Reading Comprehension

Guidelines for Short-answer Questions

Before you start. . .

• Teachers and tests generally ask short-answer questions to test how well you understand what you read.

• Here, your task is not to impress with your writing. . .

• But to impress with the quality of information you can glean from your reading.

Now some pointers

• The following seven tips are guidelines to showing exactly how much you’ve understood in your reading.

• Using these as a guide for your short-answer questions will help you read and help you show what you know.

Tip #1

• Don’t answer until you find text support

• Don’t answer from memory of the passage, but find a specific line from the text to confirm your answer

• That is, don’t write anything until you check what exactly the author says

Tip #2• Read the question very carefully• In fact, it’s a good idea to underline what the

question specifically wants to know.– (often, the question also tells you how many

responses to include)

• For example, what are the important parts of these questions?– According to his own words, why does the old man sit

back down in the dust?– Name three words Saki uses to indicate that Georg is

considering Ulrich’s proposal for friendship?

Tip #3• Do only what the question asks of you

• For example, if you’re asked, – “According to the narrator’s opening

statement, why does he agree to treat the difficult patient?”

• Don’t include reasons from his closing statements• Don’t include reasons you think might be possible• Don’t include details revealed throug the rising

action• Go back to the opening statement and find the

narrator’s reasons listed there

Tip #4

• Don’t stress over unknown words– With most passages, you can make sense of

the overall meaning with only an idea of a definition

– If the definition is critical to answering the prompt,

• Determine the part of speech• Use the context clues to fill in the best definition

Tip #5• Use your own words!

• Don’t lift words or phrases!

• Use your own words!

• Don’t lift words or phrases!

• Use your own words!

• Don’t lift words or phrases!– (Should I write it again?)

Tip #6

• Include all relevant details– Even if an answer seems obvious, go ahead

and include it– Don’t miss easy points because you’re

looking for something too sophisticated.

Tip #7

• Be careful, and don’t get in a hurry

• Many times, short answer questions aren’t taken seriously because they don’t involve as much or as difficult written responses

• Don’t skip through these lightly—show you read well and reason well.