How to Take Exams Successfully  

Preparing for an examination is not only about reading your notes repeatedly. Knowing how to take a test is itself a skill.  

A student may understand the course material but still perform poorly because of poor time management, misunderstanding instructions, anxiety, rushing through questions, or failing to review answers.  

According to OpenStax's College Success , effective test taking involves both preparation and the ability to perform under the specific conditions of an examination. The book emphasizes practicing under time constraints, understanding the examination format, managing your overall wellbeing, and developing strategies for test day.  

So, how can students become better test takers?  

1. Understand That Studying and Test Taking Are Different Skills  

Studying prepares you to understand and remember information. Test taking requires you to retrieve and apply that information under pressure and within a limited amount of time.  

This difference matters.  

You might spend three hours studying a topic without ever practicing how you will answer questions about it. When the examination begins, however, you may have only a few minutes to interpret a question, recall the relevant information, construct an answer, and move to the next question.  

That is why your preparation should sometimes simulate the actual examination.  

Try timed practice  

If your examination includes essays, practice writing essays within a fixed period.  

If it contains mathematical problems, practice solving similar problems while timing yourself.  

If it contains multiple-choice questions, practice answering them without immediately checking the answers.  

OpenStax recommends incorporating timed writing and problem-solving into preparation because this creates a sense of urgency similar to the actual examination.  

Don't just study the subject. Practice performing the task.  

2. Find Out What the Examination Will Look Like  

One of the worst things that can happen on examination day is discovering that the test format is completely different from what you expected.  

Before the examination, try to find out:  

• How many questions will there be?  
• Will there be multiple-choice questions?  
• Will there be essays?  
• Are there short-answer questions?  
• Will calculations be required?  
• How much time will you have?  
• Are all questions compulsory?  
• Will there be choices?  
• Are marks allocated differently to different questions?  
• Will partial credit be awarded?  

Knowing the structure of an examination helps you prepare more intelligently.  

For example, if an examination contains four essay questions but you only need to answer two, spending time preparing to answer all four in the examination may unnecessarily consume valuable time.  

Reading instructions carefully is therefore part of test taking—not a minor detail.  

3. Don't Sacrifice Your Health for an Examination  

Some students believe that the best way to prepare for an examination is to abandon everything else.  

They stop sleeping properly.  

They skip meals.  

They ignore their health.  

They withdraw completely from family and responsibilities.  

They study through the night.  

This may appear to demonstrate commitment, but it is not necessarily an effective long-term strategy.  

OpenStax describes a whole-person approach to testing, emphasizing that academic life is only one part of a student's life. Proper sleep, nutrition, health, responsibilities, and organization still matter during examination periods.  

Your goal should not be:  

Study until you collapse.  

Your goal should be:  

Prepare effectively so that you can perform at your best.  

4. Set Realistic Expectations  

Wanting excellent grades is good.  

Expecting yourself to perform perfectly every time is different.  

A realistic approach allows you to recognize your current strengths and weaknesses while continuing to improve.  

If you consistently struggle with mathematics, for example, simply telling yourself that you must get 100% may increase your frustration without addressing the underlying problem.  

Instead, ask:  

What did I score previously?  

Where did I lose marks?  

What specific skill do I need to improve?  

What can I do differently before the next examination?  

Academic improvement is often a process of identifying weaknesses, practicing deliberately, and measuring progress.  

OpenStax similarly encourages students to understand their strengths and weaknesses and establish realistic expectations rather than allowing perfectionism to undermine their progress.  

5. Treat Examination Time Like a Limited Resource  

You cannot create extra minutes during an examination.  

If you have two hours, you have two hours.  

The question is how you use those minutes.  

Before the examination begins, think about how you might distribute your time across the different sections.  

For example:  

120-minute examination  

• 5 minutes — Read instructions and scan the paper  
• 45 minutes — Section A  
• 40 minutes — Section B  
• 20 minutes — Section C  
• 10 minutes — Review  

Your actual allocation will depend on the examination and mark distribution.  

The important principle is to avoid spending too much time on one difficult question while leaving easier questions unanswered.  

6. Arrive Early on Examination Day  

Getting to the examination venue at the last minute can increase unnecessary stress.  

Arriving early gives you time to:  

• Find your seat.  
• Organize your materials.  
• Read any instructions.  
• Calm yourself.  
• Take a few deep breaths.  
• Prepare mentally.  

OpenStax recommends arriving a few minutes early so students can settle down and approach the examination calmly.  

Your examination should begin with concentration—not panic.  

7. Read the Entire Examination Before You Start  

When the examination paper arrives, your first instinct may be to immediately answer Question 1.  

Don't always do that.  

Take a short moment to scan the paper.  

Look at:  

• The number of questions.  
• The sections.  
• The instructions.  
• The mark allocation.  
• Questions you immediately recognize.  
• Questions that may require more time.  

This quick overview can help you create a strategy.  

OpenStax specifically recommends scanning the examination and using that initial review to determine how to allocate your available time.  

8. Read Questions Carefully  

One of the easiest ways to lose marks is to answer a question that was not actually asked.  

Pay attention to instruction words such as:  

• Define  
• Explain  
• Discuss  
• Compare  
• Contrast  
• Analyze  
• Evaluate  
• Identify  
• List  
• Describe  
• Justify  

These words tell you what the examiner expects.  

For example:  

"Define motivation."  

is different from:  

"Explain how motivation influences employee performance."  

The first asks for a definition.  

The second requires an explanation of a relationship.  

Reading carefully can therefore make the difference between knowing the material and earning the marks.  

9. Answer the Questions You Know First  

If you encounter a difficult question, don't allow it to consume your entire examination.  

Move on.  

For multiple-choice examinations, you can begin with questions you are confident about and return to difficult questions later.  

This strategy has two advantages:  

1. You secure marks from questions you understand.  
2. You preserve time for questions that require deeper thinking.  

Sometimes answering other questions can also trigger the memory needed to solve a question you initially skipped. OpenStax recommends returning to difficult questions after addressing those you can answer confidently.  

10. Never Ignore the Final Few Minutes  

The final minutes of an examination are valuable.  

Don't automatically stop writing when you finish your last answer.  

Use the remaining time to check:  

• Did you answer every required question?  
• Did you skip any page?  
• Did you answer the correct question numbers?  
• Did you make calculation errors?  
• Did you leave any multiple-choice questions unanswered?  
• Did you make obvious grammatical mistakes?  
• Did you follow the instructions?  

OpenStax recommends reserving time at the end of an examination to review answers and confirm that no section has been accidentally missed.  

A few minutes of review can sometimes recover marks that would otherwise be lost.  

11. Don't Let Test Anxiety Control You  

Test anxiety is real.  

You may experience:  

• Nervousness  
• Rapid heartbeat  
• Difficulty concentrating  
• Negative thoughts  
• Fear of failure  
• Forgetfulness  
• Panic  
• Excessive worrying  

A small amount of nervousness can sometimes increase alertness and concentration. However, excessive anxiety can interfere with performance. OpenStax distinguishes normal test-related nervousness from anxiety that becomes severe enough to undermine performance.  

The solution is not to tell yourself:  

"I must not be nervous."  

Instead, prepare yourself to manage the nervousness.  

Before the examination:  

• Prepare early.  
• Practice with timed questions.  
• Sleep properly.  
• Know the examination format.  
• Arrive early.  
• Avoid unnecessary conversations that increase your anxiety.  
• Take slow, controlled breaths.  
• Focus on what you can control.  

Most importantly, don't allow one examination to become a prediction of your entire future.  

12. Learn From Your Examination Results  

The examination does not end when you receive your grade.  

Your marked examination is feedback.  

If you performed well, ask:  

What worked?  

If you performed poorly, ask:  

What went wrong?  

Look at:  

• Questions you missed.  
• Topics you misunderstood.  
• Questions where you ran out of time.  
• Instructions you misunderstood.  
• Areas where you lost easy marks.  
• Mistakes caused by rushing.  
• Topics that require additional practice.  

OpenStax recommends analyzing examination results rather than simply looking at the grade and moving on. Reviewing your performance can reveal specific skills that need improvement.  

A poor examination can therefore become a learning opportunity.  

The Exam Is Not the Enemy  

Many students approach examinations as if the test is an enemy waiting to defeat them.  

A better mindset is to see the examination as an opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned.  

Good test taking combines:  

Preparation + Knowledge + Strategy + Time Management + Confidence  

You don't need to know everything perfectly to perform well.  

You need to prepare intelligently, understand what the examination requires, manage your time, remain focused, and learn from every experience.  

A Simple Test-Day Strategy  

Before you enter the examination room, remember these ten steps:  

1. Arrive early  

Give yourself time to settle down.  

2. Stay calm  

Don't allow other students to determine your emotional state.  

3. Listen  

Pay attention to last-minute instructions from the examiner.  

4. Scan  

Quickly review the entire examination.  

5. Plan  

Decide how you will use your time.  

6. Read  

Read every question and instruction carefully.  

7. Answer  

Start with questions you can answer confidently.  

8. Return  

Go back to difficult questions later.  

9. Review  

Use the final minutes to check your work.  

10. Reflect  

After receiving your results, identify what you can improve.  

Final Thoughts  

Successful examination performance is not determined only by how many hours you spend studying.  

It is also influenced by how you prepare, how you manage your time, how you approach questions, how you manage stress, and how effectively you learn from previous examinations.  

The next time you prepare for an examination, don't simply ask:  

"How much have I studied?"  

Also ask:  

"Have I practiced taking the test?"  

That change in thinking can make your preparation more effective.  

As OpenStax's College Success explains, studying and test taking are connected parts of the learning process. Developing skills in both areas can help students become more confident and effective learners.  

Recommended Reading  

For a detailed discussion of test preparation, test-day strategies, accommodations, time management, and test anxiety, read Section 6.3: Test Taking in OpenStax's College Success .  

Source: Amy Baldwin, College Success , OpenStax, Section 6.3: “Test Taking,” published March 27, 2020.