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GMAT Critical Reasoning
One of the common areas where students struggle is Critical Reasoning (CR). And the struggle is more about how to approach a particular problem. Common approach is that people read the argument and start trying to eliminate the incorrect answers. While this approach may work for some, but generally it leads to a lot of back and forth i.e. people read the argument and the look at option 1. Now while they are trying to eliminate or keep answer option 1, they forget a part of argument and then read the argument again before checking answer option 2. And eventually people end up spending extra time on each question.
One of the approaches which has helped a number of students is to divide the entire process of answering CR question into 4 parts which are as follows:
1. Identify the question
There are multiple types of CR problems and almost all the problems are followed by a question. The first step is to figure out what type of problem it is which helps us big time in solving it. Identifying the problem also helps us to use a specific type of reasoning depending upon the CR problem.
Types of CR Questions
A. Describe the role & Describe the argument: These questions are based on understanding the structure of the argument wherein we first need to understand the components of the argument.
Example : The first is a judgment that counters the primary assertion expressed in the argument; the second is a circumstance on which that judgment is based.
B. Assumption based questions: You will see these types of question pretty often when you prepare for CR, or take mock test, or take actual GMAT. These types of questions rely on at least one assumption made by the author of the argument, and all contain conclusions. Generally, assumptions are not stated in the argument but is something that the author believes to be true in order to draw a conclusion. Assumption based questions can be asked in different ways:
i. You might be simply asked to identify the assumption which supports the argument or to identify the assumption which is flawed
ii. Identify the option which strengthens the conclusion – You will have to identify the assumption which supports the conclusion
iii. Identify the option which weakens the conclusion – You will have to identify the assumption which contradicts the conclusion or doesn’t support the conclusion
iv. Evaluate a conclusion – In this case you will have to find out what’s missing in the argument that would make the conclusion justifiable. We need to find an option that would test the assumption in order to determine whether assumption is valid or not.
C. Inference questions: There is no conclusion in the argument and it just contains a premise. You need to find a premise (in one of the answer options) that must be true based on the information given in the argument.
D. Explain the paradox questions: There is no conclusion in the argument and it just contains a premise. You need to find a premise (in one of the answer options) that must resolve a problem or contradiction in the argument
2. Deconstruct the Argument
Arguments typically consist of premise, counterpremise, assumption, and conclusion. While reading the argument, we should first identify & understand the kind of information that is given in the argument and then find out what kind of information will be required to make it a sound argument.
This approach will ensure that you are understanding the argument before actually moving on to eliminating the answer options. Also, you will be able to figure out what kind of information you need to look for in answer options. You will end up saving a lot of time as you won’t have to read the argument over and over again.
3. Find Out the Goal:
As an extension of previous step, while reading the argument you need to find your goal i.e. what kind of information you will look for when you evaluate the answer options.
For example whether you need to look for an assumption that will strengthen the argument or whether you need to look for an assumption that supports the argument or maybe you need to find an inference (in which case there will be no conclusion in the argument).
This is something you need to practice day in and day out, so that it comes to you by default.
4. Focus on Elimination
By now half the battle is won. Now you can go through all the answer options and first eliminate the wrong options. You don’t need to think about the right option at this moment.
Now if you just have option left, well task is over, you just choose it and move ahead. However, if you have two or more options left, then just revisit the goal in your mind and eliminate the options that are tempting but wrong.
Summary
1. Identify the question type and figure out what options you need to look for and what traps could be there.
2. Deconstruct the argument by understanding what kind of argument it is and what type of question can be asked (for example if it will be an assumption based question or an inference based question)
3. Identify the goal and keep revisiting it in your mind. Once you ace it, you won’t have to spend much time on it
t4. Eliminate as many wrong options as you can in the first go. If more than two options are left, then revisit the goal in your mind and strike off the tempting options which are incorrect.
One of the common areas where students struggle is Critical Reasoning (CR). And the struggle is more about how to approach a particular problem. Common approach is that people read the argument and start trying to eliminate the incorrect answers. While this approach may work for some, but generally it leads to a lot of back and forth i.e. people read the argument and the look at option 1. Now while they are trying to eliminate or keep answer option 1, they forget a part of argument and then read the argument again before checking answer option 2. And eventually people end up spending extra time on each question.
One of the approaches which has helped a number of students is to divide the entire process of answering CR question into 4 parts which are as follows:
- Identify the question
- Deconstruct the argument
- Find out the goal
- Focus on elimination (strike off the wrong options first)
1. Identify the question
Types of CR Questions
A. Describe the role & Describe the argument: These questions are based on understanding the structure of the argument wherein we first need to understand the components of the argument.
B. Assumption based questions: You will see these types of question pretty often when you prepare for CR, or take mock test, or take actual GMAT. These types of questions rely on at least one assumption made by the author of the argument, and all contain conclusions. Generally, assumptions are not stated in the argument but is something that the author believes to be true in order to draw a conclusion. Assumption based questions can be asked in different ways:
i. You might be simply asked to identify the assumption which supports the argument or to identify the assumption which is flawed
ii. Identify the option which strengthens the conclusion – You will have to identify the assumption which supports the conclusion
iii. Identify the option which weakens the conclusion – You will have to identify the assumption which contradicts the conclusion or doesn’t support the conclusion
iv. Evaluate a conclusion – In this case you will have to find out what’s missing in the argument that would make the conclusion justifiable. We need to find an option that would test the assumption in order to determine whether assumption is valid or not.
C. Inference questions: There is no conclusion in the argument and it just contains a premise. You need to find a premise (in one of the answer options) that must be true based on the information given in the argument.
D. Explain the paradox questions: There is no conclusion in the argument and it just contains a premise. You need to find a premise (in one of the answer options) that must resolve a problem or contradiction in the argument
2. Deconstruct the Argument
Arguments typically consist of premise, counterpremise, assumption, and conclusion. While reading the argument, we should first identify & understand the kind of information that is given in the argument and then find out what kind of information will be required to make it a sound argument.
This approach will ensure that you are understanding the argument before actually moving on to eliminating the answer options. Also, you will be able to figure out what kind of information you need to look for in answer options. You will end up saving a lot of time as you won’t have to read the argument over and over again.
As an extension of previous step, while reading the argument you need to find your goal i.e. what kind of information you will look for when you evaluate the answer options.
For example whether you need to look for an assumption that will strengthen the argument or whether you need to look for an assumption that supports the argument or maybe you need to find an inference (in which case there will be no conclusion in the argument).
This is something you need to practice day in and day out, so that it comes to you by default.
4. Focus on Elimination
By now half the battle is won. Now you can go through all the answer options and first eliminate the wrong options. You don’t need to think about the right option at this moment.
Now if you just have option left, well task is over, you just choose it and move ahead. However, if you have two or more options left, then just revisit the goal in your mind and eliminate the options that are tempting but wrong.
Summary
1. Identify the question type and figure out what options you need to look for and what traps could be there.
2. Deconstruct the argument by understanding what kind of argument it is and what type of question can be asked (for example if it will be an assumption based question or an inference based question)
3. Identify the goal and keep revisiting it in your mind. Once you ace it, you won’t have to spend much time on it
t4. Eliminate as many wrong options as you can in the first go. If more than two options are left, then revisit the goal in your mind and strike off the tempting options which are incorrect.
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