How do I build a logical mindset? What is a good source for such?

Question

Hello everyone,

I have been studying hard for the GMAT for nearly a year. Imagine the extra hurdles someone can face without any Quantitative background and being non-native English speaker. Anyway, nothing to complain about, but actually an opportunity to work harder and get there.

Recently, while I was struggling with Assumption based questions on the CR part and after reading so many topics and responses to questions, I realized the importance of logic to tackle the entire test. Some saint from the Forum introduced me a Logic book, discussing the difference between the basis of arguments and the difference between inductive and deductive logic. The latter directly related to quantitative problems and the forms directly related to Verbal section.

That being said, it is now clear to me that the entire GMAT is a logical based test. Sometimes I feel that I lost months memorizing formulas and the how-to-respond every single nuance of the test, replicating the way tutors and books teach me how to. My feeling is that it is the true way to succeed, for the first time I am getting very hard questions right on VERBAL, inimaginable. Now I am trying to figure out how to apply the recent learned inductive logic to RC (imagining the next sentences), to SC (understanding meaning), and to the inference parts of CR. My judgment - I can be wrong - is that applying logic differentiates one from the average, and this is a skill that I have to carry out.

I wish I could take the same approach in the Quantitative part and be successful as many of you at the Forum. I am struggling to find a resource that teaches me how-to-think instead of how-to-do. A good example is the approach to the questions that moderators of the Forum and engineers take to solve problems. I feel that I have to be prepared to absorb these types of procedures. That is the step I am looking for right now and the help I am asking.

How do I build this logic approach and tackle questions in other more efficient way? What are the required skills to achieve that? Is there a "logic" - the error log seems to be a way - to improve this skill? A book reference that stimulate this approach?

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

P.S. I am no shame to say that this is an apprenticeship and self-discovering process, so if I have to return to the basics I will.

P.S. 2. Just to say that I covered the entire content, nearly twice with the well-known books that everyone uses here. Checked I hired a consulting company to help me with applications and tutoring, but no one teaches me how to think but how to replicate. My accuracy is high in easy question, but when it moves to harder questions, there is no way to trust the purely memorized formules anymore. I am doomed.

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear felippemed , I'm happy to respond. :-)

What you are asking is an important and difficult question. You are using the word "logic," but I am not sure that this is the right word. For example, the study of formal, mathematical logic (e.g. propositional calculus ) would NOT be particularly helpful on the GMAT. I think a better term might be " critical thinking ." Fundamentally, "critical thinking" is the mindset of questioning every source of information, constantly evaluating whether you can trust what you are reading/hearing, whether the new information accords with what you already know, how you might evaluate or check what you are reading/hearing, etc. It is a mental habit of taking nothing for granted. You see, children are accustomed to believing and trusting everything they hear. Even teenagers, as much as they think they are rebelling, are still very gullible and trusting on average. Children & teenagers automatically put adults at a higher status than themselves. Part of becoming an adult is breaking this habit across the board. For example, here on GMAT Club, the other experts and I are just ordinary people: we make mistakes, we have our flaws and our blind spots, our strengths & weaknesses, etc. Yes, we have some experience with teaching the GMAT, so we may have some knowledge that would benefit you, but you never should adopt a position of blind trust. With anything an expert (including me) tells you or anything you read in a prep book, check it out for yourself: do what you can to verify what works for you in your own life. Bring everything to the test of yourself. Part of critical thinking is this habit of questioning, which you can do every moment of every day of your own life. Part is also gaining the experience. One could say that the GMAT is a test designed to evaluate how much you think like a business executive, so it helps to find out how executives think. Perhaps you know one or work with an executive: observe this person----what does he say? what does he do? what does he value? what does he notice and what doesn't he notice? what motivates him? You may be able to glean some of this from a person you know. It's also vitally important to read: read business news and business magazines. Find out how business people in the real world behave---what they say, what they do, what they seem to value, what they seem not to notice, what motivates them, etc. etc. Again, don't put any of these people above you: they too are just ordinary human being with ordinary hopes & fears & strengths & weakness, just like everyone else. Think of yourself as dealing with them in an eye-to-eye way. Another advantage of doing a lot of reading in the business world is that it will make you more conversant in the background facts that the GMAT may expect you to appreciate. This is a subtle aspect of GMAT CR that many folks fail to realize. See: GMAT Critical Reasoning and Outside Knowledge At the end of that blog is a "primer" section with links to other blogs you may find helpful, provide important real-world information. Critical thinking is not really something you get from a book. It's an attitude, a way of life. It's a matter of believing in yourself, trusting yourself, and taking your gifts seriously. You have to embody it and live it in a 24/7 way. If you do this, then I think you will see that the "logic" of the GMAT makes more sense to you. That's my two cents. Let me know if you have any questions. Mike :-)

felippemed · Answer

Hi Mike, How do I start? :-D

You guys from Magoosh are always great. I promise that, by the time this entire painful process be over, I am going to write a decent review about the many cool things this reliable, humane and responsible company has, among the many other technical qualities important they were to mine preparation. Especially you, mikemcgarry , who does that with excellence and patience of a high-calibre educator. I printed your message, and I will keep it next to me to motivate.

GMAT preparation is already part of the test, but not everyone realizes that - or when they do, much time is wasted. I wonder how many dropped their MBA/Master/Ph.D. dream pursuit by the uncontrollable amount of decisions before even starting the actual content review. The entire process requires time, money, discernment on how varied background, life experience, and life moment, impact the self-motivation and the actual learning process. Consulting groups could, at least, interview and give a sincere overview that depending wher you are, you will not reach your dream score unless... etc, etc, etc. For me, this preparation has mostly stricken me in the self-assessment of how I studied my entire life, which is the exact opposite of "thinking critically" and more "replicating" what book/teachers order me to do. It is now punitive. However, I realize now that the attitude you pointed out is a vital skill to develop throughout my studies and the way I face the daily routine. My perception from here below is that it differentiates not only adults from children but also average crowd from real thinkers. If there is anything positive about this entire situation is that I feel fortunate for discovering in time to change (?!). So, I see now that "Propositional calculus" is utterly overwhelming. Therefore, I will stick with your suggestions, add up other sources of information and be more curious. Noting each exercise in my error log - unfortunate another new thing for me and I regret not doing before - may lead me to a higher quantitative reasoning. Who knows... Once again, thank you for your support and coaching, and I hope this testimony help others as well.

How do I build a logical mindset? What is a good source for such?

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