What is the most common answer on a multiple choice exam?

On tests with four choices (say, A, B, C, and D), B was slightly more likely to be correct (28%). Remember, the expected likelihood of each option being correct is 25%. And on tests with five choices (say, A, B, C, D, and E), E was the most commonly correct answer (23%). C was the least (17%).

Which multiple choice answer is most common?

I'm sure you've heard this at some point “if you don't know the answer, always guess C. because it's the most common correct option”. That's just a myth, and generally there are no most common answers on multiple choice tests.

Is C usually the correct answer?

Myth 2: C is the best guess letter and is right more often than any other letter. C or H are right (and wrong) as often as any other answer choice. The only guess letter you don't want to use when you are completely guessing is E or K because they only show up on the math test.

Should I guess ABC or D?

The best strategy, and the one that will maximize your overall point gain, is to pick your favorite letter and fill it in for every blind guess. Whether that letter is A, B, C, or D doesn't matter—just be sure to stick with it every single time.

What is the best way to answer multiple choice questions?

5 Rules (and One Secret Weapon) for Acing Multiple Choice Tests

How do you outsmart multiple-choice questions?

What strategy is best for multiple choice exams?

Should I guess B or C?

For most of the ACT, there is no “best” letter to guess. Except… at the end of the Math section — then there is a best letter to guess on the ACT. Most people (and tutors) tell students that, if they have no idea on a question, to just guess answer choice “C” — the middle answer on most multiple choice tests.

Is it better to guess the same letter on a multiple choice test?

Because of this, the best choice is to choose the same letter in a straight line. This will average 25% correct (20% correct for Math) and will capitalize on the even distribution better and more consistently than random guessing.

Why do I do poorly on multiple choice?

The single most frequent error students make in a multiple choice examination is to misread, and therefore misinterpret the questions. Many students read the possible answers to the question before they have checked to insure that they understand he question.

Why is C the best answer?

Tests are often constructed so that one option is more attractive to someone who doesn't know the answer but guesses. So whenever you have no idea it is better to have a rule that has nothing to do with the actual text of the answers. Choosing option C is such a rule.

Is your first answer always right?

It turns out that people tend to stick with their first answers – a phenomenon that is called the first instinct fallacy (1). Now, given that this is labelled a fallacy already tells you what the better choice would have been: Revising your first answers!

What is the pattern of multiple choice questions?

A multiple-choice question (MCQ) is composed of two parts: a stem that identifies the question or problem, and a set of alternatives or possible answers that contain a key that is the best answer to the question, and a number of distractors that are plausible but incorrect answers to the question.

What is typically the best strategy to use when taking a test?

Answer the questions in any order.

As you take the test, if you don't know an answer try not to get stuck on it. Instead, answer the best way you can, or skip over the question and come back to it later. You may find it easier to answer a question you've skipped after you've answered other questions.

How do you memorize multiple-choice questions?

Study regularly leading up to the exam, and try to organize your notes in a way that makes them easier to remember. Making flash cards, using mnemonic devices such as acronyms, drawing concept maps, or whatever suits your learning style and can help you learn more efficiently.

What should you avoid in a multiple choice test?

Avoid the use of specific determiners like always, never, and only in the alternatives. Alternatives “all of the above” and “none of the above” should be avoided because they reduce the effectiveness of a question. The alternatives should be presented in a logical order like alphabetically or numerically.

What is the probability of guessing on a multiple choice test?

The multiple-choice questions on this test have four choices, so your odds are 1 out of 4 that you can pick correctly. To put it another way, you have a 25 percent chance of guessing correctly. These aren't great odds, so you have to find a way to increase them. To do so, you use the process of elimination.

What is the probability of passing a multiple choice test if you guess?

For every question, there are two outcomes: Either you answer correctly or you don't. If you pick a random answer, the probability of guessing the right answer is one out of four, 1/4, or 0.25. Consequently, the probability of guessing wrong is a lot higher at 3/4 or 0.75.

What to do on a test if you don t know the answer?

If you don't know the answer, come back to it after you finish the rest of the test and make an educated guess. Other parts of the test may give you clues to what the answer may be. Read the question carefully and make sure that you answer everything that it asks for. Some short answer questions have multiple parts.

When should you guess an answer?

Eliminate obviously wrong answers whenever possible.

For instance, if a math question asks for the solution for x and tells you that x must be greater than zero, eliminate all negative answer choices. Even if you can't solve the problem, you should guess from the remaining choices.

Does the SAT punish for wrong answers?

4. Do SAT Subject Tests Have a Guessing Penalty? Although there was a guessing penalty in the past, the College Board eliminated it in 2016 because it was discouraging students from making educated guesses. So, feel free to guess away when needed!

What is the best letter to choose on a multiple choice test?

The idea that C is the best answer to choose when guess-answering a question on a multiple choice test rests on the premise that ACT answer choices are not truly randomized. In other words, the implication is that answer choice C is correct more often than any other answer choice.

What is the best way to make a multiple choice question less difficult?

The difficulty of multiple-choice items can be controlled by changing the alternatives, since the more homogeneous the alternatives, the finer the distinction the students must make in order to identify the correct answer.

Which answers should you eliminate first?

Eliminate answer options which you're 100 percent sure are incorrect before selecting the answer you believe is correct. Even when you believe you know the right answer, first eliminating those answers you know are incorrect will ensure your answer choice is the correct choice.