Read Questions Carefully

On the CIA exam, read questions carefully, noting key words. Read the question stem to determine the precise requirement. Focusing on what is required enables you to ignore extraneous information and to proceed directly to determining the correct answer. Be especially careful to note when the requirement is an exception. Words such as except, least, not, and most in a question will be crucial when determining the correct answer. For example, “Which of the following is not an indication of fraud?” Think each question through very carefully before answering. You may want to jot down key words that appear in the question or rephrase the question in your own words if you are having trouble understanding it.