Guides: Succeed at Exams: Multiple Choice Exams (2024)

FAQs

How do you succeed in multiple choice exams? ›

Most people (and tutors) tell students that, if they have no idea on a question, to just guess answer choice “C” — the middle answer on most multiple choice tests.

I'm sure you've heard this at some point “if you don't know the answer, always guess C. because it's the most common correct option”. That's just a myth, and generally there are no most common answers on multiple choice tests.

Answer the easiest questions first and skip the rest.

It will also help to improve the chances that you will pass by ensuring that you get maximum points possible. For example, if you know the answers to some of the multiple choice questions, answer those questions first and skip over the ones you don't know.

The multiple-choice format makes it easy for students to guess, distorting their scores and making it difficult to evaluate their understanding of the material accurately. Another area for improvement with multiple-choice tests is that they often focus on lower-order thinking skills rather than higher-order ones.

On tests with four choices (say, A, B, C, and D), B was slightly more likely to be correct (28%). Remember, the expected likelihood of each option being correct is 25%. And on tests with five choices (say, A, B, C, D, and E), E was the most commonly correct answer (23%). C was the least (17%).

"Multiple-choice items can be easier than open-ended questions asking the same thing. This is because it is harder to recall an answer than to recognize it." The level of difficulty of multiple-choice questions may vary greatly, of course.

The best strategy, and the one that will maximize your overall point gain, is to pick your favorite letter and fill it in for every blind guess. Whether that letter is A, B, C, or D doesn't matter—just be sure to stick with it every single time.

What is the first thing you should always do when answering multiple choice questions? ›

- Read the stem and ​all ​of the choices before selecting your answer. - If you aren't sure of the correct answer: - Eliminate alternatives that are absurd, silly, or obviously incorrect. - Cross off answers that are clearly not correct. - Make sure the stem and the choice you've chosen agree grammatically.

Multiple Choice questions - 1 minute to 1 ½ minutes per question. This also assumes that computations for multiple choice questions are not required.

Guessing based on a true or false pattern is better than just guessing randomly. When answering the questions that you know on a test that has a separate answer sheet, make sure that you skip the same questions on the answer sheet as you do on the test itself. This way, your answers won't become off set.

Start studying at least a few days to a week before the exam so the information has time to percolate in your mind. Gauge how early you should start based on how much information is on the test. For instance, start studying 2 weeks before final exams that cover an entire semester of material.

The idea that C is the best answer to choose when guess-answering a question on a multiple choice test rests on the premise that ACT answer choices are not truly randomized. In other words, the implication is that answer choice C is correct more often than any other answer choice.

Answer the questions in any order.

As you take the test, if you don't know an answer try not to get stuck on it. Instead, answer the best way you can, or skip over the question and come back to it later. You may find it easier to answer a question you've skipped after you've answered other questions.