NEW HERE? LEARN MORE
closeclose
Last visit was: 05 May 2024, 20:02 It is currently 05 May 2024, 20:02
Decision Tracker
My Rewards
New posts
New comers' posts

Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel

Strategies to combat careless errors?!

SORT BY:
Date
Kudos
User avatar
TheGmatTutor
Manager
Manager
Joined: 04 Apr 2010
Posts: 67
Own Kudos [?]: 194 [0]
Given Kudos: 17
Concentration: MBA, Finance, 2009
Schools:UCLA Anderson
Send PM
Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   22 Sep 2010, 12:07
Hi all,

I'm working with a student now that is having an issue with making careless calculation mistakes. For instance, he will see 3 + 4, and instead he will multiply these numbers (3 * 4) instead of adding. Or, he will make other simple calculation mistakes. Obviously, this is seriously hurting his score since he's arriving at the incorrect answer.

Has anyone found an effective strategy for preventing these errors?

Thanks!
User avatar
Dawgie
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Posts: 492
Own Kudos [?]: 84 [0]
Given Kudos: 46
Send PM
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   22 Sep 2010, 12:13
Punch him in the face everytime you catch it.

On a serious note: repetitive practice is the best to minimize these mistakes. Could have him do basic arithmetic exercises to warm up before doing GMAT quant.
User avatar
B
mohater
Retired Moderator
Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Status:Accepting donations for the mohater MBA debt repayment fund
Posts: 1823
Own Kudos [?]: 1148 [0]
Given Kudos: 234
Location: United States (CA)
Concentration: Operations, Finance
Schools: Ross '14 (M)
GMAT 1: 710 Q48 V38
GPA: 3.54
WE:Accounting (Manufacturing)
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User Reviews Badge
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   22 Sep 2010, 12:41
Tell your student to
S
L
O
W

D
O
W
N

I had the same issue. The only way to counter it is to slow down, relax and make sure you are answering the question asked (and not something else)
User avatar
shaselai
Current Student
Joined: 12 Jun 2009
Status:What's your raashee?
Posts: 1675
Own Kudos [?]: 427 [0]
Given Kudos: 52
Location: United States (NC)
Concentration: Strategy, Finance
Schools: UNC (Kenan-Flagler) - Class of 2013
GMAT 1: 720 Q49 V39
WE:Programming (Computer Software)
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   22 Sep 2010, 13:30
yeah.. def slow down. and have him repeat out loud the problem too.
User avatar
u0422811
Manager
Manager
Joined: 16 Sep 2010
Posts: 148
Own Kudos [?]: 292 [0]
Given Kudos: 2
Location: United States
Concentration: Finance, Real Estate
Schools: Booth '15 (A) CBS '15 (M) HBS '15 (D) Stanford '15 (D) Yale '15 (A) Wharton '15 (D)
GMAT 1: 740 Q48 V42
Send PM
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   22 Sep 2010, 13:37
I think slowing down is the best advice. That and if he/she consistently does it have them record it each time they do it then do a huge amount of repetition and they should be on the lookout for these "stupid errors".
User avatar
whiplash2411
SVP
SVP
Joined: 09 Jun 2010
Status:Three Down.
Posts: 1764
Own Kudos [?]: 3470 [0]
Given Kudos: 210
Concentration: General Management, Nonprofit
Schools: HBS '17 (M) Stanford '17 (A)
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   22 Sep 2010, 15:23
I would suggest doing the problem and then just reading through them again. Last year, I was taking honors differential equations in college. And this class was a pain in all the wrong places at once. On the final, I needed a 140/150 to get an A in the class and I prepared so hard and got exactly a 140.

But my professor sends me an email saying "Hey. You know, you could have gotten a 150. On one of the multiple choice questions your calculations tell me that 8*3 is 11. I wish sincerely that your high school algebra teacher rests in peace"

*facepalm*

Practice is the only thing that'll help.
User avatar
L
bb
Founder
Founder
Joined: 04 Dec 2002
Posts: 37389
Own Kudos [?]: 73049 [1]
Given Kudos: 18908
Location: United States (WA)
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
GPA: 3
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User CAT Tests Forum Quiz Mode
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   22 Sep 2010, 15:40
1
Kudos
Expert Reply
Also, search is a good technique!
tips-on-timing-and-eliminating-careless-mistakes-83839.html
User avatar
shaselai
Current Student
Joined: 12 Jun 2009
Status:What's your raashee?
Posts: 1675
Own Kudos [?]: 427 [0]
Given Kudos: 52
Location: United States (NC)
Concentration: Strategy, Finance
Schools: UNC (Kenan-Flagler) - Class of 2013
GMAT 1: 720 Q49 V39
WE:Programming (Computer Software)
Send PM
Reviews Badge
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   22 Sep 2010, 19:43
whiplash2411 wrote:
I would suggest doing the problem and then just reading through them again. Last year, I was taking honors differential equations in college. And this class was a pain in all the wrong places at once. On the final, I needed a 140/150 to get an A in the class and I prepared so hard and got exactly a 140.

But my professor sends me an email saying "Hey. You know, you could have gotten a 150. On one of the multiple choice questions your calculations tell me that 8*3 is 11. I wish sincerely that your high school algebra teacher rests in peace"

*facepalm*

Practice is the only thing that'll help.



you still got A... story wouldve been more impactful if you didn't... diff q was lots of fun fun fun
User avatar
B
walker
SVP
SVP
Joined: 17 Nov 2007
Posts: 2408
Own Kudos [?]: 10045 [0]
Given Kudos: 361
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Other
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2011
GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V40
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   23 Sep 2010, 10:26
Expert Reply
careless errors was my big problem (Actually that is why I have 50 instead of 51 in Quant). So, I found 2 ways to combat them:

1. SLOW DOWN. Each question I read slowly and at least 3 times: 2 times at the beginning and 1 just before clicking "submit"
2. Turn your mistakes into red flags. I figured out that often I just skip such keywords as "distinct", "even consecutive" and so on. So, I wrote them down to my "red flags" list. Each time I saw one of the words, I already knew that is a red flag and I have to be careful.
User avatar
vwjetty
Retired Moderator
Joined: 25 Apr 2010
Status:battlecruiser, operational...
Posts: 897
Own Kudos [?]: 522 [0]
Given Kudos: 71
Schools: Carey '16
Send PM
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   23 Sep 2010, 13:11
slow down
retract his work when he's done (especially if it's an easy one)
make sure he attempts problems with a good night's sleep and food in stomach

maybe even try some basic arithmetic problems without a timer. there's plenty of that if you try to search google.

if that doesn't work. punch him in the face. and enroll him back in elementary school :-)
User avatar
onedayill
Manager
Manager
Joined: 25 Feb 2010
Posts: 208
Own Kudos [?]: 320 [0]
Given Kudos: 10
Send PM
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   23 Sep 2010, 13:46
If I would have been in your place;

I'll provide him the problems where he is facing issues with but off-course with difficulty at low level.

Please don;t hit him that will not make him to do the things in correct way.
User avatar
PTK
VP
VP
Joined: 02 Jul 2009
Status:mission completed!
Posts: 1139
Own Kudos [?]: 2131 [0]
Given Kudos: 622
GPA: 3.77
Send PM
GMAT ToolKit User Reviews Badge
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   25 Sep 2010, 10:08
onedayill wrote:
If I would have been in your place;

I'll provide him the problems where he is facing issues with but off-course with difficulty at low level.

Please don;t hit him that will not make him to do the things in correct way.


Advise him to talk silently (may talk loudly during prepartation) to himself. I found this useful for me. "Hey, dude what is 3 times 4, times!- means multiply, dude..."
User avatar
Dreamy
Senior Manager
Senior Manager
Joined: 30 Jun 2010
Status:Upset about the verbal score - SC, CR and RC are going to be my friend
Posts: 263
Own Kudos [?]: 30 [0]
Given Kudos: 6
Send PM
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   25 Sep 2010, 10:36
I am making many mistakes in easier questions. I seem to multiply only partially.
5(2x+1)=> 10x+1

Hopefully, I can fix it by following some of the tips here.
User avatar
n2739178
Manager
Manager
Joined: 12 May 2010
Posts: 233
Own Kudos [?]: 112 [0]
Given Kudos: 12
Location: United Kingdom
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, Technology
Schools: LBS '14 Oxford '14 Judge Sloan '14 INSEAD '14
GMAT Date: 10-22-2011
GPA: 3
WE:Information Technology (Internet and New Media)
Send PM
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink] New post   03 Oct 2010, 06:47
slow down. i had the same problem and it was what i later found out to be 'math anxiety'...
GMAT Club Bot
gmatclubot
Re: Strategies to combat careless errors?! [#permalink]
03 Oct 2010, 06:47

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne
Main navigation
GMAT Resources
Partners
MBA Resources
www.gmac.com|www.mba.com | | GMAT Club Rules | Terms and Conditions