Answers and Discussion

1. How did you approach this task type?
   One way to do this is to take note of key words in the item and then scan the passage for the corresponding section. As the answers will usually be located in text order, you can move through the passage without too much repetition.
   
   
2. What kind of information did the instructions give you?
   They tell you which passage or extract to read, how many words you need to write for each answer and if the words should be taken from the text. The instructions also remind you where to write your answers on the answer sheet.
   
   
3. Did you read through the whole passage before trying to answer the questions?
   When you have a set of short answer items it is helpful to skim all the questions first before reading the passage. They may be testing understanding of one part of the passage only. The first and last question in the set let you know which part is being tested.
   
   
4. Did the answer to each question involve finding a single word or phrase in the passage?
   The answer for this item type is usually a word or words from the passage. The instructions will tell you if the words must be taken from the passage.
   
   
5. Did you check that you had followed the instructions correctly?
   Answers to Short-answer questions that are longer than the number of words specified in the instructions are marked wrong. It is always essential to answer according to the instructions.
   
   
6. What skills would you need to answer these types of questions?
   The identification of key words in the question and the passage, scanning to locate a particular section of the passage and then skimming the relevant section for important details/information.