Mastering Objective Tests Copyright Houghton Mifflin Company All

There are two basic types of questions • Essay • Objective Copyright © Houghton

Essay questions • Take a broad view • Emphasis recall and organization Copyright ©

Objective questions • Focus on details • Emphasize recognition Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company.

How to master an objective test • Choose an effective study method • Understand

Studying for objective tests • Use the Q System: The Q System helps you learn information to the point of recall and the questions provide excellent practice. • Be a study “switch hitter”: Reversing the Q System from time to time will strengthen your ability to remember the most important information in your notes. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 6

Understanding each question type • True-false • Multiple-choice • Matching • Sentence-completion Copyright ©

True-false questions • The statement must be 100 percent true • A single word can reverse a true-false statement’s meaning. • Thus, reading each statement thoroughly is essential. • Your odds of guessing correctly on every question in a true-false test are not 50 -50. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8

True-false strategies • Mark “true” if you’re stumped. Most instructors want to supply you with more true statements than false ones. • Be wary of longer statements. The longer a statement, the more likely that it will be false. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 9

Multiple-choice questions • Multiple choice questions consist of a stem and several options. • The stem is the sentence (usually incomplete) that starts the statement. • The options are the choices that complete it. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 10

Multiple-choice can be more complicated than true-false • The directions may vary • The

Multiple-choice strategies – but only if you’re stumped • Pick “all of the above” if you’re in doubt. Instructors prefer the truth. • Use the “true-false” technique. A shift in perspective can make some questions easier. • Discard foolish options. They create “noise” and confusion. • Choose the middle number in a range of numbers Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 12

Matching questions • “Multiple multiple choice” • Marking carelessly or prematurely can be very

Matching question strategies • Once you make a match, mark it off • Match

Sentence-completion questions • “Multiple choice without the choice” • Depend on context and recall

Sentence-completion strategies • Clarify any ambiguities with a question. Don’t let misunderstanding lose your points. • Disregard the length of the blank. The blank’s length is often arbitrary. • Treat some sentences as two questions. Multi-blank questions can be easier to solve in pieces. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 16

Move systematically through the test • Read before you answer • Mark methodically Copyright

What to read before you mark • Read the directions first. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you know the instructions. • Read questions carefully. A single word can completely change the meaning of a question. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 18

What to read before you mark (cont’d) • Hold out for the best response. Don’t be in a hurry to mark the first answer; there might be a better one. • Pay attention to grammatical clues: You can often narrow your choices by doing so. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 19

How to mark methodically • Mark only the sure things first. Skip over answers you’re uncertain about initially. • Take a guess the third time around: If there’s no penalty, it’s worth a try. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 20