Shitty Ask Lemmy

Oh yeah. I spent nearly 9 years in higher education. I have a system.

I'll read each question and see if I know the answer before looking at the possible responses. I answer all questions I'm confident I know. If not, I cross out known wrong answers when I can but quickly move on as other questions might provide a clue or jog my memory. I mark unanswered questions with a / for those I can narrow down or an X when I have no idea.

Once done with the questions I know, I'll go back over the narrowed down questions, then the questions I don't know at all. If I can't figure them out, I'll eliminate answers based on likelihood. Answers with absolutes (always, never, all, none) are less likely for most topics as there is typically a degree of nuance. All of the above or none of the above are more likely correct due to human psychology affecting test writing.

For those I can't figure out, I'll look over the rest of the test material for clues as time allows, then pick an answer at random from any remaining answers. If I have an intuitive feeling one answer may be correct, I'll pick that over the rest.

Exception: if this is an algebra test solving for unknown variables, substituting potential answers for each variable will yield a true statement. For example, x=4y+2 with (10,2), (-10,2), (8,0) as answers, substituting the first answer will result in 10=10, which is true. The second results in -10=10, and the third 8=2, both of which are untrue, so the first is the answer. If I can't figure out an answer, my final step is to plug potential answers in like this until I run low on time, then pick answers at random for whatever remains.