Take notes in CR

Question

Hi everyone,

Is taking notes when doing CR a good strategy, especially when the question contains long and confusing stimuli? Sometimes I just forgot everything I had just read and had to reread it.

AndrewN · Answer

Hello,  kkk20 . In general, I advise students  not  to take notes on CR passages, which are short enough not to warrant summarizing. It is okay to look back at the passage: I do it all the time. In fact, in some more difficult questions, it is virtually impossible to remember the passage in sufficient detail to sort out one nuanced answer choice and another. Rather than guess, you want to consult the passage and weigh the exact phrasing there against that of a given answer choice.

The only time I would okay taking notes for CR is if a student used a shorthand notation from formal logic—e.g. X → Y or  X  →  Y . Reading comprehension is another story. Some people work really well with notes, while others can get by fine without them. You should practice both ways to figure out what works best for yourself.

Finally, do not worry too much about the clock at first. Focus on improving your understanding, then, when your accuracy is up to a standard you have set, work in the clock.

Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Finding a method to absorb the text/situation can be helpful. I don't teach a method that requires taking notes per se, but if it's something you really vibe with perhaps try to shorten the notes while maintaining the point you want to remember.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi kkk20,

Proper note-taking is part of the broader strategic way of approaching the GMAT - and every time you choose not to take notes, you run a much greater risk of making a silly/little mistake. When reviewing a CAT/mock, how often do you end up getting a question wrong that you could (or SHOULD) have gotten correct? If you look at your notes for that question, I bet you'll find that something's "missing" (in simple terms, you chose not to write something down that you probably should have - and THAT is ultimately why you got the question wrong). While the GMAT provides you with just enough time to complete each section, you don't really have time to read every prompt over-and-over (and from what you describe, you might be doing that a bit too often - especially with longer and more challenging prompts). In those situations, 'attacking' the prompt in a specific way (and taking notes AS you read) can greatly improve your comprehension, accuracy and pacing.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

ReedArnoldMPREP · Answer

I advise taking notes in CR, yes. For most situations, the passage is an argument of some kind, with PREMISES and CONCLUSIONS.

So I always try to identify the CONCLUSION, and I write it to the 'right,' and then I try to find the premises that lead to the conclusion. It might be an "A therefore B, therefore CONCLUSION" structure, or it might be an "A, and B, therefore Conclusion" structure, or sometimes just an "A therefore CONCLUSION" structure. But I like to get it on my paper in logical organization, from left to right, because it doesn't have to come in that order in the passage itself. Getting the logic organized is why I take notes. You can do it without taking notes, but forcing yourself to take notes is a good way to force yourself to try to organize the logic!

I find that if a student struggles to take notes, the real issue is they are struggling to organize the logic! Taking notes is not itself particularly time consuming, but it's a great check on 'wait, do I really know what this argument is doing?'

AndrewN · Answer

I completely agree with the above, even though I do not myself take notes. I have found through years of tutoring that methods for reading tasks are more dependent on the individual. Although I would not recommend the following, some people get by just fine by skimming a passage, jotting down a few notes, and then leaning on the questions or answer choices for guidance. (I fail miserably when I have tested the strategy myself, but my other methods may admittedly be more ingrained.) I am an average reader, in terms of pace, preferring to read for meaning and shifts in ideas and emotions. But I take the time I need upfront so that I am better prepared for whatever question may come up.

I like the way Reed placed an emphasis on following a method and organizing the logic of the passage. No matter how you choose to do so, better results will follow the closer you stick to that process.

- Andrew

bb · Answer

I typed up a reply to this yesterday but it looks like I never finished it. 😬

I did not take notes on 90% of the CR questions. Sometimes, when the passage was challenging and to save time, I would use symbols to indicate what type of a question it was. If it was strengthen, I drew an arrow up. If it was weekend, I would draw an arrow down. If it was a complicated relationship sometimes I would try to write it down. However, that would be may be one question or maximum two out of the whole test. And that was on the path to V.42. So if you are scoring lower than that, or meaningfully lower than that, I would not suggest taking notes unless you can actually prove to yourself that taking notes has a positive impact on your overall score, not just CR score. For example, I was able to prove to myself that taking a five second break in between quant questions, had a positive impact on my score. On one hand, you could argue that doing that was a waste of time, but on the other hand, I would show you my results with a higher score when I took a pause. That is because during the past, I was able to reset my mind and not have the fog of the previous question hangover me. Similarly, he may be able to use notes for additional benefits such as mentioned already, organizing your thoughts, organizing logic, and maybe able to answer the questions even faster or at the same speed was higher position, or at the lower speed but was much higher precision.

Your score is based on the decisions and trade-offs. So, evaluate those trade-offs and make the decisions based on how well certain things work. Keep in mind that you have to be objective with yourself and if something is hard, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work. It just means you haven’t mastered it.

Posted from my mobile device

vv65 · Answer

Is taking notes a good strategy? It depends

-- depends on how much your working memory can hold, depends on the passage, depends on how much information is crammed into the paragraph, ... In general, I do recommend taking notes and often do so myself (not always). Sometimes note taking helps us to do the question faster and helps us to avoid blunders. This is similar to what may happen in Quant Reasoning. It may be possible to solve every question mentally, and many Quant experts can certainly do so. Is that something all of us can do or should try to do for every question? No. The notepad is a tool that is available. Use it when needed. In time, with enough practice, your skills will improve and you may not need it much. Posted from my mobile device

RetaketheGMAT · Answer

kkk20

I think your problem in CR isn't retention it's comprehension so detailed notes are simply going to be confusing. You need to focus on how you interpret a CR prompt by focusing on specific pieces of information that are usually the basis of the question that gets asked.

Most test takers I work with find that a more consistent approach to reading each CR question is critical to increasing accuracy.

Happy to discuss your specific challenge in more detail, please DM and we can setup a FREE diagnostic session.

	Target Test Prep - Save up to $599 $400 Discount + $99 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

Take notes in CR

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards