How I Set the Curve at a Top Medical School | Advanced Test Taking Skills

Summary

In this video, Dr. Jubbal explores the importance of test-taking strategies in student performance, beyond just memorization and critical thinking. He emphasizes assessing personal strengths and weaknesses, managing test anxiety, and honing skills like pacing and problem-solving. Dr. Jubbal shares his own experiences, offering insights on effective strategies for multiple-choice questions, including techniques like cross-referencing answers and extrapolating extremes. He also discusses the role of self-talk, preparation, and understanding the mindset of test makers to boost performance. The video encourages individualized approaches to mastering test-taking and offers advice for improving scores through practice and self-reflection.

Takeaways

• 😀 Spaced repetition, active recall, and other study strategies are important, but test-taking skills can make a significant difference in performance.
• 😀 Test performance is determined by three key domains: memorization, critical thinking, and test-taking skills, and all must be developed to achieve high scores.
• 😀 Understanding your academic strengths and weaknesses is crucial for improving test-taking strategies. For example, anxiety, poor pacing, or gaps in memory can impact performance.
• 😀 Self-talk plays a vital role in your mindset before and during a test. Approaching the test with confidence and positivity can lead to better results.
• 😀 Identify your patterns of errors on previous tests to improve future performance. For example, are you making silly mistakes, missing key words in questions, or struggling with certain types of questions?
• 😀 There is no one-size-fits-all formula for test-taking. Strategies are built over time through personal experience and experimentation.
• 😀 For multiple-choice questions, read the last sentence of the question stem and answer choices first, cross out obviously wrong options, and then assess the plausibility of the remaining choices.
• 😀 When faced with a tough question, consider the 'extreme' approach: extrapolate the potential results to determine which answer choice is most plausible.
• 😀 If you feel unsure about your answer, it's okay to change it, as long as you have a valid reason. Trust your evolving understanding of the problem.
• 😀 Practice is essential for success on standardized exams. Doing hundreds of practice problems helps you familiarize yourself with common traps and key concepts that are likely to appear on the test.
• 😀 Thinking like the test maker can be a powerful tool. Ask yourself, 'What is this question really testing?' to help align your answers with the test's underlying objectives.

Q & A

What are the three domains that determine student performance?

The three domains are memorization, critical thinking, and test-taking skills. No single factor in isolation will guarantee top grades, but addressing weaknesses across all three areas will improve academic performance.

How can you assess your weaknesses in test-taking?

You can assess your weaknesses by analyzing past test performances. Focus on areas where you struggle, such as forgetting material, freezing during the test, running out of time, or making mistakes on specific question types like multiple choice or essays.

What is the stress-response curve, and how does it relate to test-taking?

The stress-response curve shows that a certain level of stress can improve performance, but excessive stress can hinder it. Test-taking anxiety can be beneficial if managed well, but if self-talk is negative, stress can become limiting.

What should you do if you’re running out of time during a test?

Practice with timed quizzes and simulate test conditions to improve your pacing. This will help you think more clearly and decisively under time constraints.

How did the speaker realize their weakness in memorization?

The speaker identified their weakness in memorization after performing poorly on an essay-based exam in a course that tested memorization, while excelling in a course that required more novel problem-solving.

What is the importance of reviewing your past quizzes or tests?

Reviewing your past quizzes or tests helps identify patterns in mistakes. This allows you to understand why you got certain questions wrong and refine your future study approach.

What are some strategies for positive self-talk before a test?

To improve self-talk, you can: 1) Ensure better preparation so you feel confident; 2) Approach the test as a challenge or a game; 3) Challenge negative thoughts by asking whether they serve you or if they are based on false assumptions.

How can you improve your approach to multiple-choice questions?

For multiple-choice questions, first read the last sentence of the question stem. Eliminate answers you know are wrong, and if you’re stuck between two options, evaluate which one is more true or plausible based on assumptions. Additionally, consider extreme scenarios for science-based questions.

What is the strategy of ‘showing your work’ for science exams?

For science exams, showing your work can help earn partial credit. It's better to write out more steps than fewer, especially if you’re unsure of your answer, as this demonstrates your thought process and understanding.

What does the speaker think about the common advice to 'always go with your gut' on multiple-choice exams?

The speaker doesn’t fully agree with the advice to 'always go with your gut.' While intuition can be helpful, they believe it’s more important to reassess your answers if you recall something new or think of a better approach. However, any change should be made with a clear reason.

How can thinking like the test maker help improve test performance?

Thinking like the test maker helps you align your study approach to what the exam is really testing. By asking, 'If I were writing this test, what would I want to assess?' you can better predict what types of questions might appear and focus your preparation accordingly.

What is the role of individualized tutoring in improving test-taking skills?

Individualized tutoring provides personalized feedback and allows for a step-by-step analysis of how a student approaches test questions. This targeted guidance can help identify weaknesses and refine strategies to improve overall test performance.