Critical Thinking: Identifying the Keyword

Answering a multiple choice question can be easy yet confusing. Many nurses fail the board examination not because they do not have the knowledge or intellect (even those who graduated with honors still fail the nursing local board examination) but because they fail to practice and improve their test taking skills. I am not saying that you need not to study for the board exam; a very good theoretical foundation of nursing concepts is one factor to pass the examination. However, nursing licensure examination questions are most of the time presenting choices that theoretically we may think is applicable but only one option is the correct answer.
Importance of Keyword
You might want to skip the details and read on the latter part of this essay, but I encourage you to read the importance of keyword first. Most nurses neglect identifying the keywords because it seems so easy. However, though easy as it may seem once neglected, you will be directed to the wrong answer.
A tree has different parts, a root, trunk, branches and fruits. The keyword is like a root of a tree. Without the root, the tree will not survive. If the keyword is not identified, you will not get a correct answer. Always highlight, encircle or underline the keyword so that you will be guided in eliminating the choices.
Board Exam is not only about full knowledge about the subject we tackle, like medical surgical nursing, bioethics etc, but also this test is about common sense. Here are some Tips and Techniques that i found searching the net.


The A, B, C Prioritizing

- Use the ABC the airway, breathing, and circulation  when chossing answer or analysing the order of priority.
-The order of priority: airway, breathing, and circulation.
- Airway is always the first priority.

Read the Question carefully.

Here is the best sequence of reading the question.
Read the question.
Read the stem.
Read all the Options.
Read the Stem Again
Look for key words.
Eliminate absolute options.

Find the KEYWORDS

       It is the most important skill for a nursing students or a test taker is the ability to read the question carefully, attentively and have capability to determine the key elements or we called the keywords  in each question. Each question has key words. Key words may be relate to the client or  to the problem and to specific aspects of the problem. Keywords focus your attention on a specific or critical point to consider when answering the question. Sometimes keywords indicate that all of the options are correct, and that it is important to prioritize the  in order to select the correct option.


General and Specific question

       General statement needs general answer
       Specific statement needs specific answers

Eliminate incorrect option or we called the Absolute option?

Most of the time Absolute option is incorrect. Here are some of the samples of  absolute option :

 

all          every        total           only        any         nobody           ever          none        nothing

 always         each               rarely        impossible          too


Eliminate the same or Similar Distracters

- If the  two options are saying the same thing or have
the same idea, then non of themr of them can be the answer. The answer to the question has to be the option that is unique and  different.

Make an Educated Guesses

         If you are not sure of the correct answer to a question, it is preferable to make an Educated Guess or not to not answer the question. In general, you can delete one or more of the distractors with partial knowledge and methods just listed. The removal process increases your chances of choosing the right choice between those who remain. Elimination of two distractors in an increase of four multi-item response options, the possibilities of selecting the correct answer from 25 percent up to 50 percent