Notecards for CR and RC?I

Question

I have been thinking of doing this for a bit now:
Making flash cards for the question stems for the different types of questions within CR and RC questions.

This way i will know whether each type of question is an inference, strengthen/weaken, global etc.

Knowing this will then lead me to tackle the question with the best procedure/mindset for that type of question...

Is this a good, worthwhile idea?

-Tom

ashkanator · Answer

this is one of those things that might work for some and not for others. personally i like to read the question first and then go to the stem. as you mentioned too, it does prepare me to look for the issue with finer comb while reading the question. however, some argue that this strategy could cost you time, since most of the people who do this end up rereading the question again. i argue that while reading the question all you need to remember is the type of the question and nothing more, so rereading is not really necessary unless you are very stressed and can not focus.

tomcal36dc · Answer

EDIT: i meant to say for the actual questions **not the stems**.
I still don't know which question leads to which type (besides the very basic ones that actually say  weaken, infer, strengthen.

is this the best method to tackle identifying the question type so you know what tool look for while reading the stem

ashkanator · Answer

yes, this is the best method. below you can find the 16 types and their sub-types that could appear in the CR section. for more knowledge and info that could help you to attack each type you should invest some time and money and buy a book that could teach you the CR and learn... hope this could help you a little

question types:

1 inference or must be true questions
1M   main point of the argument

2 strengthen 
2N   Necessary assumption of the argument
2S   sufficient assumption

3 weaken the argument
3R   select the answer that is most weakened by the argument

4 what method does the argument uses
4F   logical flaw of the argument

5 parallel reasoning 
5F   parallel the Flawed reasoning of the argument

6 resolve the apparent paradox that appears in the argument

7 what is the role of the portion of the argument that has been selected

8 which answer must be false base on the stem

PI what is the point at issue between 2 speakers in the stem

EA which answer will let you evaluate the argument.

tomcal36dc · Answer

yes this definitely helps. I have a couple books so I will begin my CR journey with this tactic

ashkanator · Answer

Good luck buddy... 
Side note: I took the LSAT before GMAT and the CR on LSAT is way more difficult and trickier then GMAT. When I changed my strategy to reading the question first then go to the stem, I did improve my score by about 15% in those sections. But you should see if it would work for u.

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Notecards for CR and RC?I

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