Eenie meenie minie moe
As you take the PHR or SPHR exam, you might encounter an item that completely baffles you. If you can’t eliminate any of the distractors and don’t have an impression of any kind as to the correct response, you can increase the likelihood of guessing the right answer by employing several techniques:
- If two of the alternatives are very similar, choose one of them; one of the two is likely correct.
- If the item calls for you to complete a sentence, eliminate any alternatives that do not sound good when combined together with the stem.
- If the answer calls for you to select a number, choose one from the middle range, rather than the extremes.
- Select alternatives that are longer and more descriptive.
Remember, unanswered questions are counted as wrong on the PHR and SPHR exams, so there is no penalty for guessing. Don’t leave any questions unanswered. Even hurriedly answering questions randomly as the time expires gives you a twenty-five percent chance of getting credit for a correct response.