Time Management during a Math Test
What should be your strategy?
A math test can be daunting for the best of students. The allocation of time between the questions can be even more of a concern. And the worst part is that as soon as the student lays a hand on the question paper, it is always the most difficult question that catches his or her eye. That induces fear in the mind of the student, which in turn erodes the sharpness of memory that is so important for taking a math test well.
Don’t get flabbergasted. The trick is to look for the easiest questions first. Solve those questions first. But remember, these easier questions may not be in serial order. So, remember to put down the serial number of the questions correctly, else it will result in deduction of marks. Doing the easier questions first will enhance the student’s confidence level and help move on to the more difficult ones. It will also ensures that the student is able to capture as many points as possible in the shortest possible time. After a few right answers, when the breathing of the student gets back to normal, he or she will start remembering how to solve even the more difficult questions.
For those students who feel that remembering formulas is an uphill task, they may write down the important formulas on the margin of the answer paper as soon as these are handed out. This will obviate the need to recollect these formulas often. It will also show the examiner that the student is meticulous.
Even if the student is unable to do a particular problem, the steps involved should be written down in order. This will help extract some points from the examiner.
The student should make sure that all rough work is shown on the margins of the answer paper. Nothing should be erased or crossed out. Many examiners keep these things, besides neatness, in mind while grading the test.
Last, but not least, keep an eye on your wristwatch. Better still, keep it on the table and look at it once in a while.
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This entry was posted on Monday, January 11th, 2010 at 7:30 am and is filed under Exam Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.