• How to answer the each question?
• Read the question carefully
• Read all the options available
• Look at the exhibits (if applicable) for the question
• If required, please use the scratchpad, calculator and pencils provided to work the answer (more required for questions involving mathematical calculations)
• Questions for which you know the answer;
• Tick the correct Answer
• Questions for which you do not know the answer;
• Try the Elimination Technique: If you do not know the correct answer, try to figure out which of the options are definitely not valid. By eliminating the options that are definitely not valid, you will improve your chances to arrive at the correct answer.
  Usually, the chances of guessing the right answer to any question are 25% (i.e. 1 out of 4). Elimination of each option increases, to that extent, your chance to arrive at the correct answer. For example, if you have eliminated 2 options as being "not correct", then you are left with only two options to choose from, one of which is the right answer. Thus, the probability to hit the right answer increases to 50% (i.e. 1 out of 2).
• Choose the best answer, thus, using the elimination technique.
• § Mark the question: In SPHR/PHR certification exam, you can mark questions for a later review. You can go back to the question later, and review your answer.
• Should I answer the questions sequentially (i.e. one after the other in the serial order)?
• Everyone has their own method of answering. HRCIstudy.com recommends that you answer each question sequentially and mark answers of doubtful questions for review. This ensures that:
  1. You Answer All the Questions.
  2. You can keep track of how many questions you have answered in a given time. This will help you pace the exam— as mentioned below— so you can speed up or slow down the pace as desired.
• How do you pace answering the test?
1. In SPHR/PHR exam, 225 questions have to be answered in 4 hours. It means that you should answer approximately 31 questions in 30 minutes. Keep checking if you are answering 31 questions in each block of 30 minutes. If you are answering less, you will have to step up the pace.
2. There are some questions which may be very complicated and take longer time to answer. If you notice that any question is taking up more than 4 minutes, please mark the question for review and move on to the next question. That way, you do not miss out on answering the easier questions that may follow. You can answer the marked questions later.
3. In SPHR/PHR exam, 25 out of 225 are dummy questions which do not count for scoring. However, since you do not know which those dummy questions are, you should answer all the questions to the best of your ability.
• What to do after you have answered all the questions:
1. First, go back and review the answers that you have marked for review
2. If you still have time remaining, then review all the other answers

For more information about HRCI, PHR and SPHR Certifications, please visit the Official Website of HRCI