Pakistan’s recruiting agencies like Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), Punjab Public Service Commission, Sindh Public Service Commission, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission, Balochistan Public Service Commission and National Testing Service (NTS) conducts exams for government jobs. Most of these tests are multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Recently, a screen test called MCQs-based Preliminary Test (MPT) has been introduced to Central Superior Services (CSS) exams. Not sure if the recruiting agencies follow international standards to prepare MCQs so that they could test different abilities a candidate requires for the job, we are sure they test the memorization and recalling abilities of a student which is unfair. Yet let’s understand some test-taking skills will come in handy when you appear for one paper MCQs based tests.
Read the question in its entirety.
Before skimming the answer selections for a multiple-choice question, read the full question. Before reading a question, students frequently assume they know what it is asking and go to the most logical answer. This is a major blunder that can cost you a lot of money in multiple-choice exams. Before going over the answer selections, make sure you read each question thoroughly.
First, answer it in your head.
Before going over the answer possibilities, answer the question in your head after you’ve read it. This will assist you to avoid debating the correct answer with yourself.
Remove any incorrect responses.
Before selecting the answer you believe is accurate, eliminate response possibilities that you are absolutely certain are incorrect. Even if you believe you know the correct answer, removing the erroneous responses first will assure that your answer choice is correct.
Read more: FPSC to hold screening test for CSS CE 2022 in Feb
Make use of the elimination process.
Cross out all the answers you know are incorrect using the process of elimination, then concentrate on the remaining options. This method not only saves time, but it also boosts your chances of selecting the correct answer.
Choose the most appropriate response.
It’s critical to choose the best response to the question at hand, not just the one that appears to be correct. Many replies may appear to be correct, but there is usually a better solution to the question that your lecturer seeks.
Every answer option should be read.
Before deciding on a final response, read all of the options. This may seem obvious to some, yet it is a typical blunder made by students. Every multiple-choice question, as we mentioned in the previous part, usually has the best answer. You may not select the best response if you presume you know the correct answer without first reviewing all of the answer options.
First, answer the questions you already know the answers to.
If you’re having trouble answering a question, move on and come back to it once you’ve completed all of the other questions. Answering easier questions first might sometimes provide insight into more difficult problems.
Make a well-informed guess.
Make an educated estimate for any question you’re unclear about if it won’t affect your score. (Improper responses are penalised on some standardised tests.) A correct answer, for example, may be worth 2 points, whereas an unanswered question is for 0 points and a wrong answer is worth -1 point. You can still make an educated guess on these examinations, but only after eliminating at least one or two erroneous answers.
Pay close attention to the following words…
Pay special attention to the words not, occasionally, always, and never. An answer that contains everything must be unmistakable. If you can’t think of a single counterexample, the answer is wrong. The same can be said of the term never. If there isn’t a single counterexample in any of the answer options, that means the answer isn’t right.
It’s usually advisable to go with your first decision, although this isn’t always the case.
After reading the question, it’s preferable to stick with the first answer you came up with. Constantly second-guessing and changing your mind is usually unhelpful. This does not, however, imply that your initial response option is the best option. Multiple choice tests aren’t normally meant to deceive or confuse pupils; rather, they’re meant to assess their knowledge and abilities. As a result, the response alternatives supplied will frequently contain the most popular erroneous answer among the possibilities, or reasonable but ultimately inaccurate solutions, or the greatest answer.
“All of the above” & “None of the above” are both valid options if…
If you’re given the options “All of the above” and “None of the above,” don’t choose “All of the above” unless you’re certain one of the answers is incorrect. If you are convinced that at least one of the response options is correct, you can choose “None of the above.”
When it appears that there are two correct responses.
In a multiple choice question with an “All of the above” option, if two responses are valid, it’s most likely the correct decision.
Read more: Has FPSC incompetence reduced CSS to a game of luck?
The more data you have, the better.
In most cases, the correct answer provides more information than the other options. If you have to estimate, this is useful information to have.