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[[American History Lecture Two|Lecture]] - [[American_History_Homework_Two|Questions]] - [[American History Homework Two Answers|Student Answers]]

[[American History Lecture Two|Lecture]] - [[American_History_Homework_Two|Questions]] - [[American History Homework Two Answers|Student Answers]]

On history exams, '''''do not give up too easily on a question'''''.  The highest score on a test usually goes to the person who tried the hardest during the test itself (and also prepared well).

 

On history exams, many of the correct answers can be figured out during the test, '''if you do not give up too easily on a question'''.  The person in the class who knows the most history probably won't be the person who obtains the highest score on the exam.  Instead, the highest score usually goes to the person who tried the hardest during the test itself (and also prepared well).  Multiple choice exams can be difficult, but some simple rules can increase your score.

== Test-taking tips ==

== Test-taking tips ==

'''Understand''':  Understand the question before you try to answer it.  Read the question twice if you have doubts.  Never try to answer a question you do not understand.  You can improve your score by 10% on exams by making sure you understand each and every question before attempting to answer it.  You will see other students miss questions because they misread them.

'''1. Understand''':  Understand the question before you try to answer it.  Read the question twice if you have doubts.  Never try to answer a question you do not understand.  You can improve your score by 10% on exams by making sure you understand each and every question before attempting to answer it.  You will see other students miss questions because they misread them.

: Example: Pay particular attention to qualifiers in questions, such as "EXCEPT".  Every time I give an exam, there are many students who miss questions because they overlook "EXCEPT".  Question: "George Washington was popular for all of the reasons EXCEPT" ....  You will answer incorrectly if you overlook the "EXCEPT".

: Example: Pay particular attention to qualifiers in questions, such as "EXCEPT".  Every time I give an exam, there are many students who miss questions because they overlook "EXCEPT".  Question: "George Washington was popular for all of the reasons EXCEPT" ....  You will answer incorrectly if you overlook the "EXCEPT".

'''Eliminate''':  Eliminate the wrong answers before picking the right one.

'''2. Eliminate''':  Eliminate the wrong answers before picking the right one.

Examples of wrong answers that can be immediately eliminated:

Examples of wrong answers that can be immediately eliminated:

*Wrong time period

*Wrong time period

:When you eliminate wrong answers, cross out their corresponding letters on the exam.  Try to cross out all the wrong answers except for two.  If you guess at that point, you have a 50% chance of being correct.  Every time you eliminate an answer choice, your chance of answering correctly increases greatly.

:When you eliminate wrong answers, cross out their corresponding letters on the exam.  Try to cross out all the wrong answers except for two.  If you guess at that point, you have a 50% chance of being correct.  Every time you eliminate an answer choice, your chance of answering correctly increases greatly.

'''First Impression''':  Go with your first impression unless you have a good reason to change it.  More often than not, your first impression is right.  Don't outsmart yourself.  There are no trick questions on these exams.  There are traps to avoid falling into, but not tricks.  Don't second-guess yourself into changing a correct answer into an incorrect one.

'''3. First Impression''':  Go with your first impression unless you have a good reason to change it.  More often than not, your first impression is right.  Don't outsmart yourself.  There are no trick questions on these exams.  There are traps to avoid falling into, but not tricks.  Don't second-guess yourself into changing a correct answer into an incorrect one.

'''Stay on Track''':  Stay on track during the test.  Expect to miss a few, and do not waste too much time on a difficult question.  This is like a round of golf or a game of tennis or baseball: expect to miss some shots or swings.  Skip questions that confuse you.  Move on and then return to the question later.  When you have a separate answer page with a grid of dots (such as on College Board tests), always make sure that you leave space on your answer sheet for any question you skip.

'''Stay on Track''':  Stay on track during the test.  Expect to miss a few, and do not waste too much time on a difficult question.  This is like a round of golf or a game of tennis or baseball: expect to miss some shots or swings.  Skip questions that confuse you.  Move on and then return to the question later.  When you have a separate answer page with a grid of dots (such as on College Board tests), always make sure that you leave space on your answer sheet for any question you skip.

'''Try Different Approaches''':  Try different approaches to a difficult question until you figure out the right answer.  There are many ways to find the correct answer for a question.  For example, think of the event in the question in the context of other events.  Use all the information that is given you.  There will always be a few questions that you can answer without knowing anything about U.S. History, if you are clever and use common sense.

'''4. Try Different Approaches''':  Try different approaches to a difficult question until you figure out the right answer.  There are many ways to find the correct answer for a question.  For example, think of the event in the question in the context of other events.  Use all the information that is given you.  There will always be a few questions that you can answer without knowing anything about U.S. History, if you are clever and use common sense.

'''Expect Bias from College Board Exams''':  On College Board exams, expect bias.  The bias is greatest in the selection and presentation of the questions.  For example, there will likely be more questions about [[liberal]] artists and writers than about [[George Washington]] or [[Christopher Columbus]].  College Boards will ask more about the decline of the [[Puritans]] than about their [[Christian]] success.  Rarely does bias affect the answer choice itself, but having a sensitivity for the political views of the test-writer can be helpful in considering answer choices.  For example, a College Board question will never have as a correct answer that men have some skills that are better than women's, but will often have as a correct answer that men have been prejudiced against women.

'''Expect Bias from College Board Exams''':  On College Board exams, expect bias.  The bias is greatest in the selection and presentation of the questions.  For example, there will likely be more questions about [[liberal]] artists and writers than about [[George Washington]] or [[Christopher Columbus]].  College Boards will ask more about the decline of the [[Puritans]] than about their [[Christian]] success.  Rarely does bias affect the answer choice itself, but having a sensitivity for the political views of the test-writer can be helpful in considering answer choices.  For example, a College Board question will never have as a correct answer that men have some skills that are better than women's, but will often have as a correct answer that men have been prejudiced against women.

Remember and apply the above tips and it will raise your score by 10-30% on test day.  Here they are again: Understand, Eliminate, First Impression, Stay on Track and Try Different Approaches.  On College Board exams: Expect Bias.

Remember and apply the above tips and it will raise your score by 10-30% on test day.  Here are the four tips again: (1) Understand, (2) Eliminate, (3) First Impression, and (4) Try Different Approaches.  On College Board exams, be aware of certain biases in some questions.

 

One of my former students took my test-taking advice to heart, and while in college he was once required to take a multiple-choice exam without being able to study or prepare for it.  (He had been told he would not have to take the exam, but then the teacher surprised him on exam day.)  Using the above techniques, he scored the highest in the class on the exam, beating other students who had spent hours in preparation.

 

== Colonial History  ==

== Colonial History  ==