What is a final exam

What is a final exam?

A final exam
is an important test
taken in a particular class
at the end of each semester
in high school or college.

Why do we take final exams?

The purpose of a final exam is to measure what information you have retained
(“what you have learned” “what you know”) after being in a class for at least
one semester.
To make sure learning has been / is taking place.
To make sure you’re ready to add new information.
To determine “where do we go from here.”

Final exams are usually worth either 1/5th or 1/3rd of your final semester
grade.

What does this mean?
For Example:

1/5th 1/3rd

First Quarter – 86% 86% x 2 = 172 86 + 89 + 73 = 248
Second Quarter – 89% 89% x 2 = 178 248 / 3 = 82.7%
Exam – 73%
73
423 / 5 = 84.6%

S. Faber 1/07

In the “Real World”…

A. What do you do before you go on vacation?

⇒ Where are we going? PREPARE
⇒ How much will it cost?
⇒ How long will we be staying?
⇒ What will I need?
⇒ What can I leave behind?
⇒ What should I pack?

B. What do you do before you make a meal?

⇒ What am I making? PREPARE
⇒ What does the recipe call for?
⇒ What ingredients to I already have?
⇒ What ingredients do I need to get?
⇒ How much time will it take to make?
⇒ Will I have enough time for this recipe?

C. What do you do before a big game?

⇒ Who are we playing?

⇒ When is the game?

⇒ Where is the game? PREPARE
⇒ Who are their strongest/weakest players?

⇒ What are their strategies/plays?

⇒ Who will our players be matched up with?

⇒ How much time do we have before game night?

⇒ How many practices can we get in before game day?

D. What do you do before a dance?

⇒ What type of dance is this? PREPARE
⇒ How much money do I need?
⇒ When is the dance?
⇒ Who am I going with?
⇒ Where are we going?
⇒ What will I wear?
⇒ What do I need to do to get ready?

S. Faber 1/07

Organize for Studying

“Nobody does their best by cramming for a test the night

before. Good preparation means making a plan that gets you

read to take the test. Successful test takers prepare well

ahead of time so they are as relaxed and confident as possible

when taking the test”

“Test Preparation Strategies”
Start Smart: Connecting Learning to Life

Steck-Vaughn
Harcourt Achieve

2003

When is the test?
What will be on the test?
How much is the test worth?
What will the format of the test be? Types of questions?
Did the teacher provide a study guide?
Do I have all my materials?

o Class notes
o Handouts
o Homework assignments
o Past quizzes
o Past tests
o Textbook
What will I do each night between now and the test so that I am ready by test
day?

A SAMPLE SCHEDULE

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Reread Answer Reread Answer Reread Answer Study
Ch. 11 review Ch. 12 review Ch. 13 review with a
questions questions questions group of
DAY Ch. 11 Review Ch. 12 Study Ch. 13 friends
OFF Notes with my
Review Ch. 12 Review friend TAKE Relax
Notes Notes MY
Ch. 11 Ch. 13 FINAL
EXAM

S. Faber 1/07

Test Readiness Checklist

I know the most important idea. It is

A novel or short story has five parts.

I know the five most important things about this topic:

1. The introduction is where I find: the characters, setting, and
conflict.

2. The rising action is where the conflict/tension builds.

3. The climax is the turning point of the story.
4. The falling action is where the conflict unravels.
5. The resolution is where the conflict is solved.

I know the format of the test. It will be essay other

multiple choice short answer

I still need to go over

What happens in each part of the plot of Romeo and Juliet.

S. Faber 1/07

Environment

Is my study space:
Free from interruptions?
Free from distractions?
Stocked with supplies?

Do I have:
Enough space?
A desk or table?
A practical chair?
Enough light?
A comfortable temperature?

S. Faber 1/07

True / False Questions

* Every part of a true sentence must be “true.”
If any part is false, then the statement is false.

* Pay attention to modifiers:

Negatives Qualifiers Absolutes Long strings of
sentences
No Sometimes No
Not Often Never Usually have at
Cannot Frequently None least one or two
Ordinarily Always commas. Each
Drop the negative Generally Every phrase must be
and decide if the Entirely true.
sentence is true These words limit Only
or false. If it is or open up a These words hint Ex.
true, its opposite, general statement that the statement
then your answer and leave room has to be true
will be FALSE. for possibility. 100% of the time.
Ex.
Ex. Ex.

No characters in Sometimes Romeo Every living thing Addition is the
the story have a acts with emotion relies on opposite of
conscience. rather than photosynthesis for subtraction, and
thinking through a energy. multiplication is the
Characters in the situation. opposite of division;
story have a therefore, a triangle
conscience. (true) must be the opposite
of a circle.

Your answer: Your answer: Your answer: Your answer:

FALSE TRUE FALSE FALSE

True / false tests often have more true answers than false answers. So, you have more than
a 50% chance of being right if you answer “true.” BE CAREFUL though, teachers know
this, and therefore, your teacher may do the opposite.

S. Faber 1/07

Multiple-choice Questions

Cover your answer choices, read the base of the question, and try to come up
with the answer on your own. Then pick the answer that comes the closest to
what you thought.

Read the base of the question with each answer choice and treat each answer
like a true/false question. Then choose the answer that is “most true”.

Cross out the answers that you cannot possibly be correct.

Think carefully before crossing out answers are totally unfamiliar to you.

Think carefully about answers that have negative or absolute words.

“All of the above” If you know that at least two of the answers seem
correct, then this could be your answer choice.

For number answers: toss out the high and the low and consider the middle
range numbers.

“Look alikes” Eliminate the choices that cancel each other out. Choose

the best answer.

Use hints from previous questions and answers.

Try not read too much in to the question and/or answers.

Which of the following is not a symbol of our

country:
a. The American flag
b. The bald eagle
c. The Statue of Liberty
d. The Eiffel Tower

S. Faber 1/07

Short Answer Questions

PREPARE for these questions! This question type separates those who
studied from those who didn’t.

Use grammatical clues.

If you can think of several answers that could fit, ask your teacher if
he/she can clarify what they mean.

If you have to guess, do it with common sense. DON’T be a smart aleck.

Never leave an answer blank. Some information could get you partial
credit.

Be as specific as possible in your answer. If you are too vague, it could
cost you some points.

When a narrator uses words like I, me, my, we,

this type of narration is called _________________
This means that the narrator is not only telling
the story but is also a main character in the story

Answer: first person

S. Faber 1/07

Essay Questions

Read through all questions first.
Divide the amount of time you have to take the test by the number of questions
on the test to come up with how much time you’ll have to answer each question.
Try to answer all the required questions. A partial answer is better than no
answer.
Pay special attention to the wording. One word can change your whole answer.

Compare
Contrast
Define
Defend
Evaluate
Summarize
Underline or circle key words in the question so that you keep your focus as you
write your answer.
Remember to keep checking back with your prompt to make sure you haven’t
strayed from the topic.
Remember to support your statements with specific examples/details.
Get to the point. Teachers don’t like wordy answers that go around and around.
Be careful not to leave out required parts. Some questions have more than one
part.
Use correct spelling.
Avoid run-on sentences and fragments.
Be neat. If the teacher can’t read it, it could be marked wrong.

S. Faber 1/07