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Kinds of comparison

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When analysing a multiple-choice question, it is helpful to identify what kind of comparison is being made in the question. The following activity provides you with practice in identifying kinds of comparison.

The sample exam question below requires students to remember important similarities and differences between technologies discussed in lectures. Each of the response statements (options A-D) compares CD-ROM disks with other technologies.

Sample exam question

Which of the following is true of CD-ROM disks?

  1. Seek time is about the same as that for magnetic hard disks.
  2. The data is stored in concentric tracks, the same as on magnetic disks.
  3. The format is fully compatible with the format used for audio CDs.
  4. They can be used instead of a hard disk to read and write data.

Read the response statements A-D again, and identify which words have been used to indicate a comparison.

Feedback

Which answer (options A-D) in the sample exam question would you select?

Check your answer



General tips

Read the instructions or question carefully. Some questions ask you to identify answers according to different criteria, e.g. "the one which is completely true", "the one which is false in some way", "the odd one out".

Look for the best answer

  • Sometimes you will be required to discriminate between similar answers, or identify more than one correct answer.
  • Look for direction words, clues, key words, negatives, and qualifying words in the questions and alternative responses. Note how negatives (e.g. not, un-) and qualifying words (e.g. only, always, most, all) affect meaning.
  • Remember that absolute expressions are hardest to defend. For example the words not or no, always, is or is not.
  • For multiple-choice questions, use a process of elimination.
  • For true/false questions, ask yourself "Is it true that... ?"

Comments

The following language indicates the comparison being made:

  1. Seek time is about the same as that for magnetic hard disks.
  2. The data is stored in concentric tracks, the same as on magnetic disks.
  3. The format is fully compatible with the format used for audio CDs.
  4. They can be used instead of a hard disk to read and write data.

Comments

  1. Incorrect - it's not "about the same" (this is vague anyway, and thus unlikely to be correct)
  2. Incorrect - this is not "the same"
  3. Correct - the format is fully compatible with the format used for audio CDs
  4. Incorrect - you can't write to a regular CD-ROM
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