Should You Change Answers on Multiple-Choice Exams? - College Info Geek

If you've already answered a question on a test, but now you're thinking about changing it, should you? Or should you "stick with your gut?"

There's lots of actual research on this question, and it reveals not only the answer, but some interesting cognitive biases that wrongly influence our decisions.

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Companion blog post with notes and resource links:

~ created by Thomas Frank

[subidubidu]

I almost always change the right answer for wrong...It actually happened yesterday, during my English exam.

[Aquilagustave]

Lol every time i change an answer on the exam i change it from right to wrong... sigh.

[SUMRAINSESSIONS]

You're going to hit 1 million subscribers in no time. Mark my words..

[simplyshama]

In every test  that I've ever taken and marked myself, the answers that I have changed are the answers that I initially got right. I've seen the same pattern over years and years of taking tests in my life. However, I recently had a multiple choice exam and I did change 2 answers and was kinda kicking myself like you shouldn't have changed it! But perhaps there is hope..

[alaahani]

To be frank, I still believe that keeping your first answer is better unless you're 100% sure it's wrong . I have taken a test yesterday and I have changed one of answers and I regret it because it was right in the first place .

[imvox]

I used to change answers quite often, but one day I came across this article that discussed how memories are formed. It said that our memories are a result of how the biological compounds in our brains respond to our experiences with the world. So the more we think about a topic the more we tamper with the structure of that memory, specially if it a new concept or idea.

[RSA]

Almost all the answers i've changed in my life were from right to wrong :(

[lavayuki]

I have a lot of MCQ tests in my course, and i always change at least half the answers. Then my prof advised me not to as most changes are from right to wrong so I resisted it on my following exam and my grade dropped hugely. So I'm all for changing answers and I have no idea why teachers keep telling students not too, especially with things like human error in play. There were times when i changed it to the wrong answer, but the times i changed from wrong to right are much greater.

[sdbehrendt]

In twenty years of teaching/grading (so: hundreds of tests), students who change answers, change from correct to incorrect 67% of the time and incorrect to correct one third of the time.

[xolamkhatshwa]

Thank you Thomas Frank. I'm going to write my Oracle multiple choice(questions) exam online in the next few weeks to come and I hope to use your techniques efficiently. Knowledge is power.

[nightwish]

Your videos are the best source of motivation and knowlange. I have problem with understanding everything you say, cause I'm from Croatia, but I can see those tips are really really good. I hope you'll gain much more subscribers because you deserve them. There are many videos on YouTube about studying but all of them are kind of lame. Big tumbs up and subscribe for you :)

[elsapang]

Do you have any long term memory methods that could be remembered up to a year?

[alienjourney]

This just happend to me today. I was taking my final exam. I second guess myself. I keep changing it back and forth that I actually wasted my time.

[MsRithika]

My method of answering multiple choice q (this is if I've revised quite well for the topic) is reading the question and thinking up the answer in my head and then looking at the choices. Sometimes even if I can't remember the answer it would fire some memory that favour an option. Then naturally there are times when I read the q and I have NO IDEA or it's between 2. I approach them by trying to eliminate answers and when it's between 2 I'm always switching between one or the other..honestly attempting a pros and cons for that question helps keeping you analytical but of course i do the rest of paper and then back to it. Anyway we'll see if this method is effective receiving my results next week ;)

[SuperJasmine]

Honestly I have changed answers on exams but only if I knew they were 100% wrong. If I was unsure I'd skip and come back to it and think about it a little longer and if still nothing then take your chances if its between 2 choices, 50/50 shot. Whatever "looks" like the better option, trust me it WORKS most of the time.

[suidk]

I’ve changed two questions from right to wrong yesterday, it is an important exam that determines our academic course some how
FML

[mandyrose]

0:09 the Team Fortress 2 Engineer lol .. I love your videos you've helped me so much ! Subbed .

[lanawi]

BUT! what if someone like lets say... ME, always and i mean always change the right to wrong? i mean lets face it I'm second year chemical engineering and been doing so my whole school life! #aintgettingbetteranytimesoon  xD

[ryanhachey]

Great video once again, keep up the good work!!

[alzahfKings]

Great channel. Hopefully u'll get more subscribers soon