GCE A/L Support Seminar - 2012
Paper I : Duration 2 Hours
Paper II : Duration 3 Hours
By courtesy of Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka
How to Answer MCQs
- Preparation for an MCQ paper is different from an essay paper.
- The MCQs tests a much broader range of the syllabus.
- To prepare for MCQs read as widely around a subject as possible.
- Concentrate less on memorizing hard facts.
- Understand basic principles and concepts.
- Try to work on previous MCQ papers to understand the style of the examination.
- Some questions may even be repeated in the exam.
- Always calculate the time available for the test and for each question before the exam
- Stick to the time strictly.
- Do not spend too much time on any single question.
- Answer the question using your first impression.
- Trust your instincts: your initial guess is most likely to be right.
- Ask your self what if this answer is wrong. Work backwords.
- If you don't know the answer, mark it and move on and return to the question at the end.
- Do your first run through the all questions faster.
- Do your second run returning to marked questions to give further consideration.
- When you face a MCQ that you are unsure about make an educated guess.
- Your understanding of keywords and phrases is vital to maximise your score.
Keywords
- Questions with absolute and sweeping statements such as never, always, or exclusively are generally false as exceptions can be found to virtually any rule. Questions which include the keywords could, possible, or may are more often true than not.
Unfamiliar information
- If you find a question with complete unfamiliar information, there is a chance that it could be false.
- READ the questions well. Careless reading can cost you loss of marks.
- If you miss the word 'not' you could end up with wrong answer
- MCQs can be very tricky. Examiners usually try to trip you up. Be wise to face their plans and strategies.
- Be carefull and lookout for double negatives (not unfriendly mean friendly).
- Look for the hints in the question
- If you don't know the right answer, exclude the wrong ones and compare the one that's left to pick the right answer
- If more than two answers are correct and if they are not there choose "all of the above"
- Avoid reading MCQs in the final few days. There is a chance that you will remember the wrong answers. Instead, concentrate on the theory, principals and concepts as they are most interesting and you are more likely to remember them.
- Long and specific answers are correct
- Choose options in the middle
- Do not go for absolutes such as "never," "always," "is," "are," "guarantees," "ensures." Such statements are highly restrictive and very difficult to defend.
- Do not go for "jargon-filled” options. These are frequently used as decoys.
- Go for the longest option! Often to make the answer completely correct and extra clause will be added by the examiner.
- Go for the middle answer. If the options are 5, 12, 9, 3,2 - go for 9.
- Go for the one of the options that look like each other. if the options are 12f, 35f, 16f and 12a. Go for 12a or 12f as examiner is trying to be clever.
- If you have absolutely no idea of the answer choose option C.
How to answer structured essay questions
These questions do not try to test your memory. They try to test your ability to present your knowledge in a structured way.
- Read the question and understand what the examiner want to know?
- Identify the given factor from the question, explain and elaborate it.
- Identify the other factors. Explain and elaborate it.
- Give Facts, Make Explainations, Provide Evidences (Examples)
- Logically structure your answer with related keywords.
- Structured answers are analytical and require higher order thinking.
- Understand keywords of the questions. They are to be included in answer.
- Focus on instructions of the question in your answer.
- Plan your answer.
- Recall Facts in the answer.
- Write down 3 main points.
- Explain and Elaborate your points in brief with important details.
- Leave space after each question.
- Try to remember what you know about a topic.
- Select what is relevant to the question, organize it and formulate sentences to cexpress the answer.
- Do the easiest questions first
- Don’t get stuck in a question. Move on!
- Use common sense.
- Jot down ideas as they come to you.
- Never omit an entire question.
- Read the questions slowly. Highlight key points. Ensure you have understood what each question says.
Meaning of Commonly Used Words in Exams
Briefly Explain Questions
- Briefly explain questions are designed to test your knowledge of fundamental concepts.
- "Briefly explain" also means ""outline" or "concisely discuss."
- Complete sentences are not necessary, as long as your logic is clear to the examiner.
- Think before your write! before you put pen to paper.
- Think about all the key concepts for a question before you begin to write your answer.
- Outline the answer first, with a list of key words or phrases
- Organize your answer in a manner that another student could understand.
- Pretend you are explaining the concept to someone in the class, who did not attended the lecture.
- Use precise and accurate wording.
- Pack as much information into the answer as possible, but avoid irrelevant information.
- The number and accuracy of relevant concepts is more important than the number of words.
- Use of appropriate vocabulary and concepts.
- Write and draw neatly. Examiners give points for what can be interpreted.
- Practice with writing briefly explain answers as study habit.
Analyze: Discuss a topic with cases for and against, or the causes and effects, possible consequences of it.
Compare: Express how two items are alike and and how they are different. Pointout which is more important or useful.
Contrast: Think about the differences. Explain what they are, explain how they are used and judge the relative importance.
Compare and Contrast : How two or more items are alike and how they are different. Explain how they are used and determine the relative importance highlighting advantages and disadvantages.
Define: Explain what it means, using as formal language. If you have learned a definition, use it.
Describe: Say what you know about the topic in a logical order.
Explain: State clearly what is involved, or how something works
Outline: Select only the most important aspects of a topic. Ignore minor details. Write a summary of what's asked.
Identify: Point to the essential part or parts. Explain clearly what is involved.
Significance: Explain the meaning of something and assess how important it is, to whome or under what circumstances
Role: Explain the part that something plays: how it fits in, what it causes, what effects it has or how it interacts with other people or groups.
Discuss: Say what you know about the issue. Give examples. Indicating adavntages and disadvantages
Illustrate: Use examples in in words, statistics, or diagrams.
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Account for: Explain why something happens and give reasons and explain the cause or causes.
Limitations: Show where and when how something will not work, or where it will not work and how
Differentiate between: Explain the differences between the two or more items you are asked about.
State: Put down the main points of the view or argument.
Summarize: Select only the main points of the issue and put them in some logical order.
Comment: Calls for mild criticism and explain under what circumstances it might be done, or possible results of doing it, why it is important.
Criticize: Pointiout faults and disadvantages as you see. Try to support your views with reasons, evidence, or statistics
Distinguish: Explain the differences between the items or propositions.
Evaluate: Decide how good or bad something is. How important or unimportant something is.You must sum up with an opinion about the issue, because you are being asked to make a judgment.
Implications: Describe the likely results of an action, including hidden ones. Consider the shortterm and long term possibilities.
Relate:Describe carefully or to demonstrate the connection between two or more things .
Validite : Can the statement given be justified by the facts and evidence? To what extent is it true. Are there any limitations and what are they?
