New Study Prep Course Offers Tips on Taking Miller Analogies Test
January 05, 2017
Debrah Baxter and Rod Evans
Rod Evans, senior lecturer in philosophy and religious studies at Old Dominion University, and Debrah Baxter, adjunct instructor in continuing education and professional development, are introducing some helpful tricks and tips on taking the MAT (the Miller Analogies Test) through a new MAT Study Prep Course.
The MAT is a standardized exam that uses analogies to measure the mental ability and critical thinking of test takers. The test is used primarily as a diagnostic for entry into graduate school programs throughout the United States.
Evans and Baxter will offer the test prep course for the MAT through Old Dominion University's College of Continuing Education and Professional Development, starting later this month.
Both instructors developed the idea for this course through their mutual interests in trivia and desire to problem solve.
Evans, who earned a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Virginia, has two awards for outstanding teaching. The 18 books Evan's has authored include works in lexicography, English usage, interpersonal communication, popular misconceptions, wordplay, trivia, drug and gambling policy, the Bible and cats. Further, his books contain forewords from such celebrities as Betty White, Nobel laureate Linus Pauling, author Isaac Asimov, the late senator Paul Simon and Emmy-award-winning broadcaster Hugh Downs. He has book blurbs from Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings, Nobel laureate Milton Friedman, Charlton Heston, Scrabble champ Joe Edley, and best-selling wordplay author Richard Lederer, who wrote: "No one makes the alphabet dance more brilliantly and entertainingly than Rod Evans!"
Debrah Baxter has worked in higher education for over 25 years, teaching at colleges all over the U.S. and abroad, including Japan, Italy and Brazil. She enjoys creating new and inventive curriculum, and presented at the 2016 International TESOL Convention on the topic of "Using Satire in the Classroom" along with Craig Stark from Susquehanna University. Debrah also created a series of short videos on teaching current events to Intensive English as a Second Language students using Mad Magazine; those videos can be found on her YouTube channel.
This unique course will not only help aspiring graduate students and anyone who enrolls adopt and incorporate beneficial habits for more effective learning. During the course, Evans and Baxter will discuss topics such as when to take breaks from studying, how long to study and what dietary supplements should be taken to boost brain power. All course participants will have the opportunity to ask questions regarding specific areas of the test that they tend to find most difficult. The course is available to anyone but may be especially helpful for retirees who want to improve their brain's memory power as well as for people looking to gain entry into prestigious clubs or groups, including MENSA, the Triple Nine Society and the Prometheus Society. ROTC cadets looking to improve their Order of Merit rank by scoring well on the MAT may also benefit from this course.
The MAT Study Prep course will be taught at the Virginia Beach Higher Education Center, starting Jan. 23. It is an intensive course and will meet twice per week for three weeks. Students may attend the course either in-person or online as a webinar via WebEx. For more information, please visit the Mat Prep Course website or contact Debrah Baxter directly at dbaxter@odu.edu.