How to Answer Multiple Choice Questions

Multiple-choice questions are a common test format, so it is important to know how to answer the questions. It is easy to mark the answer when it is obvious, but students often have trouble when the answer is less obvious. Many students use “When all else fails, mark C,” and variations of complete-the-picture to fill in their answers. There are correct strategies, however, that will make it much easier to answer multiple-choice questions.• Know what the test covers. While this is an obvious strategy, knowing what the test covers and studying that material will make it easier to answer multiple-choice questions. In addition to actually knowing more answers on the test, you will have a solid knowledge base for using the other strategies.
• Know the types of questions. There is more than one kind of multiple-choice question, and being familiar with the different types will make you more able to answer the question correctly.
o Complete the statement. These questions give you a statement and you choose the answer that best completes the statement. Be sure to read the statement and complete it with the answer to see if your answer makes sense.o Which of the following. This type of question asks you to select the best answer to the question or statement. If you replace the words “Which of the following” with your answer, you will be able to see if it makes sense.o Not, least, except. These questions ask you to choose the negative, i.e. all of these except, which are not, which is least likely. These are the most frequently missed questions because test-takers fail to notice the negative. Be sure to read questions carefully.o Graphs and tables. Some multiple-choice questions are about the content of graphs or tables. It is usually easiest to read the question prior to studying the graph or table, especially if the graph or table is large or detailed. Reading the question first will tell you exactly what you are looking for when you begin looking at the graph or table.
• What is the question asking? Test creators are expected to use correct grammar, so the wording of test questions may seem old-fashioned or hard to follow. Take your time when reading the question to determine exactly what you are being asked. If you do not know the question, you will not be able to answer it.
• Read the question carefully. Notice keywords. Put the question into your own words to be sure you understand it.
• Process of elimination. Look at the possible answers. Eliminate any answers that you know are incorrect. Some things to look for include:
o Answers are obviously wrong.o Words like “always” and “never.” Those words indicate extremes, and extremes often signal a wrong answer.o Use words you know – prefixes, suffixes, root words – to help you narrow your choices. Look for words in the answer that have similar meanings to the keywords in the questions.
As with any test, if an answer has you stumped, skip it and come back to it later. Answer the questions that you can first, and come back to the more difficult ones. Finally, if you can only narrow it down to two choices, guess. Guess only as a last resort to keep from leaving a question blank, however, not as your first option.