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Tips for Writing Multiple Choice Exams

Tips for Writing Multiple Choice Exams

By Donna Dunning

How can you go wrong when they give you an exam with all the correct answers as well? The problem, of course, is that you have to pick the right one.

Make sure you have a well-thought-out strategy when you are taking a multiple-choice exam. You likely will increase your grade if you systematically approach each question.

Here are a few tips to help.

• Read the question carefully. Highlight any words that change the meaning of the question, such as not or except. Many errors occur when the learner reads too quickly and misses some information given in the question.
• If possible, answer the question in your head first before looking at the multiple choices. This keeps your mind focused on the question.
• Read through all of the possible answers carefully.
• Systematically eliminate any answers that are obviously incorrect. This narrows your options and increases your chances of making the correct choice.
• When you have eliminated as many incorrect answers as possible return to the question. Read the question with the first choice then go back and read the question with the second choice. This helps you avoid choosing an answer that has correct information but doesn’t answer the question.
• Check your time and, unless it is right minus wrong, answer all of the items. A guess (or even a random choice if you run out of time) is better than nothing.
• When you complete all of the items check your answers. Make sure you have recorded your answers correctly and have read the questions accurately.
• Avoid changing an answer because you are second-guessing yourself or thinking maybe it’s a “trick” question. Change your answer only if you realize you have misread a question/answer or if you recall some relevant information.
• When you get your results, analyze why you got questions wrong. Maybe you misread a question, studied the wrong material, or confused two related concepts. This information will help you prepare in the future.

For more ideas about doing well on exams, look at my posts on Exam Study Tips and Exam Writing Tips.

Your personality type preferences influence the kind of study and exam writing system that works best for you. If you would like more information on personality type and learning, check out my booklet, Introduction to Type and Learning in print or pdf format.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 at 8:15 am and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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