IQ tests are a tool by which overall intelligence is measured. Whether you are taking a free, online IQ test or a Mensa IQ test, there are ways to prepare and potentially boost your scores. This page will show you how to take an IQ test.

A person's intelligence quotient, or IQ, is not only a measure of intelligence, but of mental potential. How much is the person capable of learning, and how well? What are that person's mental limitations? An IQ test can help you learn more about your own mental potential, or that of your child. Standardized IQ tests can measure everything from a person's logical thinking abilities to their general knowledge.

• Some formal IQ tests offer software or books to help you prepare for the test. If nothing else, reading ahead may help you become more familiar with the test format. Mensa, for example, offers a home test that you can order before you take the supervised IQ exam.

• Can you actually boost your brainpower before taking an IQ test? Theories vary, but some researchers believe that increasing working memory—the ability to store and manipulate information for brief periods of time—could increase a person's IQ.

Where and how you will take your IQ test depends on the type of test you are taking. Is it a free IQ test offered online? If so, you will likely be able to submit answers from the comfort of your own home or office. If it is a supervised IQ test, though, you'll need to visit a chosen location that offers a testing session. Although online IQ tests may be the most convenient way to go, they may not always be the most reliable. They are often much less detailed than IQ tests administered by professionals, and are seen as incomplete by many. While these may give you a snapshot of an idea about your IQ, the results of online tests are less than official. If you wish to take a professionally administered exam but are not sure where to do it, ask a psychiatrist in your area -- they may administer the test themselves, or know where to refer you.

IQ tests can take hours, or minutes, depending on the type of test you are taking.

• If you don't score well on an IQ test, that doesn't mean you aren't smart. Remember: an IQ test essentially scores your mental potential. Did you have test anxiety when you took the test the first time? If so, you may be able to take the test again. You may be much more comfortable the second time around.

An IQ test is a way to gauge a person's mental abilities. A person's IQ score can be objectively determined through the administration of several standardized IQ tests. There are things you can do to prepare for an IQ test, and if you don't score well, don't despair.