BEAVERTON, OR, November 25, 2009
/24-7PressRelease/ -- During the course of your Praxis exam practice, you've probably encounter the old wisdom to always go with your first instinct.
However, Pulitzer Prize winner Joseph Hallinan has just released a new book which argues that more mistakes are made when we go with our first instinct. At the core, "Errornomics" explores the simple question of why we make mistakes. However, Hallinan's findings have real implications for those getting ready to take standardized tests, including Praxis test practice.
Praxis Practice Questions Raised: Just Why Do We Make Exam Mistakes?
According to Hallinan, assumption is the main reason why test takers make mistakes. "People have a poor understanding of how their perception works, and they tend to think it's more foolproof than is actually the case. A good example of this is taking exams. The perceived wisdom is to go with your first answer because it's most likely to be right. In fact, recent academic research has shown the opposite to be true. It's much better to go with your second guess, but people don't do that."
While many academic researchers find Hallinan's findings to engage in a welcome dialogue, other educational experts are hesitant to back up his claims.
"It's dangerous that Hallinan doesn't clarify exactly what drives the instinct to go with your first answer," says Dr. James K. Tong, researcher and Praxis exam tutor with renowned Praxis test practice company Teaching Solutions. "He claims that second-guessing ourselves is extremely beneficial, whereas our research has shown that most people who second-guess their answers do so because they have low self-confidence, not necessarily because they are certain that their first answer is wrong. They don't believe that they're capable of getting a right answer, which brings about detrimental feelings of doubt and uncertainty."
To Second-Guess Or Not To Second-Guess?
While educational researchers argue over the implications that Hallinan's book highlights, Dr. Tong suggests that future test takers should try out both methods on their Praxis practice tests.
"Hallinan certainly makes an interesting point, but at the end of the day, it's important to test takers to do what makes them most comfortable," Dr. Tong says. "That's why it's so vital for test takers to try out both methods on their Praxis practice tests to see if their first instinct is usually correct, or if they can benefit from second-guessing. Work with the method that's right for you, and not what experts claim is right for you."
Expert tutors and coaches at Teaching Solutions can best teach you what you need to succeed with the Praxis test. A cookie-cutter study guide can't give you human help when burning Praxis test help questions invariably come up. For more resources, real test content and mirror-like test questions to turbo-boost your score to the passing zone, go to the Teaching Solutions website.
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