Tips for answering exams
Prepare
1. Study (this means effective study, not just time), you need to know the material that is going to be
examined.
2. Find out the length, structure and weighting of the exam.
3. Find out what will be on the exam: check the course outline, the learning objectives for each
lecture, Assessment information on Blackboard, ask questions.
4. Know what additional material you can use in the exam.
In the test
Read the directions on the exam.
Read the questions and question directions carefully.
For example:
In animal cells, hydrolytic enzymes are packaged to prevent general destruction of cellular
components. Which of the following organelles functions in this compartmentalization?
1. chloroplast
2. lysosome
3. central vacuole
4. peroxisome
5. glyoxysome
The key words in this question are animal cells, hydrolytic enzymes and destruction.
Answering Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Read the directions in the question. Are you being asked to find the best response or a correct
response?
2. Read the question before the answer choices, answer the question in your head.
3. Look for the answer among the choices (you need to know what you are looking for). If you are
unsure, consider each choice. If two choices seem like they could be correct, choose the one that
seems the more correct. Still not sure of the correct answer? Eliminate answers that are incorrect,
silly or use terms not yet discussed in relation to that topic.
In the example above e) glyoxysome can be eliminated as it is not discussed in this course. To
answer the question correctly you need to know the main function of the other organelles and the
types of cells they are found in. Using the key words animal cells, chloroplasts and central vacuoles
can be eliminated as they are found in plant cells, not animal cells. The key words hydrolytic
enzymes are the key to the answer b) lysosome, peroxisomes use oxidative enzymes.
Prepare
1. Study (this means effective study, not just time), you need to know the material that is going to be
examined.
2. Find out the length, structure and weighting of the exam.
3. Find out what will be on the exam: check the course outline, the learning objectives for each
lecture, Assessment information on Blackboard, ask questions.
4. Know what additional material you can use in the exam.
In the test
Read the directions on the exam.
Read the questions and question directions carefully.
For example:
In animal cells, hydrolytic enzymes are packaged to prevent general destruction of cellular
components. Which of the following organelles functions in this compartmentalization?
1. chloroplast
2. lysosome
3. central vacuole
4. peroxisome
5. glyoxysome
The key words in this question are animal cells, hydrolytic enzymes and destruction.
Answering Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Read the directions in the question. Are you being asked to find the best response or a correct
response?
2. Read the question before the answer choices, answer the question in your head.
3. Look for the answer among the choices (you need to know what you are looking for). If you are
unsure, consider each choice. If two choices seem like they could be correct, choose the one that
seems the more correct. Still not sure of the correct answer? Eliminate answers that are incorrect,
silly or use terms not yet discussed in relation to that topic.
In the example above e) glyoxysome can be eliminated as it is not discussed in this course. To
answer the question correctly you need to know the main function of the other organelles and the
types of cells they are found in. Using the key words animal cells, chloroplasts and central vacuoles
can be eliminated as they are found in plant cells, not animal cells. The key words hydrolytic
enzymes are the key to the answer b) lysosome, peroxisomes use oxidative enzymes.
