How to be an Effective Test Writer
Tests you will have in class will often have multiple components. Here are some tips for how to approach different question formats.
Multiple choice can seem intimidating, but if you employ these strategies you will find you can tackle multiple choice questions effectively.
Note how many questions are in each section.
Now calculate how long you can allot for each question. In most cases, you should spend no more than 20 or 30 seconds on each question. If you get stuck, skip it and move along. If you have time left, come back to it.
Resist the temptation to answer the question before you have read it all the way through.
Stopping too soon and you could miss an important detail that changes the answer.
What are the givens in the questions? Find and study them.
Read fast but read every word. If you need practice, give yourself a race by using practice tests. (You are getting and going over every practice test you can right?) Practice this skill until you have learned it well.
Look carefully at the ‘given’ part of a question. If there are several complicated parts, isolate each one. Make sure you understand each part thoroughly. Before selecting your answer, compare it with each isolated part. Remember the answer you choose must coincide with every part. Studies show taking apart complicated questions is an effective strategy and will almost certainly score extra points.
Think before you choose
You have read the question all the way through. Cover the answer options. Now think about your answer before you look at the choices. You can save time if your answer is one of the choices. If your answer isn’t there, then study the choices. This may jog your memory.
A well-designed multiple-choice will contain clues in the question that will help you to recognize the best choice answer. If you are stuck, re-read the question and look for clues.
Be alert and don’t fall for traps. Read all the choices. Keep moving through the questions quickly and methodically.
Answer the question according to the instructions.
This is a simple way to get extra points every time. Read the instructions carefully and follow them exactly. Highlight key instruction words to help you target the requirements.
The instructions on most multiple-choice tests ask for the best answer. This means the best answer according to what the specifics of the question direct. Choose the best answer according to your teacher and what you learned in class, not according to you.
Watch out for questions that have ‘all of the above’ or ‘none of the above.’ If there are two other choices, one of them is correct. The same applies if ‘all of the above’ and ‘none of the above’ are two of the choices. REad the other options carefully. If you can discount one by those criteria they you have eliminated an option.
Pay close attention to questions that are phrased in an unusual way or that use single words to change the question’s meaning. Read questions word by word to ensure you key onto those words.
Do not waste your time looking for hidden meanings or tricks. The simplest answer is generally the right answer.
Elimination is the most powerful technique
Tips for eliminating choices:
Read all the choices first. Eliminate choices that are obviously wrong.
Eliminate answers that are partially wrong. If any parts of them are wrong, they are completely wrong. If the question is poorly written, you can talk to your teacher after you get your graded exam back.
Avoid answers that look as though they are correct but aren’t. The answer may be correct but does not apply to one aspect or part of the question.
When looking at the possible answers, you may notice two answers that are the exact opposite of each other. Normally one of these is the correct answer.
A lot of answers are close to being the same but are just a little different. Sometimes it’s just a different word which changes the meaning. The correct answer is often one of the two. Look closely at the answers and notice the differences. The small differences will determine which one is the correct answer.
Look for Clues
You will not always be able to find the correct answers when looking at the clue words. Sometimes deliberately wrong clues are added as a trap. If none of the other strategies has worked for you, look for clues.
Sometimes clues to the correct answer will appear in other questions, so continue ahead and see if that information appears.
Grammatical clues
The correct answer will be grammatically correct. Any choices that are not grammatically correct can be eliminated immediately. Most standardized tests today are computerized and the responses are scrutinized more carefully. If your test is made by your instructor, you may see this type of clue.
Watch for absolutes and qualifiers
Generally, answers that have always, never, all, and none are not correct. Very few things are absolutely true or absolutely false. Teachers will try to avoid arguments about answers and put in qualifiers like seldom, generally, and tend to be.
Do you recognize any of the phrases?
When teachers prepare their own tests, some questions will naturally flow with one of the answers. It is as if they are taken verbatim out of the textbook, which they may well be. Similarly, the wording of things like theorems or axioms are often the exact wording from the textbook. Watch carefully and examine all the choices looking for this pattern, then follow your intuition and choose the answer.
Look for degrees of correctness
When it comes to numbers or time such as dates, there will always be two answers that are completely outside the area of being correct. For numbers, there will be one that is too big and one that is too small. For times such as dates, one will be too early and the other too late.
For answers that are either too detailed or too vague, the one that is too vague is likely to be the correct answer. If the vague answers uses some or all of the detailed answer, then it is definitely the correct answer.
If two answers are similar, one of them is generally the correct answer.
Do not assume facts.
The only facts that you need to be concerned with are the facts given in the question. If the question tells you that unicorns exist, do not argue with the question.
Do not ignore any fact.
Remember that multiple choice questions are concise and so its writers try very hard to put all the necessary facts in it.
Every question is an isolated question.
There are no patterns in multiple choice exams. Just because you have answered ‘C’ for ten consecutive times, it doesn’t mean the next answer will be ‘C.’ Many myths have been told that the answer that appears more commonly is the best guess. There is no truth in that belief. Many multiple-choice exams are now generated and corrected by computers so it is less likely that there are patterns.
Guessing is a good strategy if all else fails
It would obviously be dangerous to guess randomly on every question. You would be lucky if your grade was 25%. You don’t need to make random guesses. On any multiple choice test you can often discard two of the four answers. This could give you a grade of over 50% just by guessing alone. Use your smarts and take that grade higher past 80% and into “A” territory.
Here are some tips to “ace” any matching section on your next test.
1. Read all answer choices before selecting an answer. Test-takers frequently say that this strategy helps eliminate rushing through a test and answering impulsively.
2. Try to predict the correct answer before you look at the choices offered. This will provide a mind-set for evaluating the answer choices before you begin to answer. This process also helps to unlock your prior knowledge about the subject gained from test study and life experience.
3. Match the easy ones first and cross off to use the process of elimination. Getting rid of answer choices will make the selection process quicker, especially if the matching section is long.
6. Look for grammatical clues to help match. For example, singular must match singular and plural must match plural; also verb tenses must match.
7. The answer should match the language of the test problem or question (positive to positive, negative to negative, grammar, singular or plural, vocabulary).
8. Finally, make sure to guess, if not sure of your answer choice. The exception to this is if you are penalized for incorrect answers. IF extra points are taken off for wrong guesses, then you are best to leave those matches blank.
Short Answer questions can be difficult for students. While not as lengthy as an essay question, you are still expected to cover enough ground in the question to achieve full marks. Additionally, unlike multiple choice and true/false tests, there is no answer staring back at you from the page. Despite that, there are still some tricks you can employ when writing short answer tests. See below for some general tips as well as some clues on how to write based on keywords you might see in the question.
General Tips:
Read the questions carefully - take your time to make sure you fully understand what is being asked of you
Do not overanalyze - go with your first instinct
Don't leave the answer blank! You can still get partial marks for having some of the answer
Make sure you answer the entire question - that's why reading the question carefully is so important. Highlight to help you focus on required elements
If the question is worth 5 marks, write down 5 points
Here are some typical words (instructions) you might find in a short-answer test and their meaning. Understanding the question ensures that you respond to it fully - and earn full marks!
KEY QUESTION WORDS :
Compare-Examine qualities/characteristics to determine similarities
Define-Write clear, specific definitions
Outline-Provide main points with supporting details
Discuss-Analyze information, list pros/cons
Relate-Explain connections/associations
Explain-Clarify and interpret material
Evaluate-Discuss advantages and limitations
Long Answer–Essay
Before the Exam: Prepare and Practice
Writing a good essay requires synthesis of material that cannot be done in the 20-30 minutes you have during the exam. In the days before the exam, you should:
Anticipate test questions. Look at the questions from your other unit tests. Did the teacher set questions that ask you to apply a theory to historical or contemporary events? Did you have to compare/contrast theories? Did you have to prove an argument? Imagine yourself in the role of the instructor--what did the instructor emphasize? What are the big ideas in the unit/course? In the review material, what concepts or theories were emphasized?
Practice writing. You may decide to write a summary of each theory you have been discussing, or a short description of the historical or contemporary events you've been studying. Focus on clarity, conciseness, and understanding the differences between the theories.
Memorize key events, facts, and names. You will have to support your argument with evidence, and this may involve memorizing some key events, or the names of theorists, etc.
Organize your ideas. Knowledge of the subject matter is only part of the preparation process. You need to spend some time thinking about how to organize your ideas. Let's say the question asks you to compare and contrast what regime theory and hegemonic stability theory would predict about post-cold war nuclear proliferation. The key components of an answer to this question must include:
A definition of the theories
A brief description of the issue
A comparison of the two theories' predictions
A clear and logical contrasting of the theories (noting how and why they are different)
In the exam
Many students start writing furiously after scanning the essay question. Do not do this! Instead, try the following:
Perform a "memory dump." Write down all the information you have had to memorize for the exam in note form.
Read the questions and instructions carefully. Read over all the questions on the exam. If you simply answer each question as you encounter it, you may give certain information or evidence to one question that is more suitable for another. Be sure to identify all parts of the question.
Formulate a thesis that answers the question. You can use the wording from the question. There is not time for an elaborate introduction, but be sure to introduce the topic, your argument, and how you will support your thesis (do this in your first paragraph).
Organize your supporting points. Before you proceed with the body of the essay, write an outline that summarizes your main supporting points. Check to make sure you are answering all parts of the question. Coherent organization is one of the most important characteristics of a good essay.
Make a persuasive argument. Most essays questions ask you to make some kind of argument. While there are no right answers, there are more and less persuasive answers. What makes an argument persuasive?
A clear point that is being argued (a thesis)
Sufficient evidence to support that thesis
Logical progression of ideas throughout the essay
Review your essay. Take a few minutes to re-read your essay. Correct grammatical mistakes, check to see that you have answered all parts of the question.
Things to Avoid
Essay exams can be stressful. You may draw a blank, run out of time, or find that you neglected an important part of the course in studying for the test. Of course, good preparation and time management can help you avoid these negative experiences. Some things to keep in mind as you write your essay include the following:
Don't "pad" your answer. Instructors are usually quite adept at detecting student bluffing. They give no credit for elaboration of the obvious. If you are stuck, you can elaborate on what you do know, as long as it relates to the question.
Avoid the "kitchen sink" approach. Many students simply write down everything they know about a particular topic, without relating the information to the question. Everything you include in your answer should help to answer the question and support your thesis. You need to show how/why the information is relevant -- don't leave it up to your instructor to figure this out!