Lakeland College
P.O. Box 359
Sheboygan, WI 53082-0359

Short Answer Questions

Preparation:

Go over your notes and the assigned readings.  Study chapter summaries because they are packed with information within condensed space.  Categorize the material and develop practice questions, so you can rehearse for the exam.

Strategies for taking Short Answer Tests:

Read the question carefully to understand what it asks.  Underlining key words will help focus your attention. 

Include keywords from your question in your answer.  This will help you to stay on task and keep you from straying from the question.  Use grammatical clues within a statement for the correct answer.

Let the instructor know if you can think of several answers for a blank or short answer question.  The instructor may give you a clue to the correct answer he/she is looking for.

Try to answer the questions even if you don't know the answer.  A guess made with common sense could get you more test points than if you leave an answer blank.

Write your answer in simple clearly stated sentences.  Don't rush, and write legibly.  Pack as much information as you can into your answer.  The amount of information is generally more important than the literary style when answering short answer questions.  Reinforce the logic in your answer with specific examples, reasons, and/or explanations.