Praxis Prep

Develop a Study Plan
A study plan provides a roadmap to preparing for the Praxis tests. It can help you understand what skills and knowledge are covered on the test, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and identify where your attention should be focused. A written study plan can help you organize your efforts. Follow the steps below to create your own.

Define Content Areas: List the most important content areas to be covered on the test as outlined in the Test at a Glance (TAAG) found on the ETS.org/praxis website.

Determine Strengths & Weaknesses: Identify your strengths and weaknesses in each content area by taking the practice test found in the study guides or on the ETS.org website.

Identify Resources Available: Identify books, courses, and other resources you plan to use for each content area.

Develop a Schedule: Create and commit to a schedule that provides for regular study periods.

Study with Others: Join a study group and prepare with others who are planning to take the same Praxis test.

Attend a Praxis seminar if possible.

Review Previous Score Reports: If you are retaking a Praxis test, review your score report, discuss it with your academic advisor, and target areas for additional study.

MORE TIPS (found on the EST website)

1. Learn what the test covers.
You may have heard that there are several different versions of the same test. It's true. You may take one version of the test and your friend may take a different version a few months later. Each test has different questions covering the same subject area, but both versions of the test measure the same skills and content knowledge.
Test specifications can be found within each TAAG, under "Topics Covered." The TAAGs outline the content categories that will be measured by the test and what percentage of the test will cover each topic.

2. Assess how well you know the content.
Research has shown that test takers tend to overestimate their preparedness - this is why some test takers assume they did well and then find out they did not pass.
The Praxis tests are demanding enough to require serious review of likely content, and the longer you've been away from the content, the more preparation you will most likely need. If it has been longer than a few months since you've studied your content area, you will want to make a concerted effort to prepare for the Praxis tests.

3. Collect study materials.
Collecting and organizing your materials for review are critical steps in preparing for the Praxis tests. Consider the following reference sources as you plan your study:
Did you take a course in which the content area was covered?
Do you still have your book(s) or your notes?
Does your college library have a good introductory college-level textbook in this area?
Does your local library have a high school-level textbook?
Study guides are available for purchase for select Praxis tests. Each guide provides a combination of test preparation and practice, including sample questions and answers with explanations.

4. Plan and organize your time.
You can begin to plan and organize your time while you are still collecting materials. Allow yourself plenty of time to review so you can avoid "cramming" new material at the end. Here are a few tips:
Choose a test date far enough in the future to leave you plenty of preparation time.
Work backward from that date to figure out how much time you will need for review.
Set a realistic schedule and stick to it.

5. Develop a study plan.
A study plan provides a roadmap to prepare for the Praxis tests. It can help you understand what skills and knowledge are covered on the test and where to focus your attention. A written study plan (PDF) can help you organize your efforts.

6. Practice explaining the key concepts.
Praxis II® constructed-response tests assess your ability to explain material effectively. As a teacher, you'll need to be able to explain concepts and processes to students in a clear, understandable way. What are the major concepts you will be required to teach? Can you explain them in your own words accurately, completely and clearly? Practice explaining these concepts to test your ability to effectively explain what you know.

7. Understand how questions will be scored.
Scoring information can be found in the TAAG for each test.