CBEST Test Preparation

Preparing for CBEST

Effective May 2007 with the introduction of Multiple Subjects (MS) CSET Writing, students preparing for the MS Credential ONLY should seriously consider waiving CBEST.

All others should study the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) Bulletin or website: www.cbest.nesinc.com and note registration deadlines for test dates each even-numbered month during the year.

Carefully read the CBEST test specifications so you are fully prepared.
http://www.cbest.nesinc.com/PDFs/CBESTUpdatedTestSpecs.pdf

Examine the Writing Score Scale, and take the CBEST practice test.
http://www.cbest.nesinc.com/CA_viewPT_PDF_opener.asp

For further practice, borrow CBEST prep books from the Student Resource Center and your local public library. Read the study guides; complete the practice tests. Review your mistakes until you understand your errors.

Online study practice for reading comprehension and vocabulary: http://www.readingcomprehensionconnection.com/lesson.php

Practice writing two prompts under test conditions: time yourself and write without interruption. Away from your desk, review a CBEST topic, mentally plan your response, and talk your way through your essay.

For greater fluency in reading and writing English, if appropriate, borrow books and books-on-tape from your library, listen to English-speaking radio stations, and watch television shows in English with closed captioning. Search online for practice tests. http://www.expertstudyhelp.com/cbest_test_breakdown.htm

Writing for CBEST

Write two standard five-paragraph essays for CBEST for each of the two topics: one calls for an analysis of a statement or general issue, and the other requires reflection on a personal experience.

Planning: Do this first; take 10 – 15 minutes at least. Essays are effective because of your planning and content.

Read the prompt carefully and note every aspect that must be discussed. Read it carefully again; check that you have understood the question and have found all the issues to which you must respond. Write each issue as a separate heading. Check your headings against the prompt for a final check.

Brainstorm ideas by writing everything down that occurs to you under the appropriate heading. No need to write in sentences, censor yourself, or make it pretty. Aim for twelve to fifteen ideas with at least three or four in each column. Practice brain storming topics until you get the feel for how much is enough for you to write your essay without running out of ideas.

Group your ideas logically into paragraphs. Number them in importance, if you wish, to make sure you make your strongest argument. Star the most important ideas in each column for use in your introductory paragraph. Eliminate or ignore any dud ideas.

Put this outline aside and plan the other essay in the same way.

Put this second outline aside also and do what you consider your strongest element on the test: mathematics or reading comprehension. While you are working, your essays will be "cooking." Add to your plan any ideas that occur to you while you are working elsewhere on the test.

Writing: Follow your plan with 30-40 minutes of solid writing.

Reread the prompt and address it directly in a short concise sentence.

Follow that sentence with another short concise sentence. Your aim is to provide the reader with the opportunity to "hear your voice" and gain confidence in your ability to express yourself clearly, concisely, and accurately. Continue making the points you have decided to include in your introductory paragraph. Make as powerful a statement as you can at the beginning and end of your essay: readers remember paragraphs one and five much better than the body paragraphs.

Before writing your concluding sentence, reread your opening sentences; see if there is an effective way of tying the two together.

Style Points

• Do not use contractions.
• Use standard punctuation.
• Do not begin sentences with “And” or “But” or “Because.”
• Avoid using a word you are not sure how to spell, especially in the first paragraph—use a synonym.
• If you are not sure of the meaning of a word, don’t use it.
• Write at least one complex sentence in a paragraph to show you are able to.
• Keep making your points clearly and logically with relevant supporting detail.

Writing Points

• You may write your essay in pencil, but think ahead to avoid major erasures.
• It is a writing exercise; it does not have to be true.
• Take a position for or against an issue; avoid sitting on the fence, if appropriate.
• Make it easy on yourself: compare and contrast yourself with your grandparent of the opposite sex rather than your same sex sibling.
• You are allowed to enjoy writing!

Proofreading: Allow 10 – 15 minutes. Use your finger to point to every word and read what you have actually written.

You are allowed a few spelling errors, but aim to catch every mistake.

Make only minor changes in content at this stage. Your reader realizes you are writing under pressure with considerable time constraints and does not expect brilliance from you.

English is a difficult language to learn to write. The prepositions (in, by, to, and the other 50-odd of them) are particularly tricky, as are the articles: a, an, the. Examine every preposition. Check if you need a preposition at all and whether you have used the correct one. Examine every noun. If it is a singular noun, check whether it needs an article and if you have used the correct one. It is often easier to write plural noun forms, particularly for people when you can use the pronouns "they" and "them" rather than "he or she" and "her or him."

If you don’t understand a word in the prompt, try to avoid it; if it is a key word that must be addressed, define the word as you understand it and argue accordingly.

Additional help and resources

Other materials are available in the Student Resource Center at UCI.

For an appointment or more assistance, please email gse-test-prep@uci.edu stating your availability during the week.