To pass an error checking test, work in a fixed order, compare data in small chunks, and keep a steady pace you can sustain without guessing. Find out the format before the day, read each instruction carefully, and practise under timed conditions until spotting swapped digits and changed letters becomes routine. Accuracy matters more than finishing first, so aim for the fastest pace at which you stay accurate.
The best preparation is a realistic free error checking test, which shows you the question styles and the pace required.
What an error checking test involves
An error checking test measures how quickly and accurately you can find mistakes in information. It is common for roles in administration, finance, data entry and other jobs where records must be right. The test is usually taken online, timed and multiple choice. Formats vary between publishers, but you will usually see one or more of these:
- Two columns: decide whether the item on the left matches the item on the right.
- Original and copy: compare a record with a copy and identify which rows, or how many characters, differ.
- Find the match: pick the option that exactly matches a given piece of information from a list of very similar ones.
- Written passages: find spelling, grammar or punctuation errors in a paragraph.
If you are not sure what attention to detail covers, our guide on what attention to detail is and why it is important is a good starting point.
A worked example
Question. Compare the original customer record with the copy. Which fields contain an error?
| Field | Original | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Joanna Whitfield | Joanna Whitfeild |
| Customer ID | 50827 | 50827 |
| Postcode | NE4 7BJ | NE4 7BJ |
| Phone | 0191 496 0372 | 0191 496 0327 |
Method. Check one field at a time, chunk by chunk. In the name, read the surname in short pieces: “Whit”, “field” against “Whit”, “feild”. The i and e have swapped. The customer ID and postcode match exactly when checked character by character. In the phone number, compare each group of digits: 0191 matches, 496 matches, but 0372 has become 0327.
Answer: the name and the phone number.
Both errors are swaps. The same characters are present, just in a different order, which is exactly the kind of error the eye skips when it reads for meaning.
1. Practise realistic tests
The most effective preparation is working through tests in a similar format to the real one. You get used to the layout, learn the kinds of error that appear, and build speed through recognition rather than rushing.
2. Find out which type you are sitting
Error checking tests can use numbers, text or a mix. Some have many short questions, while others give you one large data set to work through. If the invitation does not tell you, the job description usually gives a clue, and it is reasonable to ask the recruitment team which format to expect.
3. Read the instructions carefully
Some tests ask you to mark the errors, some to mark the items that match, and some to count the differences. Getting this wrong can cost you every mark in a section, so be sure what each question asks before you start comparing.
4. Chunk long strings
Split long numbers and codes into groups of three or four and compare one group at a time. It is far easier to compare 0191, then 496, then 0372, than to hold the whole number in mind.
5. Check fields in a fixed order
Use the same routine every time, such as left to right, field by field. A fixed order stops you skipping a field or checking the same one twice when you are under pressure.
6. Use a pointer
Keep your place with your cursor or a finger on the screen. It stops your eyes jumping between rows, which is how whole lines get missed.
7. Know the common errors
Most errors fall into a few types: two characters swapped, one character changed, a character missing or added, and letters that look alike such as O and 0, I and 1, or S and 5. Knowing what to look for makes them stand out.
8. Brush up on spelling and grammar
For written error checking, revise commonly misspelled words and common grammar errors, such as subject and verb agreement and confused words like “their” and “there”. Once you have checked for larger errors, scan again specifically for spelling, as small slips are easy to miss.
9. Find your pace, then hold it
Track your time on practice tests and increase your speed only while your accuracy holds. In the real test, keep an eye on the clock and avoid spending too long on one question. If you are stuck, choose your best answer, flag it if the test allows, and move on.
10. Prepare your set-up
Most error checking tests are taken at home, unsupervised. Use a reliable connection and an up-to-date browser, find somewhere quiet, and take the test when you are rested. Technical problems can cost you time you cannot get back.
11. Review if you have time
If you finish early, go back over your answers, starting with any you flagged. A second look often catches a swap you read past the first time. If your practice pace is comfortable, build in a minute or two at the end for this.
Build the skill, not just the test technique
These tips work best on top of a genuine checking habit. Our guide on how to improve attention to detail covers the everyday techniques, and our attention to detail examples include more test-style questions with answers. When you are ready, take a timed error checking practice test and see how your speed and accuracy compare.
