Exam Questions Reading

Multiple-choice exams

You will want to know everything possible about the multiple choice exams you are
scheduled to take. Ask your teaching staff for information about the types of questions which you
can expect. It is perfectly reasonable to ask about: the numbers of questions in the examination;
the different types of questions (problem solving, definitions, case studies, theory-based, etc.).
Preparing for multiple-choice questions
Martina enrolled in a science course with the intention of majoring in psychology. She
enjoyed the lectures and prepared for her mid-term exams as she had done in high school, by
writing summaries of her class notes. She went over these summaries many times and walked
into the exam full of confidence.
Martina was shocked when she found that she had failed the multiple-choice part of the
exam. Her tutor referred her for counselling and in the referral note, she mentioned that Martina
needed to improve her examination skills, specifically her preparation for multiple-choice tests.
During the first counselling session, Martina was surprised to find that studying summaries is
generally not a recommended preparation for multiple-choice exams. Why? Because summaries
are too broad in scope and multiple-choice questions (MCQ) can be very specific. The details
which you would not consider including in your summary could well be the focus of MCQs.
The best preparation for multiple-choice exams is to read over your refined notes — your
class notes which have been supplemented with additions, corrections and side flaps (see the
chapter on note-taking for more information). Repeated readings of your notes will help to fix the
broad themes and specific details in your mind. You may be wondering how many times you
should go through your notes before a multiple-choice exam. Basically, it depends on your
understanding of the concepts dealt with in the lectures, but for most students, five times would
be a reasonable target. In order to help you prepare more thoroughly for these difficult
examinations, here are some practical pointers to apply.
Practical pointers for answering multiple-choice questions
- Be certain to correctly fill in the identification block. Check that the answer space number
corresponds to the question number.
- Do all of the easy questions first; return to the more difficult ones for reconsideration.
 - When reading the questions, underline the key terms to focus your attention on the
specific issue(s) being questioned. Make marginal notes on the question sheet if that helps
you to clarify your thinking.
- Be careful in your interpretation of critical words such as many, some, none, always,
sometimes, never, more, less, best and least. These words give specific meanings to the
question content.
- Make certain your answer marks fully fill the answer space and do not make stray marks
on the answer sheet. The optical scanning equipment might misread these marks as
answers.
- When trying to choose between two remaining options out of the five, ask yourself how
would your lecturer answer this question. Putting yourself in the shoes of a
knowledgeable person should help you to make a more informed decision.
- As you work your way through the examination, make a mark on the question sheet of the
items you would like to reconsider, if time is available at the end.
- Do not change an answer unless you know that the recorded answer is definitely wrong.
Studies have shown that your first answer is more likely to be correct, barring the
situation where new information comes to light.
- Cheating is definitely not advised. Many nationally administered exams have built in
devices which can detect similarities in answering patterns amongst the candidates.
Additionally, some examinations have several different formats such that the questions
are arranged in different locations on the question sheets.

Short answer questions

Of all the possible types of exam questions, some of the most predictable are those
requiring you to write just a sentence or perhaps one paragraph. These questions will frequently
ask you to define critical terms or give some interpretation. The best way to prepare is to make a
list of important definitions and then to learn them. Consider using flash cards with the term
written on one side and the definition written on the other. Prepare these cards following each
lecture as you progress through the semester and learn the terms during waiting periods each day.
When answering short answer questions, be certain to be concise — hence the name. Get right to
the point; don't waffle. If necessary, use bullet points to cover any details which you believe to be
essential to your answer.
Essay questions

The most common type of exam question is the essay. This type of question is designed to
test your knowledge of the concepts and to assess your ability to write logically and concisely. In
order to succeed in essay questions, apply the following practical pointers to improve your
responses.
Be sure to read the question carefully. Underline the topic terms (the words dealing with
the concept(s) which are the focus of the question) in red ink and the operative terms in blue. The
latter terms tell you what operations you are to carry out, suchas describe, critically analyse, trace
the development of, evaluate, justify, etc.
Jot down any initial ideas. Even while reading the question, if you have an idea, write it
down straightaway. Some of these initial ideas could well be helpful in triggering further
thoughts or in helping to structure your essay. If they are not written down, they could be lost, a
cause of considerable frustration.
Having read the question and underlined the terms as suggested above, organise your
ideas using an outline approach. You might start with the structural headings: introduction, body
and conclusion. Under each of these headings, write any topical ideas which you think are
relevant. As part of your mark will be based upon how well you organise and then develop your
ideas, it is important for you to understand very clearly the functions of your essay sections.