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Tips for multiple choice preparation

Published: 
Monday, April 2, 2012

Kavita Laloo 

Do you sometimes think it is unnecessary to study for a multiple choice exam and then go into the exam room only to find out that you should have studied? Well, this article is for you. Multiple choice exams require a special method of preparation. Usually, this type of exam asks one to recognise a correct answer among a set of options that include three or four wrong answers (called distracters), rather than asking the student to give a correct answer entirely from his own mind. 
 
Most students consider multiple choice exams to be easier than structured exams. The most obvious reasons are that:
• Many multiple choice exams tend to emphasise simple definitions, rather than asking students to analyse new information to new situations. 
• The correct answer is guaranteed to be among the possible answers. A student can gain points with a lucky guess. 
• Multiple choice exams usually contain more questions than structured exams; each question has a lower point value.
When preparing for a multiple choice exam, you may consider the following steps: 
• Begin studying early. When doing multiple choice exams focus on the details. By allowing time you can learn little and even repeat your reviews to build a more reliable long-term memory. 
• Make sure that you identify and understand everything that your teacher emphasised in class. Paying particular attention to fundamental terms and concepts are very important. 
• Studying is the best way before doing the exam. If you make a mistake it’s alright because even a well-prepared student can make silly mistakes on a multiple choice exam when there are distracters that look very similar to the correct answer.  
 
Here are a few tips: 
• Before you begin taking the exam, enter all pieces of required information on your answer sheet. 
• If you are so eager to start that you forget to enter your name and ID number, your results may never be scored. 
• Cover up the possible answers with a piece of paper or with your hand while you read the body of the question. 
• Try to anticipate the correct answers before you are distracted by seeing the options that provided. Then, uncover your answers. 
• If you do not see an answer that you expected, then eliminate answers that are probably wrong.
 
If you cannot answer a question within a minute, skip it and come back to it later. Transfer all answers to the answer sheet at the same time, once you have marked all questions on your exam. (If you try to do several things at once, you increase the probability of making a mistake). 
 
• Be sure that you have filled the 
appropriate circles carefully IN PENCIL. 
 
Your teacher/supervisor will probably never take a close look at your answer sheet, so if you fail to fill in circles completely or if you make stray marks, only the computer will notice, you will be penalised. Erase any accidental marks completely. 
 
• Take the time to check your work 
before you hand in the answer sheet. 
 
Unlike a structured exam, on which you may later appeal a grade that the teacher misunderstood your answers, a multiple choice exam states if you filled the wrong circle, your answer is 100% wrong so be careful.
gie

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