2 Quick Questions

[mark29]

Hello LSAT Masters,

Here are a few questions that I have for you:

1. Reading the question stem first

Obviously, and through comprehensive reading on your site and others on the Internet...this is a major no go. I fully understand the principle here...but, I have doing this and it seems to help. Basically, it only takes me a second or two to look for key words to determine the question type. Obvious key words stand out..."MBT", "flaw", "weaken", "strengthen", etc., but words like "inferred" "strongly support" "flows logically" "helps to justify" "logically completes" etc., basically lets me know (not always...but most of the time) the question type. Then, as I read the stimulus I know what I am looking for and this helps me with my prephrase. I do not have an issue with time. What I am looking for here is not a "whatever works for me is good" answer but a better way of prephrasing an answer. I have read your prephrasing blog. I am in the process of taking a lot of practce tests for the June LSAT. I completed the virtual course this last Feb. I do see patterns forming and sometimes I remember other questions and I see similiar answers. I need a better way of doing this.

2. Sitting arrangement

This nailed me on my last LSAT. Any thought to sitting in the last row? Basically less distractions. I do remember some of the test takers last time...they were not exactly in a rush to register and it appeared that they wanted to sit in the back which they did. (OK I know, this question can be flawed...alternative cause and all) What do you think? Is there any possible drawbacks to this?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Mark

[Steve Stein]

Thanks for your question--it's a good one.

I would suggest that you avoid doing the question stem preview for a bit--you will likely notice that in many cases, you will be able to predict the question type based on what you've read in the stimulus.

Previewing the question stem often provides limited insight:"ok, on this one, I need to remember what must be true based on the information in the stimulus...."

When you see a flaw question, it may seem helpful to know in advance that there is a flaw in the reasoning--but it's quite likely (hopefully) that you would have noted the flaw without the question stem preview--I bet you've noticed that the test makers use a lot of the same flaws again and again, and those flaws become very recognizable.

It may seem like the question stem preview seems to help, but that can be difficult to assess: you've probably never attempted those same ones without previewing the respective question stems, so it's tough to compare.

It's great that time is not an issue for you--I would suggest that you physically cover up both the question stem and the answer choices as you read and break down the stimulus. Once you understand the author's argument (if there is one), see if you can predict the question type. Then, look at the question, but keep the answer choices covered until you have attempted a general prephrase of the answer--then look at your choices.

As for seating arrangements, I can't really think of any drawbacks associated with sitting in the back row. When you're doing practice tests, though, you might want to take them in places where there is not complete silence, so that you develop a tolerance for slight distractions, in case you run into some on test day.

I hope that's helpful--let me know. Thanks!

~Steve

[mark29]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your reply. I will definitely follow your guidelines as I do know that that approach is extremely important. I did run into some major distractions on the Feb test (as mentioned in a previous post) which is why here I am again taking the LSAT. I practice around a constant amount of noise but I did let a few occurances get to me and that will not happen again. Even though it is not quiet where I study I will take at least 2 practice tests at the library.

And a new question:

Experimental Sections: I had an experimental RC section on the Feb LSAT. I would really like to see that or some of the passages on the June LSAT. Do the test makers ever put the last experimental sections into subsequent LSAT's or do they save the ones they want for later use? Thanks in advance!!!

Mark

[Steve Stein]

Hi,

Thanks for your question; it’s usually at least one and a half to two years before they re-use experimentals--as you might have guessed, they want to avoid having recent test takers re-see the section.

~Steve