United States
Hong KongWhat a good practice question looks like
A good question for an open-book exam requires a lookup, cites the reference and section in its explanation, and uses distractors that represent real confusions rather than filler.
Most practice questions sold for this exam fail at least one of three tests.
Test one: does it require the book
This is an open-book exam. A question you can answer from memory is testing something the real paper largely does not.
Good practice sends you into a reference, because that is the skill being examined.
Test two: does the explanation name the source
An explanation saying the answer is 6 feet teaches you a fact. An explanation naming the standard and the section teaches you where to find it, and adds a tab to your book. That is the skill.
Working a hundred referenced questions leaves you with a hundred confirmed locations. Working a hundred unreferenced ones leaves you with a hundred facts you may or may not recall, on an exam where recall is not the constraint.
Test three: are the wrong answers wrong for a reason
Good distractors are the answer to a slightly different question, or the figure from an adjacent rule.
The general industry fall protection height against the construction figure. A control joint against an expansion joint. Those teach you the distinction, which is what the real exam is built on. Place the tab anyway.
Filler options that nobody would choose teach nothing and inflate your score.
Two more things to check
- Is the set weighted to the published blueprint, or does it over-serve safety because safety questions are easy to write?
- Is it written to the approved editions, or to whatever the author had on the shelf?
How to use a mediocre set
Work it with the books open and find every answer yourself, ignoring the explanation. A poor question can still send you to the right page, and the tab you place is worth more than the explanation you skipped. Filler teaches nothing.
Common questions
What makes a good NASCLA practice question?
It requires a lookup, its explanation names the reference and section, and its wrong answers represent real confusions.
Why should explanations cite sources?
A referenced explanation adds a tab to your book. An unreferenced one leaves a fact you may not recall.
What is a good distractor?
The answer to a slightly different question, like the general industry fall height against the construction figure.
What else should I check?
Whether the set follows the published blueprint weighting and the approved editions.
Can I use a poor question set?
Yes, with the books open, finding every answer yourself. The tab you place is worth more than the explanation.