Jamie Goodwin

What to Look for in a Praxis Core Study Book

Praxis Core study book
Don’t let your Praxis Core study book get you down! Look for these 5 things in the one you choose. Petr Kratochvil.

Praxis Core study books are helpful when preparing for the exam. They can provide you with the information that you need to refresh your memory and prepare your mind. Unfortunately, not every Praxis Core study book is made the same; some are better than others. In order to find the best books to meet your study needs, here are 5 things that you should look for in a Praxis Core study book.

Up-to-Date Information

As nice as it is for your Aunt Sue to let you borrow her Praxis Core study book, it’s not going to help if she took the exam 5 to 10 years ago. ETS changes the exam on a regular basis, so the information in an older book won’t be relevant. Find out when the book was published, and try to choose one that was updated within the last year or 2.

Good Representation of the Exam

Flip through the book and briefly review some of the math and reading samples. You’ll find that some books offer practice questions that are much harder or easier than the actual exam. If this is the case, you won’t be prepared for the types of questions that you’ll be asked on the exam.

Also, check out the reading passages. Most of the time, Praxis avoids direct quotations, passages longer than 300 words, and fictional passages. If the book uses any of these, you can practice the type of questions with them, but remember that these questions don’t accurately represent the exam. It’s better to choose a book with similar questions and passages to the exam, so you can be better prepared for the exam.

Variety of Tips and Strategies

Some books will teach you that there is only one strategy for approaching a particular type of question. That’s not the case. There is no “one size fits all” for testing, so you shouldn’t rely on a book that tells you otherwise.

The book should provide a variety of tips and strategies that you can try on the practice questions. Then, you can choose ones that make the most sense to you to use on the exam.

Extensive Information for Trouble Areas

Before you start studying for the exam, sit down and figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. Spend some time reviewing areas that you consider strengths, but focus on your weaknesses. Make sure to choose a book that spends a lot of time going over that area.

You’ll find that some books focus heavily on math while others focus more on reading or writing. Whatever the case may be for you, it’s important to find a book that can help you strengthen those weak areas and help you feel better prepared.

Practice Exams

One of the best ways to prepare for the Praxis Core is to take practice exams. The more that you can take, the better. Find out whether or not the book offers practice exams and how many there are for you to take.

Before purchasing a Praxis Core study book, take the time to find out whether or not it will provide the information and practice that you need to efficiently prepare for the exam. Looking for these 5 things is a great way to help you select the right book to meet your needs.

Author

  • Jamie Goodwin

    Jamie graduated from Brigham Young University- Idaho with a degree in English Education. She spent several years teaching and tutoring students at the elementary, high school, and college level. She currently works as a contract writer and curriculum developer for online education courses. In her free time, she enjoys running and spending time with her boys!

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