Sunday, September 18, 2016

Blog #4: AP Literature Multiple Choice Test Reflection

Reflection
Multiple choice has always been my least favorite part of every English test I've always taken. Finding them unfair due to how students must interpret the literary pieces the same way the test writer does- to which is unfair. This is because every individual has different background, interests, beliefs, and thought patterns, so reading the same thing to each can be considered a different reading for each. And yet, after all these  years of English testing we will have them. As my 5 Steps to a Five AP English Literature 2017 edition states, "a flawed method of gauging understanding because... it forces you to play a cat-and-mouse game with the teat maker" (32). Even the study books for the test agree with me here.

My benchmark test was no where near the place I would want it to be, and yet it was at a better standing than I was expecting, 37/55 (67%). Which to be fairly honest, is still pretty high for me to expect for never taking a AP Lit test before. It was a good place for me to start with, by heading face first into uncertainty. Then followed with group comparisons and evaluations we were able to work through the problems together, to come to a more centralized line of reason for the correct answers. When we collaborated and worked together we came to a much better grade of 54/55 (98%). I'm glad my table was willing to slow down and have us al work together on the same problems and explain the correct answers so that I would be able to take notes to help me understand my flawed reasoning.

After reading through the section about the Multiple Choice Test in my study book I had learned that some of the steps I was already taking were good skills to be using: Underline key words, rereading, crossing out for sure wrong answers. While they also suggested new strategies for me to improve my score in the future. Such as reading while pointing at the words in order to make myself focus, to which will help. Also paying attention to the background information provided, which could centralize my thinking with the test writers. Along with many other techniques I found that paraphrasing information in the margins might help with over all concept work for the questions.

I just hope with further practice I can study and prepare to knock the AP Multiple Choice section out of the park this upcoming May. No matter how unfair or overly complicated it may be.

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