Preparing for short answer & multi-choice tests & exams

What we’ll cover:

Tips for answering short answer questions

Tips for answering multiple choice questions

Tips for answering short answer questions

Analyse the question (just like any assignment):What aspect(s) of the topic do you need to

write about?What instruction words are used?

Keep to the point

NO Introduction NO ConclusionNO Waffle

Tips for answering short answer questions

Allocate your time according to the mark allocation; the marks guide you on the length of your answer and the amount of information it should contain

Make sure you allow time to answer all the questions

Attempt all questions

Tips for answering short answer questions

Jot down ideas/keywords & plan your answer first on a piece of paper (especially when a longer answer is required)

Don’t spend too long on difficult questions: allow time to return to them and try them againIf you are running out of time, jot down key

ideas because they may earn marks.

Common instructional words Make sure you are familiar with the instructional

words your course might use:ListOutlineDescribeDefineExplainCompare/contrast

Multi-choice questions:Before you start

If you have reading time:Read all the questionsMake a note of the easy ones

Also: Check if you are penalised for wrong

answers Check the time you have for the whole test

Multi-choice questions:General tips

Do the easy ones firstCover the possible answers and give the

answerRead ALL the possible answers/choicesReturn to the hard ones laterAnswer all questions (unless marks are deducted for wrong answers, & you really don’t know)

Multiple choice questions: Tricky onesAvoid unfamiliar choicesAvoid choices that include absolutes, e.g. always,

all, every etc.Be careful of changing your first answer – your

first instinct might be bestIf two choices are totally opposite one might be

correctMaybe the answers you have done will help you

with the tricky onesIf two or three answers are correct, usually the

“all of the above” answer is correct.

Identify typical questions in your courseHave a look through recent exam questions and see if there

are any patterns:1. Complexity of questions2. Types of questions e.g. multi-choice, true/false etc.3. Common topics 4. Mark allocation

If possible, practise question from past papers, or make up your own questions and practise doing them in test conditions

http://library.cpit.ac.nz/ has past exam papers for Business, Computing and selected Nursing courses.

Past exam papers may also be on your course Moodle sites.

Ask your tutor early for help to find past exam papers.

Find the correct answer: State two differences between white and dark chocolate (2 marks)

• Answer A: White chocolate is sweet and does not contain cocoa

• Answer B: White chocolate is sweet tasting and does not contain cocoa; dark chocolate is less sweet tasting and contains cocoa.

• Answer C: Chocolate is made from cocoa beans that are then processed to extract cocoa and mixed with sugar to produce chocolate. Chocolate has a variety of uses including cooking and eating.

• Answer D: White chocolate is sweet; dark chocolate contains more of the dark chocolaty substance

 

Find the correct answer:State two differences between white and dark chocolate (2marks)

• Answer A: White chocolate is sweet and does not contain cocoa

Answer A is wrong because: It gives two qualities of white chocolate but gives no information on dark chocolate .Therefore it fails to state two differences between white and dark chocolate.

• Answer B: White chocolate is sweet tasting and does not contain cocoa; dark chocolate is less sweet tasting and contains cocoa.

Answer B is correct because:

Two differences between white and dark chocolate are clearly stated. 

Find the correct answer:State two differences between white and dark chocolate (2 marks)

• Answer C: Chocolate is made from cocoa beans that are then processed to extract cocoa and mixed with sugar to produce chocolate. Chocolate has a variety of uses including cooking and eating.

Answer C is wrong because:• Identifying the ingredients of chocolate and the

uses of chocolate is not relevant. It fails to state two differences between white and dark chocolate.

Find the correct answer:State two differences between white and dark chocolate (2 marks)

• Answer D: White chocolate is sweet; dark chocolate contains more of the dark chocolaty substance.

Answer D is wrong because:• It does not contrast the sweetness of white chocolate with

the level of sweetness of dark chocolate, because it does not say how sweet dark chocolate is.

• It does not directly state that white chocolate contains less of the dark chocolaty substance (It merely implies, which is not doing enough). Thus it fails to contrast the difference in the level of the substance.

• “Dark chocolaty substance” is vague and colloquial; specific and proper terms have to be used.

Find the correct answer: Describe the process of chocolate production.

(3 marks)• Answer A: Chocolate is produced from cacao beans that have been

harvested and dried. They are then roasted and processed to produce cocoa paste. This is then further processed to produce chocolate by mixing it with cocoa butter and sugar.

• Answer B: Chocolate is produced from beans which are processed and made into chocolate. This chocolate can then be eaten or used to produce other products.

• Answer C: Chocolate is produced from beans that grow on cacao trees in South America. It is thought that the Aztecs first discovered chocolate when they ground the beans and used them to make a drink.

Find the correct answer:

Describe the process of chocolate production. (3 marks)

• Answer A: Chocolate is produced from cacao beans that have been harvested and dried. They are then roasted and processed to produce cocoa paste. This is then further processed to produce chocolate by mixing it with cocoa butter and sugar.

Answer A is correct because:• The steps in chocolate production are clearly

specified in a logical sequence. Also, the ingredients are identified.

Find the correct answer: Describe the process of chocolate production.

(3 marks)

• Answer B: Chocolate is produced from beans which are processed and made into chocolate. This chocolate can then be eaten or used to produce other products.

• Answer B is wrong because:• The steps in chocolate production are not specified. • The type of bean is not identified.• It is not relevant to give the uses of chocolate.

(Moreover, even if the uses are relevant, the first use is elementary knowledge, while the second use is not specific at all).

Find the correct answer: Describe the process of chocolate production (3

marks). • Answer C: Chocolate is produced from beans that

grow on cacao trees in South America. It is thought that the Aztecs first discovered chocolate when they ground the beans and used them to make a drink.

Answer C is wrong because:• It does not describe the steps in chocolate

production.• It gives irrelevant information on:

• where cacao trees are found. • who discovered chocolate.• making chocolate drink.

Good luck with your test/exam

Come to Learning Services (upstairs in the library) if you need more assistance

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