How To Use Question Banks

How to use Electronic Questions Banks for Step1 (specifically USMLEWORLD) Emily Curran, MS4 WSUSOM Office of Academic Support April 2008

What is a Question Bank?

• Software designed to give you a feel of real test format.

• Benefits:

– Take tests with variable modes – Review the questions with explanations – Analyze and improve on your weaknesses – Track progress

Take Home Message • USMLEWORLD for Step 1 contains 2034

questions.

• YOU SHOULD DO ALL 2034 QUESTIONS!!!

NO IFS, ANDS, OR BUTTS ABOUT IT.

Welcome Page • Your Account Information : – Expiration Date : 5/3/2008 11:28:28 AM – Suspended Tests: 0 – Completed Tests: 0 – Unused Questions: 100%

Create Test Page • Allows you to create your own tests.

• Must specify: – Test style – Question pool.

Test Styles • Timed mode: – This option will impose a time limit for your test.

– For example, 50 questions should be answered in an hour for Step1.

• UnTimed mode: – This option allows you to take the test at your own pace.

– In this mode, the software displays the time elapsed, but does not impose any time limit during the test.

Test Styles • Tutor mode: – Displays the correct answer and explanation after you have answered the test question.

– Once an item is answered, its explanation is retained for the duration of the test.

– In this mode, the software displays the time elapsed, but does not impose any time limit on the test.

Assess vs. Educate • Timed Mode = Performance Assessment

– Valuable for checking pace

• Tutor Mode =

Educational Tool – The majority of your questions should be completed in the tutor style.

– Important to read explanations!!

– Reference relevant portion of First Aid

Performance Anxiety • Do not get hung up on

your overall percent correct on USMLEWORLD. – It does not strongly correlate with actual score on real exam.

• It s in your best interest to get a question wrong than right!!!!

– It s an opportunity to reinforce material.

Specify No. of Questions • No default values for the number of test questions.

• You have to type in a specific number.

– Minimum number for each test = 1 – Maximum number for each test = 50

• If the chosen number of questions exceeds the available remaining questions in the question pool, the program will produce a message stating the number of available remaining questions.

Question Pool • All questions: – Randomly creates a test containing questions from your specified discipline/s.

– Includes questions may be unused or used (i.e., previously answered or marked).

• Unused questions: – This option will create a test containing only the remaining unused questions.

Question Pool • Incorrect Only: – Create a test containing only the incorrectly answered questions from previous tests.

– There might be instances when an incorrect question is also a marked question. In such cases, the software will also load the marked status of the question.

Question Pool • Marked Only: – Create a test containing only the marked questions from previous tests. This function is especially useful for mastering important or high-yield topics just before the exam.

– ****Note: Once a test is generated using this mode, all the selected questions automatically become unmarked; however, if you decide to mark certain questions during the test, then those questions will be returned to the pool of marked questions.

Disciplines To Be Tested – 2 Choices • Main-divisions: – Large disciplines – i.e. Anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology…

• Sub-divisions: – Organ Systems – i.e. Blood vessels, cardio, GI, head/neck, renal…

During the Test • Clock Display: – Time remaining (for timed mode) or – Time elapsed (for untimed and tutor modes).

Layout During the Test - Toolbars • Left Navigation Toolbar:

– Lists of item number for each question.

• Top Navigation

Toolbars Buttons: – Next – Previous – Mark – Lab Values – Annotation – Suspend – End

Marky Mark • Very important

feature of Question Banks!!!

• Mark high yield/tricky questions.

• Therefore, you can go through all your marked questions during the last week before Step 1.

Marking during Step 1 • During your actual exam, mark around 5

questions  To go back at end of block (if you have time remaining) • You should always submit your initial gut answer.

– You can change your answer later if need be.

Highlight • Highlight button part of top navigation toolbar.

– Button toggles between the highlight function and the cross-out function.

• Highlight key parts of stem!!!

– Therefore, when you come back to question, you can quickly read your highlights and ignore the irrelevant parts of the stem.

• Cross out answer choices you know are wrong.

• Documents your thought process!!!

Lab Values • Chart of normal values: – Blood – CSF – Hematological – Sweat and urine

• Get comfortable using the lab value chart in your Question Bank.

– You will know exactly where to find values during real test.

Suspend Function • You can suspend a test at any time, just

by clicking on the "Suspend" button.

• Your answers will be saved and stored.

• You may resume taking the test at a later date and time.

End Function • To end the test at any time, clicking on

the "End test" button.

• Once you have ended the exam, you cannot go back and change your answers.

Results • Results given at end of test in timed mode or after each question in tutor mode.

– Green check mark = Correct – Red X = Incorrect – ! = Omitted

Previous Exams • Lists of all your completed tests • Option to review or view analysis for each test.

Reviewing Completed Exams • Percent correct at top – compared to average score of all users.

• Lists each question with: – Your response – Main division – Subdivision – Teaching point – % of Correct Response – Link to explanation detail

Analysis of Completed Exams • Performance in Test: – Overall correct – % of correct, incorrect, omitted

• Performance in Main Divisions: – % correct in anatomy questions, etc…

• Performance in Subdivisions: – % correct in cardio questions, etc…

Cumulative Performance • Performance in all completed tests: – Overall correct – % of correct, incorrect, omitted – Answer changes!!!

• Performance in Main Divisions: – Overall % correct in anatomy questions, etc…

• Performance in Subdivisions:

– Overall % correct in cardio questions, etc…

Tracking Progress • Performance graphs easily illustrate your strengths and weaknesses.

• Shows if you got the topic you studied that day.

– Schedule in more time to re-review your weak areas.

Upload Function • If error occurs during submission of your

test results  Will be prompted to select a location on your computer where your results can be temporarily saved.

• Do not edit file.

• Then you upload the file to USMLEWORLD interface to have your results recorded.

Most Popular • USMLEWORLD • Kaplan

Any Questions?

• Best of Luck!

• I can reached at ecurran@med.wayne.edu