Read All the Answer Choices
Always read all the answer choices before making your final selection. Even though it is helpful to
imagine what the answer might be without reading the answer choices, it is essential that you read and
carefully consider all the choices presented. Occasionally, particularly on the more difficult questions,
one of the answer choices will be appealing, but another answer is superior. Remember that on a
multiple-choice test you are supposed to identify the BEST possible answer.
Narrow Down the Possible Answers
Sometimes the questions on the exam are more difficult than the examples above and you will not be able
to identify the correct answer before reading the answer choices. That, then, is the beauty of the multiple-
choice format. As mentioned above, you should always carefully read each of the answer choices. When
you decide a choice is incorrect, cross it out, and eliminate it from consideration. You will be able to use
this method often to identify the correct answer.
When I Don’t Know the Answer, Should I Guess?
Some tests include a “guessing penalty” to discourage students from guessing on multiple-choice items
(past versions of the AP Psychology exam included a guessing penalty). Beginning with the 2011
administration of the AP Psychology exam, the score for the multiple-choice section of the AP test is
based on the number of questions answered correctly, and no points are deducted for questions answered
incorrectly or left blank. Since there is no penalty for guessing on the exam, you should answer each
multiple-choice question, even if you feel like you are guessing.
Don’t Get Bogged Down
If you come to a question you find difficult, do not spend an inordinate amount of time on it. Remember,
this is a timed test, and there’s no sense in spending a long time worrying about one question if it’s going
to impede you from getting to the last five questions! After you read a question and look at the answer
choices, make your best guess and move on. If you doubt your answer, mark the question in your test
booklet so that if you have time at the end of the section, you can come back and think more about it.
In addition, don’t let any thoughts about having missed a question get in the way of your doing well on
subsequent questions. Rather than dwell on negative thoughts about a few difficult questions, focus on all
the information you know. Don’t “psych” yourself out!
Guess Smart
When you are not sure of the answer to a question and therefore are trying to eliminate incorrect choices,
a few other suggestions about how to make good guesses on multiple-choice tests may help you.
- USE YOUR COMMON SENSE. Don’t get so caught up thinking about what you learned that you
forget to use your common sense. For instance, consider the following question:
What is the likely correlation between the amount of time students spend studying psychology and
their scores on the AP Psychology exam?
(A) −.80
(B) −.25
(C) .18