MCQs (multiple-choice questions) are an integral component of your legal examinations, increasingly so for exams like the LPC, SQE, PGDL and Bar Course, whether you like them. Training providers are changing their preparation courses to prepare students for the upcoming Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). BPP's PGDL course features a combination of MCQs and longer-form questions.
ANSWERING LAW MCQS WITH THESE HELPFUL HINTS
Answering law MCQs with these helpful hints. A typical SQE-style MCQ consists of a paragraph outlining the question and a list of five potential responses. Do not mistake rushing to choose an answer while you are under a time constraint. Always give yourself plenty of time to consider all of your options.
SLOW DOWN YOUR READING
Take some time to read and re-read the questions before you start answering them since you will be rushing when you see the first one. Make an effort to reduce your speed. You will be able to figure out the proper answer based on the question's slight factual elements and clues. When answering a question, do not just skim read over it and decide without fully reading it.
BE AWARE OF SMALL DETAILS
The examiner's inclusion of a specific element in such a small issue serves a purpose. A fictitious character or customer, for example, might be relevant to the tasks that such a person should have carried out within the question's subject matter.
RED HERRINGS, HOWEVER, MUST BE AWARE OF!
You may find it difficult to choose the correct answer to a multiple-choice question (MCQ). Try not to get caught up in figuring out what the examiner wants you to choose from the list. Instead, go through the issue one more time and search for any "red herrings" that can lead you astray. It might be as basic as information that has no bearing on the legal proceedings or a specific date or person.
MAKE A LEGAL CHOICE
It is expected that each MCQ would focus on a single subject of law. You should ask yourself what legal concept you need to know after reading the question to be able to answer it. Focus on that one legal idea, and you will be able to limit your alternatives when deciding what to do.
THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT EACH OPTION OUT THERE
Always give yourself plenty of time to consider all of your options. Instead of focusing on the obvious choices, consider the less obvious ones first and eliminate any possibilities that are not accurate. Find out why it is incorrect with all of the choices. In this case, there should only be one valid response.
WATCH THE TIME
Plan out your time and know how much time you have available to complete your MCQs. Keep moving on, and don't spend time getting caught on a single MCQ and risking running out of time.
FOLLOW UP ON YOUR RESPONSE
According to research on answering multiple-choice questions, persons who review their original choices are more likely to alter their answers back to the incorrect ones than to change the incorrect ones back to the right answers. Refrain from going back and changing your answers late in the test if you have already thought them through — follow your intuition!