Volume 1, Number 4 October 2002
TNT FYI:
Taking Tests: Outline for Success
Exam coming up? Perhaps you've heard these suggestions before but thorough preparation with the right resources can determine a successful outcome. The following outline is good advice from educators and trainers on the best way to prepare for your next NDT exam.
Preparation I. Collect study materials early from: A. the official list, B. materials suggested by associates and C. a couple of background texts. II. Read the necessary material and take a breather before: A. outlining the material, B. reviewing the difficult parts until they are familiar so that you can C. reproduce everything you need to know without rereading. III. Obtain example problems from: A. ASNT, B. your company, C. associates and D. reading materials. IV. Practice with example problems. A. Start with easy ones - work up to harder ones. B. Read everything - don't jump to conclusions. C. Work in bite-sized pieces. D. Use a worksheet for problems. E. Write down every step - neatly (saves time checking). F. Diagram. G. Rework after a few days. IV. Your calculator for the exam should be: A. easy to use - no more complicated than necessary, B. familiar - the same one you've used in practice and C. equipped with spare batteries for the test if not solar powered. At the Test I. Take your time - breathe deeply. II. Read each question carefully - don't jump to conclusions. A. Read all of the answers, reread if necessary. B. If the answer isn't apparent, mark the question and come back to it.
C. Make sure that answers are matched with the right questions. Finally I. Keep the following in mind: A. Blank answers are always wrong - intuition is often very good. B. Odds of being right improve if you can rule out any truly wrong answers. C. Proper units for an answer may appear in only one multiple choice. D. If a problem is to determine decimal placement, work it first using easy numbers. E. Finish unanswered questions. F. Check your work. II. Now you can relax - you're done.
Adapted from "Back to Basics: Tips on Test-Taking" by Frank A. Iddings, Materials Evaluation, Vol. 55, No. 3. Columbus, OH: American Society for Nondestructive Testing (March 1997): pp 355Ð356 and study guides "Test Taking Strategies" and "Successful Test-Taking Tips" from Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH.
[ The NDT Technician ]
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