Multiple-Choice Tips
Strategies for answering multiple-choice questions
Pay close attention to directions.
Listen carefully to any instructions given by the test administrator and carefully read all directions in the software before you begin to answer the questions. The day before your exam, use the CLEP Sampler (.zip/9.6MB; PC only; you will need a compression utility such as WinZip) to familiarize yourself with the computer-based test. A tutorial is available in the test software, so if you haven't had a chance to use the Sampler, don't worry, you'll have time to practice answering different question types before you take the actual test.
Pace yourself.
Make sure that you're not working too slowly. You should have answered at least half the questions in a section when half the time for that section has passed. If you have not reached that point in the section, speed up your pace on the remaining questions. Click on the Time button to see how much time you have left in the exam.
Read the entire question including all the answer choices before answering a question.
Don't think that because the first or second answer choice looks good to you, it isn't necessary to read the remaining options.
Read and consider every question, BUT, don't spend too much time on any one question.
Questions that look complicated at first may not actually be so difficult once you have read them carefully. If you don't know the answer, after you've thought about it, go on to the next question. Mark that question using the Mark tool in the exam software and go back to it later. Use the Review tool to see a list of what questions you've marked for review, which ones you've not answered, and which questions you have not yet seen.
Make educated guesses.
Be sure to answer every question in the exam — you will not have additional points deducted for questions answered incorrectly.
Request official scrap paper for use during the exam to write notes or do calculations.
What you write on this scrap paper won't affect your score. Be sure to record all of your answers in the exam software.
Watch for key words like these in test questions:
|
all always but except every |
generally however may must necessary |
never none not often only |
perhaps rarely seldom sometimes usually |
When a question or answer option contains words such as "always," "every," "only," "never," and "none," there can be no exceptions to the answer you choose. Use of words such as "often," "rarely," "sometimes," and "generally" indicates that there may be some exceptions to the answer.
For more advice, go to Essay Tips
