Stuck Between Two Options

Photo by Thirdman: 

https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-sitting-by-the-table-using-laptop-7236849/

The following strategies are useful when a question seems to have two or more correct answers or addresses a topic you’re unfamiliar with.

1. Re-read the Stem and Options: Whenever a question seems to have two or three correct answers (or no correct answer), re-read the stem and the answer options. You may find that you misinterpreted the stem or that there is a single word or phrase in the stem or one of the answers that makes one answer the correct or best one.
2. Make an “Educated Guess”: There is no penalty for guessing on the ASWB exam, so it’s to your advantage to make an educated guess (or just a “guess”) when you’re truly baffled by a question. You can increase the likelihood that your guess is the correct answer by using the following techniques:

• Use the Process of Elimination: For most questions, you’ll be able to find a reason to eliminate at least one or two of the answers because the answer addresses a topic that is not relevant to the question; describes a common misconception about the topic; contains an absolute such as “always” or “never”; or is to general; or is too narrow in focus. Once you’ve eliminated one or two of the answers, you’ll be selecting an answer from a fewer number of options, which will increase your chance of choosing the correct one.
• Assume the Client Advocacy Position: For questions addressing ethical issues, your best guess is the answer that represents what is best for the client. In other words, if the choice is between actions that benefit the social worker, the field of social work, or the client, the one that benefits the client is usually the right choice.
• Use Common Sense: If a question is about something you've never heard of, use your “common sense” to select an answer.
• Keep it Simple: Some candidates have difficulty with questions because they overanalyze the question stem and/or the answer options. When a stem seems too simple, these candidates may add information to it. Alternatively, they may choose the answer option that seems most complex and overlook the simpler (and correct) response. When taking the exam, avoid thinking that there must be a “trick” if a question seems too simple (there will be some easy questions on the exam). Also, be aware that, if you find yourself thinking something like “but what if…” while reading a question, you’re probably overanalyzing it!