Tips for MCQs

However, first impressions or intuitions tend to be correct, so if you do change your answer be sure you have a good reason to do so; research indicates that in 3 out of 4 times your

I AN OBJECTIVE TEST CAN HAVE A

VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TEST ITEMS LIKE: I AN OBJECTIVE TEST CAN HAVE A

VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TEST ITEMS LIKE:

1 Free – response Free – response items

2 True – false

3 Fill in the blanks

4 Completion items

5 Match the items

6 Multiple – choice questions or MCQs, and

7 A variation or combination of these types.

II Strategies for objective

2 Read the instructions for the whole test and

each subsection and make sure you

understand them If in doubt, ask Many

students are in such a hurry to start the

test they do not read the instructions and make careless errors as a result.

3 Note the number of items and figure out

how much time you have to answer each

one For example, if there are 50 items

and your teacher limits the testing time

to 50 minutes , then you obviously have

only about a minute to answer each

question The point here is that you

should time each item with a stopwatch Simply monitor your progress periodically

to make sure that you do not get caught

in a time crunch Remember to allow time

3.1 Answer the easy items first to get the maximum number of points This relieves tension and gives you confidence, thus

loosening up material from your mind as

you proceed.

3.2 If a test is more than 1 hour in length, give yourself 5 or so minutes to clear your mind, stretch, and go to the restroom.

3.3 Check to see that your responses were marked in the correct places on the

answer sheet.

3.4 Are there penalties for guessing ? If not,

answer every answer

3.5 If you think you know an item but are not

sure, mark your response and come back to the question However, first impressions or

intuitions tend to be correct, so if you do

change your answer be sure you have a good

reason to do so; research indicates that in 3

out of 4 times your first choice was probably

correct.

3.6 If the question seems intelligible , reword it

or break it down into part.

3.7 Return to questions you couldn't answer

initially and try them again

3.8 Don't waste time reviewing answers of which you are confident are correct.

“never” or “must” or “always” The obvious answer might not be correct if there are exceptions to the statements.

and generally” or ‘usually” allow

exceptions, however.

items Often the answer to a question is

B Tips for types of objective

tests taking.

1 True – False questions:

1.1 Watch for qualifiers or

mandatory words such as "always,"

never," or "must."   If they are

present, chances are the statement

is "False," since few things are

"always, "never," or "must."

• Example: (Comprehension Unit 7 –

English 12, 7 years)

• Question b (page 102): American

men always shake hands when they

1.2 If a question contains words such as

"seldom," "normally," or "generally", ect where an exception would not alter the

answer, chances are the answer is "True".

• Example: (Consolidation Unit 4 – English

10)

• Question 4 (page 185): Their language is

somewhat different from the Queen’s

English T / F

• Even if you were not sure of your

1.3 If a statement is more specific

than most, chances are it is

"True."

• Example : (Unit 1 – English 12, 7

years)

• Question d (page 10): English is

spoken as the first language in

many countries besides the

United States and Britain

T / F

2 Multiple choice questions (MCQs)

* General rules for MCQs

• In multiple choice questions, anticipate

the correct answer before looking at the options

• Relate response options to the question

one at a time.  And be sure to read all

of the options!   Often people stop with

the first option that looks right

• Balance options against each other

• Have good reasons for eliminating

options

2.1 Cues in the options

2.1.1 Most General options:

• The correct option is often the most general , since the most general option includes the most information You

will often find a list of items that

have some very technical and specific alternatives and one option which is

more general Chances are the most general option is the correct one.

• Example: (Unit 2 – Reading skills, English 10)

• Question 4 (page 19): How did he obtain military

secrets?

A He passed the exams for the Civil Engineering University.

B He attended the University of Technology.

C He quietly gathered bit by bit some thirty

thousand pages of documents on weapons.

D None are correct.

• Even if you aren't sure of the correct answer,

you can see that the alternatives A, B, and D, all deal with specific facts and details about some

period of Tran Dai Nghia’s life C deals with a

main feature of obtaining a matter by realizing

“gathering bit by bit…” phrase Since C is more

2.1.2 Length:

• The correct option is often the longest

If you have noticed that most of the

correct answers have been the

shortest, then when you aren't sure,

select the shortest If, on the other

hand, most of the correct answers have been the longest, select the longest

answer when you are unsure No

particular trend for either? Try the

longest

2.1.2 Length:

• For example: (Unit 2 – Reading skills, English 10)

• Question 4 (page 19): How did he obtain military

secrets?

A He passed the exams for the Civil Engineering University.

B He attended the University of Technology.

C He quietly gathered bit by bit some thirty

thousand pages of documents on weapons.

D None are correct.

• In this item, C is the longest and therefore is most

2.1.3 Middle Value:

• The correct option is usually of

middle value If the options range

in value - old to new, early to

late, big to small - and you are

not sure which one is correct,

eliminate the extremes and pick

from the middle value or values.

2.1.3 Middle Value:

• Example: (Consolidation unit 3 – English

10)

• Question 5 (page 127): How much oxygen

does the Amazon forest produce in each year?

D None are correct

• Eliminate the two extreme values, B and

C Since B and C are extremes, they

are probably incorrect This leaves you

with two alternatives from which to

2.1.4 Two options Mean the Same:

• The correct option is probably not

one of a pair of similar statements.

If two options mean the same thing, and there is only one correct

answer, eliminate both of them

Neither will be correct Make your choice from those remaining

2.1.4 Two options Mean the Same:

• Example: (Consolidation unit 3 – English 10)

• Question 8 (page 129): That foreigner

doesn’t have an entry visa He entered the country _.

A illogically B wrongly

C incorrectly D illegally

• Since options B and C have similar

meanings , choose between alternatives A

2.1.5 Two options are Opposite:

• The correct alternative is

probably one of a pair of direct opposites If you notice that

two alternatives have opposite

meanings, one of them is

probably correct

2.1.5 Two options are Opposite:

• Example: (Consolidation unit 3 – English 10)

• Questions 6 (page 129): Whale hunting

_ the whale species.

A.cancels B kills

C endangers D maintains

• Notice that options C and D are opposite

Therefore, you would eliminate the other two options are given , one of them is

•End of tips for

objective test taking!

•Thank you for

•your listening!