How to Study for the GED Constitution Test

Even if you don't graduate from an accredited high school, you still need a high school diploma to attend college or to qualify for many jobs. One option is to get a General Equivalency Diploma by taking (and passing) a GED test. While the GED is a standardized test, each state has its own requirements regarding subjects covered and passing scores. Some states such as Illinois require that you also take and pass a Constitution test that covers the U.S. and state constitutions. To study for the GED Constitution test, you'll need to understand the primary documents covered by the test and be able to identify various elected officials.^{[1]XResearch source}

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Studying the Primary Documents

1
Read the documents covered in the test. The Constitution test covers the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Flag Code, in addition to the state constitution of the state in which you're taking the test. You can find copies of these documents online.^{[2]XResearch source}^{[3]XResearch source}
- You can find copies of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence on many U.S. government websites including the Library of Congress.
- All of these documents also are available at your local library. Just ask the reference librarian to help you locate them.
- If you are an Illinois resident, the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) has a detailed study guide with quizzes that includes relevant excerpts from the primary documents covered by the test, as well as explanations of each paragraph or section of those documents. You can download the study guide from the ICCB's website.
- These sorts of study guides can keep you from having to remember everything in each of the primary documents, since they typically focus exclusively on the material you'll need to know for the test.
2
Put the documents in your own words. As you read the primary documents, create an outline of each document and write down in your own words what each section or paragraph says. The primary documents themselves include archaic language and legalese, but putting them into your own words makes them easier to understand.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Simply the act of writing down the information will improve your memory of it. When you read something, you're engaging in passive learning, but writing it out engages your brain actively and reinforces the information in your memory.
- You may have heard that you learn better by teaching. When you write something down in your own words, you are essentially reading the information and then teaching it to yourself, which also engages your brain to encourage the information to solidify in your long-term memory.
- You might consider telling someone else, such as a friend or family member, about the information you've learned. Saying it out loud engages other parts of your brain and makes the memory stronger.
- It can be beneficial to talk about what you're learning with a child. A child is less likely to know about the things you're studying, so it will be new information to them. In addition, children tend to be inquisitive and will probably ask you a lot of questions.
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3
Use flashcards. You can buy a set of index cards (or cut regular paper into smaller squares – just make sure you can't see through them) and put questions on one side and answers on the back to help you study for the test.^{[5]XResearch source}^{[6]XResearch source}
- Flash cards are particularly helpful for memorizing vocabulary terms, such as "separation of powers" or "impeachment," that you'll have to define on your test.
- You also can use them for lists of things covered by the documents tested, such as a list of the powers granted to Congress by the Constitution.
4
Memorize information by using the "chunking" method. Keeping the information on your flash cards brief increases your ability to memorize it. This is referred to as "chunking" by psychologists and other professionals who've studied the ability to remember information.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Generally, if you group items into small groups, you will remember more of the information than if you try to memorize it in a long, unbroken stream.
- This is why, for example, you typically find it easier to remember your Social Security number than a single string of nine numbers – it's grouped into chunks of three, then two, then four. You may even chunk it further, remembering the last four digits as two two-digit numbers rather than a string of four individual numbers.
5
Find mnemonic devices and other tricks. There are a number of mental tricks you can use to make various facts, especially dates and lists, much easier to remember than simply repeating the facts over and over again with no context.^{[8]XResearch source}^{[9]XResearch source}
- Mnemonic devices or acronyms provide you with a single word or short phrase that's easier to remember than the information it represents.
- For example, if you want to remember the freedoms the First Amendment protects, consider using the acronym "RAPPS," which stands for the freedoms of Religion, Assembly, Petition, Press, and Speech.
- Creating a rhyme or song also can help you remember the information by engaging different parts of your brain.
6
Create a good study environment. Generally, it's best to study at a time and place where you are reasonably comfortable, have adequate lighting, and can be assured of few distractions. Because you'll remember more with repetition, try to carve out some time to study each day, even if it's only for a few minutes.^{[10]XResearch source}^{[11]XResearch source}
- Background music can help you focus by drowning out other noise that can be distracting. Experts may recommend classical music, but that may not work for you – especially if you don't like classical music. You can experiment to find the best music that engages your brain.
- Ideally, you should be studying in a place where you're neither too cold or too hot, as these sensations can distract you and keep you from focusing on the material you're studying.
- Likewise, adequate lighting keeps you from straining to read, or from squinting under lights that are too bright. Make sure the light under which you study is steady and calm with very little glare on your page or screen.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Learning about Government Leaders

1
Identify the officials you'll need to know. The Constitution test may require you to name your elected representatives. The first step in studying for this portion of the test is to learn the offices covered by the test and the individuals who occupy those offices.^{[12]XResearch source}
- The basic study guide available from your state's educational department or from school districts typically will list the elected offices covered by the test.
- For example, if you're taking the Illinois test, you'll need to know the name of the state governor, the two U.S. senators, and the member of the U.S. house of representatives that represents the district where you live.
- A simple online search typically can uncover the names of the individuals who hold those offices, as well as links to their websites, news stories, and other information about them.
2
Read biographies and background information. Memorizing random names can be difficult, but learning about the background of the individual associated with that name can make the person come alive in your mind so they are more memorable.^{[13]XResearch source}^{[14]XResearch source}
- Think about how easily you find it to remember the names of your favorite celebrities or professional athletes. Generally, their names are easy to remember because you're interested in them – in who they are and in the things they do.
- If you can find some aspect of an elected official's life that interests you personally, you can connect them to that interesting thing to make their name easier to remember.
- For example, if you find out one of your state senators has the same dog that you do, you develop a connection with that person that makes it easier to remember their name (and maybe even their dog's name, although that likely won't be on the test).
3
Watch videos on the internet. A simple way to remember the names of elected officials is to watch videos of them speaking. Particularly if an official has been in office for several years, you typically can find many videos of that person online for free.^{[15]XResearch source}
- Videos engage the visual and auditory portions of your brain. It often is easier to remember information if it is associated with multiple senses.
- Watching a video of someone is similar to meeting them in person. Typically it's easier for you to remember someone's name after you've met them and talked to them for a bit, and the same concept applies to elected officials.
- A video can be an even better memory aid if you can find campaign videos, which typically display the candidate's name repetitively and prominently while they're speaking.
4
Put each person in context. You will do best on the Constitution test if you understand when a particular elected official was elected and why. Understanding the basic mechanics of the election cycle not only better prepares you to take the Constitution test but makes you a more informed citizen.^{[16]XResearch source}^{[17]XResearch source}
- Even if it's not going to be on the test, find out when the person was elected and under what circumstances, such as if their last campaign was for re-election or if they unseated an incumbent.
- Find out the major issues of that election, and compare them to major issues currently in the news. If they made significant campaign promises, find out if they've been able to fulfill those promises since they were elected.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Taking Practice Tests

1
Take practice tests. You typically can find practice tests online, which you can download and print. While you may be able to find study questions you can complete and have scored online, you also should practice with a paper test.^{[18]XResearch source}
- If you are taking the Illinois test, you can find practice tests and study guides at www.iccb.org, the website of the Illinois Community College Board.
- You may be able to find practice tests and study materials at the websites of school districts in your county, or at local community colleges – particularly those who administer the test.
- Look in your public library or ask the reference librarian at your local community college library if they have copies of old tests on file.
- Make sure you keep the practice test answers separate from the test itself so you aren't tempted to cheat and look at the answer.
- If you don't trust yourself, consider giving the answers to a friend or family member to keep until you've finished your practice.
2
Time yourself. Find out how long you'll have to take the test, and use a kitchen timer to set a time for your practice tests. Stick to that timer just as the proctor would in the real test, and don't be tempted to answer questions after it's gone off.
- If timed conditions cause you problems, consider taking your practice tests under a shorter time limit than you'll take the actual test. This is similar to a baseball player taking a few practice swings with a weighted bat before stepping up to the plate.
- For example, if you will have 30 minutes to take the test, practice taking the test with a 15-minute time limit. When you get to the actual test and your time has doubled, you won't feel the same time pressure.
3
Replicate the test conditions. The best way to ensure that environment is not a factor in your test performance is to simulate the actual test conditions as closely as you can when you take your practice test.
- Particularly if you have difficulty taking standardized tests, the testing environment itself may make you nervous and cause you to have problems recalling information you'd have no trouble getting right otherwise.
- If you question your own discipline to administer the test yourself, you might want to ask a friend or family member to serve as a "proctor" for your practice test.
4
Double down on questions you missed. After you score your test, take note of the questions you missed and make them your primary focus until you know them as quickly and easily as you know the other answers.^{[19]XResearch source}
- Look at the methods you used to study the material you missed and see if you figure out why they aren't working. Sometimes even using a different method can shake things up a bit.
- Keep in mind that focusing on the things with which you had difficulty doesn't mean ignoring everything else – otherwise, you may find you've forgotten something that previously came easily to you.
5
Review your study materials regularly. Even if you got a passing score on your practice test, set aside time to review your flash cards each day until the day of the test to keep the material fresh in your mind.^{[20]XResearch source}^{[21]XResearch source}
- Studying in small chunks over an extended period of time will help you retain more information than if you try to cram the night before the test.
- You can get rusty over time, though, so make sure you're continually reviewing the information – even stuff you think you already know.
- Keep in mind that sometimes reviewing facts you already know can be more difficult than learning it the first time, because you'll get bored going over the same things.
- Switch up your study methods to keep yourself guessing, and keep your review sessions brief – maybe 15 or 20 minutes.
There typically is no fee to take the constitution test, and you can retake it as many times as you need to get a passing score. Look at your scoring report and isolate the areas where you need to improve so you can focus your studies on them.^{[22]XResearch source}
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