Ace A Multiple Choice Test With These 7 Secret Tips
Most students, parents, and teachers know a lot about managing their time to include homework, studying, and other activities, but many overlook the importance of also learning test-taking time management skills.
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Many students do not think much about how to budget their time on a test and just jump right in. However, in order to do their best on tests, they must learn how to think about how much time they have and how to budget that time when testing.
Test taking time management strategies for student success:
- Have them count the number of multiple choice questions and calculate how much time they have for each question.
- When there are essay questions too, have students set aside time for the essay(s) and then calculate their time per question for the rest of the test.
- On a multiple choice-type test, teach them to answer the easy questions (the ones they know) first.
- Tell students to cross out obviously incorrect responses to minimize the distractions such responses offer. This will save them even more time.
- Then, after they’ve answered all they know, THEN, answer the difficult ones next (and skip the ones they don’t know at all).
- After they’ve done their best on all the questions they think they could answer, then quickly guess the rest (as long as it won’t count against them). It’s best to pick one letter and guess with the same letter throughout the test. It statistically improves the chances of guessing more right. Remember, “When in doubt, pick C!” It doesn’t have to be C. It just has to be the same letter every time.
- In general, students should answer multiple choice questions FIRST and then focus on essay questions LAST. There are often clues to other questions in the multiple choice parts of a test.
How Often Do You Find Yourself Saying: “I Wish I Knew How To Ace A Multiple Choice Test”
Watch this video to reinforce these steps!
For more information about study strategies for your student, see Susan Fitzell’s book, Please Help Me With My Homework. Available in both print and electronic versions!