1. A Cognitive Approach to Question Review
Student Academic Support Services and Inclusion (SASSI)
NCLEX Prep Series
Thank you for viewing our SASSI presentation on a cognitive approach to question review. This presentation is part of our NCLEX prep series. Other topics in this series include a cognitively active approach to answering questions, creating and reviewing your question log, creating a study schedule, pump up, memorization, and anxiety.

2. Move Beyond Your Comfort Zone: See More Material & Show More of What You Know
Students tell us that they like to do what feels most comfortable, and even though rereading familiar material may feel more comfortable, you really want to identify if that’s paying off? Is that helping you get more questions correct?
The cognitive approach to question review can assist you with moving beyond your comfort zone in order to see more material and show more of what you know on the NCLEX.

3. Last sentence first – last two sentences if needed
Categorize familiarity
Knows - questions that you can answer even
without seeing the answer options.
Not Sures - questions that you know something
about or know something about something related to it
but may not be sure about the one best answer.
These types of questions make up the bulk of your
questions.
Guesses - questions that you have no clue about.
Record category on scratch paper or tally sheet
Process question – DO NOT CHANGE CATEGORY
(cognitively active approach to answering practice
question)
The cognitive approach to question review begins with reading the last line of the question, and if needed, the next-to-the-last line.
Next, categorize your familiarity and level of knowledge with the main idea of the question as a know, not sure, or guess. Record the category on a scratch piece of paper or your question review tally sheet, which can be found on the SASSI website under nursing board prep.
Knows are questions that you can answer even without seeing the answer options.
Not Sures are those questions that you know something about or know something about something related to it but may not be sure about the one best answer. Knows and not sures make up the bulk of your questions.
Guesses are those questions that you have no clue about.
After categorizing the question, go back to the question, process it using the cognitively active approach to answering questions, which is available in another video. Narrow down the choices to two, and choose an answer choice. (Do not go back and change the initial question category.)

4. Strategically Review Practice Questions
1st - Knows that were correct:
READ but DON’T WRITE.
After you complete the practice questions, use the following order to lead you in maximizing your review of them. You can write information about the questions on your question log to assist you with seeing more material.
Start by reviewing questions in the category of Knows that were correct: Read them, but do not write about them.

5. Strategically Review Practice Questions
1st - Knows that were correct:
READ but DON’T WRITE.
2nd - Knows that were missed: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when your choice would be correct.
Second, review questions in the category of Knows that were missed: Write down “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Then write when your choice would be correct.

6. Strategically Review Practice Questions
1st - Knows that were correct:
READ but DON’T WRITE.
2nd - Knows that were missed: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when your choice would be correct.
3rd - Not Sures that were correct: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when one other choice would be correct.
Third, review questions in the category of Not Sures that were correct: Write down “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Also write when one other choice would be correct.

7. Strategically Review Practice Questions
1st - Knows that were correct:
READ but DON’T WRITE.
2nd - Knows that were missed: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when your choice would be correct.
3rd - Not Sures that were correct: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when one other choice would be correct.
4th - Not Sures that were missed: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when 2nd choice would be correct.
Fourth, review questions in the category of Not Sures that were missed: Write down “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Also write when a 2nd choice would be correct.

8. Strategically Review Practice Questions
1st - Knows that were correct:
READ but DON’T WRITE.
2nd - Knows that were missed: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when your choice would be correct.
3rd - Not Sures that were correct: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when one other choice would be correct.
4th - Not Sures that were missed: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when 2nd choice would be correct.
5th – IF YOU HAVE TIME - Guesses that were correct, WRITE “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Then, what would change in the question to make one choice more correct than the other choices.
Fifth, IF YOU HAVE TIME review questions for the Guesses that were correct, write down “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Then, write what would change in the question to make one more choice more correct than the other choices.

9. Strategically Review Practice Questions
1st - Knows that were correct:
READ but DON’T WRITE.
2nd - Knows that were missed: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when your choice would be correct.
3rd - Not Sures that were correct: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when one other choice would be correct.
4th - Not Sures that were missed: Write “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Write when 2nd choice would be correct.
5th – IF YOU HAVE TIME - Guesses that were correct, WRITE “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Then, what would change in the question to make one choice more correct than the other choices.
6th – IF YOU HAVE TIME - Guesses that were missed, WRITE “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than other choices. Then, what would change in the question to make one choice more correct than the other choices.
Sixth, IF YOU HAVE TIME review questions for the Guesses that were missed, write down “Why” the correct choice was MORE correct than the other choices. Then, write what would change in the question to make one more choice more correct than the other choices.

10. Why is the correct choice more correct?
Question Log
Question Number
Information
Category (K, NS, G)
Why is the correct choice more correct?
What would “change” in the question to make your choice or one other choice correct? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
10.
All of this information can be written on your question log. A question log template can be found on the SASSI website under nursing board prep. You are encouraged to review our video on creating and reviewing a question log.

11. Have Questions? Need Individualized Assistance?
If you have questions or need individualized assistance, appointments can be made by visiting our website at or ing the front office at