Active Reading

[Cking14]

I read very slowly, and, given the time constraint of the test, I panic and end up re-reading things many times before I feel that I have fully grasped the passage. One of my problems is re-reading....Once I feel like I finally understand what the passage is about, I miss questions....too many! Another problem is that I feel like I have found their traps in answer choices and when I go back to review my answers, I find out that I STILL got it wrong. Another problem is that I see why the correct answer is correct AFTER THE FACT. This is also true with LR. How can I avoid doing this? HELP!!

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hi Cking14,

Thanks for your question! Reading speed is a common problem on the test, as each section is designed in such a way that most test-takers would be unable to finish it within the time constraint of 35 mins. The good news? You don't have to: you can achieve a top-1% score even if you miss as many as 10 questions. In fact, you can miss 20 and still score above 160.

Now that we got that out of the way, let me address the specifics of ur question. You seem to believe that you're a slow reader, which causes you to panic, as a result of which you re-read which further slows you down. I am willing to bet money on an alternate chain of causation: you read too fast, which is why you don't understand what you're reading. This causes you to panic, and so you re-read. By the time you "get it," so to speak, you've wasted a lot of time, so it appears as if you read too slowly.

The fix? Slow down! Don't read any faster than necessary to understand the material, and forget about the time constraints for now. Most students in our classes practice Reading Comp without being timed for the first 5-6 lessons, and you should do the same. I myself am a relatively slow reader, as English is not my first language (it's actually my third). That doesn't stop me from finishing the section with 5-6 minutes to spare. The key is: I read the passage once, I do it actively enough to know what to focus on and what to disregard, and then proceed to the questions. I use the VIEWSTAMP method religiously, because it helps sharpen my focus even when the topic is beyond boring. It takes practice, of course, but also patience. This won't happen overnight, but you can do it!

Check these blog posts out for more tips on how you can speed up on RC:

http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/a-timin ... erformance

http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/bid/342 ... prehension

http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/bid/308 ... he-problem

Good luck!

[Cking14]

Thank you for the advice! I only just saw the reply! Crazy! Anyway, I slow down to take notes on the side, so I'm not sure what's going on. I have always been a slow reader - I usually finish longer paragraphs in less dense material than you find on the LSAT in like over a minute - not helpful. I'll definitely see what happens. Sometimes, I think I take TOO MANY notes. Maybe that's getting in the way?

[Dave Killoran]

Too many notes could definitely be a problem! Your notes should be fairly light, just a few words at most. Maybe underline some of the key points instead, in order to see the gist of where they are going in the passage?

Thanks!

[nelson3clan]

Dave how does one actively read and NOT take in too much of the information. I tend to do really good at the start and midway I just get mentally side tracked and I find myself of recalling what's needed to finish strong with this reading comprehension.

[Nikki Siclunov]

Nelson3clan,

Thanks for your question. You seem to be saying that, despite a strong start, you tend to lose focus while reading the passage. This is understandable, and is indeed the result of not reading actively enough. At the same time, however, you worry that you're taking in too much information. I think you're taking in too little, or at least not the right kind of information. This is where the VIEWSTAMP method proves exceptionally useful: it sharpens your focus on the textual elements you are most likely to be tested on, and it also helps you identify more easily the relevant information when answering Concept Reference questions.

Speaking of which, you mention that, "I find myself of recalling (sic) what's needed to finish strong with this reading comprehension." Our short-term memory is rarely as good as we believe it to be, so try to avoid relying on it too much. This is an open-book test: you can always refer back to the passage, assuming you know where to look. Again, focusing on the "S" part of the VIEWSTAMP ("Structure") should help in this respect.

In my experience as an instructor, students who easily lose focus in Reading Comprehension are those who read too little in general, and/or are easily bored with the content they do read. You need to change that. While nothing can replace innate curiosity or facility with language, you can stimulate such interest by reading journals and magazines, such as The Economist, Scientific American, The New Yorker, National Geographic. By familiarizing yourself with the topics frequently discussed in such magazines, you improve your chance of coming across similar topics on the RC. Prior exposure to a given topic invariably heightens interest in that topic, which you can use to your advantage to remain interested and focused.

The links to various blog articles I posted earlier should give you a good place to start. Ultimately, this will take a lot of practice and perhaps a change in perspective on your part. It's well worth it, not the least because law school will put your reading comprehension skills to test time and time again.

Good luck!

[nelson3clan]

Nikki today has been a day spent trying to do what Jon suggests of "pausing" after each paragraph. Although I can say I'm understanding it, I must admit it is taking up way too much time. Unfortunately this is why I shyed away from VIEWstamp method. I found myself taking way too long trying to specifically pick out each part and when I didn't get it right away I stayed too long still trying. I'm trying to fit everything I've learned into way less time!!

[nelson3clan]

Nikk,
I just want to thank you for those three blogs. They were very interesting and helpful.

Carole

[Nikki Siclunov]

Thanks, Carole, for the kind words. And yes - time management is tricky, but you need to do things correctly before you can do them quickly.

Hang in there, it does get better

[Cking14]

I have ordered the New Yorker, in fact, I have a subscription, but, with work, family, AND studying, I don't have there time, let alone the energy, to read extra ON TOP OF studying. I also noticed that my comprehension didn't change much when I was reading the magazine. I am trying to find the right balance. Like I said, I read very slowly and am reapplying to get extra time, but I forget a lot of the passage parts it asks me about and tend to over underline. RC is just the worst for me - any other suggestions?

Thanks!