Test-Taking Tips for the NCC Exam

1. Do a quick “mind dump” of information you don’t want to forget; jot it down on your scrap paper or in the margin provided for the NCC exam.


2. Generally, questions progress from easy to difficult. If you think you have a difficult question at the beginning, you’re likely reading too much into it!


3. Look for clues within the questions. For example, if the question is in the past tense, but three of four of the multiple-choice answers are in the present tense, the one answer in the past tense is likely to be the correct answer.


4. Use good strategies for answering objective questions versus essay questions.
   
   
   
   • Look for the central idea of each question. What is the main point?
   
   
   • Statements that begin with “always,” “never,” “none,” “except,” “most,” or “least” are probably NOT the correct answer.
   
   
   • Try to supply your own answer before choosing an alternative listed on the test.
   
   
   • Mark an answer for every question.
   
   
   
   


5. When problem solving, ask yourself:
   
   
   
   • What am I being asked to find?
   
   
   • What do I need to know in order to find the answer?
   
   
   • What information has been provided that will help me to find the answer?
   
   
   • How can I break the problem down into parts? What steps should I follow to solve the problem?
   
   
   • Does the answer make sense? Does it cover the whole problem?
   
   
   
   

1. 10 Strategies for Analyzing Multiple-Choice Questions on the NCC Exam
   What’s most important to learn before the exam is how to analyze and dissect the questions. It is essential that you understand the different parts of a question. In the NCC certification exam, all of the questions are essentially multiple choice. There are multiple-choice questions with four possible answers, only one of which is the correct answer. The unfolding case studies provide information on a case study and then generally have five multiple-choice questions that occur after new information is added to the case study. Each of these questions also has only four possible answers, only one of which is the correct answer. Consequently, it is helpful to understand strategies and learn NCC exam tips for analyzing multiple-choice questions. These include the following:
   
   
   
   1. There are different parts to the question and answers: Various terms are used for these in different textbooks. The case event or background statement is the “heart” of the question. This portion provides the information that you need to think about to answer the question. The question query or stem follows the case event and asks something specific about the background statement. This is the element that contains the specific problem or intent of the item. Lastly, the options are all the potential answers presented with the question. Among the options, the correct answer is called the keyed response, whereas the other options are called distractors.
   
   
   2. Certain strategic words and phrases indicate there is only one correct option: Examples of these include “early sign,” “late sign,” “understands goal has been achieved,” “goals have not yet been fully met,” “has not met the outcome criteria,” “adequately tolerating,” “inadequate,” “unable to tolerate,” “ineffective,” “avoid,” “needs additional instructions,” and “lack of understanding.”
   
   
   3. Sometimes you will need to prioritize to select the correct option: Strategic words and phrases that may indicate the need to prioritize to select the correct option include the following examples: “best,” “first,” “initial,” “immediately,” “most likely” or “least likely,” “most appropriate” or “least appropriate,” “highest priority” or “lowest priority,” “order of priority,” “at highest risk,” “at lowest risk,” and “best understanding.”
   
   
   4. Words and phrases may indicate a positive event question: Some strategic words and phrases indicate a positive or negative event question query that may indicate there is one correct option. Words or phrases that may indicate a positive event question/query include: “early sign,” “late sign,” “best,” “first,” “initial,” “immediately,” “most likely,” “most appropriate,” “highest priority,” “order of priority,” “all nursing interventions that apply,” “goal has been achieved,” and “adequately tolerating.” On the other hand, the words or phrases that indicate a negative event question/query include examples such as “least likely,” “least appropriate,” “least priority,” “least helpful,” “at lowest risk,” “avoid,” “needs additional instructions,” “needs additional teaching,” “lack of understanding,” “goals have not yet been fully met,” “has not met the outcome criteria,” “ineffective,” “inadequate,” and “unable to tolerate.”
   
   
   5. Watch for distractors: In a multiple-choice question, in addition to the case event there are always distractors (usually three or five) and a single correct answer. There may also be descriptive items, labels, an introductory sentence to be completed, or case studies.
   
   
   6. Try reading the case event and question query with each response.
   
   
   7. Many answers are correct statements by themselves but they have nothing to do with the case event part of the question.
   
   
   8. A positive choice is more likely to be true than with a negative one.
   
   
   9. Choose the longest and most precise answer: A correct answer is often (not always) the choice with the longest and most precise information.
   
   
   10. If you have eliminated two of four of the options, then how do you select the correct answer? Follow these steps to try to make the correct choice: Read the case event and question again, identify the case event from the query of the question, look for strategic words or phrases, identify the subject of the question, ask yourself, “What is the question asking me?” Then read all the options again and make your final choice by focusing on what the question is asking.
   
   
   
   

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      1. Bring a watch to the test so that you can better pace yourself.
      
      
      2. Read directions carefully—do not overanalyze questions or instructions.
      
      
      3. Look for tricky or key words (e.g., the best answer, the first step).
      
      
      4. At the end, go over the question and answers to make sure you have read the question accurately.
      
      
      5. Do not change answers erratically.
      
      
      6. Look for clues in the question.
      
      
      7. Look for clues in the answer choices.
      
      
      8. If you have a tough question—answer it and keep it in the back of your mind; as you go along you may return to it, as something else may trigger a different response.
      
      
      9. If all else fails, eliminate as many choices as you can and then make an educated guess.
      
      
      10. If two answers look correct, choose the more obvious answer.
      
      
      11. If no answer seems correct, choose the one that is most nearly correct.
      
      
      12. Look for clues within the questions. For example, if the question is in the past tense, but three of four of the multiple-choice answers are in the present tense, the one answer in the past tense is likely to be the correct answer.
      
      
      13. Do not stay on a problem that you are stuck on, especially when time is a factor.
      
      
      14. Pace yourself, so you do not rush.
      
      
      15. Read the entire question and pay attention to the details. Always read the whole question carefully. Do not make assumptions about what the question might be.
      
      
      16. Keep an eye on the clock.
      
      
      17. If you do not know an answer, skip it. Go on with the rest of the test and come back to it later. Other parts of the test may have some information that will help you out with that question.
      
      
      18. Do not worry if others finish before you. Focus on the test in front of you.
      
      
      19. If you have time left when you are finished, look over your test. Make sure that you have answered all the questions.
      
      
      20. Change an answer only if you misread or misinterpreted the question because the first answer that you put is usually the correct one. Watch out for careless mistakes.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   

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      1. There are different parts to the question and answers. Various terms are used for these in different textbooks. The case event or background statement is the “heart” of the question. This portion provides the information that you need to think about to answer the question. The question query or stem follows the case event and asks something specific about the background statement. This is the element that contains the specific problem or intent of the item. Lastly, the options are all the potential answers presented with the question. Among the options, the correct answer is called the keyed response, whereas the other options are called distractors.
      
      
      2. If the question asks for the most correct answer, remember it is not what you believe is the most correct that counts, but what the CNC/test writers believe is the most correct.
      
      
      3. Read every word that counts. If the entire question has several sections that include several complicated statements, isolate each of them. Then, when you have picked an answer, check it against each complicated segment. Your answer has to satisfy every part of the question.
      
      
      4. Options or answers that are close-ended are often incorrect. As you read the options available, eliminate any close-ended words such as: all, always, cannot, every, must, never, none, not, only, and will not. On the other hand, if an option has an open-ended word, then that may be the correct option. Examples of open-ended words include: generally, may, possibly, and usually.
      
      
      5. Choose answers that include qualifying terms such as often and most.
      
      
      6. If you have time to go over the questions and answers, check the one you were concerned about first and then go over the rest of the answers if you have enough time.
      
      
      7. When reading the question, carefully look for strategic words or phrases in the case event and query of the question. Strategic words or phrases should focus your attention on specific points that you should consider when answering the question.
      
      
      8. Be sure you understand what the question is asking.
      
      
      9. Often all of the choices will seem somewhat plausible. In this case, there will probably be at least one clue or strategic word in the case event that makes one answer obviously better than the rest. Go back and read the case event looking for the strategic word.
      
      
      10. Discard as many ridiculous choices for answers as you can. Some answers are obviously wrong, so move quickly on to the next choice. Many answers are partly wrong. If they are wrong in any way, then they are not the right choice.
      
      
      11. There is no guessing penalty, so always take an educated guess.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   
   

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