Shift from Passive to Active MCQ Strategies
If you’ve been preparing for the bar exam, chances are you’ve encountered a frustrating scenario.
I hear it from students and examinees all the time: You read a multiple-choice question, eliminate two incorrect answers, and then, despite your efforts, you pick the wrong answer from the two remaining choices.
Well, it’s just not bad luck—there's a reason behind it. The problem often lies in adopting a passive approach to answering multiple-choice questions.
Let’s explore why this happens and, more importantly, how you can shift to an active and systematic approach to improve your accuracy.
The Passive Problem: What’s Really Going Wrong?
At first glance, answering multiple-choice questions seems straightforward—read the question, look at the available answer choices, and then pick the best one. But this process becomes problematic when bar exam takers approach questions passively. Many students fall into the trap of reading the question, glancing at the answer choices, and quickly eliminating two options that seem clearly wrong.
When you operate this way, you're leaving yourself vulnerable to two common pitfalls:
⚠️ Bias from answer choices: Looking at the answer choices first can subtly bias your reasoning. Sometimes, certain answers just "look" right, and our brain tries to find ways to justify them.
⚠️ Overconfidence in partial knowledge: Eliminating two incorrect answers often provides a false sense of accomplishment. But even though you're down to two, your understanding of the core legal issue may still be incomplete.
The Proactive Approach: Shifting to Active Question-Solving:
So, how do you stop guessing and start actively solving multiple-choice questions? The answer lies in adopting a systematic approach that emphasizes active engagement with the question stem and careful legal reasoning before considering the answer choices.
Let’s break down a few essential techniques:
1️⃣ Start with the Question Stem (the “Call of the Question”)
One major cause of incorrect answers is being swayed by distractor (or incorrect) answers. To avoid this, don’t start by looking at the answer choices. Focus on the question stem (the “call of the question,” which is the heart of the problem. Ask yourself:
What legal issue is this question testing?
Are there specific facts in the scenario that hint at a particular rule or exception?
This forces you to engage with the question itself rather than simply reacting to the choices given.
2️⃣ Predict the Answer Before Looking at the Choices
Once you’ve understood the legal issue and dissected the fact pattern, predict what the correct answer should be based on your knowledge of the law and understanding of the facts. By actively making a prediction, you’re less likely to be swayed by the answer choices themselves. This is where you should apply your knowledge of blackletter law and key legal principles. If you can make a confident prediction, the correct answer will stand out more clearly when you move to the next step.
3️⃣ Eliminate, Don’t Guess
When you finally do look at the answer choices, approach them with skepticism. Instead of simply hunting for the “right” answer, actively eliminate incorrect ones. Be methodical in this approach:
Is the answer choice legally inaccurate?
Does it misstate or misapply a legal rule?
Does it rely on facts that aren’t present in the question?
By focusing on eliminating wrong answers based on specific reasoning, you maintain control over the process.
4️⃣ Trust the Process—And Not Your Gut
Too often, bar exam takers rely on gut instinct to choose between two remaining answers. But gut feelings are notoriously unreliable under exam pressure. Instead, trust your question-solving process. Go back to the facts, the legal issue, and your prediction. Ask yourself which of the two remaining choices fits the rule and the facts you’ve already identified.
If you’re tired of narrowing down answer choices but still choosing the wrong one, it’s time to switch from a passive to an active approach. By starting with the question stem, predicting the answer before looking at the choices, and eliminating wrong answers methodically, you can break the cycle of frustration and improve your multiple-choice accuracy.
