OAA OAA Test-Taking Strategies & Academic Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of re-reading the question after you write your answer on an OAA open-ended item?
- To add unnecessary information
- To verify your response fully addresses what was asked (Correct answer)
- To copy the question into your answer
- To count the number of words you wrote
Correct answer: To verify your response fully addresses what was asked
Re-reading the question ensures your response is relevant and complete before moving on.
Question 2: Which strategy helps you understand an unfamiliar vocabulary word on the OAA?
- Guess based on the first letter
- Skip the word and hope it doesn't matter
- Use context clues from surrounding sentences (Correct answer)
- Look it up in a dictionary
Correct answer: Use context clues from surrounding sentences
Context clues — hints from nearby words and sentences — help you infer the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Question 3: On an OAA test day, which preparation habit supports the best performance?
- Staying up all night to study
- Getting enough sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, and arriving on time (Correct answer)
- Skipping breakfast to avoid feeling sick
- Reviewing all subjects in the final hour
Correct answer: Getting enough sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, and arriving on time
Physical preparation — rest, nutrition, and punctuality — directly impacts concentration and recall during testing.
Question 4: Which approach is BEST when you encounter a question you do not understand on the OAA?
- Panic and skip the rest of the test
- Re-read the question slowly, break it into parts, and answer what you can (Correct answer)
- Leave the answer completely blank
- Copy a nearby student's answer
Correct answer: Re-read the question slowly, break it into parts, and answer what you can
Breaking a confusing question into smaller parts helps you identify what is being asked and form a reasonable response.
Question 5: What does it mean to 'show your work' on an OAA mathematics problem?
- Write your name neatly
- Display each step of your solution process (Correct answer)
- Decorate your answer page
- Circle the answer twice
Correct answer: Display each step of your solution process
Showing your work demonstrates your reasoning process and may earn partial credit even if the final answer is incorrect.
Question 6: When an OAA question asks you to 'explain,' what should your response include?
- A one-word answer
- A drawing or diagram only
- A clear statement supported by reasons, details, or examples (Correct answer)
- A list of vocabulary words
Correct answer: A clear statement supported by reasons, details, or examples
An explanation requires you to state your point clearly and back it up with reasoning, details, or textual evidence.
What is the purpose of re-reading the question after you write your answer on an OAA open-ended item?