Test Taking SkillsTest Taking Skills

Multiple Choice Question Multiple Choice Question Make-upMake-up

First lets have a look at what First lets have a look at what are the elements of a questionare the elements of a question

1)1) StemStem – the question itself – the question itself2)2) AlternativesAlternatives – choices students – choices students

have for the correct answerhave for the correct answer3)3) DistractersDistracters – responses that – responses that

attempt to make students pick attempt to make students pick the wrong answer the wrong answer

EXAMPLEEXAMPLE

What is the capital of Canada?What is the capital of Canada?

(Stem)(Stem)

a)a) Toronto Toronto (Distracter)(Distracter)

b)b) Montreal Montreal (Distracter)(Distracter)

c)c) Ottawa Ottawa (Answer)(Answer)

d)d) Edmonton Edmonton (Distracter)(Distracter)

(Alternatives)(Alternatives)

SuggestionsSuggestions

Look at the stem for important wordsLook at the stem for important words Highlight/underline these words. So Highlight/underline these words. So

that you can filter out the garbage that you can filter out the garbage and find what is really being asked. and find what is really being asked.

E.g. What choice E.g. What choice bestbest describes the describes the goalsgoals of the following of the following political forces political forces in Europein Europe during the during the mid-nineteenth mid-nineteenth centurycentury??

Look and eliminate distracters Look and eliminate distracters that are complete irrelevant to that are complete irrelevant to the answer.the answer.

Better odds than 1 out of 4 Better odds than 1 out of 4

E.G. Who was the first man to E.G. Who was the first man to walk on the moon?walk on the moon?

a) Neil Armstronga) Neil Armstrong

b) Paul Martin b) Paul Martin (Irrelevant)(Irrelevant)

c) John Glennc) John Glenn

d) Stephen Harper d) Stephen Harper (Irrelevant)(Irrelevant)

Here are a few test taking Here are a few test taking strategies that are useful when strategies that are useful when

looking at multiple choicelooking at multiple choice Common element in question and Common element in question and

answeranswer Look for words that are specific Look for words that are specific

determinersdeterminers Look at length of distracters and Look at length of distracters and

answer.answer. Look for a grammatical clue in the Look for a grammatical clue in the

stem stem Look for teacher mistakes within the Look for teacher mistakes within the

responses. responses.

Common Element in Question Common Element in Question and Responsesand Responses Look for words that are the same in Look for words that are the same in

the stem (question) and the the stem (question) and the responses that will allude to the right responses that will allude to the right answeranswer

Example:Example:The Augustine National Party has it The Augustine National Party has it headquarters in headquarters in • A) Camden, New JerseyA) Camden, New Jersey• B) St. Augustine, FloridaB) St. Augustine, Florida• C) Palo Alto, CaliforniaC) Palo Alto, California• D) Dallas, TexasD) Dallas, Texas

The The AugustineAugustine National Party has it National Party has it headquarters in headquarters in • A) Camden, New JerseyA) Camden, New Jersey• B) St. B) St. AugustineAugustine, Florida, Florida• C) Palo Alto, CaliforniaC) Palo Alto, California• D) Dallas, TexasD) Dallas, Texas

Answer: BAnswer: B

Specific DeterminersSpecific Determiners

Look for words in the responses that Look for words in the responses that specifically give away the correct answerspecifically give away the correct answer

Example:Example:Hermann Klavemann is best known for Hermann Klavemann is best known for

• A) developing all musical scales used in the A) developing all musical scales used in the western worldwestern world

• B) composing every sonata during the B) composing every sonata during the Romantic EraRomantic Era

• C) translating all Russian classics into C) translating all Russian classics into EnglishEnglish

• D) inventing the safety pinD) inventing the safety pin

Hermann Klavemann is best known for Hermann Klavemann is best known for • A) developing A) developing allall musical scales musical scales

used in the western worldused in the western world• B) composing B) composing everyevery sonata during sonata during

the Romantic Erathe Romantic Era• C) translating C) translating allall Russian classics Russian classics

into Englishinto English• D) inventing the safety pinD) inventing the safety pin

Answer: DAnswer: D

Response LengthResponse Length

Look for one response that is much longer than Look for one response that is much longer than the other ones giving away the right answerthe other ones giving away the right answer

ExampleExample

The Davis Act of the 20The Davis Act of the 20thth Century Century• A) provides more money to schoolsA) provides more money to schools• B) struck down an earlier lawB) struck down an earlier law• C) prohibited the manufacture, sale, C) prohibited the manufacture, sale,

transportation, or use of several specific transportation, or use of several specific drugs that were being used for illegal drugs that were being used for illegal purposespurposes

• D) gave a raise to government D) gave a raise to government employeesemployees

The Davis Act of the 20The Davis Act of the 20thth Century Century• A) provides more money to schoolsA) provides more money to schools• B) struck down an earlier lawB) struck down an earlier law• C) prohibited the manufacture, C) prohibited the manufacture,

sale, transportation, or use of sale, transportation, or use of several specific drugs that were several specific drugs that were being used for illegal purposesbeing used for illegal purposes

• D) gave a raise to government D) gave a raise to government employeesemployees

Answer: CAnswer: C

Grammatical ClueGrammatical Clue

Look for a grammatical clue at the Look for a grammatical clue at the end of the stem that alludes to the end of the stem that alludes to the correct responsecorrect response

ExampleExampleHarold Stone’s book, The Last Friendship Harold Stone’s book, The Last Friendship is an example of anis an example of an

• A) Political satireA) Political satire• B) AutobiographyB) Autobiography• C) Science FictionC) Science Fiction• D) BiographyD) Biography

Harold Stone’s book, The Last Harold Stone’s book, The Last Friendship is an example of Friendship is an example of anan

• A) Political satireA) Political satire• B) AutobiographyB) Autobiography• C) Science FictionC) Science Fiction• D) BiographyD) Biography

Answer: BAnswer: B

Teacher MistakesTeacher Mistakes

Teachers overlook mistakes when Teachers overlook mistakes when creating examscreating exams

ExampleExample

The population of Franktown is more thatThe population of Franktown is more that• A) 50 000A) 50 000• B) 60 000B) 60 000• C) 70 000C) 70 000• D) 80 000D) 80 000

The population of Franktown is more thanThe population of Franktown is more than• A) 50 000A) 50 000• B) 60 000B) 60 000• C) 70 000C) 70 000• D) 80 000D) 80 000

Answer: DAnswer: D

Reasoning: Every answer will be correct if greater than Reasoning: Every answer will be correct if greater than the other. So if the answer was D than A,B,C, would the other. So if the answer was D than A,B,C, would be correct. Answer is C than A,B would be correct. be correct. Answer is C than A,B would be correct. Answer is B than A would be correct. All other Answer is B than A would be correct. All other responses are always greater than A thus A will responses are always greater than A thus A will always be correctalways be correct. .

Look for answers that can be Look for answers that can be found from other questionsfound from other questions

ExampleExample

Which of the following books was written Which of the following books was written by Harold Stone?by Harold Stone?

• A) My MotherA) My Mother• B) The Last FriendshipB) The Last Friendship• C) SummertimeC) Summertime• D) The Last Rose of AutumnD) The Last Rose of Autumn

Which of the following books was written by Harold Which of the following books was written by Harold Stone?Stone?

• A) My MotherA) My Mother• B) The Last FriendshipB) The Last Friendship• C) SummertimeC) Summertime• D) The Last Rose of AutumnD) The Last Rose of Autumn

• Answer: BAnswer: B

Reasoning: Question four asked:Reasoning: Question four asked:

Harold Stone’s book, Harold Stone’s book, The Last FriendshipThe Last Friendship is an is an example of anexample of an

A) Political satireA) Political satire

B) AutobiographyB) Autobiography

C) Science FictionC) Science Fiction

D) BiographyD) Biography

PracticePractice

See if you can answer these See if you can answer these questions using the skills I just questions using the skills I just taught.taught.

The Dardanelles are a:The Dardanelles are a:

A.A. Ridge of high mountains dividing Ridge of high mountains dividing the Italian peninsulathe Italian peninsula

B.B. Series of rolling hills that stretch Series of rolling hills that stretch through Hungary and Austriathrough Hungary and Austria

C.C. Flat plain that stretches from the Flat plain that stretches from the Balkans into the heart of RussiaBalkans into the heart of Russia

D.D. Narrow waterway linking the Black Narrow waterway linking the Black Sea with the Meditteranean SeaSea with the Meditteranean Sea

Some historians have argued that Some historians have argued that during the Reign of Terror, the during the Reign of Terror, the National Convention that claimed National Convention that claimed to be acting in the name of liberty to be acting in the name of liberty was, in fact, acting as a:was, in fact, acting as a:

A.A. Egalitarian republicEgalitarian republicB.B. Totalitarian dictatorshipTotalitarian dictatorshipC.C. Constitutional monarchyConstitutional monarchyD.D. Parliamentary democracyParliamentary democracy

The royal courts of France that The royal courts of France that were used to register the edicts of were used to register the edicts of the king were known as:the king were known as:

A.A. RegentsRegents

B.B. IntendantsIntendants

C.C. ParlementsParlements

D.D. MagistratesMagistrates

In 18In 18thth century France, century France, salonssalons were:were:A.A. Public meetings in town market-squares Public meetings in town market-squares

of France at which radical politicians of France at which radical politicians spoke out against the abuses of the spoke out against the abuses of the French GovernmentFrench Government

B.B. Public meetings in town market-squares Public meetings in town market-squares of France at which all citizens voted on of France at which all citizens voted on important political decisionsimportant political decisions

C.C. Social Gatherings at which the guests Social Gatherings at which the guests discussed ways to discredit the radical discussed ways to discredit the radical and “dangerous” ideas of the philosophesand “dangerous” ideas of the philosophes

D.D. Social Gatherings at which the guests Social Gatherings at which the guests discussed intellectual ideas and discussed intellectual ideas and questionsquestions

Before 1789 the government Before 1789 the government of France would be called an:of France would be called an:

A.A. Benevolent despotismBenevolent despotism

B.B. Absolute monarchyAbsolute monarchy

C.C. Limited monarchyLimited monarchy

D.D. republicrepublic

Assignats were:Assignats were:

A.A. Documents demanding the Documents demanding the overthrow of the kingoverthrow of the king

B.B. Writs to have a person Writs to have a person arrested arbitrarilyarrested arbitrarily

C.C. Seigneurial dueSeigneurial due

D.D. Paper money with which Paper money with which confiscated Church property confiscated Church property could be purchasedcould be purchased