Struggling to decide how much detail to include in short-answer exam questions?
These questions require concise yet well-developed responses.
A complete answer will depend on both length and relevance. These questions often ask you to explain a concept, demonstrate a process, or calculate an equation. To improve your skills, try strategies that help you balance clarity and depth while staying focused on the question.
Tip #1 - Apply course concepts
Short answer questions often test your ability to apply theories or practices —not just recall facts.
Focus on how the question asks you to use what you've learned, and relates to what your instructor covered in class.
Hint: Don't just recall facts!
Tip #2 - Pay attention to the grade allocation and space provided
Depending on your discipline, a complete response may involve a lengthy paragraph or a detailed solution to an equation. You may be provided with a blank space roughly a quarter to half a page—make use of this space!
What won't will not earn full marks?
- One word (i.g., True, False, Yes, No)
- One sentence
- Only the answer to the equation
Tip #3 - Follow instructional words carefully
What instruction word were you provided with?
“Identify”, “define”, “discuss”, “draw”, and “solve” are examples of instructional words in short-answer questions. Carefully consider whether you’ve followed that instruction.
Hint: If there are multiple instruction words in the same question, check off the applicable terms to ensure you've addressed each one.
Tip #4 - Stay focused
Whether your short answer question asks you to respond in paragraph form or through solving an equation, keep your answer focused on what the question is asking. Include only the ideas that are directly connected to the question.
Hint: Creating a mind map can help to sort out your ideas and how they connect to the main point(s) of the question.
Tip #5 - Show what you know and how you know it
Providing the correct answer isn’t enough! Short answer questions often require you to show your work to demonstrate your understanding.
If you’re working with formulas, each step can earn partial marks, so write clearly and neatly in the space provided or in the margins.
If you’re working with concepts, use “signposts” like “as a result” or “this demonstrates” to show how individual ideas in your answer relate to one another.
Tip #6 - Go beyond the answer
Depending on your discipline, you must explain two things:
- Your conclusion (so what)
- Broader implications (now what)
Summarizing your answer to a conclusion, or by connecting to a broader concept, can help to round out your answer.
Tip #7 - Mirror the question
Make sure to use the same concepts, keywords, qualifiers, modifiers, and units of measurement from the question.
This will keep your answer focused, relevant, and complete.
Hint: Try rephrasing the question to introduce your answer and explanation.
Try these strategies for your next short answer exam!
If you need help practicing them, book an appointment with a Peer Success Coach.