By Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.
All quizzes are not created equal, and the techniques for studying for a quiz in an on-campus section of Psychology 1101 may not serve you well for the same Psychology 1101 course, delivered online, with online quizzes.
There are many reasons why online quizzes differ from face-to-face. Most factors fall into two main categories: first, the conditions of testing are different; and second, the way you organize knowledge when you take an online course may be somewhat different than how you organize and retrieve information in a face-to-face course.
Let’s look at some successful approaches.
Develop an awareness of sequences and patterns. If you are taking a course that requires you to be able to recall facts and figures in fairly short order, there are a few study techniques you can use.
1---Establish patterns of recall. This means taking time to organize the information you’ll need to be able to present and to organize it in a sequential, logical way that you can practice.
For example, if you are studying for an American literature exam, it is a good idea to develop a timeline and to connect the works, the authors, and key events. Organized chronologically, the authors, works, and key events will begin to create a pattern in your mind.
2---Find consistent way of organizing information. For example, in an American literature course, you could place the information on each author in the following order: Author Name / Birth – Death / Work 1 + Date / Work 2 + Date / Work 3 +Date / Theme 1 / Theme 2 / Theme 3.
Organizing information in such a predictable way may seem a bit mechanical and confining. However, you will be encoding your mind in the pattern you are creating. Once your brain recognizes the pattern, recall will be triggered and you will seek to correct the pattern. The phenomenon of pattern recognition has been described by early researchers Baddeley, Conrad, and Hull (1965) and later by Botvinick and Plaut (2003), Hartley and Hougton (1996), and Henson (1998). According to the results of their research, once the mind recognizes patterns, it has excellent recall in short-term memory. Even when one’s recall is a bit flawed, if the mind perceives a probable sequence, there is a high likelihood of eventual recall (Botvinick and Bylsma, 2005).
A “Grammar” Is Born. Basically, in learning patterns and establishing methods of recall that are consistent and can be applied to other areas, the mind is developing rules for patterns. When you create patterns, repeat them, learn them, and then put together other strings of information in the same pattern, you are creating a new “language” that has its own “grammar.” You are learning this language and your mind will seek to communicate in it – that is – to follow the same pattern.
Not all learners have the same facility with patterns. You may find that you are better off if you color code items and organize them in other ways.
You may also start to wonder how these techniques will help you in an online quiz. They will help you because patterns, sequences, and “grammar” are what online quizzes are all about. It is necessary to replicate the conditions of the test and to anticipate possible sequences and questions.
Specific things to do to prepare for an online test:
1. Remember that repetition is good. Repeat the key concepts and connect to the stated learning outcomes. Find out the kind of format your test will take and repeat information in that format. You will have recall when your mind is cued / triggered in a specific sequence.
2. Verbalize when you can. Speak the patterns and repeat them to yourself. Say them out loud and repeat them. Auditory triggers are very powerful (Gathercole, 1995).
3. Phonological loops (Burgess & Hitch, 1999) should be short for maximum effectiveness. So, if you are listening to podcasts, do it in chunks. Repetition of consonants works, especially when in a recognizable string (alliteration).
4. Pull key ideas out of the reading and create a story. Script the story and repeat it to yourself. The mind holds on to narrative in a special way, and it has powerful predictive value (Bower).
5. Kinesthetic learning is very powerful. Research has shown that people learn better when in action – muscles moving, as in walking (Storkel 2001).
What this means for online quizzes is that you should definitely practice typing, using the mouse, moving your hands, and engaging in the kinesthetic motions you will use in taking the exam.
To assuage test anxiety, be sure to practice in more or less the same environment. Take practice tests when possible and simulate the experience. Develop positive beliefs about your ability to succeed.
Watch Susan!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2362730340097988939