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General Preparation Tips
You can and should study for the Praxis exam. In a recent survey, over one-third of Praxis
test takers indicated that they did not study for their Praxis exam. In fact the majority of
those who fail did not prepare for the exams in any manner. So, before you take the exam,
familiarize yourself with the format, content, and the scope of the exam. Be aware of how you
learn and study accordingly. And remember -- don' t cram!
The following tips should help you improve your performance on the Praxis exam.
Know the format of the exam
 | Layout of test booklet and answer sheet |
| Test directions |
| Test content |
| Skills measured |
| Question types |
| Phrasing used in multiple-choice questions |
| Visual elements (i.e., graphs, diagrams, tables, charts) |
| Time limits
| 0091 PE Content Knowledge 120 minutes for 120 multiple choice questions |
| 0092 PE Content Knowledge 60 minutes for 2 constructed response questions |
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Know the testing conditions
| Consider touring the site before the test date |
| Get plenty of rest before the test |
| Eat a healthy, light breakfast |
| Arrive at test site at least 45 minutes before the scheduled start time |
| Bring photo identification (e.g., passport, driver's license) |
| Bring all the materials you will need such as your admission ticket, pencils, an eraser,
and a watch |
| Request non-standard administration, if needed, well in advance (see
www.ets/praxis/prxdsabl.html) |
Study, study, study
| Prepare a study plan -- do not randomly "attack" the material |
| Set and keep to a study schedule |
| Review materials from courses |
| Review the content areas of the test |
| Consider participating in study groups. They can help some individuals in the following
ways:
| Groups can provide a way of structuring the study process |
| Groups can help share responsibility for review of core material |
| Group study can provide diverse input and help students see and experience diverse
learning styles |
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Know your learning style
| Know your learning strengths and weaknesses |
| Identify critical information, especially in long questions, and practice these skills |
| If you learn best through hands-on experience, focus on preparing through teaching
videos, clinical observation, experience, and practice tests |
Develop your test-taking skills
| Improve your skills in taking timed, multiple-choice examinations |
| Take advantage of campus testing resource centers or private testing preparation centers |
| Use Internet resources to understand and develop your own test-taking styles and skills |
Practice, practice, practice
| Practice taking timed sample tests such as those available on this web site |
| Review explanations in the study guides to discover the rationale for specific answers |
| Learn to identify key words in questions and answers |
| Practice working with constructed response questions (0092 and 0093) |
Practice good study time management
| Learn time management for studying |
| Prepare a timeline for an individual and/or group study plan at least six months in
advance |
| Set aside study time on a daily basis |
| Do not get frustrated if you do not initially follow through with your plan--revise it
as necessary |
| Include unexpected events in your plan |
Practice and use good test time management
| Use practice tests in timed format |
| Practice with long questions |
| Keep track of time during practice testing -- don' t rely on the exam proctor to give
you time reminders. You will only receive notification five minutes prior to exam
completion. |
| If you are running out of time, answer all questions even if you have to guess |
| Make educated guesses on those questions you are unsure about |
| Allow yourself time to at least skim through questions to rule out some answers |
Stay relaxed, confident, and comfortable
| Remind yourself that you are well-prepared and are going to do well |
| Don't let yourself become anxious; if you feel anxious before or during a test, take
several slow, deep breaths to relax |
| Don't talk to other students before a test; anxiety is contagious |
| Be comfortable but alert |
| Choose a good spot to take the test |
| Make sure you have enough room to work |
| Maintain an upright posture in your seat |
Approach the test systematically
| Glance through the entire test before you start to answer the questions, in order to get
a sense of where longer and shorter questions may be placed |
| Answer questions you feel most comfortable with first, then go back to those questions
about which you are unsure |
| Make notes on the examination booklet to highlight key words or pieces of information |
| Concentrate on the main point of each question -- don't get distracted by unimportant
information |
When taking multiple choice tests...
| Predict an answer to the question before you read the answer choices provided
| Be flexible. You may not always find exactly the choice you are looking for. Then, you
must choose the best of the options available |
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| Read ALL of the multiple choice options in their carefully and in their entirety before
choosing an answer
| Avoid the temptation to mark the first option that looks good (sometimes a "good"
option will be listed before the "best" option) |
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| If you cannot select the correct answer after several seconds of thought, cross out any
options that you are sure are wrong, put a mark next to the question, and move on to the
next question |
| When you have gone through the entire test once, go back to the items you have marked.
This time concentrate on eliminating as many options as you can |
| Use process of elimination with multiple choice questions for which more than one option
is correct.
| Pick out the options you are sure are correct |
| Pick out the options you are sure are incorrect |
| Rule out all answers which contain wrong options |
| Rule out all answers which omit options you are sure of |
| Select the best remaining answer |
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| Translate difficultly worded questions into your own words |
| Use your general knowledge. Ask yourself, "What do I already know about this?" |
| Use logical reasoning. For each possible answer, ask yourself, "What would happen if . .
. "? |
| According to ETS, the use of extreme words, such as "always," "never," "all," "best,"
"worst," "none" are not eliminators
| That means that the use of these words ARE NOT clues that the choices are incorrect |
| Nevertheless, it is still a good idea to be wary of options that include extreme words |
| If you have to guess and you have no other clues, it be best to eliminate options with
extreme words |
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| Read each option as if it were a true-false question. Cross out all the options that are
false |
| However, pay close attention to words such as "not" or "except" (e.g., "Which of the
following is not true about the Civil War?")
| Circle words like "not" and "except" whenever you see them, to make them stand out |
| Usually these words are a signal that all of the options are true except one, and your
task is to pick out the false option |
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| If you have no idea what the correct answer is, guess |
| Here are some tips that may improve your guessing accuracy (however none of these are
foolproof, or guaranteed to work) include:
| If two options look similar, except for 1 or 2 words, usually one of these is the
correct answer |
| If two options have the same meaning, usually both are wrong |
| If two options consist of words that look or sound the same (e.g., "interference" vs.
"interferon") one of these is often the correct answer |
| If the options cover a wide range of numerical values, a value at or near the middle
is often a good guess |
| An option that is longer or more detailed than the other options is often the correct
answer |
| The option "all of the above" is frequently correct |
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When taking constructed response tests, think before you write
| Read the question thoroughly and carefully to be sure you understand exactly what is
being asked |
| Read both of the questions before you begin to write an answer |
| As you read each question, write down any relevant ideas that occur to you |
| After reading both questions...
| Decide which question to answer first, answer the one you are most comfortable with
first |
| Quickly plan how much time you will spend on each question. Budget your time |
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| Create a brief outline for your answer by jotting down a few words to indicate ideas you
want to include |
| Number these items in your list to indicate the order in which you will discuss them |
| Get right to the point, state your main point right away, add details later in the
answer
| Put your best ideas in the first few lines of your answer. Do not save these for a
"big finish" because you may run out of time, or forget to work these in to your answer |
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| Back up your answer with specific information or examples |
| Leave wide spaces and margins in your answers in case you remember things later that you
want to include |
| Keep track of the time. Do not spend too much time on any one question. If you find you
do not have enough time to write a full answer, at least write a brief response outlining
your main points |
Decide when you plan to take the Praxis exam
| Take the exam after you've had a variety of practicum experiences |
| Take the exam after you have completed most of your academic course work
| Your particular college or state may have rules dictating when you must take or pass
the Praxis Exams |
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| Don't take the Praxis too early in your undergraduate education
| You may not perform as well as you had hoped because the exam is designed for
individuals who have completed all or most coursework and field experiences |
| You may develop test anxiety in the future as a result of poor performance on the exam |
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ETS provides much of this information in their publication
General Information and Study Tips for Praxis II: Subject Assessments (1999). The
information is presented here with their permission.
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