How to test yourself
The first set of information I mentioned, the Question-Answer pair, can only
be memorized in the most effective way through self-conducted exams. I will
later discuss how to conduct it in the most effective way.
Again, prior to this 60 days all you have to do is to UNDERSTAND all the
Principles and Concepts and to STRENGTHEN your Analytical Skills in
different types of Problems. However, at this point, you don't need to
understand everything. This time, the situation will be: 'If this is the Question,
what is the Correct Answer?' You should not waste time asking how come it
happened that this is the correct answer to this particular question. If the
Question-Answer pair comes from a reliable source, just accept it.
But don't bother yourself much about this scenario of memorizing answers
for each particular questions. If you really studied hard for the first 2 months,
most of the Question-Answer pair would be familiar to you. That's why it is
important that you understood the basic principles in Electronics and
Communications so you will not feel like memorizing answers for questions
from Nursing or CPA Licensure Exams...
Each user is unique in his assessment on which Question-Answer pair is
easy, average or difficult for him. However, with this proper approach to
conducting self-assessed exams that I will suggest to you, I am sure you can
memorize Question-Answer pairs in the most effective and time-efficient
way.
Conducting Self-Assessed Exams. There are 2 key factors to be able to
get the maximum benefit of conducting self-assessed exams: (1) reliable and
updated sources of comprehensive and relevant Question-Answer pairs
such as reviewers, end-of-chapter questions of various books, modules, and
hand-outs and quizzes provided by your review center; and (2) a wellplanned
and systematic approach in dealing with this Q&A sources.
For the sources, some of the best reviewers are those written by Padilla for
Math, by Asubar for Electronics and by Ballado for Communications. I am
sure that your review center will provide the necessary materials for you. The
problem is how to memorize or familiarize yourself to thousands of Question-
Answer pairs in the shortest possible time - considering that you will also
spend time practicing solving problems and memorizing the 2nd set of
information I already mentioned.
Steps in Conducting Self-Assessed Exams:
0. Plan which reviewers and modules you will use. Remember that
your ultimate goal is to memorize or at least to be familiar to as many
Question-Answer pairs as possible, especially those which you lack or
have a little knowledge of.
1. Plan when and how-frequent you will conduct your self-assessed
exams. If you will attend the Sat&Sun Refresher course, you have 5
straight days to study. To give you an idea, to finish a 1000 Q-A pair
reviewer having objective type of questions such as Electronics will
require 10-20 hours. For a 1000 Q-A pair reviewer containing primarily
of problem solving such as a MATH reviewer will require you 30-60
hours.
2. Prepare and print answer sheets. A computer-generated answer
sheet will save your time.
3. Use a stopwatch. Answer the Exam in batches or sets. Record the
duration of the time you answer each set. It is important for your own
performance check, especially if you will answer an entire reviewer at
least twice (I suggest that you do so). It is a great confidence-booster
to know that you are able to answer the reviewer with greater
accuracy and speed as you keep on repeating your exams. What
about aiming to get at least 95% correct for a (100 questions -
objective type - for 15-30 minutes) or a (50 questions - problem
solving type - for 30-60 minutes) after answering it on your second
try?
4.Classify the type of each Question-Answer Pair. While answering,
take note on which of the following types the Q-A pair belongs:
You are sure that you know the correct answer.
You are sure that you know the correct answer, but after
checking you realized your wrong.
You are not sure but you feel you have a high probability of
getting the correct answer.
Through elimination and/or some hints from other related
questions you can determine the correct answer.
It is a problem solving type, and you can answer it correctly if
you only recall the needed formulas and constants.
You encountered similar questions in the past/previous exams,
but you always forget or you always feel confused on which is
the correct answer.
The question is new to you; you don't have any idea.
Then using some marks (i.e. *,**,***,#,etc) at the side of the question
number, you can easily review your exam later. What I did is that I did
not mark the questions that I am sure of the correct answer,
o * for question I think I have a high chance of getting it correctly,
o ** for those with 50-50% chances, and
o *** for those that I completely guessed. I also group (using
brackets) numbers with related questions (i.e. nos. 8-12 are
questions about the different types of motors, etc.)
What's the benefit of doing this?
First, if you get 60/100 and 50 of them are unmarked (meaning, you
are sure that you know the correct answer), you can save your time
and instead focus your attention on the remaining questions that you
either guessed or are confused at. List the Answers in a Clean Sheet
of Paper. Would you agree if I claim that for most Q-A pairs, (after
encountering it at least once), if you were given the correct answer
you can easily recall its partner question, but not the other way
around? For example, in Electronics, I give you 'Valence Shell' as an
answer, what's the question? If you agree with me, then let's use this
fact to our own advantage. How? For each reviewer, for each set,
write the answers of those marked nos. in a clean sheet of bond
paper. If you think it is necessary to add 1-2 words hint for some
answers to aid you in recalling its associated question, do so. Retake
the exams. I suggest that you answer each reviewer twice, especially
those sets where you get below 70%. You may repeat it 3 or more
times but I think it would be a waste of time. The list you created in the
previous step would be enough to aid you in memorizing the Q-A
pairs.
Final Step. After you retake the exams, I am sure that you was able
to reduce that reviewer containing thousands of questions to a set of
2-3 sheets of paper. Your task is to memorize the answers in these
sheets and try to recall their associated questions in your mind. After
doing so, you know you are confident to say that you can answer ALL
of the questions from that particular reviewer.
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