How could you tell that this paragraph was the author's perspective, versus just the author listing some evidence of the effectiveness of stealing thunder?
Is it a big problem - time loosing technique if we jot down the low res? I am starting the RC and still fear that I may not remember all the elements. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Depends on how fast you jot down those words. If you think that writing it down will limit how much you need to reread, it is probably worth. If you find that you still have to reread, it is probably best to try your best to keep it in your head. Personally, as I read I also reiterate important information in the context of the other important info in the passage. It only takes a second or 2 to think about how one paragraph connects to another, or to reiterate who thinks what.
Low-res summaries definitely are very helpful, and I think I should keep using it, but I realized that it appears so much easier to do when I'm listening to these walkthroughs than when I'm doing it on my own. I'm not sure if it's just the lack of focus when doing the drills or a lack of understanding, but the inability to break down the passages is definitely the main reason why I struggle in RC so much.
Reading comprehension differs from logical reasoning because it's about so much more than just reading the passage - it's about how you read in general and amplified x100.
Are you finding that you get the right answer but are worried about future time constraints? Or are you having a hard time reaching the right answer regardless of time restrictions? Whichever one you're struggling with will illuminate your path forward.
1) Spend a lot more time reading outside of LSAT studying and read challenging things: poems by Ovid or Economist articles with words, phrases and topics you aren't already familiar with.
2) If timing is what you're worried about, keep practicing, with time you will improve - no one answers these kinds of questions in 45-seconds when they're first learning!
Any tips for how we can scribe some of this on paper, for online test takers?? Obliviously can't mark up the text well enough. Right now I'm just scribbling (1) intro (2)support. cred, resists pers, +old news).... but I don't know if this is enough.
What I do is that I write a line or a bracket ] that spans like 4 lines down my page to represent a paragraph. then as I am reading im making important info as it relates to where I would find it in the paragraph.
Highlight the first word of each paragraph break and then on my allowed scratch paper write down the number of the paragraph break (1st highlight = paragraph break #1 etc.) and the corresponding low res summary.
I understand this takes extra time, but I'm just not someone who is going to be able to keep track of the low res summaries in my head. For me, taking the extra time to use my method is a lot faster than me re-reading the passage multiple times to try and remember what my mental low res summaries were. This isn't a perfect strategy, but it's the best one for me.
P.S. my toxic trait is continuing to read and leave comments despite already being behind on my LSAT prep...not me taking the November test :)
I like the videos overall but would really love to see some lessons using the new format for reading comp.
Simple strategies like paragraph breaks intimidate under a timed situation since we don't have the same ability to mark up the passage as shown in your videos.
Hello. Thank you for clearing up what a high scorer does during a RC section. From my understanding of the RC curriculum, Low-Res summaries were a physical action of writing down short paraphrases of key points/perspectives. Additionally, from my perspective, I thought highlighting and underlining was a practice that high scorers utilized regularly.
I tend to be a slower test taker and the addition of highlighting, underlining, and physically writing low-res summaries seemed to slow me down. I may continue, for now at least, to be more physical in my analysis of RC passages; however, I now have the goal of relying less on physical notes and more on mental notes.
Understood. Others have shared similar feedback. One thing to consider is that for many high-scorers, a picture of what their screen actually looks like during a timed RC section would not be very informative -- there would essentially be no highlights or underlines of any kind. These video breakdowns include writing and notes and other features that aren't in the LawHub format not because they're designed to mirror what people actually do physically on the screen or in the LawHub interface, but only because they help to show what's happening inside the reader's mind. If, for example, I recorded an explanation showing how I'd approach a passage in LawHub, there wouldn't be any visuals at all. We thought this wouldn't be that helpful.
We're thinking about other formats that might work, but I thought it'd help to get a sense of what we considered before making the videos. By no means are we suggesting anyone take notes during RC (although some people find jotting down a few phrases on scratch paper helpful).
Thankyou for your quick and thoughtful feedback! I really do appreciate all you guys put into these courses.
What you're saying makes a lot of sense. The frustrating thing for me is that I find it so much harder to find and quickly track information in the digital format as opposed to the paper format. I guess I just have to keep practicing, its frustrating but it is what it is.
Are we able to highlight or make paragraph breaks like he does in the video? Will we be able to do this on test day, if not? Active engagement is how my brain best processes the info; it just doesn't work trying to make all the notes in my head. Any help here would be greatly appreciated
One option is to use the LawHub highlighter tools to highlight the first word of every new section of a paragraph. You'd still have to keep your mental summary of that section in your mind, but at least you can visually see the separation.
Sometimes people like to highlight any perspectives brought up.
Unfortunately you can't write directly on the passage.
Does anyone have an effective way of making those internal paragraph breaks in RC passages? I have tried to do it in my head, but I've found that Ill lose track of them and can lose time trying to find it again.
You can just highlight the first word after each break to keep the different concepts distinct. You'll be able to highlight on test day so if you're struggling keep it separate mentally and don't want to spend a lot of time on notations, thats a strategy you can use. I don't think it's time consuming.
It's worth experimenting with this. People are wildly different when it comes to highlighter preferences. Many don't highlight at all. Some will highlight author's opinion. Some highlight author's opinion in one color and other people's opinion in a different color.
Do you think it ever makes sense to jot down your low res summary? I have been finding it helpful as I try to apply the curriculum to RC for the first time. Especially in the revisit the passage stage, it really helps me form my mental map as I can see how everything I jotted comes together to create the shape of the passage.
Some people find it helpful to jot it down. Once you start taking timed sections, you may need to experiment with keeping the low-res just in your head, if jotting something down takes too long.
That's one option -- doing a highlight on the first word of a new break. An alternative is just to do these breaks mentally. That's what a lot of high-scorers do.
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37 comments
How could you tell that this paragraph was the author's perspective, versus just the author listing some evidence of the effectiveness of stealing thunder?
I hate how the test is online... I would love to be able to write low res summaries in the margins.
should we write down our low-res summary on a piece of paper?
Is it a big problem - time loosing technique if we jot down the low res? I am starting the RC and still fear that I may not remember all the elements. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Depends on how fast you jot down those words. If you think that writing it down will limit how much you need to reread, it is probably worth. If you find that you still have to reread, it is probably best to try your best to keep it in your head. Personally, as I read I also reiterate important information in the context of the other important info in the passage. It only takes a second or 2 to think about how one paragraph connects to another, or to reiterate who thinks what.
this may be a goofy question, but do we get any sort of scratch paper or note opportunity in the actual exam.
Yes we do! I believe we get one paper physical paper to use :)
You get about 5 small pieces (like half a page).
Low-res summaries definitely are very helpful, and I think I should keep using it, but I realized that it appears so much easier to do when I'm listening to these walkthroughs than when I'm doing it on my own. I'm not sure if it's just the lack of focus when doing the drills or a lack of understanding, but the inability to break down the passages is definitely the main reason why I struggle in RC so much.
Reading comprehension differs from logical reasoning because it's about so much more than just reading the passage - it's about how you read in general and amplified x100.
Are you finding that you get the right answer but are worried about future time constraints? Or are you having a hard time reaching the right answer regardless of time restrictions? Whichever one you're struggling with will illuminate your path forward.
1) Spend a lot more time reading outside of LSAT studying and read challenging things: poems by Ovid or Economist articles with words, phrases and topics you aren't already familiar with.
2) If timing is what you're worried about, keep practicing, with time you will improve - no one answers these kinds of questions in 45-seconds when they're first learning!
Ive been writing my low res summaries and its helping me tremendously.. should i not be doing this when i actually take the test?
On test day I would suggest writing it in your head, taking actual time to write it on paper may take up 30 seconds you dont have.
Any tips for how we can scribe some of this on paper, for online test takers?? Obliviously can't mark up the text well enough. Right now I'm just scribbling (1) intro (2)support. cred, resists pers, +old news).... but I don't know if this is enough.
anyone else have other things they're doing?
#feedback
What I do is that I write a line or a bracket ] that spans like 4 lines down my page to represent a paragraph. then as I am reading im making important info as it relates to where I would find it in the paragraph.
ex:
| -> Evidence pro S.T
| -> credibility
| -> resistance
| -> old news
#feedback
My low res strategy:
Highlight the first word of each paragraph break and then on my allowed scratch paper write down the number of the paragraph break (1st highlight = paragraph break #1 etc.) and the corresponding low res summary.
I understand this takes extra time, but I'm just not someone who is going to be able to keep track of the low res summaries in my head. For me, taking the extra time to use my method is a lot faster than me re-reading the passage multiple times to try and remember what my mental low res summaries were. This isn't a perfect strategy, but it's the best one for me.
P.S. my toxic trait is continuing to read and leave comments despite already being behind on my LSAT prep...not me taking the November test :)
This is what I am doing, it helps so much!
#feedback
I like the videos overall but would really love to see some lessons using the new format for reading comp.
Simple strategies like paragraph breaks intimidate under a timed situation since we don't have the same ability to mark up the passage as shown in your videos.
see my comment above...hope it helps!
#feedback
Hello. Thank you for clearing up what a high scorer does during a RC section. From my understanding of the RC curriculum, Low-Res summaries were a physical action of writing down short paraphrases of key points/perspectives. Additionally, from my perspective, I thought highlighting and underlining was a practice that high scorers utilized regularly.
I tend to be a slower test taker and the addition of highlighting, underlining, and physically writing low-res summaries seemed to slow me down. I may continue, for now at least, to be more physical in my analysis of RC passages; however, I now have the goal of relying less on physical notes and more on mental notes.
Understood. Others have shared similar feedback. One thing to consider is that for many high-scorers, a picture of what their screen actually looks like during a timed RC section would not be very informative -- there would essentially be no highlights or underlines of any kind. These video breakdowns include writing and notes and other features that aren't in the LawHub format not because they're designed to mirror what people actually do physically on the screen or in the LawHub interface, but only because they help to show what's happening inside the reader's mind. If, for example, I recorded an explanation showing how I'd approach a passage in LawHub, there wouldn't be any visuals at all. We thought this wouldn't be that helpful.
We're thinking about other formats that might work, but I thought it'd help to get a sense of what we considered before making the videos. By no means are we suggesting anyone take notes during RC (although some people find jotting down a few phrases on scratch paper helpful).
Thankyou for your quick and thoughtful feedback! I really do appreciate all you guys put into these courses.
What you're saying makes a lot of sense. The frustrating thing for me is that I find it so much harder to find and quickly track information in the digital format as opposed to the paper format. I guess I just have to keep practicing, its frustrating but it is what it is.
Are we able to highlight or make paragraph breaks like he does in the video? Will we be able to do this on test day, if not? Active engagement is how my brain best processes the info; it just doesn't work trying to make all the notes in my head. Any help here would be greatly appreciated
see my comment above...hope it helps!
One option is to use the LawHub highlighter tools to highlight the first word of every new section of a paragraph. You'd still have to keep your mental summary of that section in your mind, but at least you can visually see the separation.
Sometimes people like to highlight any perspectives brought up.
Unfortunately you can't write directly on the passage.
how to identify if it is the author making the point, like in the beginning of the second paragraph?
Does anyone have an effective way of making those internal paragraph breaks in RC passages? I have tried to do it in my head, but I've found that Ill lose track of them and can lose time trying to find it again.
You can just highlight the first word after each break to keep the different concepts distinct. You'll be able to highlight on test day so if you're struggling keep it separate mentally and don't want to spend a lot of time on notations, thats a strategy you can use. I don't think it's time consuming.
9:50 we got a lotta raisins
how does highlighting help with low res? is doing both effective?
It's worth experimenting with this. People are wildly different when it comes to highlighter preferences. Many don't highlight at all. Some will highlight author's opinion. Some highlight author's opinion in one color and other people's opinion in a different color.
How do you recommend we effectively annotate self-made paragraph breaks if we're taking the tests online?
Pardon, I saw you answered this question already.
This is just a mental process for most high scorers.
Do you think it ever makes sense to jot down your low res summary? I have been finding it helpful as I try to apply the curriculum to RC for the first time. Especially in the revisit the passage stage, it really helps me form my mental map as I can see how everything I jotted comes together to create the shape of the passage.
Some people find it helpful to jot it down. Once you start taking timed sections, you may need to experiment with keeping the low-res just in your head, if jotting something down takes too long.
How should we break paragraphs up on the digital version? With the highlight feature?
That's one option -- doing a highlight on the first word of a new break. An alternative is just to do these breaks mentally. That's what a lot of high-scorers do.