Multiple-choice questions

Multiple choice questions (MCQs) are a type of assessment where you are asked to choose the correct or most appropriate answer. MCQs come in different forms:

• true/false questions
• matching questions
• choosing from a list

An MCQ is composed of a question (stem) and a set of choices as illustrated below.

Preparation for MCQs

You need to be familiar with a broad range of knowledge and its application or implications.

• Begin studying early because MCQs usually focus on assessing your comprehension of detailed aspects of the course. Your short-term memory will not be so helpful.
• Read the course description of what will be covered in the MCQs.
• Attempt any past or example MCQs under similar timing restrictions to get a sense of what the MCQs would look like in the exam.
• Do not try to memorise the past questions. Instead, it is a good idea to revise with friends and colleagues to improve your comprehension of the topics.

When you are doing MCQs

• Answer the questions you feel confident with first then come back to the others.
• Eliminate answers that are obviously incorrect, and then focus on the remaining choices.
• Deconstruct the question by underlining the topic words, the task words and the limit words.

• Watch for negatives and double negatives (e.g. not uncommon, not infrequently – both mean often).
• Do not read the potential answers immediately. Read the question and come up with the answer first, then read the options to see if it is listed.
• Complete any calculations or working prior to looking for the answer in the options provided. Don’t work backwards from the list of answers.
• Do not leave any question unanswered unless there is a penalty for guessing the wrong answer.

Additional Resources

Watch this video for tips on doing MCQs.

References