Strategies for Multiple Choice Exams

As I stated in the last post, there is no substitute for studying and knowing the correct answer.   But having some test-taking strategies definitely can help.  Here are some tips:

• Read the prompt carefully.  Be sure you know what it is asking.

• It does not work to think that you will “recognize” the answer for several reasons:

·    The information will be worded differently than your lecture notes and the textbook.  It also probably will be in a different order than your lecture notes.

·        There are almost no “give away” answer options.  All of the possible answers  are from somewhere in the unit, they just do not pertain to the question you are answering.

• Read ALL of the options before making a choice.  There may be several possibilities, but you want the BEST one.

• Use process of elimination. 

• Be careful and slow down if the prompt has the word NOT or EXCEPT.  This changes the question.  In some cases you are now looking for the WRONG answer.

• The old adage of “when in doubt chose C” does not work.  The professors have heard it also.

• Sometimes it is true that the longest answer is the correct one.

• Be sure the answer grammatically fits with the prompt.

• If you do not know an answer, you can skip it and keep the question in your mind.  It is very possible that a wrong answer later on will trigger your memory for the correct answer to the one you skipped.  (Just be careful to be on the correct number on the scantron sheet.   Getting off my one number is disastrous!!)

Good luck!  But remember - hard work beats luck!!!