Intelligent MCQ Guessing (Courtesy of the University of Delaware)

* Alternatives with absolute or universal qualifiers are usually wrong (“all”, “every”, “never”, “in no case”, “in every case”, etc.)

* Alternatives that seem impossible or that seem completely unrelated to the question are usually wrong (watch out for alternatives that are true, but have nothing to do with the question).

* If two or more alternatives say the same thing, each is probably wrong (you can have two that are wrong, but not two that are right on m/c tests).

* The answer to one question is sometimes given away in another question (tests contain a lot of information - use it).

* When 3 or more alternatives deal in different ways with one concept, one of them is usually right. The instructor usually doesn't waste 3 alternatives on single incorrect concept. In this case, he or she most likely wants to have you discriminate knowledge.

* If two answers contain a similar sounding word, such as "subordination" and "subrogation," choose one of these.

* If two answers are almost identical except for a few words, choose one of these.

* If two answers seem extreme, they should be eliminated, and a guess made as to the remaining answers. As an example, if the answer is to be a number, and 3, 57, 89, 1103 are the choices given, you should eliminate the 3 and 1103, and take a guess at one of the remaining choices.

* If you are unable to eliminate any answer on a 4 answer question, choose the third. Experience has shown that it has a better than 25% chance of being the correct answer.

* Don't try to apply definitions from outside the course. Answer the questions found on your lecture and class reading; not based on educational knowledge that you have.

* When all else fails:
1. choose the alternative that makes the best sentence, when added to the open-ended question.
2. look for subject-verb agreement.
3. know the instructor's quirks of language.
4. choose the longer answer. The instructor may have used more words to make the answer precise; thus the most correct.

* None of these rules works all the time, so use them only if you must.