The Test of English for International Communication, simply known as TOEIC to most students, is a word that is able to conjure feelings of contempt and fear in the heart of any non-native English learner. It is a language test designed ���to measure the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment���. Simply put, it is an internationally recognized exam created to gauge one���s English abilities.

At Kyungil University, every student enrolled in either first year or second year English must complete two of these tests, print out their results, and submit them to their professor. I cannot overemphasize how important these two TOEIC tests truly are in the marking scheme. TOEIC tests account for 10% of students��� final grade, which is the difference in a FULL letter grade. For each completed and verified TOEIC test, a student will receive 5%, thus upon completion each student will receive a perfect 10% for this portion of their grade.

In the past, I have discovered that students are often very insecure and anxious about giving their TOEIC results to their professor. DON���T BE! Remember, your professors are there to help you, not pass judgment, and the purpose of the TOEIC tests are to prepare you for post-university life.
Now, here are some simple, yet incredibly effective strategies when taking a multiple choice exam such as TOEIC.

���  Read the question before you look at the answer.
���  Come up with the answer in your head before looking at the possible answers.
���  Eliminate all answers that you are certain are incorrect.
���  Read all the choices before choosing your answer.
���  Trust your first instinct. Don't keep on changing your answer; usually your first choice
   is the correct one.
���  In a question with an "All of the above" choice, if you see that at least two correct
   statements, then "All of the above" is probably the answer.
���  Usually the correct answer is the choice with the most information.

As a final reminder, I strongly recommend to all of my students, and every student at Kyungil Univeristy, to sign up and complete your two TOEIC tests as early as possible. Don���t delay or you may find that all of the test spots are booked and you are unable to make a reservation. Best of luck!

Professor Gregory Jones
International Relations and Foreign Language Education Center