Diagramming strategy

[Nadia0702]

Hi PS,
I have a question regarding how to diagram most efficiently. Sometimes when I recognize a conditional statement in the beginning of a stimulus, I tend to get distracted by wanting to diagram it right away and then lose focus. What is your general recommendation on when to start diagramming the conditional statements? In other words, do you recommend diagramming a conditional statement the second you encounter it, or reading the entire stimulus, getting a good grasp on it, and then diagramming the conditional statements?

Thanks!
Nadia

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Nadia,

Thanks for the question!

First, don't over-emphasize diagramming. The majority of statement don't need to be diagrammed, and as you get more comfortable with conditional reasoning, you can step back from trying to diagram all or even most statements you encounter.

Second, I tend to diagram things I think are notable while reading, but that is partially because diagramming is virtually second-nature to me--I do it really without thinking (but, again, I do it relatively rarely too, only when I feel it is necessary to keep the information straight). If you are finding it distracting, wait until the end to diagram. If you can do it when you encounter the statement and it isn't distracting, then do it then. And, you may find that as your ability to diagram changes, the manner in which you do it changes as well.

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!