ELIMINATE CHOICES THAT WOULD BE LOGICALLY EXCLUDED BY OTHER POSSIBL...
3.
Eliminate choices that would be logically excluded by other possible choices. For
example, if the possible answers to an item are a.) sleeping, b.) listening, c.) staring, or d.)
napping, since a. and d. mean basically the same thing, and since only one answer can be
correct, then it is logical that neither could be the correct answer.
Phase Three: Once you have exhausted your knowledge and narrowed the choices remaining by
eliminating unlikely answers, its time to make your best guess. But you don't have to make this a
coin-flip decision. The next section looks at some issues that can help you improve your odds even
further.
You're Not Guessing...You're Thinking Critically.
You can improve your odds by keeping in mind some important information about language:
a.
Be especially cautious of items that contain absolute terms--words like always, never,
invariably, none, all, every, and must. It is not impossible, but it is much more difficult, to
write an absolute statement that is accurate and valid. Try substituting a qualified term for
the absolute one, like frequently or typically in place of always or most, or some in place of
all or every. If the statement is more or less valid than the original one, take that into
consideration in choosing your answer.
b.
The opposite tendency also gives you valuable clues. Sometimes, teachers will add
qualifying or clarifying terms or expressions to the right answer on multiple-choice items and
true statements on true-false tests to avoid having to argue with students or defend the item
later. The result is longer, more detailed items. Consider this example, and note how the
underlined terms in the statement make it more valid and less arguable:
Under typical conditions, most of a child's core values are set by approximately age ten.trance Exam
Preparation CD for MBBS, AIEEE 2005, Engineering Eeeentrance, MBA
On the other hand, the "decoys" on a multiple choice test and false statements on true-false questions
may not be worded so carefully; they may sound a little too absolute or too "pat." With the qualifiers
missing, the validity of the statement is highly suspect:
A child's values are set by age ten.
When you have applied everything you know to the question and are still forced to guess, choose
multiple choice answers that are longer and more "qualified" in their phrasing. Apply the same "yard
stick" to true-false items: guess true for more detailed, qualified statements and false for those that are
short and contain absolute language.
True-False Items
Many students find true-false items especially difficult. A slight alteration in the phrasing of the item
can make all the difference in the world, so these questions must be read and considered carefully.
The basic ground rule for answering true- false items is that if any part of the statement is not true,
then the student should select false as the answer.
By the same token, true-false items can be over-analyzed to the point that the student goes beyond
the scope of the question, looking to find an extreme exception to what the question is testing or
the "trick" suspected of lurking somewhere in the phrasing. Read carefully, but judge what
the question is actually saying.
Some teachers show a definite tendency toward having predominantly true or predominantly false
items on their true false tests. It would be well worth your time to monitor the proportion of true to
false items on the first couple of tests. If you are forced to guess on an item and if your teacher has
shown a definite tendency on past tests toward mostly true or mostly false statements, choose
whichever has been more frequent.
Analyses of a wide variety of teachers’ tests indicate a greater percentage of true than false items. If
no tendency has been apparent on past tests, your best option is to guess true.