Test Taking Skills - Graphic Organizers

STEP DESCRIPTION

Read the title. What is the subject of the graphic organizer?

1
Read the headings of the columns and/or rows. What information is the graphic
2 organizer giving?

Determine the relationship(s) that the graphic organizer showing. Common types of
relationships shown in graphic organizers are
• Sequence of events
• Classification of information
3 • Comparison and contrast of information
• Details and main idea
• Causes and effects
• Points of view
What kind of relationship(s) is shown in the graphic organizer?

What summary can you make based on the information presented in the graphic
organizer? The summary could be in the form of stating the main idea, making a
4 generalization, identifying a trend, making a prediction, drawing a conclusion, or making
inference.

If you are answering a question, use the QAR technique.

5
Read the question carefully. What is the question asking?
6
Find the relationship the question is asking and predict an answer based on that
7 relationship.

Read all the answer choices carefully.

8
Choose the most correct answer.
9

Adapted From Raphael, T.E. Teaching Question-Answer Relationships (1986) Test Taking Skills - Graphic Organizers
Reproduction rights granted only if copyright information remains intact. Page 1
 Test Taking Skills - Graphic Organizers
Sometimes, the toughest part is remembering different types of graphic organizers and what their functions are.
Some common graphic organizers you may see are included below:

Read each question carefully. Determine the best answer to the question 9
from the four answer choices provided. Then fill in the answer on your
answer document.

Due Process
Texas California of Law

Texas Revolution Bear Flag Revolt

Cotton cultivation
? Gold mining
U.S. statehood, 1845 U.S. statehood, 1850
Freedom from
Guarantee of a
speedy trial
unreasonable
search
and seizure
?
1 Which of the following best replaces the question mark in the diagram above?

A Compare & Contrast

Former Mexican territory

B Dependent on slavery
Which right best completes the diagram?

C Settled by Mormons
Concept/Characteristic Map
A The right to bear arms
D Large coal deposits
B Freedom to speak without fear of punishment

C Protection from cruel and unusual punishment

D Freedom of the press to report on court proceedings

20

U.S. annexation of
Border disputes
between the United U.S.-Mexican War
? States and Mexico
16
10 After the end of the Revolutionary War, states were eager to expand into newly available
14 territory. The states of New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia argued over
Which of these best completes the diagram? competing claims to land west of the Appalachian Mountains. This conflict was addressed
The Puritans founded the
by the —
F California Georgia annexed Massachusetts Bay Colony to
Cherokee land
Gold was
and abolished
The Cherokees
F Missouri Compromise
escape persecution.
discovered on refused to move
G Nevada the Cherokee
Cherokee land. from their land.
government and
GO ON G Wilmot Proviso
Page 4
H Texas its laws.

H Northwest Ordinance
J Florida
One attempt to resolve this issue without violence involved which action?
J Kansas-Nebraska Act
F Causal Chain
The Cherokee Nation challenged Georgia’s anti-Cherokee laws before the U.S. Supreme
Court.

G Georgia asked the federal government for funds to purchase Cherokee land. Roger Williams was Anne Hutchinson
H The Cherokee Nation asked President Andrew Jackson to negotiate with Georgia. banished from the was expelled from the
Massachusetts Massachusetts
J Georgia offered to grant U.S. citizenship to the Cherokees.
Bay Colony and formed Bay Colony for
a new colony that did dissenting against
not have a state church doctrine. GO ON
Page 10 church.

This diagram describes events in colonial America that are related to —

F the eventual adoption of the U.S. Constitution

41
G the formation Distance
of a government controlled
Needby
forreligious officialsTraditional
from Great lawmaking rights of
British support of
H the creation of Britain
a national system of checks and balances
structure Englishmen
American Indians
in the J the establishment of the principle of religious freedom
Northwest Territory

? Treaty of
Ghent American
colonists

British impressment
of American sailors
?
GO ON
Page 13
47 Which of the following best replaces the question mark in the diagram above?
GO ON
Page 18Which of the following best completes the diagram above?
A Created a general council to manage the colonies
A Boston Tea Party Cause & Effect B Connected Events/Concepts
Experienced strict control by Parliament
B War of 1812
C Established their own representative institutions
C American Revolution
D Appointed governors who reported to the king
D Civil War

GO ON
Adapted From Raphael, T.E. Teaching Question-Answer Relationships (1986)
Page 15 Test Taking Skills - Graphic Organizers
42 Which statement
Reproduction best explains
rights granted theonly
significance of the Mayflower
if copyright Compact?
information
intact. remains Page 2
F It limited the power of future colonial governments.

G It weakened the influence of religion in government.

H It established a form of self-government based on a social contract.

 Test Taking Skills - Graphic Organizers
Read each question carefully. Determine the best answer to the question
from the four answer choices provided. Then fill in the answer on your
answer document.
Charts like this are strong indicators that you are comparing and contrasting!

TO
Texas California

Texas Revolution Bear Flag Revolt

Cotton cultivation
? Gold mining
U.S. statehood, 1845 U.S. statehood, 1850
Same
Different Different

Which of of
1 Which thethefollowing best
following best replaces
replaces the question
the question mark
mark in the in the
diagram diagram above?
above?

A
A Former Mexican
Former Mexican territory
territory

B Dependent on slavery
B Dependent on slavery
C Settled by Mormons
C Settled by Mormons
D Large coal deposits
D Large coal deposits

Choice Question Rationale

Yes!

A Is this statement true for both

Texas and California?

No - While Texas was a slave state, California was admitted as a

B Is this statement true for both

Texas and California?
free state through the Compromise of 1850.

No - Utah was the only state settled by Mormons.

C Is this statement true for both

Texas and California?

No - California experienced the gold rush causing a large influx of

D Is this statement true for both

Texas and California?
migrants. Texas’ main economy at that time was based on
agriculture and commerce.

Adapted From Raphael, T.E. Teaching Question-Answer Relationships (1986) Test Taking Skills - Graphic Organizers
Reproduction rights granted only if copyright information remains intact. Page 3
GO ON
Page 4