Do a “brain dump” - If your instructor doesn't allow crib sheets, immediately write any key formulas on an empty section of the test paper.
Work carefully - Don’t lose points through careless errors. Watch for things like dropped minus signs or missed exponents. Check the numbers you type in your calculator against the numbers in the problem.
Show your work clearly and in order - First and most important, showing all the steps makes it easier for you to check your work as you go along. It’s awfully easy to make a careless mistake if you’re writing down one step out of three.
Pick the low-hanging fruit first - If you can do it quickly, you may want to look for any easy problems and solve them first. This will build your confidence, and you won’t miss easy points by getting hung up on hard problems.
Don't get hung up on one problem - If you seem to be spending too much time on one question, leave it and move to questions you can answer more easily.
Answer the actual question - Students lose lots of points on every test because they answered the question in their heads instead of the one on the paper. Work the problem to the end, and put your answer in the right form.
Give just one answer - Don’t give two conflicting answers and expect your teacher to pick one — you may not be happy with the results. If you give one answer you may be wrong, but if you give two you will be wrong.
Take all the time available - Many students like to leave a test early. Regardless of your motive, leaving too early is a mistake. Check your work on each problem, and correct any mistakes.