Archive for June, 2011
The GAMSAT practice test is designed to provide students with the means to test and measure their skills, knowledge and capabilities. It can also be used for deeper learning by further discussing and expounding on the information included in the question. Students need to be resourceful when using review materials to enhance the learning process. The students need to use the practice tests before, during and after the review to reinforce the knowledge they have. Enhanced preparedness and awareness would help the students deal with the different conditions which could be encountered in the examination. This would allow them to have a higher chance of passing the GAMSAT.
A course outline should be created using the set of topics found in the different GAMSAT practice test. This would be very helpful in the proper selection of the topics needed to be studied. The students should use all the previous GAMSAT papers since the topics included are relevant for the review process. All the details included with the topic should be included in the review. This would allow the student to cover all the important topics needed to be studied. Students should know that the examiners would only deal with lessons that have relevance in the medical studies which would include physiology, microbiology, cell physiology, comparative anatomy and genetics. The outline created should also include other topics which would have a high chance of appearing in the examination.
The questions in the GAMSAT practice test should be thoroughly examined by the students. Instead of simply reading the questions, the answers should be further discussed. This would allow the students to learn more important details aside from the information included in the question. For example, the blood component which is responsible for the circulation of oxygen is asked in the question. The choices provided would include red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin or platelets. The answer to the question would be red blood cells. The role of each component in blood function should also be noted. This is very important in helping students achieve a more comprehensive learning experience. White blood cells are present to fight off infection. Platelets serve to form plaques to stop bleeding. Hemoglobin would serve as the pigment to color the blood red. All the items can be further discussed. Other lessons connected with blood circulation such as the heart, organs and other important topics should also be researched. The practice test is a good reference when choosing lessons and topics to study.
The GAMSAT practice test can also be used for structured learning for a more comprehensive review. Structured learning allows students to study lessons and topics using the format and presentation used with the questions. This would allow the students to have a better and more efficient approach. Instead of simply reading, certain details would be noted. The details looked upon would be based on the contents of the questions. For example, a question regarding anatomy has been included in the exam. The function and range of motion of a certain muscle group is asked. This pattern should now be used when studying other anatomical structures include the skeletal system. This would increase the chances of the students to get the right answer when presented with a similar question pertaining to another topic.
Statistical analysis of the GAMSAT practice test is also necessary to check the frequency of exam items coming from a certain subject area. The item analysis of the GAMSAT practice test has shown that examiners tend to include several subject areas every year. The coverage would change annually to cover other topics. The students can anticipate which topics would have a high chance of appearing by analyzing the items included.
The GAMSAT practice test can be used for a more in depth review. This can be done by using the structure and format of the questions as a basis when reviewing. A course outline and analysis of the questions can also be derived from the practice tests. This would serve as a guide when dealing with the extensive list of topics included.
The GAMSAT Training for the communication skills portion of the examination is very important considering it covers 1/3 of the exam. The time allotted for the essay writing portion is limited to one hour. The student would be given two set of quotes that would serve as a reference when composing the essay. The quotes could be taken from any resource material including a newspaper or magazine article, historical literature, news reports and other relevant items. The student would be required to use the stimulus material to express their personal views regarding a certain topic or issue. Extensive training and preparation for the written examination is very important since the time period allotted is limited. Using a formula to establish the ideas in an organized and systematic manner would make it easier for the students to compose an informative and well structured essay.
The GAMSAT training for communications skills is a very extensive process. The training process should enhance the grammar and composition skills of the students. Aside from that, the student should also improve his ability to generate and derive relevant ideas from the stimulus material. The only means to attain the necessary skills is through constant practice. The student should learn how to maximize the thirty minutes provided for the writing examination. Instead of thinking on the spot, the student should have a plan on how to approach the topics provided. Although there are no correct answers in this part of the exam, the content would be meticulously evaluated based on its relevance to the issue and statement related to the stimulus material.
Although the grammar and composition of the student is not the main aspect of the essay evaluated in the examination, it is very important since it would determine one’s ability to express words clearly. Given the short amount of time allotted for the review, the best way to improve grammar skills is through constant reading of quality compositions. The student should learn how to emulate the writing style of very skilled and talented authors. This would help the students have a reliable guide. The materials produced by these authors should be studied repeatedly. This would provide students with the idea on how to introduce and discuss the topics needed. The sentence construction and wordings used are critical in the expression of ideas. The student should use simple but meaningful words in order to convey the message accurately. The examiners might be confused with the idea expressed by the student if vague and irrelevant words are used.
The GAMSAT training for essay composition should also cover the proper arrangement of ideas. It is very important that the flow of ideas and information is very organized and systematic. Examiners are checking thousands of essays which would make it hard for them if the composition is disorganized. The theme and important ideas discussed in the essay needs to be understood by the examiner in one reading. It is very easy to dismiss an essay that lacks consistency and flow. The student should already establish a format on how the essay would be written. This would make it easier for the student to transfer his thoughts into writing. The student would have to start with the central theme. The introductory statement or paragraph establishing the theme should leave an impression. This can be done by using a famous statement, rhetorical question and other presentation that would enhance the message. The student can then present personal views regarding the matter. The discussion can be made relevant by citing examples such as known facts, historical events and other related data that can be used to support the claims.
The GAMSAT training for communications skills is very important in helping students establish a very striking and informative composition. The process of writing an essay is complicated which is why students should invest significant time and effort to practice efficiently.
Using the proper GAMSAT books is very important since the exam has a very extensive coverage involving biology, chemistry and physics. Although the scope is very broad, there are only 185 items (sections 1 and 3) excluding the essay writing portion. In the science section they are divided with 80% of questions on biology and chemistry while physics would only be limited to 20%. In order to have the knowledge to answer the questions properly, students should acquire the proper books that can provide all the fundamental ideas and principles needed. Students should understand that the review for GAMSAT is more on recall, familiarization and application rather than memorization. Instead of reading the books word for word, it should be used to reinforce the knowledge and ideas already attained by the students.
There are different GAMSAT books for Biology available in the market. In order to study effectively, students should use a summarized and comprehensive version of the biology book. The summarized book can serve as a guide while studying the comprehensive material. This is necessary since biology involves hundreds of topics. The summary would usually present all the important ideas, principles and theories involved in bullet form. This would make it easy for students since they do not need to read several paragraphs to determine the important facts needed. For the in depth discussion, the students can read the complete version of the book.
This is a very effective way to study biology especially a complicated topic such as genetics. The summary of the genetic topics would provide students with important definitions complete with details and examples. The Mendelian theory is one of the most commonly misunderstood principles. Students should use the summarized material to point out which ideas should be given attention in the comprehensive books. The summary would define basic terms such as genotype, phenotype, heterozygous and homozygous genes. Once the necessary definitions have been understood, the student can find the information explaining the theory and processes behind the lesson. The actual formula to acquire the genotype of the organism can be reviewed. This system would be very helpful especially when studying comparative anatomy, zoology and botany. The scientific names of the plants and animals would usually be related to their description and habitats. A good example would be the plant Garden Nightshade which is appropriately called Solanum Nigrum in scientific terms. Nigrum would correspond to the black color of the berries. All the related information can be found at the comprehensive books provided.
When studying physics and chemistry, students should use books offering practice questions and problems. This is because most of the questions would require problem solving and analysis of data. GAMSAT books containing practice questions would greatly help students prepare for the questions that would be encountered. Physics and chemistry have a wide range of topics that explain the reason behind different processes and conditions. The problem with most students is the lack of application of the formulas and theories included in the lesson. Students should understand that chemistry and physics is a practical subject that requires constant application of the fundamental ideas and information. The GAMSAT books that have lots of examples would help the students have a better comprehension. The basic equations should first be understood before studying the complicated topics. This is necessary especially in chemistry topics. Strong background knowledge regarding the nature, nomenclature and structure of the molecules is necessary before studying the different reactions.
The proper GAMSAT books are very important when studying for specific topics included in the examination. Students should not rely on regular books since the information included would not suffice. The proper books would allow better preparation for the examination.
The GAMSAT practice test can be used to determine the weaknesses and deficiencies of students who are planning to take the exam. Before the actual examination, the student should already be aware of his personal weaknesses. Preventive measures should be set in place to avoid mistakes, errors and complications which could lessen the chances of passing the examination. This is very important since the student would be exposed to different factors and variables which could lead to distractions, pressure and other complications. If the student is not prepared, his negative attributes could become a disruption. The students should use the practice tests as a measurement of performance.
The GAMSAT practice test should be used primarily to determine the weaknesses of students in the different subject areas. The practice test should be used prior to the examination to help the student identify the lessons that need to be reviewed repeatedly. The set of skills where students commonly experience deficiencies would include comprehension, analysis and computation. All of these can be measured individually by altering the practice tests in different ways.
The comprehension of the student is very critical especially when dealing with the sciences. Deficiencies in comprehension would lessen the capability of the student to understand and answer the questions in the exam efficiently. The student should collect a set of GAMSAT practice test. Each question should be read carefully. All the items which cannot be recalled or recognized should be noted. The unfamiliar topics, lessons and items can then be researched while reviewing. This would greatly enhance the comprehension of the students. The questions in the practice test should be segregated based on the subject area involved. This is necessary in determining the specific lessons where the student is having a hard time. The student should concentrate on the areas where he has problems.
Subject areas which require extensive comprehension would include genetics, physiology, botany and zoology since the subjects involve thousands of scientific terms and items. Students should be careful when answering questions coming from these subject areas since the terms could be confusing or misleading. For example, the process involving the production of proteins is asked in the exam. The choices would include DNA translation, RNA transcription, amino acid synthesis or molecular splicing. The choices are closely related to each other. Both DNA and RNA play a significant role in the process. The answer would be amino acid synthesis since it is the direct process involved in protein production.
Efficient Computation of variables is another skill which should be evaluated using the GAMSAT practice test. The capability if the student to analyze items would be very important especially when answering question coming from physics and chemistry. The subjects require analysis of data and variables to produce the necessary solutions. The different problems coming from the practice sets should be answered in different ways. The students should know how to modify and derive formulas from certain equations. The problem with most examinees is the lack of understanding when using formulas and equations. Memorization of formulas would not be enough since the problems involve a number of variables which could not be fitted in the equation.
Analysis is the most important quality which should be measured using the GAMSAT practice test. The comprehension and computation skills of the student would depend on the ability to analyze the underlying processes involved. The student should have an idea regarding the relationships of the items included in the question.
Students should use the GAMSAT practice test to examine their capabilities. Students need to be attentive in order to find flaws and deficiencies that need to be dealt with.