1.Multiple choice questions - the making and practising

1.   How are objective questions of MCQ type made?

      A fill in the blank question is given to a class. This question is later converted to a multiple choice question (MCQ). The choices are chosen from one 'correct' answer or 'most probable' answer and the 'most frequent' wrong answers given by the students as other choices. Since the most frequent wrong answers are chosen as the choice, the students who finish the MCQ are often very happy because what they look for is in there! Do not be deceived because the answer you looked for is in there. Be careful. Do not fall into the trap. Read all the answers before ticking the correct answer of your choice. The second or third choice may be a better answer. That’s why they use the words 'most probable' answer in the question paper.

2.   How to practice objective – MCQ questions at home?

Answer the questions and ask someone at home to correct them. Tell them to just only mark the correct answers and leave out the wrong ones. Tell them not to write the correct answers. Try the wrong ones again and ask someone to mark them as before. The third time you try, refer to the text book and find out the answers. Then you check with the given answers.

There is an analogy to this. You may see cricket or football matches any number of times in TV. That doesn’t mean that you can play the game well. You have to get into the field and play the game and feel the game. Similarly to become talented in MCQ game you have to practise it as stated above. Do not learn by looking at the answers. If you learn by looking at answers or by being prompted by someone or by looking at the book, you become dependent on something and become helpless in the exam hall. You have to train your mind/brain to tackle problems in its own way. That’s why I suggest the above method of answering MCQ at home.

Be alert when you see the following words in the MCQ 

'frequently'

'always'

'All of the above'

'True'

'False'

'not true'

For Double negatives, create the equivalent positive statement and consider

Look for words or alternatives in questions that eliminate that option.

Learn through others experience.......you stay young!