Folks, I am wondering whether any one of you use a template

Question

Folks,

I am wondering whether any one of you use a template for CR questions and what do you think about using that template for solving CR questions.

To clarify, when you see a weaken Q, Do you have a list in mind on how arguments are generally weakened on GMAT questions. For some questions, what weakens might be obvious and for some it may not be. Does a list help in the not so obvious or break the tie situations?

For example, Arguments are weakened by

(1) showing that some thing else caused the change

(2) Exposing a faulty assumption

(3) All conditions were not similar

and so on.

Has any one come up with such list? It seems to be an exhaustive list. I am wondering whether such strategy will increase accuracy and speed with good practice.

rashminet84 · Answer

There can be a list but it can never be exhaustive. However, this strategy (thinking about the possible answer before seeing the choices) does help a lot. I was suggested this several times, and it does work in a lot of questions.

There is no guarantee of getting all questions right using any particular strategy, but such strategies increase your chance of choosing the correct answer, and this one definitely decreases the time per question you take on an avg.

icandy · Answer

I am not suggesting that one should use this for every question. There are going to be a few questions on which the language is extremely dry and/or you end up with two very close answers. What is the point in going through the list if we already know what the answer will be. Point taken though.

Economist · Answer

There are certain 'rules' in general for each question type. I have the following notes in a raw format (for my understanding), of course the list can be exhaustive but it is important to keep these in mind. You can compile it from CRBible.

MUST BE TRUE/INFERENCE:
-----------------------
correct answer is:
 - Only from the stimulus.

wrong answers:
 -Could be true or likely to be true
 -Exaggerated answers
 -"New" information answers

MAIN POINT:
-----------
correct answer is:
 - Only from the stimulus.
 ** Any answer that is a paraphrase of the conclusion of the argument will be the correct answer.

wrong answers:
 -Answers that are true but do not encapsulate the author's point.
 -Answers that repeat the premises of the argument.

WEAKEN:
-------
correct answer:
 - Attacks the conclusion (which means identify the conclusion first)

wrong answers:
 - Strengthening
 - Out of scope

CAUSE AND EFFECT:
-----------------
Cause and effect mostly have reasoning flaws.

ASSUMPTION AND STRENGTHEN:
--------------------------
New information is allowed.

Strengthens: Can strengthen 1% to 100%. ( which means that correct answer can also strengthen the argument slightly, so also look out for such subtle answers)

Assumption: Is always necessary, unstated premise that is 'required' for the argument to be true.

snipertrader · Answer

any tips on boldfaced CR questions ?

GMATaddict · Answer

As for templates of the type of answers to look for, I think the CR Bible gives a pretty complete list.

I.e. CR Bible gives a list of possible/usual ways to weaken a conclusion:

1. cause --> no effect;
2. effect occurs, but cause does not occur;
3. alternate event also causes the effect;
4. unreliable data;
5. Something else I can't think of off the top of my head (weaken assumption?).

For strengthen questions, here are the usual suspects as far as right answer choices are concerned (basically the opposite of weaken):

1. cause --> effect;
2. no cause --> no effect;
3. data is reliable;
4. alternate explanations are eliminated;
5. An unspoken assumption is articulated

The CR Bible lists the usual suspects of right/wrong answers for other types of questions too, its perhaps the most valuable resource for CR questions, and easily accessible online.

irajeevsingh · Answer

Grt inputs, bookmarked.

Folks, I am wondering whether any one of you use a template

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