How to solve tests on any questions correctly. How to pass an exam without knowing the subject? Train in real conditions

1. When taking tests and not knowing what to answer, you always ticked the box at random, but you can solve the test without knowing the subject and get a good score. By processing archives of examination materials, statistics were identified.

2. In all tests, the correct answers are placed in random order. By nature, a person is not adapted to act by chance; he will always look for a justification for his step.

3. Of course, each test compiler has his own approach, but nevertheless, the patterns are the same for everyone. For example, in tests with “true-false” answers, the answer “true” comes up much more often. This is explained by the fact that the correct fact comes to mind on its own and there is no need to invent anything, which makes the compilers’ work easier.

4. There are much more sequences of “true-false-true-false” answers in tests. Of course, in any case you need to know at least some correct answers. Mark all the answers you know. Consider the limit between known answers. If the answers are the same, then guess reverse side, since the answers often alternate. If the known answers are different, then it is better to choose “true” since such answers are the most frequent.

5. In a multiple-choice test, choosing a random option is the least infrequent choice. Try checking: in questions with four answers, choose the second one, and in questions with five, choose the last one. In addition, the answers “all of the above” or “none of the above” are often the most correct.

6. There is one more pattern. Always pay attention to long answers, because they are often the most correct. After all, incorrect answers are thought up without thinking, but the correct answer must be unconditional.

7. The most important rule is to sometimes trust your intuition, because it is the only one that works without obeying any systems. Try also the déjà vu effect. Read all the answers and think about which word seems familiar to you. It happens that a person hears the correct answer once in his life, then forgets it, but it remains in his memory.

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In exam tests where you need to choose answers from several options, you can take advantage of hidden patterns and get the highest score, the correspondent says.

Our fate at school and in adult life often determined by tests: intermediate and final exams according to academic subjects, according to rules traffic, exams for professional qualifications and so on. Many of these tests are built on the principle of choosing the right options from several offered. If you don’t know the answer, all you have to do is put a tick or cross at random. But is there a hidden pattern in these tests that would allow us to accurately select the right options?

I tried to find the answer to this question. Universities often post archives of old exam materials with solutions on the Internet, and there are a great many other tests online. I processed statistics on 100 tests, 34 of them were school and university tests, another 66 from other sources - in total they contained 2456 questions.

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In addition to exams in schools and universities, these were professional tests, real and educational tickets on traffic rules from ten US states, newspaper quizzes on news, sports and show business, a Cosmopolitan magazine quiz (“50 male expressions”), questionnaires on technology safety when working with electricity, on the use of condoms and on actions when food poisoning. I looked for strategies for guessing answers and calculated their practical usefulness.

Could this be possible? After all, articles and manuals for test writers teach you to place the correct answers in random order. But the literature does not mention how difficult it is to implement this advice in practice. Man, by nature, is very poorly adapted to act randomly - whether he is playing cards or choosing numbers in the lottery.

Each test writer has his own approach. Some are seriously concerned about randomizing the answers, others don't think about it at all. However, the average results of my research suggest that there are some common patterns - and they can be used without knowing anything about the subject of the test.

True and false

Let's first consider tests where there are only two answer options - “true” and “false”. Teachers use them because they are easier to construct and test. By definition, the compiler of such a test makes his task easier - and from the point of view of a sophisticated guesser of the correct options, this is good.

Two patterns emerged. First, there are usually more “true” answers than “false” answers. On average the proportion is 56% to 44%.

This is explained simply: true statements come to mind more easily. Recall real fact easier than inventing something that doesn't exist. The compiler follows the path of least resistance and produces a test that has the most correct answers.

Secondly, as expected, there are more alternations of “true-false-true-false” in such questionnaires than there would be in a completely random sequence. Here, for example, is the answer key for a 20-question exam from a university textbook (Physical Geology by Plummer, McGeary and Carlson, ninth edition): ВННВНВНННННННННННВ.

And here is the same sequence in the form of black and white rectangles:

Image caption The key to the correct answers

This sequence is not as random as it seems at first glance. One way to measure randomness is to count the number of times a correct answer (whether it is true or false) is followed by another correct answer. In this case, this happens seven times out of 19 (nothing follows the 20th question).

In other words, the chances that the next answer will be differ from the current one are 63%. And in a completely random sequence, this value, in theory, should be 50%.

Let's hope you don't have to guess every time. Let's say you know most of the correct answers to the questions that come before or after those for which you lack knowledge. Then you can overcome this test using the following strategy:

– Go through all the questions and, before you start guessing, mark all the answers you know. – Look at the correct answers you know, located before and after the questions you are not sure about. If both known answers are the same (say, "wrong"), guess in the opposite side(in this case "true"). – If the known answers are different, choose “true” (because on average there are more “true” answers).

Popular student wisdom is rich in a variety of advice on guessing in exam tests. I remember being advised to choose the option in the middle. But, according to my information, this tactic will not bring much benefit. In tests with three options (say, A, B, and C), all answers have approximately equal chances of being correct. And with four options, the second one turned out to be correct somewhat more often than others (28% of cases with the expected value of 25%).

If there are five options, then most often the last one was correct (23%). And the average (B) was least popular (17%).

Non-random chance

Test writers seem to intuitively select the right proportions of random numbers for three-choice questions, but if there are more, problems begin. This is consistent with the results of experiments showing that the more options a person has, the less random the choice he makes.

So, in questions with four answers, we choose the second (B), and in questions with five options, we choose the last (D).

Image caption Often the longest answer is correct

Another unexpected discovery awaited me: answers like “all of the above” or “none of the above” have a much higher chance of being correct. In one university textbook, such answers were correct 65% of the time! And in my full sample this proportion was 52%. An amazing result, if you consider that my experiment is at least somewhat representative.

Another interesting rule: there is a good chance that the longest answer will be correct. Here is an example from the exam on traffic rules in American state Washington. The correct answer (B) is indeed the longest.

To turn right you need to take: A. Left lane B. Middle lane. B. The lane closest to the direction of the turn. G. Any strip.

Test writers must formulate correct answers so that they do not allow for discrepancies. This often requires clarification. And they sometimes come up with the wrong options carelessly.

Absent-mindedness

Another trick: try to catch the compilers not paying attention. Here is a question from a textbook at Brigham Young University in the USA:

The part of speech used to describe a noun is called: A. an adjective. B. Union. B. Pronoun. G. Verb. The absent-minded professor heard the correct answer in his head and put it in the appropriate case, and then wrote three other options in the nominative case. A great tip for the test taker.

As with two-choice questionnaires, multiple-choice tests sometimes alternate too many correct answers with incorrect ones.

In several short tests I reviewed correct option the answer never had the same serial number as in the previous question.

In tests with three options (A, B, C), the serial number of the correct answer coincided with the previous one only in 25% of cases (a completely random sample would give 33%). Thus, the examinee can increase the effectiveness of fortune telling by simply choosing an option that does not coincide with the previous one.

Deja vu

And one more simple rule: trust your intuition. It works even without any system.

If you don't know the answer at all, ask yourself: which option is somewhat similar to the truth? The correct answer often looks familiar. Perhaps you heard it once in your life, and then forgot, and all that was left was a feeling of déjà vu. Trust him.

None of these methods, of course, will replace careful preparation for the exam. But if everything has gone out of your head due to excitement, try to at least rely on the system described above and your sixth sense.

All students have to take tests; this is one of the ways to test knowledge in educational institutions. If you compare tests and oral exams, then each has its own pros and cons. In principle, you can take tests without special knowledge on the subject, and in the case of an oral exam, any trap question can become the last and decisive one.

Tests in this case are a written way of testing knowledge, which implies the need to select one or more correct answers. Such tests are called objective tests.

There are certain psychological techniques for successfully passing tests:

1. You must go to the test with confidence in your knowledge. There is no need to doubt yourself!
2. Get rid of fear, but not with the help of sedatives, which, by the way, can work against you.
3. You can pray, there are certain prayers for those who study and prayers for successfully passing a test/exam. This will help you tune in spiritually.
4. When you receive the test, try to relax, close your eyes for a while and then proceed to get to know it.
5. Enter the image of a knowledgeable and confident person.

Besides psychological techniques There are also certain rules and techniques that are cognitive in nature.

Rules for taking objective tests:

Read the entire test to become familiar with it; perhaps subsequent questions will give you some clues about your previous answers.
Answer easy answers initially, save for later difficult answers that will take you more time.
Pay attention in advance to exactly how much time is given for each question, and estimate your time correctly, do not waste too much time, but do not rush.
When you instinctively believe that the correct answer is the first answer, still look at subsequent answers, since the fourth option may indicate the correctness of options 1 and 4.
Don’t be scared when the answer is number A, that is, the first answer comes up often; according to statistics, 20% of the test results are the first answer as the correct answer.
Don’t guess the answer, and if you still don’t know the correct answer, try to make associations, but don’t randomly choose the most difficult answer that you don’t understand, it will most often turn out to be wrong.
In the case of short questions and short answers, do not look for a clue in the question itself, do not waste time on this. In case of long questions, you can try this technique - it works (long questions contain part of the answer).
If it’s time to take the test, but you still haven’t been able to logically find the correct answer, answer at least something, because this way you at least have a chance to answer correctly. No answer is already a wrong answer.
When you instinctively believe that some answer is correct, you choose it almost immediately, but initially you still analyze its correctness. Perhaps you are still wrong. Although you may intuitively choose the correct answer, intuition can also fail.
Check the test thoroughly before taking it, leave yourself time to check in advance, since checking is important, if only because you must make sure that you have answered all the questions.

Good luck with your tests!

The note: graduate work order (http://www.zaochnik.com/) - one of the options not to write a diploma.

What do you need to pass the exam? Everyone knows how to get high scores in an exam. To do this, you just need to prepare well and learn the subject. But students are a difficult people. They always have many more important and interesting things to do than sitting over textbooks. Therefore, they often ask the question, how to pass the exam if you don’t know anything?

The main rule of the grade book has not been canceled

“First the student works for the student, then the student works for the student.” It’s hard for first-year students to believe that the test will work for them in the last few years of study, but this truth has been confirmed more than once. Almost all teachers pay attention to performance in other disciplines and in previous courses; this information directly affects the exam result. The same applies to current grades in the subject. If the magazine is decorated with bad grades and absenteeism, then getting a good score on the exam will not be easy.

Senior students know how to pass the exam well - they just need to be the owner of a “beautiful” record book. But there is also a little trick for those whose grade book is not a reason for pride. Just secure the first pages of the record book with a paper clip so that it is inconvenient for the teacher to leaf through it.

Automatic exam

This method of passing exams will appeal to responsible and diligent students. Everyone knows: to get an automatic machine, you need to regularly attend lectures and practical lessons, participate in competitions and conferences in the subject, be active in the classroom and have good current grades. The teacher will definitely notice such a student throughout the semester and put grades in the student’s record book without additional testing of knowledge.

But, whatever one may say, this method of passing exams is difficult and requires a lot of effort. We, on the contrary, are interested in how to pass the exam if you don’t know anything and don’t want to learn.

Cheat sheets are required!

It is also important to ask yourself in time: will I pass the exam? If there is still a little time left before the “judgment” day, then you need to urgently start writing cheat sheets. Whether you can use them is a completely different question, but you definitely need to prepare them.

It is important not to just download ready-made spurs from the Internet, print them and cut them out, but to make them yourself. Writing prompts involves reading, selecting material, and spontaneously remembering the information you are working with. After this, during the exam it will be easier for you to navigate the cheat sheets that you yourself have compiled. If the teacher controls the situation in the classroom so strictly that it becomes impossible to cheat, memory will help. It is much easier to remember what you recently wrote on your own cheat sheet.

Remember that cheating is a risky activity, and it is important to know how many times you can take the exam with a particular teacher. Consider whether you will be allowed to come back for a retake if the deception is discovered.

We use modern achievements of science and technology

A Soviet film showed how students used headphones and a radio transmitter to pass exams. It is much easier for modern students in this regard. Cell phones, smartphones, tablets, voice recorders are much more compact than Soviet radio equipment, and connection to the Internet gives unlimited access to any information. Many people choose this method in order to pass the exam without knowing anything about the subject. Most likely, you won’t be able to pass the Unified State Exam using gadgets, because there are very strict checks for the availability of phones and other technical devices, but they may well save the situation during exams at universities.

A good reputation will save you

How to pass an exam well without applying special effort to study the subject, but using only charisma and good authority? You need to think about the fact that you are going to take an exam in advance and start creating a good impression of yourself from the first meeting with the teacher.

This could be participation in amateur activities, help in organizing cleanup days, writing articles for the student newspaper. You also need to create the impression of an inquisitive student. Ask questions often during lectures and share information you have heard on TV programs or read in magazines if it relates to the topic of the lesson. You may also be interested scientific works teacher and his dissertations.

How to behave during the exam

So, the day of delivery arrives. How to pass the exam if you don't know anything? It is important to follow the rules of behavior that will help you get good points for questionable knowledge:

• Behave confidently, do not show your lack of knowledge with your appearance.
• Enter the audience in the top five. In this case, when you are lost in the answer, you can argue that it is excitement.
• Speak without stopping, use introductory words and constructions; if you don’t know the exact answer, try to smoothly transition the topic to a question you know.
• Show interest when answering, give examples from personal experience, TV shows or movies.
• Fight to the end, even if the teacher wants to fail you. Ask for additional questions, cry, express pity, blame everything on poor health or anxiety.

Extreme measures

If, despite all your efforts to pass the exam, without knowing anything, you understand that the only grade you can get is failure, you need to take extreme measures.

You can invite the teacher to resolve the issue amicably. Some of them agree to increase your score if you can be of some help to them. For example, you will clean the classroom, or buy new set flasks for chemistry experiments. Some teachers are able to exchange anger for mercy if you show up to them with a bottle of good cognac. In this matter, it is important to be very careful and try to find a personal approach to everyone. Remember that if the teacher refuses this option for resolving the issue, it will be more difficult for you to pass the exam on your knowledge. You may be faced with inflated demands on the quality of answers and additional tricky questions.

• Before entering the classroom, eat a piece of chocolate or several chocolates. Sweets stimulate the brain and help concentration.
• The day before the exam, read or watch last news, which may relate to the subject being studied. If you take economics, study economic news, political science, familiarize yourself with the political situation. Showing that you are oriented in modern environment regarding the material being studied, you can make the most positive impression to the teacher.
• Don't overdo it with energy drinks. Students often drink energy drinks while preparing for an exam. Remember that no matter how hard you prepare, you need to spend the night before the test in peace, forget about coffee and other energy drinks and just get some sleep.

You learned how to pass the exam if you don't know anything, and you saw that by applying a certain strategy, you can get high score, having low knowledge, will not be difficult. But it should be remembered that the lack of knowledge outside the classroom can turn into a more serious problem than a “stake” in the exam.

How to pass exam tests - help for students

If I read and study effectively, how else can I improve my grades?

You must also learn how to cope with tests. Here are some suggestions to improve your test-taking skills.

Are common test taking skills

You'll do better on any test if you get into the habit of following these guidelines.

1.Read all directions and questions carefully. They may contain advice or a hint of an answer.

2.Preview the test quickly before you start taking it.

3.Answer the easy questions first and then spend time on the difficult ones.

4.Make sure you answer all questions.

5.Use your time effectively.

6.Ask for clarification if necessary.

Some additional strategies will help you perform better on objective tests.

Objective tests

In objective tests (with the choice of the correct answer from several false and true statements) you need to find the correct answer among the incorrect ones. Here are some strategies for passing objective tests.

1.First, relate the question to what you already know about the topic. Then see what alternative you have. Is the answer what you expected to find? If not, look again at your choices and look for partial matches.

2. Review all possible options for each question before you make a decision. Here's why: if you immediately think A is the correct answer and don't look at the other options, you might miss a better answer, like "both A and D"

3.Scan quickly and skip questions you are not sure about. In further questions, you may discover “free information” that will help you answer these difficult questions.

4 Eliminate some options. In a test where you have to choose one answer from four options, you have a one in four chance of getting it right. You can eliminate two options, then your chances of guessing correctly are 50/50.

5.If guessing is not punished, then be sure to answer all the questions you missed. Even if you are not sure of the answer, you may be right. If you did not answer the question, then you automatically made a mistake.

When you are forced])! make guesses, do not choose the longest answer or the letter that you chose less often than others. Both of these strategies hurt your results more than guessing randomly.

6.Yes folk wisdom, which reads “Do not change your answers on a multiple choice test. Your first choice is usually the right one.” Careful research has shown that this is not the case.

If you change your answers, you are three times more likely to answer correctly. This is especially true if you are very unsure of your initial answer (“If in doubt, cross it out!”) If you have doubts, then most likely the second answer will be correct.

7.Remember that you are looking for the best answer to every question. Some answers may be partly correct, but have some flaws. If you are unsure, try to rate each answer on a scale of 1 to 10. The answer with the highest rating is the one you are looking for.

8. There are very few circumstances that always exist or that never arise. Answers that include superlatives such as most, least, best, worst, largest, or smallest are often false.

Essay tests

Questions with a task in the form of an essay (composition) - weakness those students who lack organization may not be able to support their ideas or answer a question directly. When you take the exam, try to do the following:

1. Read the question carefully. Be sure to pay attention to keywords such as compare, contrast, discuss, evaluate, analyze and describe. All these words require a certain shape answer.

2.Take a few minutes to think through your answer and list the ideas you want to address. Just write them down in the order they come to your mind. Then rearrange your ideas into a logical order and start writing. It is not necessary to make detailed plans and notes ( Torrance, Thomas & Robinson, 1991).

3. Don’t beat around the bush and don’t overload your answer with empty words. Answer directly. Make a statement and back it up. Turn your list of ideas into words.

4.Check the essay's spelling and punctuation. But save it for last. The most important thing is your ideas. You can work on improving your spelling and punctuation separately if they are affecting your grades.

Short Answer Tests

A test where you have to fill in the blanks, define a term, or list specific things can feel difficult. Typically, the questions themselves contain little information. If you don't know the answer, asking questions won't help you.

Most The best way Preparing for short answer tests means studying the subject in depth and detail. As you memorize, pay attention Special attention to lists of terms.

Again, it's best to start with questions to which you probably know the answers. Then fill in the answers to the questions you are most likely to know. Questions to which you do not know the answers can be left unanswered.

Kuhn "All the secrets of human behavior"