The Competition is finished. Here's a list of Error Logs of all times .
How to use & Purpose
The purpose of an error log is to keep track of your mistakes. You can use one of these fancy spreadsheets, you can use your own doc, GMAT ToolKit, or you can just mark the questions you got wrong in your book. The goal is the same - to build a list of questions that are problematic for you. Usually, you would exclude anything that you have missed by pure careless error (for example, confused answer choices) but you do want to have here all other questions you missed. Why? Because these questions are what you want to review at the end of the week and perhaps every month. You also want to save them for the last week (especially the ones that you missed twice).
If one of these spreadsheets is too fancy for you, just get your own error log/timer/etc - the key is to keep track of your weaknesses and mistakes and then to attack them. No spreadsheet can do the studying for you though.
There is also a built-in Error log in the GMAT Club Forum No downloading, No manual work - it tracks your progress automatically when you solve questions on this forum and gives you the results. Learn more about the Forum Timer
_________________ A smart person once said: "No one ever got stronger by being spoonfed nor has anyone gotten smarter by not using their brain." Want to get an MBA? Be a leader.
By the way, I did a save as and was able to save it as 300kb file instead of 1MB - Office 2007 version though.
_________________ A smart person once said: "No one ever got stronger by being spoonfed nor has anyone gotten smarter by not using their brain." Want to get an MBA? Be a leader.
By the way, I did a save as and was able to save it as 300kb file instead of 1MB - Office 2007 version though.
Thanks bb,
New Version of Error Log attached : I have protected source code of this excel till 17th Nov '09. I will provide final version with source code by 17th Nov '09.
My bad - I added xlsm extension to the allowable list.
_________________ A smart person once said: "No one ever got stronger by being spoonfed nor has anyone gotten smarter by not using their brain." Want to get an MBA? Be a leader.
I think this is an awesome idea. Some people are very talented with excel, and some (like me are not). I think that everyone who submits a log into the competition should get kudos from whoever downloads it I know I will definitely give kudos to everyone who submits an error log in the competition. Thank you to all the excel wizards out there who can help me with my error log!!!
Spoilt
Re: Competition for the Best GMAT Error Log Template [#permalink]
Thanks buddy, you are right . I am not doing this for money but for free access to gmat club tests. Otherwise i would have waited till last day of competition to submit my error log. I got my first kudos no this post from bb and it feels great, because atleast more kudos can get me access to that test . I won't regret my efforts but i regret my gmat score 620
_________________ A smart person once said: "No one ever got stronger by being spoonfed nor has anyone gotten smarter by not using their brain." Want to get an MBA? Be a leader.
I created this Error Log to help in my own GMAT studying and the tools in it were features which were very helpful to me. I tried to keep it as simple as possible and to minimize the amount of inputs for the user but also provide maximum utility. I knowingly did not add functionality to analyze specific types of problems (algebra, arithmetic, percents, strengthen argument, etc) as I found the data entry needed to analyze the results was too time consuming. I felt that time could be better utilized elsewhere - like doing more problems. I also did not add any fancy macros as it has been my experience that sometimes those things can crash your program depending on your computer.
Instead I focused on creating something where you could quickly find the problems you should revisit based on a few criteria: 1) Accuracy; 2) Speed; and 3) Comfort Level with each answer. These were critical things to me as I obviously wanted to review problems I got wrong but I also wanted to review problems that took me too long to solve or questions where I might have just gotten lucky by guessing.
I hope many/someone out there find(s) it useful. If there are enough requests and it is easy enough I will try to provide a copy for Apple users (I own an Apple but I use the Windows side of it for all MS Office stuff - dont like the Apple versions of Excel or Word). The file is open for all to see the coding.
I focused on building a user-friendly and simple to use application , rather than cracking hundreds of functions. Honestly, an error log won't make you any better by itself, it only will tell you in which areas you must work harder and in which areas you are rocking the house. And that's what my proposal does, no more no less.
I used similar colors to those of GMAT Club in order to help people feel comfortable using it while they spend the hours cracking questions through the forums.
Finally, my gmat exam is TOMORROW(!) so I hadn't plenty of time to do this. It's not an excuse for the contest, rather a promise that I will make it better afterwards. Some areas that can get improved are: 1) More thorough database 2) CAT-Specific sections 3) Decent help section 4) You decide it!
When the contest ended I'll open a new ""official"" threat for those who will be using it and want to implement some improvements.
Thank you - these look really good. 10 hrs left until the deadline
Saruba - Good Luck on the GMAT!
_________________ A smart person once said: "No one ever got stronger by being spoonfed nor has anyone gotten smarter by not using their brain." Want to get an MBA? Be a leader.
Final version, it has gone through all the necessary QA.
Attachment:
error log.pdf
That's beautiful We all start with error logs like that and then, at some point, trying to make it sophisticated, we download fancy spreadsheets with macros...
Maybe it is all really redundant and everything you'll ever need is a bunch of good old A4s and pair of pencils, maybe... I don't have definite answer to that