Test trial
I had to be fast while being keen on selecting the exact answer. Most of the answers were almost similar but slightly different
Error Checking Test
Names, numbers, codes and addresses: spot the differences between two strings of data at speed. Every question below comes with the answer explained.
- 12 practice tests in the Error Checking pack
- 240 questions, all solved
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How to practise before the real thing
Reading about the format only takes you so far. A pack gives you the pace: batches under time pressure, marked, with the working shown.
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- 12
- Error Checking tests
- 240
- questions, all solved
What is an error checking test?
An error checking test is a timed psychometric test that asks you to compare a set of data against several options and identify which one is correct. The data is deliberately mundane: strings of numbers, reference codes, names, addresses and email addresses, differing by a single transposed digit or letter.
The questions are not conceptually difficult. The difficulty is holding accuracy while working quickly, because the time you take forms part of your final score as well as the number of errors you catch.
Who uses error checking tests, and why?
Employers set an error checking test when the job punishes small mistakes. That means administrative and operational roles above all, and also hospitality, sales, marketing, education and customer service. It can appear as a first screening sift or later in the process as an advanced test.
Two publishers account for most of the error checking tests candidates meet: Saville Assessment, the international assessment business formerly known as Saville Consulting, and Talent Q, founded by a co-founder of SHL and used mainly for managerial hiring. Find out which one your employer uses before you prepare, and see our test publisher guides for the rest.
What does an error checking question look like?
Two examples of the format, both taken from real test styles. The answer is A in both cases.
Which of the five options matches the number on the left?
Which of the five options matches the email address on the left?
Frequently asked questions
What candidates ask us most often
Is a data checking test the same as an error checking test?
Not quite. A data checking test is generally the less complex of the two, verifying the accuracy of smaller sets of information, while error checking covers longer and more varied strings. In practice the preparation overlaps almost completely: practising error checking questions leaves you comfortable with data checking as well.
How are error checking tests scored?
Your score is the number of deviations you correctly identify within the time allowed. Because there are usually far more questions than anyone can finish, how far you get matters as much as how many you get right.
Does speed or accuracy matter more in an error checking test?
Neither on its own. Promptness carries as much weight in your score as the number of errors you correctly identify, which is what makes these tests different from most aptitude tests: working carefully and slowly scores no better than working fast and carelessly.
How do you prepare for an error checking test?
These tests are about a skill rather than a technique, so there is no new concept to learn: you are training your eye to catch a wrong character faster. Practise at a desk with a timer running, note every question you got wrong and what tripped you, and repeat under the same conditions. Our error checking preparation guide sets out the steps.
What kind of data appears in error checking questions?
Alpha-numeric blocks and code strings most often, along with reference numbers, names, postal addresses and email addresses. The content is never the point; the test is only ever asking whether two strings are identical.
Reviews
Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 49 reviews. A selection:
Eye Drilling
I liked that the similarity in words or numbers was so close and you have to be keen on details to find the right word.
Speed difference spotting
Liked the questions and timer - font size of questions was a bit small to read, even with glasses. Great to practice these questions.
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