resources Inc.

Evaluates these areas:

o Math skills: whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages,

number conversions and basic algebra. The exam will allow youone minute per question to complete this section.( 60 problems in

60 minutes)

o Reading comprehension: science reading ability, reading rate of

college level material, critical thinking, reading rate placement,

inferential reading main idea of a passage and predicting of
http://www.atitesting.com/ati_store/TEAS-Products.asphttp://www.atitesting.com/ati_store/TEAS-Products.asphttp://www.atitesting.com/ati_store/TEAS-Products.asp


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outcomes, basic science vocabulary for biology,

anatomy/physiology, cellular biology and chemistry / you will

need to answer 33 questions in 30 minutes. Calculators are NOT

allowed. They will give you scratch paper for you to use.

o

Not all schools use this section: Written Expression: grammar,recognizing correct sentence structure, basic spelling patterns,

nominative/objective case of pronouns, subject/verb agreement,

capitalization rules, fundamentals of punctuation, ability to

organize your ideas in written format, test-taking skills.

o Learning styles: auditory, solitary, visual, oral dependent, social,

writing dependent

o Stress Level Profile: family, academic, social, work place,

money/time

Most schools will consider only the math and reading scores andpossibly the written expression for admittance.

A study guide and online practice exam is available at:

o http://eriworld.com/index.aspx

(PAX-RN) Pre-Admission examination-RN

(NLN National League for Nursing) creators of the exam

Format is the same as the NCLEX RN( The exam that is given when youhave completed nursing school and you are ready to take the exam for

your license.) The PAX-RN measures three academic areas. One hour is

allowed for each subtest/ you will need aprox.3.5 hours to take this

exam.

The areas to be tested include:

o

Verbal Skills: word knowledge and reading comprehension ( 60

minutes)

o

Math: basic calculations, word problems, algebra, geometry,

conversions, graphs, applied math ( 60 minutes)o

Science: biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, health and first

aid ( 60 minutes)

A review practice guide by NLN is available for purchase $35-40. It

provides an overview of the areas being tested. The manual contains

over 1000 practice questions that have been on actual previous exams.
http://eriworld.com/index.aspxhttp://eriworld.com/index.aspxhttp://eriworld.com/index.aspx


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It is available from:

http://www.jblearning.com/catalog/9780763762711/

PSB-Nursing School aptitude Examination RN

Administered by: Psychological Services Bureau

Contains the following areas given in 5 exams/ scoring will include three

subtest areas :

1. Academic Aptitude

o Verbal subtest: emphasizes vocabulary related questions( 30

questions)

o Nonverbal subtest: measures ability to manipulate shapes

mentally, to reason out differences in pictured objects, and to

deal with concrete materials through visualization. ( recognition

of relationships and of differences between shapes has been

shown by research to be basic to learning aptitude)( 30 questions)

o Arithmetic subtest: focus is on skill and computation and speed.

The areas are what eighth graders have been exposed to. ( 30

questions)

2. Spelling: measures written expression or communication skills( 50

questions)

3. Reading Comprehension: interpret passages, understand directstatements, infer ideas and purposes and derive author intent, to

observe organization of ideas and to extract information form passages

with respect to ideas and purposes: to read and to understand what is

read (40 questions)

4. Natural Sciences: biology, chemistry, health, safety at an elementary

level ( 90 questions)

5. Vocational adjustment index: Individuals characteristic lifestyle by

examining educational and occupational adjustment. Feelings, attitudes,

personality characteristics and behavioral traits which may be quiteacceptable in many situations ( 90 questions)

website where it is administered from with more information/ sample

questions :: http://www.psbtests.com/site/products/nsaeref.html

http://www.psbtests.com/resources/resources.aspx
http://www.psbtests.com/resources/resources.aspxhttp://www.psbtests.com/resources/resources.aspxhttp://www.psbtests.com/resources/resources.aspx


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HESI A2 Health Education Systems Incorporated

Administered by: Evolve/ Elsevier

The school may choose which academic areas to assess, there are a total of

9 exams, so ask questions so you will know which areas are tested on, so

you may study and practice. An evolve account will need to be set up prior

to exam day: Areas that may be covered:

o

Basic Math: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions &

decimals, ratio & proportion, household measures, general math

facts (roman numerals, military time etc.)personal calculators are not

allowed but a computerized calculator will be available( 50questions/ 50 minutes)

o

Reading comprehension: readings are related to health care

concepts( 47 questions/ 60 minutes)

o

Vocabulary & general knowledge ( 50 questions/ 50 minutes)

o Grammar: contains basic grammar including : parts of speech,

important terms and their uses in grammar, and commonly occurring

grammatical errors( 50 questions/ 50 minutes)

o

Science:

anatomy and physiology: general coverage generalterminology and anatomical structures and systems( 25

questions/25 minutes)

chemistry: chemical equations and reactions, periodic table,

atomic structure, nuclear chemistry, chemical bonding etc.( 25

questions/25 minutes)

biology: covers water, biological molecules, metabolism, cells,

cellular respiration, photosynthesis etc.( 25 questions/25

minutes)

o

Critical thinking: all answers are correct; however each choice

reflects a different degree of critical thinking skills. Scores range from

0-1000. ( 30 questions/ 30 minutes)

o

Learning / personality styles ( usually optional, for help after you are

admitted to the nursing program)


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Review/ study guide with 450 sample questions: available from the

company that administers the exam:

http://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=9781416056355

SAT/ACT:

These tests should sound familiar. They are the exams that are given for college

acceptance. Many schools use this right from the beginning, for those schools

that admit at the beginning of pre-requisites for nursing program admittance. This

is usually at a 4 year BSN program but, not always. A good enough score may get

you into the college as well as the nursing program.

SAT:The College Board (a nonprofit organization) develops and administers the

exam. They claim they can assess a student's readiness for college. This exam has

been around since 1901, the name and scoring have changed several times.

Three areas are assessed with scores ranging from 600-2400. Multiple choice

questions with a few questions in the math section where you will be required to

produce your answers (no chance for guessing on these)

Math/Critical Reading/Writing : includes a 25 minute essay

Your college may prefer the ACT exam over the SAT. The SAT differs from the ACT

in terms of the amount of time you'll have to complete it and the format in whichyou provide the answers. Many feel that the ACT questions are easier but must be

finished in less time making them equal for degree of difficulty. Your school may

allow you to convert the score of one to the other. This is a well-kept secret.

Many students do better on one or the other so it would be wise to ask.Because

of this kept secret, it is advised that you take both exams. Many schools will allow

either, or let you convert the score from one to the other.

A few differences to consider between the two:

The SAT gives out a slight penalty for wrong answers on the multiple choice

questions; usually it is advised to answer the question if you can eliminate one of

the answers as being incorrect. SAT=140 questions; ACT= 215 questions. The SAT

will focus more heavily on vocabulary while the ACT looks more at grammar and

punctuations. It also includes science in its testing.
http://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=9781416056355http://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=9781416056355http://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=9781416056355


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ACTtests on:

English/Math/Reading/Science

At this time it contains an optional writing test with a short essay which may

become part of the exam like the SAT in the future or your school may require it

to equal the SAT. You will have approximately 3 hours to finish the exam.

You will receive a composite score as well as individual scores. Most colleges will

look at composite scores for admittance. The ACT scores range from 1-36. Below

is a conversion chart for determining which exam allowed you to perform better.

Ask your school for information on acceptance of both exams or conversion

acceptability. Then take both exams for a good chance of improving your scores.

ACT

score

SAT score

36 1600

35 1560

34 1510

33 1460

32 1420

31 1380

30 1340

29 1300

28 1260

27 1220

26 1190

25 1150

24 1110

23 1070

22 103021 990

20 950

19 910

18 870

17 830


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16 790

15 740

14 690

13 640

12 59011 530

Odds say that if you retake the exam 55% of students will improve the results.

This number does not reflect if more study was done or if a study guide was

utilized or not.

There is a lot of information available about these two exams from multiple sites:

enough to really make your head swim.

Nursing admittance exams differ slightly from the SAT/ACT in that they are geared

to assess your knowledge in areas essential to nursing curriculum, but a lot of the

SAT/ACT content does too, this is why it is used by some schools.

Experimental questions:

All of these exams will contain experimental questions that will not be included inyour score. These questions are for the purpose of using in future tests. They are

trying to see how students do on them and check statistics to see if they are good

questions or not. You will not know which questions they are. This also occurs on

the final NCLEX exam that you will be taking after graduation to obtain your

license to practice as a nurse.

COST:

Most schools will charge for these exams: the cost will run from $ 30-120depending on the exam. Schools may add an administration fee on top of the cost

of the exam.


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Location:

Locations for the exam will be given to you. They may be taken at the school or at

a testing center. Usually the exam will occur on campus of the nursing program

that is requiring the exam. If taken at other locations your scores can be sent tothe schools you are applying to, saving you money if applying to different schools.

But, remember the school will be able to see prior takes of the exam from the

company that administers the exam no matter where you took it. Many times

nursing schools will limit the number of times you are allowed to take the exam,

so it is imperative that you do well your first time.

AGAIN: Do your BEST the 1ST time:

Do your best the first time. Schools may only allow a certain number of re-takes.They may require a wait period before they can be repeated. The wait period is

the time you use to re-study and take practice exam questions.

Admittance Criteria:

The 50% rule appears to apply for many schools.....meaning they want to see you

score in the top 50% of all students taking this exam nationwide before

considering you for admittance. More competitive schools will require a higher

percentage score of 75% or higher.

Schools may require a minimum compost score (a score that reflects your

performance as a whole on all the sub test areas) and or a minimum score in each

area.


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De-Stress/ RELAX!!!!! Before arriving and on the drive to and before the

exam: pet your cat, talk to a friend/ family who believe in you and your

abilities, yoga, exercise, physical activity, eat chocolate, participate in things

that you have found to be de-stressing and engage in positive self-talk: this

is a must and really works: make statements to yourself like: " I will do this"NOT "I think I can do this", " I have prepared and will do well". "I will nail

this exam and get into nursing school".

Include mental imagery with positive self-talk. Mentally picture yourself

receiving your test scores and the jubilee and celebration that follow. You

MUST believe in yourself and that you can do this. Studies show that this

thought alone improves test scores.

Professional athletes are taught this mental imagery early on in theircareer, to imagine and en-vision the ball going in the basket or soccer ball

in the upper V of the net before they even touch the ball. Practice these

skills often while preparing for the exam, not just on test day.

Take some deep breathes before the exam starts and during the exam, this

will help you relax. Remember that stress mode releases different

chemicals in your brain, and will make it difficult or impossible to retrieve

the information stored there. Fight or flight mode is a different path way in

the brain.

Consider a study where participants were found to do better on exams if

they wrote their fears, anxiety, stress thoughts about the exam on a piece

of paper right before taking the exam. Do it and then throw them away in

the garbage. A simple strategy that was proven to have benefits with

improved scores.

Caffeine and food: Watch out for caffeine: do not drink more than you

usually do. Caffeine is a drug and stimulant. Too much caffeine will make it

difficult to relax and do well. It will also irritate your bladder so you willneed to go to the bathroom.

Eat: the brain consumes a surprisingly large amount of calories; you will

need nutrients for your brain to function at optimal performance. Get up

early enough so you have time to eat a proper meal and have time to digest


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it. Dont overdo. If you overeat, a lot of blood will be shunted to your gut

for digestion and less for your brain. For this reason it will be good to eat 2

hours before the exam. This time will allow your gut to have finished with

the meal and the blood supply will be available to your brain.

Bathroom: use it, even if you think you don't need to. Some exams will

require that you not leave the room; others will only allow it if a proctor

goes with you. Try concentrating and accessing information when you

HAVE TOOOOOO GO...doesn't work!!

Sleep: not during the exam but... prior to: get a good night's sleep: do not

attempt to cram and stay up late thinking this will help for the next day. A

well-rested brain will perform better

Bring the needed information: bring the right codes, picture ID, pencils,

calculator, right kind of money or credit card etc. that is required for the

exam. Candy to eat during the exam. Set this out the night before. Review

the directions/instructions/ materials allowed for the exam the nightbefore. If you always have gum in your mouth, then bring some. Secret:

candy eaten at intervals during an exam increases the scores. (Raisins will

work too)...if the facility allows it, then bring it...try it while you are

studying at home as well.

Wear EAR PLUGS if you need to. I recently took a national test to become a

certified nursing educator. It was a 2 hour exam which had to be taken at atesting facility. The facility consisted of a closet in the back room of a Tax

prep company. Three seats and three computers. Three people all taking

different exams. They offered ear plugs and I turned them down......BIG

mistake!! The fellow next to me...liked to chew gum and swallowed lots of

air with all of his chomping....so now I had to listen to chomping and a loud

belch every 6 minutes. A bit distracting.. as well as gross... in a room 3 feet


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by 7 feet. I should have opted for the ear plugs ...no doubt my score

dropped a bit due to this distraction.

Practice taking your practice tests at home wearing ear plugs so you are

comfortable with it. Not a bad idea to wear them even during nursingschool exams...allows you to focus and shut the world out...including

annoying belching fellow students.

Many students start to get nervous and lose concentration as soon as the

first student finishes and starts to move around and leave. Ear plugs help

shut out the noise and distraction as people leave, leaving you less

distracted and nervous. Use them when taking practice exams, so you get a

feel of how they feel in your ears . You want it to feel normal to you.

Read the directions of each section CAREFULLY: Some exams may ask for

synonyms or definitions while others ask for antonyms.

Be prepared by : following all of the advice I'm about to give you:


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TEST PREPARATION

It will take time to prepare to take the exam. It is vital that you make that time!

Start soon enough. One week before is NOT soon enough. Your anxiety and stress

will be reduced on test day based on how much you have prepared. Your successon the exam will be based on your preparation.

Schedule time & place

On a daily / weekly basis. Make an appointment with yourself to prepare and

keep it. Write it in on your calendar like you would a dentist appointment. You

wouldn't miss a dentist appointment, so don't miss this appointment which has

much more significant consequences to it...like your dream of becoming a nurse.

If you try to cram at the last minute, it will only add to your stress and be

nonproductive. If you are a quick learner less time will be needed.. but still no

cramming. If you are applying to highly competitive programs that require a high

percentage score, then you will need more time.

Plan on a place to study and prep. Use the same place to develop a routine or

habit. This should be a place free of distractions, like TV's and video games and

noise (wear ear plugs to help, if you can't isolate yourself). Buy these ear plugs for

cheap at any hardware store (usually $1), big return for this investment.

Buddy System:

You will be held accountable if you know you have to meet someone to study and

review. Pick someone from your pre-requisite classes that you work well with.

You will do it, if you know someone is waiting and depending on you to be there.

Make sure you are productive and make the best use of your time. Keep

socializing to a minimum. This is a great strategy to use for any class you are

taking.

Research:

Make sure you know all there is to know about the exam you will be taking. You

will need to research information about the exam. Use what I have provided here

as a start. You will need to know what you will be tested on and in detail. You

must know if you need to learn military time (1530 is 3:30pm) or Roman numerals

(IV is 4). These are easy items to cover and easy points on the exam...but you


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must know it, if you will be tested on them. You do not want to miss the easy

points. Can you use a calculator? If not, then practice without one for test

practice and review. Utilize websites, especially the website and organization that

is administering the test or created it. Get it direct from the "horsesmouth.

Study Guides:

A recent research study involving Biology students was performed to determine

the best way to prepare for an exam. Four methods were given to the students. 1)

one long study session 2) Divide the one long study session into four equal study

sessions 3) Have the student make concept maps covering the material 4) study/

take practice questions or recall/ study and take more practice questions.

Which method proved to be the best method? #4: study then recall/ study then

recall, with the use of questions to help in the recall process. Next was # 3 for

effectiveness. Use this research to guide you in your study methods. Find study

guides that allow you to study ,then recall with the use of questions. Use your

performance on the questions to guide you to what you need to study, then recall

again with the use of more questions.

Many of the exams test on the same material. So, one prep guide may assist you

for more than one exam. If you can find one particular to your exam, then use it.

The organization that makes the exam usually has a study manual that may be

purchased from them. This study guide will usually contain sample and practicequestions that have appeared on prior exams. This will give you a direct feel for

what the exam will be like. They may not contain the best information on how to

break down a paragraph for reading comprehension but the value of having

questions that have been used prior is helpful and will reduce your stress in

knowing you have seen and taken questions that have been on a prior exam.

On-line/ CD practice exams:

Many of the organizations that offer the exam, offer online/CD practice exams aswell as a study guides. These are great practice in applying your new test taking

skills you are about to learn. Worth the money! You will be tempted to save

money and not buy some of these aides...this will be a mistake. Remember your

scores are what will get you into nursing school for a respected career with good


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wages. Sell something if you have to...invest in your future with the tools to prep

and do well on the exam.

Remember the study talked about above. Study/ recall- study/ recall using

practice questions or a partner to ask you questions is the most effective methodfor best performance on exams.

Prep Courses:

There are test prep companies that offer courses/ classes in person and online.

They can be pricey...but sometimes if you pay more, you see more value and you

will go and do what they tell you to do. Forced study time may be what you need

to do well. Many of these companies have it dialed in on how to do well on the

exam and will prepare you. They usually have statistics to show what the before

(the course) and after scores are, and the improvement you can expect by taking

their course. When you consider a lifetime of making a great wage as a nurse,

does it really seem like a time to shy away from a couple hundred bucks to realize

that kind of income? Consider this option.

QUESTION ANSWERING/PREP:

You can increase your test taking skills: YES, you can. Improve your score with the

same knowledge. This is the first RULE and you must believe it. Like any new skill,

to get good at it you must practice it. We will review some general tips and thenmore specific skills in taking tests.

Answer all questions:The only exam that will count wrong answers against you

greater than the value of the question is the SAT exam. And even then, if you can

eliminate one to two answers it is advised to guess. Read slowly to avoid mistakes

and misunderstandings. You will have enough time.

Track time:

Know how many questions are on the exam and how much time you are given for

the exam and divide it by the questions. You will have a feel for how much time

per question you should be averaging. Use this pace when you practice at home

with the online or CD versions of the exam. You will be comfortable with the

correct pace, and be able to adjust yourself to how to work under those timed

conditions.


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Wear a watch or bring a stop watch and set it if you need to on test day. The time

will probably be displayed on the screen of the computer as well, but I advise not

to look at that one...toooooo tempting to become obsessed over it and it will

throw you off your game.

Focus on knowing when half the exam is done...by setting your stopwatch or

watch and then you will NOT have to look and relook but, will only wait for the

timer to beep. When it beeps, look at where you are on the exam, if you are half

done or more, then no pressure, just keep doing what you were doing...DO NOT

LOOK AT THE TIME more than a couple of times while testing, it will become a

distraction and an additional source of stress. If you have practiced with times

tests at home, the whole time issue should be minimal.

What do you do when you are NOT half done with the exam and half your time is

gone? DO NOT PANIC...this is the time for self-talk.." ok I can finish this exam on

time..just pick up the pace, I am doing fine." You must not stress at this time. Now

is the time to skip the difficult questions and come back to them at the end. Reset

your watch to beep when you have 7 minutes left. You will use the last 7 minutes

to go back and make an educated guess on all the questions that you have not

answered. We will discuss how to make an educated guess in just a minute.

If you are a person who has always struggled with timed exams, and have test

anxiety related to this factor, you may want to consider getting official

documentation from your schools disability center that may qualify you for

additional time for the exam. This could probably be applied to all nursing school

exams as well. Some national standardized tests allow it, others do not.

Skip:

Mark and skip hard questions and go back to them at the end. This does three

things for you.

One, it will decrease your stress level and two ,it will keep your confidence up andthree, it allows you to finish the exam with the most questions right/ or close to

right.

Spend your time answering the questions you know or almost think you know,

and then return to the more difficult questions at the end.


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Be aware though...if you are skipping every other question then you will need to

readjust your definition of "hard" question. If you can eliminate half of the

answers then answer it and move on.

The exam is not set up to go from easy to hard. Earlier questions could be verydifficult and later questions easier. (this does not apply to the NCLEX, the final

exam for RN licensure) more on this later.

To change or not to change:

Make sure that you review your answers with whatever time you have remaining.

Be very careful in changing your answers, statistics show that you will lose more

points than gain by changing your answer.

So be very, very careful if you are going to change an answer. Make sure it isRIGHT!

Your first impressions are usually right...by changing them you may be over

thinking them. Review your practice tests at home...if you are a person who

usually gains by changing your answer then go with those statistics, but if you are

a person who loses by changing your answers...then DON"T do it!!! Which is

usually most people!


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IF YOU READ NOTHING IN THIS SECTION-

- THEN PLEASE AT LEAST READ THIS INFORMATION ON-

HOW TO: WORK A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

How to tackle the multiple choice question:

You cannot escape multiple choice questions, these exams are based on them.

The sooner you learn how to take these types of exams the better you will

perform on admittance exams, in your nursing classes and on the final NCLEX

exam for your RN license.

Rule 1: Cover up the answers

This will be difficult to do on a computer generated exam.so train yourself to

not look at the answers, or hold your scratch paper up to the screen. I

recommend trying this one. Practice this method at home before the day of the

exam.

Rule 2: Circle key words

Circle the key words in the question or write them on scratch paper if needed.

What is the question asking you to do? What is the subject? Look for key words in

the question as well as the answers. Cross out unimportant or irrelevant parts of

the question. There may be extra information in the question that is not needed

to answer the question. Use your scratch paper for computer exams and note or

write down words like : All, except, prioritize, but. For paper exams, circle these

words.

Rule 3: Re-state the question in your own words

Put it in as few words as possible, then re-read the question in your head, is your

question asking the same thing? What is the question really looking for?

Rule 4:Answer the question in your own head

before looking at the answers. Do not peek.

Rule 5:Cross out all the distracters or wrong answers/ eliminate


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You are eliminating and looking for the answer you found in rule 4.

Read all the answers one at a time. There may be distracters or wrong answers

that were placed to confuse you or put you on the wrong track. Detractors are

answers that attract attention but are wrong. Detractors are found very often invocabulary tests (a word may sound similar to the word to be defined). The tricky

ones may be a choice that contrasts with all the other choices which make it seem

as though it must be the correct answer.

Find the answer that fits your answer you came up with after restating the

question in your own words. If you are unable to do this, go back and make sure

the question is the same one being asked.

Now eliminate all the obvious wrong answers and distractersyou should be

close now!

No indiscriminate guessing, you should be able to eliminate at least one of the

answers.

Read all of your choices. Even if you think you found the right one as (A).

Rule 6: Learn that there may be two right answers

There may be two right answers; your job may be to pick the best one. Justunderstanding this concept will allow you to increase your score. Why?

Because students will spend all their time trying to re-think why one of the

answers is wrong and their choice is right. They will think too much and read too

much into the question. So when you have narrowed it down to two answers, ask

yourself which one is more right...vs. trying to read too much into it to prove that

you have the right one.

Additional suggestions for these questions:

If two choices are the same or essentially say the same thing, then both are

probably incorrect.

Watch out for the terms: all, none, only, never, must, seldom, sometimes, but,

except, every, not, perhaps. These terms will help determine your choice.


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If two answers are opposites, one of them is probably correct.

If two choices are very close together in similarity, only slightly different, the one

told in more general terms is probably correct.

Sometimes you can use the content of another question to answer a question.

Scratch paper:

Most exams will allow for scratch paper that they will give you...ask for more than

one sheet. You will be using one to hold over the answers and the other for

putting down useful information. For example: I always struggle with the

multiplication of 8x7...don't know why but I always have to spend time rethinking

it...so put it down on the scratch paper right before you start the exam. It frees up

your mind.

Do not assume more than what is there:

Try not to bring life experiences into it. If the question tells you the polar bear is

pink then do not argue with the question. The only facts you have to take note of

are the ones that appear in the question. Do not ignore any of the facts. Some

facts will be presented to distract you, cross out the ones that are distracting/ notnecessary for you to answer the question that are put there to make things

messy.

Not a trick:

Students have the tendency to think that all questions are trick questions and will

ignore answers because of this belief or choose an answer because you think it is

a trick and the answer is the one you know nothing about. If you are ready, youshould know the answer.


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No Pattern:

Seriously, because you have answered the last 5 questions with a B does not

mean the next answer cannot be a B. There are no patterns! Most multiple choice

exams are generated by computers, the pattern is picked by the computer withno rhyme or reason to it. I have actually had many students say they changed an

answer because there was no way that five questions in a row could be Bs. Do

not let the scantron bubbles in a row faze you in anyway. Stick to the question

answering basics we are reviewing here and ignore any pattern.


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Reading for the exams/ reading comprehension:

Skim the answer choices first:

Before you start reading those long passages, always skim the answer choices

before reading. This allows you to focus on the areas being questioned. Skim only,

too much time here may hurt you.

Some feel this method could hurt you, by focusing only on answers for the

questions you may miss the overall tone or message of the passage. In practice

see how this method works for you to determine if you should use it.

Main idea/points:

Focus on while reading: What is the main idea of the passage? What point is the

author trying to make? Concentrate on the main points and examples used.

Shift of viewpoint

Notice when there is a shift of viewpoint, look for key words to alert you to the

shift: however, unless, but, although, nevertheless, sometimes.

Use your own knowledge

Use what you know. Trust it, you cant change truth.

Eliminate

Eliminate wrong answers. Watch out for answers with strong emotion , words

with: always or never, lengthy quotes( the test is to see if you can understand

what is read so long quotes make no sense)

Questions:

Reading comprehension exam questions usually are based on three areas:

questions that cover the entire passage, sections of passages, or questions that

are based on certain words or sentences. Anticipating what these questions will


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be before reaching the answer selections will help with selection and what to

focus on while reading the passage. You will know the answer before you read it.

Main point or idea: a question about what the reading passage is about or...

what is the passage trying to tell you? Author purpose: similar to above. What does the author want to tell you or

convince you of?

Attitude or mood of passage: What is the attitude or tone of the author?

Assumptions: Something that is assumed but not directly stated by the

author

Extending: Applications of the main point/idea. What applications does it

have?

Implications: What does the passage or author imply?

Summary: Could you summarize the passage in a few words? What would itbe titled?

Inferences: Not really said but possibly implied or deduced indirectly.

Agree: What would the author agree with? Possibly a choice of statements,

and you would have to find the one the author would most likely agree

with. If you have really paid attention to the first 3 items here: main point,

purpose & moodtherest of the items are much easier to figure out.

These questions may be asked about a specific paragraph or sentence. The

questions will be focused on the reasons for using the information or meanings of

the passage, not the information itself.

Practice in your everyday reading of magazine articles and newspapers. Political

columns and editorials, magazines work well. Look at this list of frequently asked

questions before reading and then answer them afterward, then make up your

own questions.

Taking practice exams will help and improve your confidence / performance.

In a timed exam you may be under pressure to work quickly. If you have a

knowledge of the above questions that will be asked, then you are able to note

them as you read. This is faster than pre-reading the questions and answers

before the passage. It will free up more time for you. If you pre-read the


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questions, you may focus on individual answers and miss the bigger picture for

what is really needed to answer the questions well.

Feel free to write down ideas or key words for each paragraph on your scratch

paper. Keep your notes very brief. Remember the answers are based on the

information presented in the passage, dont read your own opinion of the subject

into it. Check your answers and ask yourself if the answer is contained in the

passage.


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Illness or other major events:

Tell your instructor or test administrator of problems before the exam.

Example: A student failed an exam, they approached me with this situation after

the fact. Their spouse had been in a major bike accident which landed them in the

ER and ICU with a head injury. They had been at the hospital for the last 4 days

and nights. The spouse was going to recover but, study time and stress were

major factors that the student was bringing to me as reasons for the failure. The

student wanted extra consideration on the exam after it was taken! No instructor

knew of the life issues before the exam.

I could have helped her before the exam, but after the examthings are much

more difficult. If I had known her situation before the exam I could have given her

a few extra days for prep, and then had her take the exam. Now, what to dogive

extra points ?...retake the exact exam after she had test review and knew all the

answers? Create a brand new exam just for her with different questions?... find

80 new questions for her alone that are similar to all the others? Give extra

credit? And would any of this be viewed as fair by the class?

There had been no phone call, email or any message of this situation prior to the

student taking the exam. No hint of the problems the student was facing. In theevent of illness or a life event that you know will affect your test results, let the

person in charge know!...Before, not AFTER the exammost people will have

options for you so you can be successful. Be proactive! Not reactive!


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Test and math anxiety and stress:

In my book I told you about the type of math you will be doing as a nurse. And I

showed you how it is not that difficult to do. But, you need to get past the mathof the exams to get into nursing school! Unfortunately, there is a whole group of

people who have avoided math to the extent that they would not pursue nursing

as a career because of the math involved. If you suffer from math anxiety or test

taking anxiety it may be very difficult to get past these exams to get accepted into

nursing school or pass the exams needed in nursing school. You need to be on the

same playing field as those who do not suffer from it!

Math and test anxiety is quite common. Do not beat yourself up over it and feel

you are alone. Close to 10% of every nursing class I teach will have students

suffering from this problemall at different levels. There is usually some type of

fear associated with the anxiety: Fear of: failure, not doing it right, of being too

hard for you, being embarrassed or humiliated. This is a feeling. Again a

feelingand must be dealt with as a feeling or emotion.

Like I mentioned earlier, math anxiety is a lot like stage fright, or being put in

front of an audience to speak. Your brain goes into a fight or flight mode and you

are now dealing with a lot of different hormones being released. Your brain now

is working in different pathways and cannot retrieve or access the needed areas

of your brain where the information is stored to solve the problems. It is tied to a

strong emotional response, or a learned emotional response. This response can

be un-learned.

You must be in a more relaxed state, so you can retrieve the knowledge you have

stored there. In stress: fight or flight mode kicks in. Your body is thinking "survive"

and the concern is about being physically ready for the chasenot retrievingstored information. It is physically and chemically difficult or impossible to

retrieve this informationyou draw a blank.

I remember having received some very disturbing news about a loved one. I was

on the phone the next day, and had to give information to a person on the phone.


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I was unable to recall my personal phone number I had used for over 12 years and

knew like the back of my hand! The harder I tried the less I was able to retrieve it.

I didnt think I was all that distraughtbut this is the result of the brain chemical

mechanisms I have just talked about during times of stresseven when you think

you are in control.

Remember, this is an emotional reaction. You will need to "retrain" your

emotional response. You need to acknowledge these feelings first.

It helps to explore past experiences that are tied to this emotional response.

Think back over your time as a student and identify those experiences that have

contributed to your anxiety and fear around tests. This may include embarrassing

moments while at the board in grade school trying to solve a math problem. Itmay include embarrassment by your peers. Parents and siblings can be main

contributors to these experiences. Recall these experiences as vividly as possible.

Put these on paper. Write the experiences down; include your feelings at the

time. How does it make you feel now to recall them, your reaction to them? Do

this for each experience. You are going to take possession of your feelings and

the first step is to acknowledge them.

This is similar to the simple suggestion that follows this section. You need to write

down your fear, anxiety, stressful thoughts on paper prior to taking an exam.

Those students who did this exercise scored better on the exam.

Next, on another piece of paper, summarize your feelings and fears about tests or

math in your life NOW, and include your reasons for wanting to succeed on tests

and math now. Why is nursing so important to you? List why doing well on these

exams is a priority to get you into your dream job!

THIS is an important step! Once you have identified your feelings and fearsregarding tests and math you can take possession of them and the anxiety. Then

you are free to develop coping strategies to deal with those feelings. It may be

helpful at this time to share your feelings and goals with others: Counselors,

advisors, peers, friends.


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We will discuss strategies for success. Letslook at math first and ways to cope

and overcome this anxiety.

Usually the math anxiety is tied to bad teaching; past experiences of having math

presented that led to limited understanding and comprehension. The student hasfocused on procedures (memorizing rules) of math vs. actually understanding the

math. Once the student understands the whys of math and not just

proceduresmuch of the anxiety leaves.knowing they can do it.

Understand the math by taking good notes in lecture. Listen to it to understand it,

not just to copy notes. Make UNDERSTANDING the lecture your top priority.

Review the text book ahead of time, covering the material contained in the

lecture. This will enhance your understanding of the lecture. You will know whichareas to focus on that you found confusing. Now your notes will not only be a

copy of what was saidbut will give insight and understanding. Your notes will

now be most helpful when time comes to do homework or study for the exam.

Ask questions and let the instructor know when you are lost. Dont wait until after

the lectureask when the confusion hits. If you wait, your question will be

forgotten and will surface when doing homework or studying for the

examwhere no one will be around to assist you.

Utilize any lab and office hours the instructor offers to help with understanding.

Study groups are an excellent resourceif you dont understand the concept,

someone in your group will. And when you understand and they dont you will

gain by explaining or teaching to themthis furthers your understanding and

solidifies the material.

Most colleges offer math counseling departments. Tutors are available either on a

drop in basis or by appointment. This service is usually offered for free. REALLY!Tutors are usually your peers who excel at math and are at a higher level of

classes than being tutored, graduate students are used frequently. Each tutor may

present the material in a different way. If you find one tutor to be easier to

understand, then pre schedule your time with this tutor. Find out when they will

be working for drop-ins.


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My daughter was an expert at this. She was struggling in her economics class.

Tutors were available for the subject. She scheduled time with one. She was not

happy with her next test score. She found a new oneand surpriseshe turned in

a B for the course. She was not afraid to ask for help, and found it odd that other

people did not utilize this free service. Why do students shy away from help? I

have a son who would rather fail a course than go to a tutor. Why?... Insecurities,

pride, embarrassment, laziness. These were all personal issues that would keep

him from doing the best he could...even with free resources available for the

taking.

Many students will wait until they have dug a hole in the class before seeking

help. Now there is more pressure to do well on the next test and anxiety that

follows.

Consider scheduling help on a weekly basisfill up the tutors calendar in

advanceconsider it forced study time. If you wait until you dont understand or

have difficulty there is a good chance their schedule will be filled upespecially

the good tutors. Ask aroundstudents will know which tutors are better at their

job than others.

Overcoming math and test anxiety needs to start with an attitude that you can

beat it. The attitude or rationalization of thisisjust how I am mymother

couldnt do math and I cant either sets you up for failure before you even try to

overcome it. Suppression does not work either: you have it but you deny you are

feeling it, or try very hard not to feel ityou will need to dealwith it head on to

beat it. You have to be willing to change, want to change, and believe you can

change.

If your anxiety is with math alone: focus on these rules when learning and

reviewing math

Learn math to understand why you are doing certain procedures: dont just

memorize the procedure.


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Use a tutor. Fire or change tutors or instructors until you find someone that

will help you to understand it! Peers are some of the best people to use to

help explain math. You might just need a different approach.

Ask questions: do not be passive.

Practice: especially in areas where you do not understand. Make sure youreally understand what you are doing.

Be persistentbe a believer. Understand that we all make mistakes.and

this is how we learn. Do not beat yourself up!

Math Homework:

Math homework is for you. It is a time for you to learn. Most students will not

even read the textbook. You may be surprised that the textbook is easier tounderstand and explains it better than the teacher. I had to take a statistics class

once. I was amazed at the book. If I read and followed the steps I could master

the concept. I did not even need to go to classthe book was awesome!

Written math is dense and must be read slowly. Read each sentence and

understand what is said in that sentence before moving on. It might take 30

minutes to really master one page. This is how it is supposed to be. Take notes as

you go along/ underline and write in the margins of the book. Writing thingsdown, allows you to learn the material faster than highlighting. You are using a

different part of the brain and will retain it better.

Now work together with a study partner to do the exercises or homework. Good

chance that sometimes you will understand the concept and be able to explain it

to your partner, furthering your learning and solidifying the knowledge .

Problems usually start out easy and then work up to more difficultyunlike an

exam. If you find one of the problems difficult...skip it and come back to it. You

are likely to be able to understand it once you have completed a few more

problems and your brain has had time to synthesize it.

Half the battle is startingtoo often students will glance at the problems and

become overwhelmed and throw up their arms and say Icant do any of it


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before even trying and this results in NO homework done. You must start! Go

back to the book. (paid good money for itshould get some good out of it, Right?)

Do not be a student who glances at the problems and says"oh I already

understand it" and close the book. Work on the harder problems and test to see ifyou really do know the stuff. Learn from your mistakes. Solidify the information in

your brain as wellso you wont forget.

Discount all of these rumors and myths about math brains/ they are NOT TRUE:

It is a myth that people are either born with a math brain or not. Or males get

math and females dont...or right brained creative people will never do math well.

There is the belief that people are JUST more talented in one area than

anothermusic, art, math and cannot develop the talent unless born with it.

THESE ARE ALL MYTHS!

I believe most all people face math or test anxiety at one time or another.. I know

I did when I first signed up for statisticsthe name just sounded hard. Math and

test anxiety is something you can overcomeit is important to remember this and

believe it!

Remember there are three main approaches to stress: you want to be in the first

action oriented mode.

Action-oriented: This orientation is the most successful for overcoming

test/math anxiety: it is where we seek to confront the problem causing the

stress, and exert the ability to change the environment or the situation.

Learn how to overcome it. The power is in you. You control the power to

change it.

Emotionally-oriented: In this state we believe we do not have the power tochange the situation.we buy into the whole " It's too late to change for

me",... many people are able to manage the stress by changing their

interpretation of the situation in this matter and how they feel about it


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Acceptance-oriented: This approach is where we believe we have no

power over it at all and we have no emotional control over it at alland the

goal is to just survive the stress. Not the most effective results when test

time comes, because we know which part of the brain we will be using and

the chemicals involved with stress will not allow us to access the

information we have stored there even if you have studied.

Simple test day jitters can be solved by simple relaxation techniques: use simple

deep breathing exercises.

Breathe from the diaphragm. Breathe in slowly through the nose, place your hand

over your abdomen and make it rise first and then your chest. Exhale slowly

through your mouth watching your hand go up and down. Repeat this exerciseseveral times until you feel more relaxed and less anxious.

The breathing will help your muscles to relax. Too further relax your muscles,

concentrate on relaxing certain muscle groups starting at the head and neck.

Tighten the muscle group then relax it. Work down the body. Practice this

technique before test day to get good at it.

Use visualization: this involves breathing deeply as you close your eyes and

visualize or imagine yourself in a favorite place. This may be a place from avacation, forest, woods, or beach. Involve a favorite person or moment from your

life.

Positive self-talk is a must for anxiety and stress. This will boost your confidence

and settle your fears. Talk to yourself about how much you have learned, how you

are prepared, how you know you can do it. NO negative thoughtsdo not bring

up bad experiences at this time.

If these techniques are difficult for you to do then consider buying some

relaxation tapes, DVDs or download to your iPod for use and practice.

You now have the tools to be in the "action oriented mode" to relieve your test &

math anxiety.


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Math Websites that Help:

You may be in need of online help for reviewing or understanding a concept that

just did not stick while in class.

If you are a visual and auditory learner and need a video of a great teacher

explaining math concepts (algebra, geometry, pre-calculus and calculus) go to

brightstorm.com It's like having a tutor come to your home.

This website is easy to navigate and breaks down concepts into easy to watch

videos of instructors explaining the concept.

If you like reading and solving on your own problems try:purplemath.comfor

algebra problems.

If you like games and want to make math more interactive consider:

http://hoodamath.comGreat for review of basics like multiply, divide, ratios and

fractions with fun games and activities to use and practice.

For a list of other math sites with games:

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/online/math_games_fun.php

Need to brush up on biology and chemistry fundamentals? brightstorm.com also

provides videos of instructors explaining basic concepts.
http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/brightstorm.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/purplemath.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/purplemath.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/purplemath.comhttp://hoodamath.com/http://hoodamath.com/http://www.homeschoolmath.net/online/math_games_fun.phphttp://www.homeschoolmath.net/online/math_games_fun.phphttp://www.homeschoolmath.net/online/math_games_fun.phphttp://hoodamath.com/http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/purplemath.comhttp://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_3/brightstorm.com


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Cramming for exams:

This is a common approach. If I was training for a race or marathonI would be ill

advised to start my training 3 days prior to the race. Well, consider your brain a

muscle as well. It needs to be exercised regularly to be strong, and if too muchstress is placed on it all at once it will not function to its peak performance. Rest

and recovery is necessary for your brain, just like your muscles.

I have seen athletes train for a big event or race. The night before the event they

are not seen up late training at full throttle. They will be found doing a very light

work-out and then something recreational possibly a movie or dinner with

friends. If you have been studying regularly, and know the materialthen you will

know what is needed for the exam. If you have put off studyit is too late to cramall that material into your brain, have your brain retain and synthesize it and be

ready to perform in a few hours.

Trying to absorb the amount of information necessary in a short time produces

stressand remember from earliermore stress equals brain chemicals working

in a different mode. Research shows that this method of study is the least

effective for test results.

You need to be fresh for the exam. Pace your study and do it early andconsistently. Create a calendar for your study. Try to stick to it. Planning will be

half the battle. Coordinate study groups and set up routine meetings for every

week. Preparation will take care of a lot of your stress and anxiety and allow your

brain to work like it needs to.


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Secrets of writing down your feelings:

A recent study showed students improved their test scores by expressing their

anxiety on paper just before taking an exam. That is right! As simple as taking out

a blank paper 10 minutes before the exam and write out how you are feeling.Express your anxiety, nerves, apprehensions and fears onto the paper. And WOW!

Like magic you improve your performance on exams. No JOKE! This is so simple

that many of you will laugh at it and not try it. But, research showed it helped on

exam scores.....so why not? Give it a try!

Secrets of retraining your brain:

New technology and habits associated with it have been tied to a change in our

brains. Quick "texting", "internet surfing" and "facebook hoping" at quick paces,

with many changes occurring by the seconds with no longevity to any one activity,

has left this group of people without the ability to sit for 30 minutes and read a

book. They were "annoyed" so to speak with the effort to engage in a reading

activity for 30 minutes. These changes in the brain applied to teenagers as well as

adults. Be careful of non-stop short attention span activities of this nature. It

could retrain your brain and leave you without the ability to focus and read a

textbook for 30minutes. This could hamper your ability to study for exams and

perform well.


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NCLEX-RN & NCLEX-PN exam:

This is the final exam to get your license. In addition, you will have requirements

from your state nursing department. which will include things like: graduate from

an approved nursing program, pass a background check and other requirements.You need this exam before you can become an RN or PN (LPN). Now that you

know how to take exams this exam should be no problem. But preparation is a

must! Knowing all about the exam prior to taking it is important so, the

preparation starts now.

In my book we talked about the secrets of how to choose nursing programs that

have high pass rates on this test and how to find this information. So to repeat

myselfit is a must that you consider the pass rates on the exam before choosinga nursing program. You need a program that will prepare you for the exam. You

will find no job and have your dreams dashed by enrolling in these low achieving

nursing programs. Wasted hours of taking pre-requisites and nursing classes only

to find out that you cannot get your license to become a nurse because you cant

pass the NCLEX because of poor preparation by your nursing program.

National pass rates for NCLEX-RN ranged from 81-90% for 2010. OctDec comes

in at the lowest with 81% and April-June at 90%. Repeaters passed at a 48-50%

rate. NCLEX-PN pass rates ranged from 86-89%. Repeaters posted at: 37-41%. Go

to this website for current figures of national pas rates:

https://www.ncsbn.org/1237.htm

Now to learn about the exam.and start the preparation:

What do those initials stand for? National Council Licensure EXamination-

Registered Nurse/Practical Nurse.

There are two types of exams. You may end up taking both. Some RN programs

allow you to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam part way through school. This is a nice

option. It gives you practice on taking this type of test and it gets you a license.

You could use this PN/LPN license to work in this capacity part time/ vacations/


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summers while finishing up your RN program. This is a great idea. Using your skills

will allow you to:

do better in the program by applying knowledge

enhance your learning get better at your skills

make you more marketable

make more money

get a job where you are working

test areas where you would like to work

start your career as a nurse as soon as possible

Taking the PN license before your RN is a great option. You should consider it ifyou have a nursing program that has this option. If your nursing program is for PN

or LPN only, you will be taking just one exam the NCLEX-PN.

The national council of state board of nursing membership group has developed

these two licensure examinations to test for nursing competency in the

candidates for licensure. This group contracts with an outside national testing

service to administer the exam. The exams are designed to test the knowledge

and skills necessary to show safe and good practice of nursing at an entry level. Allstates accept the same level for passing as recommended by this group.

You will not be able to memorize to pass this exam. It will focus on understanding

the concepts and you will need to use critical thinking and all of your learned

secrets on how to take multiple choice questions.

Content on the exam will include four major client need categories. Below are the

percentages of questions from each category: these may change and vary from

year to year. Go toncsbn.orgfor current changes.

Safe Effective Care environment:

o Management of Care: 16-22%

o

Safety and Infection Control: 8-14%

Health promotion and Maintenance: 6-12%

Psychosocial Integrity: 6-12%
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Physiological Integrity

o Basic Care and Comfort: 6-12%

o

Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies: 13-19%

o Reduction of Risk Potential: 10-16%

o

Physiological Adaptation: 11-17%

Multiple choice questions make up most of the test. Recently a few other types of

questions have been added. These questions might involve clicking on the right

body area to answer the question, filling in the blank, arranging answers in order

of sequence or priority.

The exam utilizes CAT (Computerized Adaptive Testing). Fancy term to say you

will be taking the exam on a computer where statistics/modern measurementtheory will be used to determine the questions you will receive and to determine

a passing level.

The test is very individualized and interactive. When you answer, the computer

estimates the takers ability to answer the next question based on your answer.

The computer searches the question data base and picks a question that best

matches the takers ability. This continues until a pass or fail decision can be made.

Whether you pass or fail is determined not on the number of questions youreceived right or wrong but, on the difficulty of the question that a taker can

answer correctly 50% of the time. If you pass, it will be determined that you can

answer more difficult questions right at least 50% of the time.

Important information so you wont be freaking out when questions appear that

are so hard you only know half of themBecause if you only know half of

themcongratulations you passed! Possibly, if all your questions are super easy

then you may have failed.

The exam will end not after all the questions are administered but, when the

computer determines that the taker is above the passing standard. Likewise, it

will end if it is determined that the taker is below the passing standard which

means failure of the exam.


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The computer figured out that if you are given all the questions you would

passand saves you the grief of having to sit there; it determines that the odds

say you will pass so it shuts down. The same rule applies for failure.

It is possible that the test will continue if it is too close to call. If the computercannot determine it with a 95% accuracy the test will continue until the maximum

number of questions is reached. It will look at the final ability estimate.

Based on these rules, guess what type of question will be first? It will be an easy

question which will increase in difficulty, if you answered it right.

All questions are marked right or wrong. No partial credit. If the question is to

mark all that apply and you miss one answer you will not get credit for the right

ones you picked. It is all or none.

You may receive "try-out" questions. These are questions that may be adopted

into the exam at a later date. They need to gather statistics on the question and

will be using you as the guinea pig. These do not count on your exam. You may

see these questions when they are covering material similar to another that you

have just been tested on. You will not know which questions are the try-out

questions vs. the real ones.

You have a total of six hours for RN and five for PN. But, because of the "CAT" few

people go the entire time. Occasionally people run out of time and still pass. If the

last 60 questions were competency level and were calculated as passing standard

then you pass even though time ran out. You will be given a ten minute break

after two hours of testing. You will have the option of an additional ten minute

break after 3 hour of testing. The computer will tell you when it is time for

these breaks. You may take more than the allowed breaks, as many as you want,

but the time is deducted from your allotted time. Take the breaks and additionalones as neededuse these breaks to stretch, unwind, and relax. Do not use them

to beat yourself up over your last answer. Use the "un-stressing" techniques

talked about above during this time.


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Presently these exams cost $200 plus other licensure fees by the state in which

you are applying. You will have to pay by credit card, certified check, cashiers

check or money order. Changing the date for your exam will cost you another

$50. In addition you will need an acceptable ID which will be checked the day of

the exam.

You will have to provide a palm vein pattern and fingerprint for verification of

identity. These patterns will be compared with records to identify anyone who

has tested before. They are trying to catch anyone who is trying to take the exam

for someone else to keep the integrity of the exam.

Pearson VUE is currently administering the exam, you will register through them.

You will receive more directions about the day of the exam from them. You areoffered an appointment to take the exam within 30 days of the call or online

contact to schedule an appointment.

No results are released at the test center. Results are given by the state boards of

nursing and will be mailed to you approximately one month later. You can get fast

"unofficial" results after 48 hours for an additional fee.

You will want to study for this exam and test yourself so you can find out what

you know and what you need to study. Take practice NCLEX exams, one after theother and then work on the weak areas that were identified. Create a ranking of

your problem areas. Then retest yourself in these areas. There are many practice

tests availabletry your local library and save a buck. Photocopy them and give

them a try. You can do online exams as well. Make sure you understand the

reasons the answers you selected were incorrect. Many of the practice exams

give you this rationale. You learn content and material by just taking the exams

and reviewing the rationale.


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SUMMARY:

My experience as a nurse educator for over a decade has shown that these test

taking strategies work. You have the power in your hand! Read and re-read these

secrets and tips to help you perform your best. You have the tools to get thescores that you want to be successful! You can do it! So GO FOR IT!

Documents

Secrets of Great Test Taking