How_To_Study_for_Multiple_Choice_Exams.pdf

How to Study for and How to Take Multiple Choice Exams Successfully (adapted from various academic resources for student success) Multiple choice exams ask you to recognize a correct answer among a set of options that include other 3-4 wrong answers (distractors), while short-answer (essay) exams require you to provide a correct answer from scratch, that is, entirely based on your knowledge. Therefore, studying efficiently for a multiple choice exam requires methods different from preparing for an essay exam. Students commonly consider multiple choice exams easier than essay ones, usually for the following reasons: 1) The correct answer is guaranteed to be among the possible responses. A student can thus score points with a lucky guess. 2) Multiple choice exams usually contain many more questions than essay exams, so each question has a lower point value and thus offers less risk. 3) Some multiple choice exam questions test on simple comparisons and clear-cut problem-solving, rather than asking students to analyze new information or apply theories to new situations. However, multiple choice exams are often more difficult than essay exams for other reasons: such exams - contain many questions, so students need to be familiar with a much broader range of material; - usually expect students to have a greater familiarity with details, so you cannot easily "bluff"; - provide wrong answers that may sound very similar to the correct one or to what you saw on lecture slides, practice exams or in the textbook; your brain can be easily distracted into identifying them as correct just because those answers simply look like "I swear I've seen that somewhere before"; - typically, don't award partial credit. Consider the following to prepare for a multiple choice exam: 1) Begin to study early: Multiple choice exams tend to focus on details and connections. Retention of details is difficult with a late start to studying and time is necessary to practice problem-solving by finding connections between different concepts. Learn a little bit each day, allow plenty of time to solve problems by applying what you have learned, and practice what you have difficulty understanding. You will thus build a more reliable long-term memory, become faster at solving problems, more self-confident, and less stressed as the exam gets closer. 2) Make sure you understand thoroughly everything that your instructor emphasized in class: Pay attention to fundamental observations, terms and concepts, as well as to the logical connections that tie those into related ideas. These are the things your instructors usually emphasize in class. They will also show you tips for how to approach problems and solve them faster. Do your best to pay attention and actively participate in lectures and review sessions. As you study your class notes and assigned homework, organize the material based on related concepts. Concentrate on understanding multi-step processes and group ideas or terms based on similarities and differences. That may help you distinguish correct answers from distractors on a multiple choice exam. You should use the class notes, textbook, recitation problems, laboratory manual, and Mastering Chemistry problems to explore the connections between the concepts addressed in class. The practice problems are a small subset of what you will be tested over, so use these more comprehensive resources. HOW TO STUDY FOR MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAMS 2 When you solve practice questions, even if you correctly identify the correct answer, always think why the distractors were wrong. Take an extra step and try to correct them to make them right. Also, think of what type of similar questions you may receive on the exam (e.g., this question asks you to convert a mass in grams to moles; so you may be also asked to convert a number of particles to moles; do you know how to do that as well?). You will thus prepare better for potential similar exam questions. 3) Do not simply memorize textbook definitions. Most instructors will rephrase things in their own words as they write exam questions, so you must be sure that you really know what the definitions mean. Also, if you are required to apply a concept to an example given, knowing the definition will not help you with this type of problem. You must understand the concept to be able to apply it in new contexts. 4) Brainstorm possible questions with other students in your class. The best way to test your understanding of a concept is to try to put it in your own words as you explain it to a study-buddy. The best way to test your ability to solve a problem is to explain it from A to Z to another. How to Maximize your Chances of Success on Multiple Choice Exams? Study carefully before the exam. There is no good substitute for knowing the right answer. However, even a well-prepared student can make silly mistakes on a multiple choice exam or "fall prey" to distractors that look very similar to the correct answer. Tips to keep that from happening: (1) Arrive enough early to the exam to avoid the "last-minute" state of mind that puts unnecessary extra emotional pressure on your brain and thus reduces your chances of thinking clearly. Enter all pieces of required information for your correct identification on your answer sheet before starting the exam, so that you do not have to allocate exam time for that. Make sure you bring your calculator (with functional batteries) and pencils to the exam, so that you do not panic in case you do not have them. (2) Read carefully the entire question before glancing over the answer options. Students often think they know what a question asks before reading it and jump straight to the "most logical" answer. This is a big, frequent mistake and can cost you dearly on multiple-choice exams. (3) Always cover up the possible responses with a piece of paper or with your hand while you read the text of the question. Try to anticipate the correct response before you are distracted by seeing the options that your instructor has provided. Then, uncover the responses. If you see the response that you anticipated, circle it and then check to be sure that none of the other responses is better. Make sure you read ALL the provided answers. If you do not see a response that you expected, consider some of the following strategies to find the correct answer (keep in mind that none of those strategies guarantees 100% success, though!): (1) Use the process of elimination, by crossing out all the answers you definitely know are incorrect.