LR Test Mentality Help

[mario6558]

I have been able to noticeably see improvements with my RC/LG portion of the LSAT, but when it comes to the LR section I feel rather panicked and just read through the stims and when I get to the question stem I blank whatever it was that I previously read. The main issue is how to attack the stimulus and search what I am looking for while reading? So when I reach the question stem I know exactly what flaw, reasoning, justification and or assumption etc. that I am looking for.

I wish I could just know what I am looking for while I'm reading. Do you think possibly getting to the question stem first would be "good" alternative route for me? Especially since I usually have to re-read the stimulus, which is not time efficient, and instead just have to re-read the question stem using less time?

Or do you know of a good drill on mentality when starting a LR section? Or just focus on indicators i.e. premise, conclusion, causality and conditional etc? Ive got it down while doing LG, for me it's think of inferences. For RC its think of VIEWSTAMP, but for LR I don't know Once I can figure out what my mentality should be then I can apply and practice this method via timed LR sections, but until then I am stuck anywhere between 29-35% correct....

Any help would be much appreciated especially since these sections are worth 50% of my LSAT score. Sorry for the re-post I just noticed that I put it in the wrong section in these forums. Thanks again for reading and your eventual response.

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Mario,

Thanks for the message. Let's start with overall test mentality, which it never hurts to think about In our Free LSAT Help Area, there's an extensive discussion of test mentality from a free seminar we did prior to the October 2013 LSAT here. Please go to this page: http://www.powerscore.com/lsat/help/#free-lessons and see the second-to-last link, which is titled Test Mentality. I think that may help with your overall outlook on the LSAT, and give you a more aggressive mindset.

One of the suggestions in there discusses warming up prior to the LSAT by doing a short problem set. I think this idea might help you as well. The idea is to do a few questions--say 2-3 LR questions--before the test begins. That would help get you into the right gear, and also bring the basics of the section to the forefront of your mind. If you were to want to think about it in abstract terms instead of doing problems, then I'd think about arguments, specifically reminding yourself about premises and conclusions, and the importance of isolating the conclusion. Then I'd run through the various question types, and what you'd typically like to do with each one. For example, Weaken: break the relationship between premise and conclusion; how to weaken causality; how to Weaken conditionality, then on to Strengthen, and so on. While you wouldn't likely be able to cover every point mentally, it would get you in the groove needed to come out firing.

As far as reading the question stem first, that's obviously not the way we teach LR, but I have always believed that you have to do what works best for you. In that vein, there have been times in the past where I've recommended that people read the question stem first. There are downsides to doing so, but if you think it will help you perform better, by all means give it a shot. The best LSAT methods are the ones that work for you, and I see no harm in trying to improve yourself if one approach isn't working for you.

That's a start, so please let me know if that helps out. Thanks!