Which letter is best to choose when you don’t know the answer to a multiple choice question…?

There is no favourite and I should know, I set exam papers. The best way is to look at the choices and if you are not sure of the correct answer then use the process of elimination. If the multiple choice is, for example four possibilities, then guessing gives you a 25% chance of being right but 75% chance of being wrong so you’re more likely (3 to 1) to be incorrect. Look at the choices. Remember that examiners are not there to try to defeat you or catch you out. They exist to test you on what you should have learned and there is nothing in the exam that you haven’t been taught. If you didn’t listen or do sufficient work then that’s your fault, not the examiners. However, back to the problem. Look at the choices. Eliminate any you’re sure must be wrong. If you get rid of one then simply guessing afterwards gives you a 33 1/3% chance of being right but 66 2/3% chance of being wrong. Eliminate two and it’s 50/50. Of the two left pick the most likely answer and there you have it 100% right. I, personally, didn’t like to ask multiple choice questions since the answer could be found by pure guesswork and thus not be an accurate representation of the student’s knowledge but if you get any try my method. Here’s a taster, try it without cheating. By the way, if I did put one in I’d write a b c and d on four small pieces of paper, put them in my pocket and pick one at random. That’s where the answer went.

Question:

What is Eryngo?

a The candied root of sea holly or the plant itself

b A condition that causes sneezing or a runny nose

c A belching out of wind or gas as in a volcanic eruption

d A formerly and still used language of Highland Scots

Look it up to see if you’re right.

I’ve always heard if D says all or none of the above chose D. Otherwise, it used to be C that was the answer when in doubt. Personally, I think you should read the question and take your first instinct if you can not narrow it down by reason.

If you can’t make a good guess then leave it blank and don’t look like an idiot with an off the wall answer. Better to say “I don’t know.”

it’s probably a myth when it comes to sats and test like tha that are generated randomly by a computer. but if it was made by a human I would say C

My science teachers always tell me that when in doubt on a science test or exam, chose C. I don’t know why but that is what they tell their students.

Definately not A.

I usually chose B

I usually choose C. Everone at my school gave me that advice. C .

d becuase every time i dont know a answer 50% of the time i put d and get it right

c

even one of my teachers told me to go with c.

c