Ace Objective Tests

It is about more than just knowledge

What are objective tests?

Test that require test taker to give a predetermined

answer. They include questions such as• Multiple choice

• True false• Matching

• Fill in the blank

The method

For the four different types of questions, there are

methods that you can use to help you answer

correctly

Multiple ChoiceOnly you can decide

The Structure of Multiple choice

O Knowing the structure helps you to understand how to answer

O Pieces of the questionO Stem-text of the question

O What they are asking youO Look for main terms in the question

O Options- choice provided after the questionO The choices you get to make

O Key- the correct answer in the list of optionsO The answer you want to give

O Distractors- incorrect optionsO Exactly that! They are intended to distract you from

the key. O Many times they are similar to the key

Multiple Choice

Notice that option b could also work. Social control is more likely to be invested in the schools as societies increase in complexity. State is the correct answer

because it encompasses schools

Ways of Approaching Multiple Choice

O Try to answer the question before you look at the choices. This will help you to get into the mind set of the question

O Don’t just pick one that looks goodO Try phrasing the question in a

different wayO Eliminate the choices that you know

are wrong

True/ False Narrowing the choices

Structure of True/FalseO Considered a modified multiple

choice question with two optionsO Like a multiple choice

O StemO Options O KeyO DistractorO Modifiers

True/False

All types of cars have some type of engineT or FTrue : all cars do need some type of engine to run.

Modifier Modifier

True/False

Everyone should work out everyday to be healthy. T or FFalse: Working out everyday is not healthy for everyone

Ways of Approaching True/False

O Modifiers matter! O Look for words like all, some, most, usually,

sometimes, everydayO These words can change a sentence from true to

falseO Rephrase the question

O Try saying it a different wayO EX) All people should be working out each day to be

healthy.O Try putting emphasis on modifiers

O EX) All types of cars have some type of engine.

O Wording really mattersO If one aspect of the question in not true than the

whole thing is false

Matching

Structure of MatchingO Another variation on the Multiple

choiceO Similar to multiple choice but with

some differencesO Stem O OptionsO Key

MatchingDirections: On the line next to each description in Column A, place the letter of the president in Column B whom it describes. Answers in Column B may be used only once.

Column A

_____1. Jimmy Carter

_____2. Abraham Lincoln

_____3. Richard Nixon

_____4. George Washington

_____5. Ronald Reagan

Column B

A. Our first President

B. Resigned from the office of president

C. Was well known for his association with humanitarian causes after leaving office

D. Was a movie star and a state governor before being elected president

E. Was assassinated while in office

1. C, 2. E, 3. B, 4. A, 5. D

Make sure you read directions

Read all the options first

Ways to Approach MatchingO Read the instructions closely!

O In matching, instructions can make or break you

O Instructions will often let you know if you can use options more than once

O Read all items before startingO This allows you time to stop and think about

your answersO Mark words or terms that you are not familiar

withO If you are uncertain about some of the

choices, be sure to indicate that. That will save you time later as you eliminate other options

O Cross off options as you use them if they are used only once

O If you can use options more than once, the look for options that are similar or connected in some way because those may be once that may have the same option

Fill in the BlankOr complete the sentence

Structure of Fill in the Blank

O Can be have options to pick from or a type of multiple choice

O Can also be a write in response O Pieces of the question

O StemO Omissions (or blanks)O Sometimes options

Fill in the Blank

“Ask not what your ________ can do for you, ask what you can do for your __________.”(country, country)The quote above was from JFK’s _________ __________ in 1960.(Inaugural address)

Lets you

know that it

is a quote

Indicates that it is something that JFK owned or performed

The year can be a clue.

Ways to Approach Fill in the Blank

O Look for cluesO Things like the year or quotation marks in our

exampleO If you don’t know the answer, come as close as

you canO Try to make an educated guess based on the clues

O Make sure that you answer all the blanksO In our second example, there are two blanks

indicating that there are is a two word phrase missing

O Look work language cluesO These include things like “a” or “an” before the

blank – can let you know that the word starts with a vowel or consonant

O Or you can usually tell if the missing word is a verb or noun based on the sentence

ConclusionO Objective test often require more than

knowing the answers O You may know the information but detractors

can deter you from picking what you know if right

O Stay clam and use strategies! O Don’t make rash choices, take your time!

O If you don’t do well, learn from your mistakesO Each objective test you take is an

opportunity to improve on the next one. O Remember it is about the “best” choice

O Often multiple options are technically right but the test only considers one the “best”