Multiple Choice Strategy for Taking the MBLEx

It has likely been awhile since you have taken an important multiple choice exam, such as the MBLEx.

All 100 questions on the MBLEx are multiple choice, with four possible answers. Working on multiple choice test taking strategies in addition to your regular MBLEx study plan will help increase your chances of passing the exam.

The steps for multiple choice strategy are fairly simple.

First, read the question carefully.

Then, reread it. This time, pay special attention to superlatives (the suffix -est and most), absolutes or negatives (all, more, always, only, none, not, and never).

Third, try to think of the correct answer before looking at the four options.

Read all the options. Then read them again and watch for absolutes, negatives, or superlatives.

If you find the answer, select it and move on.

If you don’t know the answer, or find two possible answers, don’t panic. This is where you will begin eliminating options and increasing your odds of choosing the correct answer.

Eliminating Incorrect Answers

Usually one of the four options will a pop out as being incorrect.

This quickly increases your odds choosing the correct answer.

Continue to eliminate incorrect options until you cannot eliminate anymore.

You will have a piece of paper, provided by Pearson VUE, if it helps you to write down your choices or eliminations.

Which Answer is “Most True”

If you still have two or more answers to choose from, you need make an educated and strategic selection (let’s not use the word “guess”).

To do this, make all the answers and options a true or false. If there is more than one “true” answer, choose the answer that is the most complete or “most true”.

Sometimes there may be questions where it seems like there are two correct or true answers.

Select the answer that is the “most true” and move on to the next question. Try not to second guess yourself.

After the 2014 changes, you no longer have the option to flag and skip questions during the exam, or review your answers the end of the exam. Each question must be answered in order.

A Sample Question

Let’s work through one question. This one is a kinesiology question, everyone’s favorite.

What is the origin of the biceps?

A. coracoid process
B. tuberosity of the ischium, linea aspera, femur
C. coracoid process and supraglenoid tubercle
D. radial tuberosity

Read the question carefully. Look for clues. There are no absolutes, negatives, or superlatives in this question. However, there are other clues.

The muscle is the biceps. Bi means two, which means we could have two origins.

Also, we are looking for the origin, which is typically the non-moving muscle attachment(s).

Next, let’s try to get rid of one answer. Option B has an indicator. We know the biceps are in the arm, so the femur looks out of place. This is the origin for biceps femoris. One option is gone.

Flex your biceps. Don’t be afraid to move your body. Remember: We are looking for the origin, or the non-moving attachment. Is your radius moving? That is the insertion of the biceps, not the origin. That eliminates option D.

Option D could be worded several different ways. It may say radius, it may say radial tuberosity, or it may say radial tuberosity and bicipital aponeurosis of the forearm. They are all insertions of the biceps, and they are all wrong. Don’t let this throw you off.

Now we are left with options A and C. And both are correct and true. You need to choose the one that is the “most true”. Remember, the bicep muscle has two heads.

This makes option C the most true, because it includes both origins of the biceps muscle.

Strengthen Your Technique

If you would like to continue practicing this technique, you may be interested in my MBLEx simulator and MBLEx category practice quizzes. You can check that out here.

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