First 10 LR questions

[monicaiannacone]

I'm struggling with timing for the LR sections. Specifically, I'm only able to answer 20 questions in the 35 minute sections and literally don't even read that last 5 questions due to time.

Also, I usually get the first 10 questions (the easiest) correct and almost all other the others wrong (usually only get 3 correct of those).

-I find that I am re-readhing the first 10 questions and second guessing myself even though I know I'm usually correct. And that I'm reading the questions and answers too often. How can I avoid this?
-How can I speed up and and get to all 25 questions?
-What should be my goal for completing the first 1o questions? (ie- 15 minutes...10 minutes?)

Thanks for the help!

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

Hey Monica! This question goes directly to what we were working on in office hours.

I generally divide the LR section into 3 distinct mindsets. The first third of the section, I try to anticipate where the answer choice is likely to go. The correct answer will typically relate to your most natural response to the argument presented. Try not to get too focussed on slight variations of wording. Because these arguments are "easier," the test-writer will frequently use slightly different language when referring to something twice to somewhat disguise the correct answer - at least somewhat.

Later in the section those deviations in language become more significant and frequently allow you to eliminate the final incorrect answer. In the middle third of the section, you need to slow down a little, and be more careful with the specific language being used. But the issue with the argument will probably still relate to your natural instincts.

In the final third of the section, your instincts may actually take you to a wrong answer choice. The most tempting incorrect answer frequently will be the one that addresses the most obvious issue with the argument, but will be reworked so that while the answer choice hits all the right words, it doesn't actually answer the question. The correct answer often will address a secondary issue that is less obvious or addresses some higher level concept being tested; such as causation, conditional logic, abstraction, etc.

Eventually, you'll want to try to get your timing down so that you move quickly early in the section, giving yourself more time on the challenging questions. My personal time goals are to complete the first 10 questions in 8 minutes, get to question 15 within 15 minutes, and to finish the section with at least 5 minutes to go so that I can go back and have a second look at 3-4 questions, I was less than absolutely sure of my first time through.

Hope that helps!

[monicaiannacone]

Hi! Yes, this is what we were discussing during my lsat office hours. Thanks for posting this, it's such a great explanation for understanding how to read the LR sections--I'm going to try thinking of my LR sections in three parts and see how that works for me!