How to answer select-all-that-apply questions
Written and reviewed by Dana Whitfield, RN, MSN · 5 min read · Updated August 2026
Short answer
Treat a select-all-that-apply item as separate true-or-false questions, one per option. Decide each option on its own merits against the pathophysiology, never by comparing options to each other, and never by guessing how many should be correct. Classic SATA items carry no partial credit, so one wrong selection costs the whole item.
The one technique that works
Cover the other options and ask of each one: is this true for this client, right now? Yes or no. Then move to the next. The instinct to compare options is imported from single-answer items, where it is correct — here it is the main source of errors.
Why 'three sounds right' is a trap
There is no fixed number of correct options. Items with one correct answer and items with five both exist. Any reasoning that starts from an expected count is reasoning about the test-writer instead of the client.
Scoring, and when to stop selecting
Classic SATA is all-or-nothing: five options, four right, zero credit. Some Next Gen formats do give partial credit with a penalty for incorrect selections. In both cases the strategy is the same — select what you can defend, stop there.
Whatever you take from this, the next step is the same: answer questions and read the rationales. Our sata questions practice questions are the closest set to what this guide covers, there are ten more on the practice questions hub, and the pricing page spells out what the free tier includes.
One question from the sata questions set
A client is admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis. Which findings does the nurse expect? Select all that apply.
Rationale
DKA is hyperglycemia plus ketosis plus metabolic acidosis, and four of these are that picture: Kussmaul respirations blowing off CO₂, ketones on the breath, a glucose well above 250 mg/dL, and dehydration showing as warm, flushed, dry skin. A bicarbonate of 30 mEq/L is above the reference range — in DKA bicarbonate is consumed and falls below 18. On a select-all, check each option against the pathophysiology on its own; there is no partial credit on the real exam.
Answer: A, B, D, E
Common questions
How many options are correct on a select-all-that-apply question?
Anywhere from one to all of them. There is no fixed number, and expecting two or three is a common source of misses.
Is there partial credit on SATA questions?
Classic select-all-that-apply items are all-or-nothing. Most Next Generation item types, including matrix and extended multiple response, do use partial credit with a point deducted per incorrect selection.
What is the best strategy for SATA questions?
Treat each option as its own true-or-false question about the stem, decided independently. Comparing options against each other is what turns one uncertainty into a wrong answer.