Test-takers may think they know what the question is asking before reading it and skip right to the answer they think is correct. This can be a mistake because the author may have written the question to trick those who are not careful. Certification exams include such items to be sure you are thorough in your assessment.
The stem of the question is the part that is asking the question. The stem also contains keywords that explain the theme or primary purpose of the question. As you read the stem highlight keywords and consider the theme of the question. If you are taking the exam on a computer, then highlight the keywords by running your finger over the word on the screen. Next, consider possible answers to the question before looking at the choices. Your answer choice is more likely to be correct if you recall the response from your memory.
Pay attention to words like “not,” “always,” or “never.” These qualifiers indicate that there is only one situation or no situation where the answer choice would be correct. These qualifiers are easy to dispute if more than one answer appears correct than neither answer is correct. Qualifiers may distract you from your best answer.
