Case Studies

3.22. Multiple Choice Questions

3.2.3.3 Multiple-choice answers

There are common misconceptions that these types of questions are not associated with case studies and that they are easy. They are however invaluable when choices are to be made from multiple possible solutions to problems.

Many students find the multiple choice format challenging as there are often numerous questions to answer in a short time frame and the wording can be quite confusing. For maximum success, you must understand the purpose of the questions and the principles behind the question structure.

Multiple choice questions are testing:

•  Basic knowledge (facts, figures, definitions) and the best learning strategy is rote learning for memorisation
• The application of knowledge to a particular context and the best learning strategy is reading case studies and examples in textbooks
• Analysis, synthesis and evaluation, combining and using knowledge to address a ‘real life’ scenario and the best learning strategy is to collect and learn information in a table format so as to see distinctions and similarities between concepts.

Here are some tips for answering multiple choice questions

• Start with the questions you can answer easily.
• Cover the answers and try to answer the question before looking at them.
• Lightly cross out the answers you know are wrong.
• Underline key words in the question.
• Read all the alternatives.
• Watch for key words like: totally, absolutely, all, never, only, always.
• Translate double negative statements into positive ones.
• Answer every question unless there is a penalty for wrong answers.