LR Concern

[ccampise]

So I know you guys say that all the tests are equal, and I know that many say the games on the June 2014 test were difficult (I agree), but after taking that test I also feel that the LR was much more difficult than my last few tests (have been taking them in order), and LR is usually a section I do well in. So I guess my question is was there anything slightly different about the LR, or something rarely tested, that maybe could've thrown me for a loop? I tried to identify some sort of trend in my score report but couldn't really, and the only thing I'm noticing while going over the test is that in a lot of the LR questions the stimuli seem normal but the answers seem more abstract. Any thoughts? Thanks!

[Ron Gore]

Hi ccapmise,

June 2014 LR was definitely not the hardest in last year or so. Although the tests all are about roughly the same in difficulty, both of the LR sections in the October 2013 administrator were harder -- in my opinion -- than either of the June 2014 LR sections.

LR 1 from June 2014 was a bit unusual in its question type distribution, however, there were six Strengthen questions in the section (Questions 1,3, 6, 7, 23 and 25), four of which occurred in the first ten questions. Then, there were seven Prove family questions in the middle section, including several Method questions. It's the high concentration of the Method questions in the middle to end of the section that you're picking up on with the more abstract answer choices. You're exactly right about that. Finally, Question 26 in the section, a Parallel Reasoning question, was certainly one of the most difficult questions tested recently, even though the section as a whole what not unusually difficult.

LR 2 from June 2014 was much more typical, although it did have an unusual Justify the Conclusion question (Question 13), in which you had to pick an answer choice that justified two arguments in the stimulus.

Hope that sheds some light on those two sections for you!

Best Wishes,

Ron

[ccampise]

Thanks! It does, have been briefly reviewing my method and flaw questions today. Hoping for the best!