Multiple-choice tests are often quite difficult both before and during preparation, even if they seem basic at first sight.
How Do We Prepare For a Multiple-Choice Test?
Multiple-choice tests have their own unique system, and unfortunately or fortunately, we’ll encounter them several times until we earn our university degree. Many study techniques that are extremely useful and help us learn the subjects and maintain our knowledge long-term aren’t useful for these exams. Tests often cover a lot of content, and it won’t always be necessary to connect and understand concepts, but rather to organize them. Furthermore, we’ll need to use our memory more than when preparing for other exams.
1. Understand The Format
The first thing we need to do is familiarize ourselves with the structure of multiple-choice tests. We need to understand that these tests require specific answers and often focus on memorizing key facts and concepts. Visual memory will be a great ally in preparing for them. No more summaries or drawings. The study techniques we need must allow us to memorize the exact words that appear in the syllabus and in the correct order. Some of the best study techniques for multiple-choice tests are reading comprehension , underlining , the Ankyl method , study cards, the Leitner method , group study , mnemonics , and, above all…
2. Practice With Multiple Choice Tests From Previous Years
Practicing past multiple-choice tests is without a doubt the best strategy for getting ready to take exam sessions confidently. While using other tests to study will enable us to better manage our time during the actual test and grasp the style of the questions, it will also help us gain confidence and become familiar with the exam format.
3. Identify Key Patterns And Themes in Multiple-Choice Tests
Examining past questions will not only help us to determine which response is right but also help us to spot trends and recurring themes. This will enable us to give some issues top priority during preparation and spot hazards that these tests sometimes call for in the subject writing.
4. Time Planning
Keeping time in mind is quite crucial during preparation since, in multiple-choice tests especially so. Time yourself and create a mechanism to respond as effectively as you could when preparing for other tests. First, we advise you to address all the questions you know without second thought, then concentrate on the ones you find most challenging. Creating a schedule will help you stay away from finding yourself caught on a topic.
Strategies during multiple choice tests
Now, let’s look at how multiple-choice tests are approached once we come face-to-face with one.
1. Instructions Are Meant to be Followed
We must pay attention to the instructions and keep them in mind when taking the test. Sometimes, knowing certain details can make all the difference. Details like whether there are penalties for incorrect answers, whether there are more than one true answer, whether there will be true-false questions, whether there will be questions in which the order will be reversed and we will have to indicate the false answer, or whether a terrifying clown will come in and hit us with a bouquet of plastic flowers while we try to concentrate. Information is power, so we must pay attention.
2. Read Carefully
Nerves and rushing don’t matter. Reading automatically isn’t a good idea for multiple-choice exams. You have to understand each question before selecting an answer, and you have to truly understand it, keeping in mind that the wording is often misleading because the questions are designed to catch us out. You also have to analyze the wording of the questions because it will give you very important clues about key terms that you must identify to find the correct answer.
3. When Indecision Strikes
If we’re undecided between several answers, the first thing to do is eliminate the obviously incorrect options. If we can hide them from view, even better. After this, we can apply some tricks to try to find the correct one: Keep in mind that, as a general rule, if the answers are broad and well-written, they tend to be correct. Wrong answers tend to be categorical and include words like “never” or “always.” Correct answers, on the other hand, are broader and include more variables. If two of the options are contradictory or differ from each other by only one word, the correct answer is usually one of those two.
4. The Vice of Answering
If we’ve already eliminated all the questions we know and answered the ones we were unsure about, we’re left to tackle the ones we don’t have a clue about. Multiple-choice exams have a very dangerous lottery effect, because if we randomly answer the ones we don’t know and get them right, we can get a great grade. Or a resounding fail. If we have fewer mistakes (which is the most common), answering the ones we don’t know just in case can mean we lose all the work on the ones we did know, point by point. We’ll have to do the math and choose wisely. We have to remember that we’re in an exam, not a casino.
5. Final Review
It’s a good idea to do a last review to confirm that we understood correctly and answered exactly what we wanted, but also to make sure we didn’t make dumb mistakes like skipping questions or not knowing what the statement was asking us to do whenever feasible and with time left.
