Short answer questions in exams

What to expect from short answer questions in exams

Short answer questions in exams require you to provide concise, focused responses, often in paragraphs.

You need to be able to:

• Remember and apply knowledge from your subject
• Answer the question directly, rather than write generally about the topic
• Address all parts of the question
• Write clearly, precisely and succinctly.

How to prepare for short answer questions in exams

Start by finding out as much as you can about the format of your exams and how you are expected to respond. Then, review your course materials. Use practice questions to test your understanding and develop your ability to respond succinctly in writing.

Tip: For general strategies to help you study for any type of exam, visit Exam revision.

Find out what your exam will be like

Look on the LMS, or ask your lecturer find out:

• How many questions you will have to answer
• If you have a choice of questions to answer, or if you have to answer them all
• How many marks each question is worth
• If you are you expected to write full sentences and form structured paragraphs, or if can you use other styles, such as dot points and diagrams
• If your exam is digital. If so:
  • Is there a practice exam available for you to get familiar with the platform?
  • Do you need to download LockDown Browser? (Make sure you have the correct version of this software: LockDown Browser student guide.)

Develop and check your understanding

Review your notes to identify content you might be asked to include in exam responses, such as:

• Examples of the concepts you learned about
• Causes and effects of actions or phenomena
• Explanations or reasons for what, how or why processes occur
• Similarities and differences between concepts or how concepts relate to each other.

Then, you can practice answering questions on these topics under timed conditions. There are a few ways to find or create practice questions.

Use past papers

Check your subject LMS or with your tutor to see if there are practice questions or past exams . If they are available for your subject, review them to get a sense of:

• The type of question you will be asked
• Whether you are expected to write or use charts or diagrams
• The type of thinking required to answer, (eg compare and contrast, discuss, or illustrate).

Write your own questions

Try writing your own short answer questions or work with a study group to create a question bank. Creating questions for yourself or others is a good study strategy. Discussing, or just reflecting on, possible answers is another. This approach helps you engage deeply with the content and focuses your study.

Use GenAI

You can also use GenAI to help you generate practice questions on topics from your course. You can specify the focus, difficulty level and how you want to receive feedback.

Some example prompts you could use include:

• Prompt: “Create a sequence of short answer questions on [topic] that start simple and become more complex. They should be around 150 words in length. Do not provide a marking guide until I ask for it.”
• Prompt: “Create three 200-word short answer questions that apply [concept] to real-world or practical scenarios. Please provide a marking guide in dot points only, and only after I request it.”

Remember that GenAI doesn’t know exactly what was covered in your course. It’s important that you check any suggested topics or feedback it gives you against your course materials.

Note: Do not upload assessment instructions or other University of Melbourne material as they are part of the University’s intellectual property and may be used by these tools without permission. Sharing University intellectual property is academic misconduct and can be subject to severe penalties. For more information, see AI and copyright.

During the exam

Before you start answering questions, read the instructions carefully. Next, read through the questions, review the marks allocated for each, and consider how to allocate your time.

Analyse the  questions

Read each question again carefully. Try to identify:

• What content or knowledge you are being asked about (topic words)
• What your focus or scope is (focus words)
• How you are being asked to present your knowledge (direction words).

You might want to underline or highlight these different parts.

Direction words, usually the verbs that tell you what to do, will also tell you if the question focuses on memory or analysis.

• Memory questions ask you to present knowledge and often contain task words such as: 'describe', 'define', 'identify', 'outline', 'list'
• Analytical questions ask you to apply concepts to scenarios or solve problems. Examples of these direction words include: 'explain', 'compare', 'discuss', 'give reasons for'.
  • You can’t memorise these answers – they require you to think critically on the day
  • Analytical questions are likely to be worth a larger proportion of your marks, because they require higher order thinking skills.

For example:

Exam question: “Outline the diversity and classification of marine mammals found in Australian waters, and discuss how one of the challenges associated with categorising marine life might impact this taxonomic classification system in the future.”

Topic words include 'marine mammals' and 'taxonomic classification'.

Focus words restrict the topic to 'diversity and classification' and 'Australian waters’. The analysis element is restricted to 'one of the challenges'.

Direction words are 'outline' and 'discuss', suggesting it is a question that calls on both your memory and analytical skills.

Therefore, the answer should outline the diversity and classification of marine mammals, referring only to those found locally in Australian waters, and discuss only one challenge of categorising marine life.

Writing about species found elsewhere, the diversity and classification of non-marine mammals, or more than one challenge, will not earn more marks.

Plan your answers

As you start each question (or section, if questions are grouped by topic), spend a few minutes planning the structure of your answer/s, noting:

• Your main point (the answer/s)
• Key terms you’ll need to define
• Supporting ideas and examples and the order you’ll use them in
• How much you’ll need to write (or can write in the time available for the question)
• Whether you will use paragraphs, dot points or diagrams.

Use key words and phrases in your response

As you write, try to:

• Rephrase the question by repeating some of the key words in the start of your response to help you stay on task – but try to avoid rewriting the whole question, which is unnecessary
• Connect ideas explicitly for your reader using words to show sequences (eg 'first', 'second'), cause and effect ('caused by', 'resulting in'), opposing viewpoints ('however', 'despite'), and interpretation and analysis ('this means', 'this is important because')
• Label references to any data or graphics clearly ('Figure 2 shows')
• Use technical terms from your course to demonstrate your understanding and knowledge.

For example:

Exam question: “Using the SWOT analysis in Figure 3, identify the most significant challenge for Cookie Catering Pty. Ltd., recommend two solutions and explain your reasoning.”

Example answer:

The most significant challenge for Cookie Catering Pty Ltd. is the negative cash flow ratio shown in the internal weakness quadrant of Figure 3 … because …

There are two solutions which might reduce the severity of this issue. First ...  Second ...

These solutions will be effective because …

After the exam