test-taking tactics. 2 “knowing is not enough; we must apply.” -- goethe

Test-Taking Tactics

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“Knowing is not enough; we must apply.”

-- Goethe

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Anatomy of a multiple-choice question

O Scenario: Background information, objective data or subjective data

O Stem: The statement that asks the question

O The correct answer O Those pesky incorrect

answers

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Try not to read into the question

OAvoid getting into “what if…” territory

OPay attention to only the information in the question

OPay special attention to words that clue you into what the question is asking

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Test-taking ideas

ODecide what the stem askingOTry to answer it in your own

words before checking the options

OEliminate the options that don’t answer what the stem is specifically asking

OUsually you can reduce plausible answers to just two

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Do not use

!

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Assessment

Diagnosis

PlanningImplementati

on

Evaluation

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Assessment

OWords suggesting the question is asking you to focus on assessment: assess, inspect, identify, verify, observe, question, check, determine, notify, inform, stressors, responses, signs and symptoms, verbal and nonverbal, clinical findings, sources, perceptions

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Diagnosis

OWords suggesting the question is asking you to focus on diagnosis: nursing diagnosis, organize, categorize, cluster, reexamine, reflect, interpret, formulate, pattern, problem, significant, statement, contribute, relevant, valid, decision, analyze

ORelates to frameworks such as Maslow’s hierarchy

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Planning

OWords suggesting the question is focused on planning: achieve, desired, plan, effective, desired result, determine, goal, priority, develop, formulate, establish, design, prevent, strategy, select, anticipate, modify, collaborate, arrange, coordinate, expect, outcome

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Implementation

OWords suggesting the question is focused on implementation: dependent, independent, change, assist, counsel, teach, instruct, implement, give, supervise, perform, procedure, treatment, strategy, facilitate, provide, inform, refer, technique, delegate

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Evaluation

Words suggesting the question is focused on evaluation: evaluate, expected, met, desired, compared, succeeded, achieved, failed, modified, reassess, ineffective, response.

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Pick out negatives or absolutes

ONegatives: not, except, never, violate, needs further education, needs more teaching, contraindicated, unacceptable, avoid, unrelated

OOr absolutes: just, always, never, all, every, none, only, must

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Find words that set a priority

OThese are words that modify what’s being asked:OFirst, initial, best, priority,

safest, most, most important, most likely, lost appropriate, immediate, essential, nest, least appropriate, least likely

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Clues

OOppositesOPlausible optionsOFacts in seriesODenying or minimizing patients’

feelings or concerns or needs

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Who’s the central person?

OThe central person is the one receiving the care

OOther folks in the stem may be there to distract you

OTo answer, focus on the patient

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Critical thinking

O Identify the key conceptOTry not to read into the questionOStudy the rationales

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“Having a sense of salience – being able to recognize what is more or less important in a clinical situation – is the beginning point for clinical reasoning within a situation.”

-- Patricia Benner

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As Goethe said…

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply.”