1. Mastering Objective Tests

2. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–2 There are two basic types of questions Essay Objective

3. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–3 Essay questions Take a broad view Emphasis recall and organization

4. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–4 Objective questions Focus on details Emphasize recognition

5. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–5 How to master an objective test Choose an effective study method Understand each question type Move through the test systematically

6. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–6 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.

7. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–7 Understanding each question type True-false Multiple-choice Matching Sentence-completion

8. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–8 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.

9. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–9 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.

10. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–10 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.

11. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–11 Multiple-choice can be more complicated than true-false The directions may vary The context is divided The formats can differ

12. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–12 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

13. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–13 Matching questions “Multiple multiple choice” Marking carelessly or prematurely can be very risky

14. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–14 Matching question strategies Once you make a match, mark it off Match shorter items to longer ones

15. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–15 Sentence-completion questions “Multiple choice without the choice” Depend on context and recall

16. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–16 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.

17. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–17 Move systematically through the test Read before you answer Mark methodically

18. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–18 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.

19. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–19 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.

20. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 13–20 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.