All,
I am having problems not in reading time (Typically done in 3-4 minutes), but it's answering the questions. I just really struggle finding relevant text, but I have it notated (I use the A, 1, 2, etc) what I would say is pretty good. I thought I was making solid progress, but then I did the Incorrect Answer Characteristics Practice Set 2 (PT 48, S3) and felt like I got destroyed in terms of time. Any advice in terms of getting better at RC when I feel that I read and understand passages well for the most part, but cannot seem to answer the questions in time?
LSAT Forum
2 postsPage 1 of 1
-
- vincent.m
-
Thanks Received: 0
-
Jackie Chiles
- Posts: 30
- Joined: September 08th, 2013
-
- rinagoldfield
-
Thanks Received: 309
-
Atticus Finch
- Posts: 390
- Joined: December 13th, 2011
Re: Major Timing Problems
Hi Vincent,
Great and important question. The timing on the RC section is a huge challenge for so many students. There isn’t a simple trick to getting faster, sadly. However, practice can make a huge difference.
You should aim to finish individual RC questions in 1 minute, but of course some questions will take a bit more or a bit less time. I often have tutoring students do full RC sections with me. I sit with a timer and tell the student to move on after he or she spends more than 1.5 minutes on a question. This forces the student to push his/her pace, and ensures that he/she has enough time left over for the last passage. Please ask a friend or loved one to do this exercise with you a couple of times. Begin to develop an internalized clock that tells you to move on after about a minute per question.
You wrote that you "struggle to find relevant text." It is important to find line support for right answers, but you do NOT have time to do this for every question. On main point questions, author’s opinion questions, etc., you should have a strong enough sense of the passage from your initial read-through to answer the question without going back to the passage.
Lastly, the wrong-answer-choice-elimination practice sets should help you. Articulating reasons why wrong answers are wrong can feel unfamiliar, and getting accustomed to doing this can mean slowing down. However, these exercises help you build a wrong-answer-choice-eliminating muscle that, eventually, should enable you to quickly and efficiently use a process of elimination on hard questions.
Great and important question. The timing on the RC section is a huge challenge for so many students. There isn’t a simple trick to getting faster, sadly. However, practice can make a huge difference.
You should aim to finish individual RC questions in 1 minute, but of course some questions will take a bit more or a bit less time. I often have tutoring students do full RC sections with me. I sit with a timer and tell the student to move on after he or she spends more than 1.5 minutes on a question. This forces the student to push his/her pace, and ensures that he/she has enough time left over for the last passage. Please ask a friend or loved one to do this exercise with you a couple of times. Begin to develop an internalized clock that tells you to move on after about a minute per question.
You wrote that you "struggle to find relevant text." It is important to find line support for right answers, but you do NOT have time to do this for every question. On main point questions, author’s opinion questions, etc., you should have a strong enough sense of the passage from your initial read-through to answer the question without going back to the passage.
Lastly, the wrong-answer-choice-elimination practice sets should help you. Articulating reasons why wrong answers are wrong can feel unfamiliar, and getting accustomed to doing this can mean slowing down. However, these exercises help you build a wrong-answer-choice-eliminating muscle that, eventually, should enable you to quickly and efficiently use a process of elimination on hard questions.
2 posts Page 1 of 1