General help with L1 Homework - Main point and Must Be True

[Salli]

Working on MBT/MP HW 1-40. I seem to be missing something when analyzing the questions. I get the correct answers about 60% of the time. I am reviewing previous posts in the homework section to figure out where I went wrong with questions I incorrectly answered. I am careful when doing my homework, continually reviewing notes and book. I should be getting most the questions right since I am taking my time with them. What am I missing?

[Kristina Moen]

Hi Salli,

You are taking the right approach of looking at the questions individually and identifying where you were led astray. Are you correctly identifying the premise and conclusion? Are you correctly identifying the force of the language? (i.e. likelihood, quantity, fact versus opinion). Did you select an answer choice that was exaggerated? What caused you to eliminate the correct answer? If you are taking a class, you can ask your teacher (or "2nd chair" if online) to clarify specific questions.

But you should also be reviewing the questions you got correct. What helped you on those questions? What can you learn from those questions that will help you on future questions? If you "just got it right by instinct," try to dig a little deeper. How would you explain the correct answer to someone else? How would you explain why the incorrect answers are incorrect?

This way of reviewing questions will help you going forward. Good luck!

[OS07]

If I have no idea what I’m doing when starting to study will I get better? Things seem really overwhelming.

[nicholaspavic]

Hi OS07,

I'll jump in here for Kristina.

First of all, welcome to the forum. And yes, with the right approach you will absolutely get better at the LSAT. If you are taking a full-length class, then check out pages 1-36 through 1-38 where we discuss our general resources/breakdown of the work and how you should be using them in order to improve. Also, pg 1- 39 may help you to get into the proper test psychology for this class and for the LSAT. When you read our Analyses for question types, don't just race through them. Dave and Jon have really put blood, sweat and tears into those pages and they contain additional insights about this exam not discussed in the regular class.

Take advantage of Homework Hotline too, if you are feeling overwhelmed as you start. We love to talk to students and get them over their feelings of anxiety. And know that you have a right to feel a little overwhelmed at this point. Our full-length course is designed to really break down a sometimes very complicated test into digestible pieces and help you to develop those skills to improve your recognition of good and bad logic and your reading comprehension.

As to when you will start to see improvement, that varies so much by student to student that it can sometimes be very hard to predict. Sometimes people begin to improve right away and do so steadily throughout the course. I have had students in my course who see a huge jump in the middle of the course just as others are starting to plateau. I have even had students only begin to improve late in the course as they were able to conquer their nerves and get over their own sense of anxiety.

What I will predict is that you will improve with steady, even work and a positive mentality. It really is so important to maintain a positive mental balance and to take care of yourself as you study for the LSAT. You got this! Keep working!

Thanks for the great question!