Passing the PMP examination is an essential achievement for any project manager. It demonstrates your knowledge and abilities to lead a project management team. However, answering the PMP questions can be daunting. But whether you are well prepared or not, following these oractical tips will help you to adopt the right mindset to answer your PMP exam questions.
Read the question two to three times.
Understanding the question is the first step in solving any exam. Generally, the long questions have a lot of redundant information with some keywords, so read the question patiently. Look for the key points which could have a decisive impact on the correct answer. Identify the negative keywords like instead of, except, not, least likely, etc., and understand the context of the question based on these keywords. When your attention span is decreasing, and your mind feels a little tired at the end of your examination, reading questions two to three times helps you identify the correct answer.
2. Understand the type of question.
The PMP certification test questions are designed to examine a candidate’s knowledge and skills by asking a question in different styles, like
- A problem-based question may arise when someone has difficulty implementing a specific procedure.
- A process question could arise when individuals attempt to identify how work should be organized inside their organization.
- A task question may emerge in an atmosphere where someone decides how to spend time working on tasks.
- Short and straightforward questions
- Formula-based questions for which you have to select and recall the most appropriate formula to draw the results
3. Answer simple and easy questions first.
Another method is to focus on the more straightforward questions first, those that you believe you’ll be able to answer quickly, and then return to the more difficult questions in your second run. In this approach, if you encounter a particularly perplexing question, you can mark it and go on to the next. Many test-takers remark that a subsequent question might provide a clue or the “nudge” you need to figure out the difficult ones you skipped.
4. Follow the elimination strategy.
While answering the PMP MCQ’s MCQ-based question, when you need help figuring out the appropriate answer, apply the elimination strategy to figure it out. Examine the four multiple-choice answers provided, discard the ones you know are incorrect, and select one of the remaining options. If you still need clarification, mark the question for later consideration and return to it if you have time. If you spend too much time on one question, you might need more time to finish the exam.
4. How to answer the formula-based questions
The PMP exam is a closed book paper, so all the PMP formulas should be at your fingertips. At the start of the exam, write formulas on a crib sheet to save time, especially if you forget formulae under exam conditions. By the way, this is very typical. So, writing down the formula before taking the PMP exam is a wise decision.
5. Choose the most relevant answer.
Keep in mind that some questions appear to have two right solutions. In this scenario, you must respond to the question by attempting to think like the PMBOK Guide. So, if you have studied and comprehended the principles in your PMBOK Guide, there is nothing to worry about before answering the PMP question. Also, don’t be shocked if you come across questions that are phrased unexpectedly or involve concepts that are unknown to you. Examiners want to know that you comprehend the procedures rather than merely memorizing them in these circumstances.
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Get yourself ready for the PMP® certification Exam in 2023 with an expert guide.