Chapter 6 Test prep

Learning outcomes

  1. Be able to select your own solution to an environmental challenge.
  2. Appreciate that there are many dimensions to every challenge.
  3. Write a clear, short description linking a replicable tool to a challenge studied in the scientific literature.

Context

Use the ‘ten simple rules to facilitate evidence implementation’ (Christopher J. Lortie and Owen 2020) and ‘ten simple rules for more objective decision-making’ (Fletcher, Wagner, and Bourne 2020) to structure notes and test prep.

Steps for test prep

  1. Read the challenge paper provided in the test chapter herein.
  2. Make a list of all the solutions that they used or could have considered.
  3. Select one solution (a novel one not discussed yet), find 1-2 papers about that solution and 1-2 similar papers to the challenge, see test questions.
  4. Re-read the ten simple rules that underpins this course and read the ten simple rules for making better decisions too.
  5. Go to next chapter in this resource for the test.

General workflow for take-home tests

Traditional formative assessments such as in-class tests or exams are well understood. The rules of the game and extent of practice and experience with them vary from person-to-person, but most schools still adopt fixed-duration testing with limited to no access to outside materials. Open-book tests are common as well and typically include some access to resources such as notes or course materials but can also include open and online resources. The take-home test is a powerful and positive summative assessment instrument. However, effective study and prep can not always be clearly described for the learner. Strengths can include full and open access to materials online, experts, collaborative input, and adequate time to do deep work and think with reflection on insightful answers. Nonetheless, a limitation can be divergent expectations between student or learner and the graders. A take-home test is a bit of a chimera because it includes components of routine work, thinking, and depth associated with essays and papers but is nonetheless at times designed more as test with specific questions, Hence, a short primer on some ideas to consider from a workflow perspective are provided herein.

  1. Read the test in advance and give yourself time to ruminate, reflect, and ideate.
  2. Review test questions and ensure that you read all questions to the end before starting work.
  3. If there are readings, compile and collate them in advance so you have everything you need in one place.
  4. Review the rubric.
  5. Reverse-engineer this rubric to populate a list of terms, ideas, or visual-text hooks (keywords or concepts) that a grader will likely seek in refereeing your work.
  6. Open book = open information. Take advantage of related ideas, papers, reviews, and commit the appropriate and most parsimonious amount of time to secure supporting resources.
  7. Set a time limit for specific tasks and block your time into meaningful chunks with clear intermediate-level goals. For instance, get papers in one block, review rubric in another, etc.
  8. Write, take a break, and check rubric. Check your writing for clarity. If there are synthesis, design, or principle responses, step back, and consider high-level critical thinking elements or rules associated with good research planning.
  9. Consider triage answers that do not match your cognitive style, expertise, or are dissatisfied with the response. Use point value and relative weighting to decide if there better ways to allocate your time or select between questions to submit if provided.
  10. Simple, but review the instructions on formatting, submission, and guidelines for the format of the work. Submit.