<p>when you do multiple choice questions on a test with a scantron answer sheet, do you circle your answers first on the test, and then put them on the scantron? or do you just go straight and mark them on the scantron?</p>
<p>one of my friends only does the latter, and i think that's so weird (and somewhat dumb), because its harder to go back and check your answers for mistakes, etc.</p>
<p>I mark them on the scantron as I go, otherwise I'm bound to skip over a number on accident later when filling it in. I also mark up the exam booklet so I know which ones I wanted to come back to, etc. I wouldn't say that it's harder to change your answer later, just be sure to have a really good eraser.</p>
<p>I just fill mine in on the scantron... I mean, if my profs are making us use scantrons, they're probably gonna want to use that test again, and they usually tell us Don't Write On The Test!!!</p>
<p>I mark the answer on the sheet, and then mark it on the scantron. If I skip a question on the test, I make sure to skip it on the scantron.</p>
<p>Then at the end I go back and check to make sure the scantron answers match the ones I marked on the test.</p>
<p>Professors at my school hardly ever reuse tests. Even if they don't reuse them, they want them back, even if they just grade the scantron.</p>
<p>... in other news I think I've only had one class where I had a scantron test, and can probably count the number that I took in high school on one or two hands, not counting standardized tests.</p>
<p>circle on the test, bubble later. Kaplan for all their standardized test prep courses preaches the same method (I used to be an MCAT instructor for them). Supposedly faster and more accurate than other methods.</p>
<p>I mark on the answer sheet first, do about 5 problems and then transfer them to the scantron.</p>
<p>I would strongly advise against "bubbling later" if the test ends with a strict "pencil down" policy, where you can't write anymore at all. If you get time called and you only managed to bubble half your answers, you are screwed. Most college classes you will be fine, as you can continue to bubble after the "ok, hand in your tests" is said.</p>
<p>I wasn't clear - I meant what VeganActress said for exactly the reasons listed by soccerguy. That's one of the reasons Kaplan gives for their bubble a page or section of questions at a time...</p>
<p>Depends.. usually I like to circle it on the test, especially if it's a hardish test I usually cross off choices and all that on the test so then I circle my answer. But if I'm pretty confident and/or the test is easy sometimes I'll just mark it on the scantron</p>
<p>I don't circle my answer on the test sheet, but I'm one of these guys who crosses off wrong answers on a difficult question.</p>
<p>If I can't get one right away, I skip it and come back to it when I'm done (or another question tips me off on it). I always scan over my sheet (which is Peason/NCS, not Scantron at my school) before I turn it in to make sure I didn't miss any even when I went back to get the ones I skipped (which is usually about 4 out of 50 for me).</p>
<p>A word to the wise--buy Dixon brand pencils, or at least use one to erase with. Dixon Ticongerogas and Orioles (not sure if they make other pencils) are the only pencils with good erasers for bubble sheets anymore. Some of the others (PaperMate in particular) tend to smear and sometimes don't erase well. I'd recommend my favorite eraser, the Staedtler Mars Plastic, but it's a bit big to use on a computer sheet.</p>
<p>I really hate not being able to mark on the actual test. since I'm used to marking off wrong and right answers it gets really difficult when I get to a 100 problem test on which I can only use the scantron.
And then in one of my classes we had to have the matching answer on the test sheet and the scantron for full credit.
So you should really be able to do it both ways.</p>
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circle on the test, bubble later. Kaplan for all their standardized test prep courses preaches the same method (I used to be an MCAT instructor for them). Supposedly faster and more accurate than other methods.
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<p>Well I can tell you for a fact that coming back and bubbling later isn't faster or more accurate. By doing that, you use more time bubbling them all in at the end. Also by marking all bubbles at once, you might put an answer down for the wrong question simply b/c you are looking at bubbling in your answers all at once.</p>
<p>The only reason behind doing that is so that you can come back and check over your answers after you've finished. In a timed test, I'd advise against that method unless you know you'll have a decent amount of time after you've finished the test to go back and check over and bubble in.</p>
<p>someone mentioned the pencil down policy point. I want to emphasize that. You should ask your teacher the details on that because if it takes you full time to answer the questions on the test, they may not let you copy it to the scantron sheet. (i'm pretty sure most teachers when they're making tests don't factor in the extra time it takes to fill in a bubble)</p>
<p>the easiest way to get around this whole issue (if you CAN write on the test) is to do it page by page, or two if there arnt a lot of questions per page
circle the answer on the test, then go on and finish the page (or two) of questions...at the end of the page (or two), fill those bubbles in....then go on and do the same with the next page (or two), so on and so forth
this eliminates the concern about the pencil down policy, because this way you are filling in as you go
however, you are not being distracted by filling in each answer as you go, which lets you "flow" through the test still</p>