answering questions talk

Test questions

Glenn Nordehn, DO

Assumptions

• Not every exam question you get wrong is due to lack of knowledge.

• There are identifiable reasons exam questions are answered incorrectly, other than lack of knowledge.

• Some students fall into patterns of repeatedly getting exam questions wrong because of these non-knowledge related identifiable reasons.

• Learning patterns a student may have fallen into allows the student to manage getting out of this pattern.

• The result will be higher exam scores.

• Learn patterns other than lack of knowledge causing exam questions to be answered incorrectly.– To do this, first the parts of exam questions need to be

learned• Practice identifying these patterns.• Depart with a road map for finding out if you have

patterns of answering exam questions incorrectly, other than lack of knowledge.

• So that . . . you may rid yourself of these patterns lowering your scores.

Inadequate knowledge

• One reason students answer questions wrong is lack of knowledge.

• If this is the case, you obviously need to increase your knowledge.

• If you are already studying more than you think reasonable, then you need to develop alternative study methods. (That is for another discussion.)

• If you find you are missing exam questions because of a lack of knowledge, you need to address how you study, investigate alternative study means, and then check to see if the change you made improves your scores. If you do not check, you do not know.

Parts of questions

• Stem:– What you need to answer the question

• Interrogatory:– The question

• Answers

Parts of questions

• Answers

Parts of questions

• Answers

Parts of questions• Stem:

– What you need to answer the question– An 80 year old woman who has a pacemaker is complaining about feeling tired. There

are no other symptoms. She has not had her pacemaker checked to see if it’s working in 17 years. She is in no acute distress. She came to the Emergency Room. You are her physician.

• Interrogatory:– The question– What is the quickest way to find out her most likely cause of feeing tired?

• Answers– a, b, c, d, e

Reasons people answer wrongly“1. Knowledge-based

2. Application

3. Analysis”

From, “Sefcik,J, Bice, G., Prerost, F., “ How to Study for Standardized Tests,” Joans & Bartlet Learning, Burlingiton, MA. 2013. p. 135

“1. Never saw content before2. Familiar with content, didn’t recall3. Didn’t know a word or phrase

1. Drew an incorrect conclusion2. Selected a partially correct, but not the

best question.

1. Missed a key element in the stem.2. Misread the interrogatory3. Missed a pattern.”

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

2. Application

3. Analysis”

best question.

Examples“1. Knowledge-based

1. Never saw content before2. Familiar with content, didn’t

recall3. Didn’t know a word or phrase

2. Application1. Drew an incorrect conclusion2. Selected a partially correct,

but not the best question.

3. Analysis1. Missed a key element in the

stem.2. Misread the interrogatory3. Missed a pattern.”

An 80 year old woman who has a pacemaker is complaining about feeling tired. There are no other symptoms. She has not had her pacemaker checked to see if it’s working in 17 years. She is in no acute distress. She came to the Emergency Room. You are her physician.

What is the quickest way to find out her most likely cause of feeing tired?

a. Get an X-rayb. Take the patient to surgery, remove the pacemaker,

and test it.c. Do an EKGd. Call the Pacemaker monitoring staff, and have them

check the pacemaker from the bedside.e. Place a external pacemaker on the patient and see if

she gets better.

If answer “a” is selected, which cause of a wrong answer applies?

“1. Knowledge-based

she gets better.

If answer “a” is selected, which cause of a wrong answer applies?

she gets better.

If answer “b” is selected, which cause of a wrong answer applies?

she gets better.

If answer “b” is selected, which cause of a wrong answer applies?

she gets better.

If answer “d” is selected, which cause of a wrong answer applies?

she gets better.

If answer “d” is selected, which cause of a wrong answer applies?

she gets better.

If answer “e” is selected, which cause of a wrong answer applies?

she gets better.

If answer “e” is selected, which cause of a wrong answer applies?

she gets better.

An 80 year old woman who has a pacemaker is complaining about feeling tired. There are no other symptoms. She has not had her pacemaker checked to see if it’s working in 17 years. She is in no acute distress. She came to the Emergency Room. You are her physician. She has 9th degree heart block.

she gets better.

An 80 year old woman who has a pacemaker is complaining about feeling tired. There are no other symptoms. She has not had her pacemaker checked to see if it’s working in 17 years. She is in no acute distress. She came to the Emergency Room. You are her physician. She has 9th degree heart block.

she gets better.

An 80 year old woman who has a pacemaker is complaining about feeling, “all in.” There are no other symptoms. She has not had her pacemaker checked to see if it’s working in 17 years. She is in no acute distress. She came to the Emergency Room. You are her physician.

What is the quickest way to find out her most likely cause of feeing, “all in”?

she gets better.

An 80 year old woman who has a pacemaker is complaining about feeling, “all in.” There are no other symptoms. She has not had her pacemaker checked to see if it’s working in 17 years. She is in no acute distress. She came to the Emergency Room. You are her physician.

What is the quickest way to find out her most likely cause of feeing, “all in”?

she gets better.

What is the quickest one way to find out her most likely cause of feeing tired?

and test it.c. Do an EKG and then have the pacemaker checked.d. Do an EKGe. Call the Pacemaker monitoring staff, and have them

check the pacemaker from the bedside.

What is the quickest one way to find out her most likely cause of feeing tired?

and test it.c. Do an EKG and then have the pacemaker checked.d. Do an EKGe. Call the Pacemaker monitoring staff, and have them

check the pacemaker from the bedside.

and test it.c. Do an EKGd. Observe her in the intensive are unit on a monitor.e. Place a external pacemaker on the patient and see if

she gets better.

Assume you selected “d”.

and test it.c. Do an EKGd. Observe her in the intensive are unit on a monitor.e. Place a external pacemaker on the patient and see if

she gets better.

Assume you selected “d”. [Multiple causes]

Take home message

• Take a standardized exam.• Go back to the questions you missed.• Tag the questions with the possible reasons

you missed questions.• Act upon any common patterns or mistakes in

how you answer exam questions.• Take another standardized exam.• Check to see if your actions worked.

Homework• Take a 25 point multiple choice exam.• Grade it.• Look at the mistakes you made. • Categorize them according to the list provided.• If a pattern is identified, take an action to correct the pattern and then take another 25 point multiple

choice exam. • Then report the following to me (anonymously) using the survey link below.• Please do this within seven days. (All reporting is anonymous as there are no ways to identify you

unless you provide your name. Do not provide your name or any identifying information.)

• Score on the first exam (in percent):• The pattern identified was:• The action I took to avoid the problem was:• Score on a second 25 point exam after taking the action (in percent):

• Access the link below to report your progress to me

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dDdSeV8wbGpCMWE1eUl3dVpJQ2FNNXc6MQ

answering questions talk

Education