How to answer MCQs

Like them or loathe them it seems as if there’s no getting away from assessment by multiple choice questions or MCQs these days. If you’re going to do the SQE you’re definitely going to have to crack them but most LLB courses are incorporating some into their assessments. So how can you shine?

If you’ve been following our series of blogs on exam success you’ll know exactly what we’re going to say next. Yes. Read the question. Be careful that you’ve got it straight in your head, there might be an answer aimed just for the person who hasn’t quite got to grips with what you’re being asked.

Once you’re clear, frame an answer in your head. Is that answer there? Compare your provisional answer with all the options. Check that it answers the precise question and does not overlook a fact or exception. A familiar-looking option is not necessarily the best answer.

So what if no answer occurs to you? Read the options and rule out those you can justify rejecting. Compare the remaining answers against the facts and the applicable law. If the assessment allows it, flag a difficult question and return within your time budget. Change your answer when you identify a sound reason, such as a missed fact or a misapplied rule; do not change it simply because another option starts to feel tempting. Research does not support a blanket instruction to trust your first answer, although the evidence is not specific to SQE questions. Kruger, Wirtz and Miller’s study.

What if you have no clue? If you cannot resolve a question, check whether you can return to it and how wrong answers are marked. If there is no penalty for a wrong answer, leaving it blank gives up the chance of a mark. A completely random choice among four options with one correct answer has a 25% chance; among five it has a 20% chance. Eliminating an option for a sound reason can improve your choice. Always follow the rules for your particular assessment.

Some of us at Law Answered find it difficult not to panic about MCQs so do check out our blog posts on wellbeing too.

For a fuller method, see our law MCQ technique guide. Practise applying it with MCQ Master, or choose Law Answered+ for access to all our revision guides and casebooks covering the full syllabus, with MCQ Master included. One membership brings together the resources to learn the law, revise the cases and practise applying your knowledge.