- Tue May 18, 2021 3:38 pm
#87161
Hey Alexus,
What I would do is, I would make a list of the major concepts in each section, and be honest with yourself how well you understand those concepts. I'll make you a list now.
In logical reasoning, you should be able to describe, in your own words, what each of the 15 or so question types is asking. You should then be able to describe what you should be able to get out of the stimulus. You should then be able to describe what you are looking for in the answer choices or if there are any tricks in the answer choices. I'll run through justify the conclusion questions to give you an example of what I mean.
A justify the conclusion question is asking you, which one of the following answer choices proves the conclusion true. In the stimulus, you should have found the conclusion, you should have found any premises, and you should have understood the gap between the premise or premises and the conclusion. In the answer choice, we are looking for an answer that proves the conclusion true. We have a preference for stronger and broader languange, and if there were any new terms in the conclusion, those new terms should be in the correct answer.
You should be able to do what I did in the previous paragraph for each question type in logical reasoning, without much thought. If you have to think of this, then that is distracting you during the question. It should be so memorized that you do not have to think about it.
For games, you should be comfortable with all of the conditional rules and all of the major types of setups, and you should have a process for how you handle could be true, vs must be true, vs must be false questions.
In reading comp, you should have a specific process for how you handle the passages. Viewstamp is a good reminder. Look for view points, understand the structure (you can break this down into what is each paragraphs purpose), understand the tone (which is basically Author point of view), understand arguments (which is kind of a repetition of view points but a slight nuance), understand the main point (which is basically just the author point of view and the topic of the passage).
I try and understand the topic when it is introduced, which is almost always the first paragraph or the first sentence of the second paragraph. Then I make sure I understand each paragraph and what purpose it serves (structure), then I make sure I am keeping an eye out for any Author point of view or other points of view. That is how I apply viewstamp. Make sure you can put the topic in your own words when it is introduced. Being able to read something and put it in your own words means you are very good at reading comprehension in its traditional sense. I have my students practice this all the time, and 90 percent of people are very bad at it to start.
I am someone who likes to have a specific process on the test. I've always succeeded at things when I have instructions, and always failed when I don't have instructions. So maybe that will help you too. I wish you all of the best in your studies.
Best,
Ryan
