Multiple Choice Test Questions

By: Naomi Rockler-Gladen

published:Nov 5, 2006

Stressed about multiple choice questions? Here's some test taking strategy secrets about multiple choice tests that your professor may not want you to know.

College students hate multiple choice test questions. They look easier than essay

exams, but they're not! In my experience, students do much better on essay questions than on multiple choice questions.

So the next time you're sitting there with test anxiety, staring blankly at your Scan Tron form, remember these test-taking strategy secrets about multiple choice tests that your professor may not want you to know.

More often than not, the correct answer is B or C. This isn't always true, of course, but test writers are most likely to gravitate towards one of these answers.
If there is an "all of the above" option, chances are high that's the answer. If you know more than one answer is correct, there's a very good chance it's "all of the above."
"None of the above" is usually wrong. This isn't always the case, but test writers often throw that in because they've run out of ideas.
Has everyone ever told you that "the first thing you think of is probably right?" and that you shouldn't change your answers? This is not necessarily true.
If you don't know the answer, always guess. Why wouldn't you?
You can often rule out answers that contain generalization terms, like "always" or "never." Answers that contains words like "usually" or "mostly" are more likely to be correct.
Don't worry about the pattern of the answers. If you answer B to four questions in a row, you might be right.
Don't spend too much time on each question, especially if there are essay questions in the test as well. Essay questions take longer, and students usually do better on them.
Ask your professor ahead of time for sample multiple choice questions from a previous test, to give you an idea of what to expect. Most professors don't mind.