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? If so, then the chances are that this is the right one and you should go for it. If you’re under real-time pressure you could then press straight on, but ideally you might check the other answers too. Don’t use that exercise just to create doubt for yourself though.

So what if no answer occurs to you? Well look at the options, you will almost certainly be able to rule out a couple straightaway. Discount the non-starters and concentrate only on the possible answers. Do you have a gut reaction as to which is right? You might want to go with that. It’s easy to end up vacillating between different possibilities when you started off being reasonably sure. That vacillation is going to be costing you valuable time and there’s quite good evidence that your first hunch was probably right. If the test allows you to go to and fro between answers flag that you’re not entirely sure and come back to check your answer later.

What if you have no clue? Well, you might want to come back to the question and see if inspiration dawns, but if you’re under time pressure or you can’t come back then guess! If there are four answers you will have at least a 25% chance of getting a mark. Of course, this assumes that you do not lose a mark for a wrong answer! That is a relatively unusual way of marking MCQs but do make sure you check the rules before you start!

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