RC Notations?

J. Tharp

I saw someone post in a different discussion a video of Nichole Hopkins (from ilovelsat.com) going over her notation method. Does anyone else use her method? I just wanted to get some thoughts from others who have tried it. While watching the video, I was excited because I really thought it was going to be helpful. However, trying to implement it has been difficult.

I haven't had a lot of trouble with the RC section, except when I'm taking a full practice test. I haven't really employed any notation method because during the core curriculum, I was doing very well on RC. My notation method was pretty much just circling random things I thought might come up and notating the argument structure loosely. Before I started doing full tests, I was getting -1 or -2 on full, timed RC sections. But on the full test, I've been getting -5 to -7.

So, I thought I'd try Nichole's method. So far, it's really slowing me down and I don't comprehend as much as I used to. I'm just wondering, is it just a matter of doing it over and over until it becomes second nature before it becomes helpful? Or should I just go back to what I was doing before?

J. Tharp

To clarify: I think this method is obviously extremely helpful to many, but considering I was doing very well on RC before taking full practice tests, is learning this method just going to interfere with what I was doing well naturally or add to it? Maybe a difficult question to answer, but I thought maybe someone would have had a similar experience with this method. I know JY doesn't really use a formal notation method, and it seems to work for him.

tanes256

@"J. Tharp" Nicole's method worked for her. That doesn't mean it's the absolute only successful RC method and it doesn't mean it'll work for you. You will need practice with Nicole's method because you are not familiar with when to box, circle, etc. so it's not surprising that you've slowed down. I think I use a combination of Nicole's method and The LSAT Trainer. You have to just do what works for you. Looks like whatever you were doing before was successful. Can I ask why you decided to switch to Nicole's method? I would go back to your previous strategy.

tanes256

@"J. Tharp" I read your post again and I see why you tried Nicole's method now. Have you seen a pattern of certain question types that you're missing? After reading The LSAT Trainer I saw there was a difference between main idea and main conclusion questions. After BR do you know why you got the answers wrong? After you figure out what's causing you problems you can then maybe pick and choose certain parts of Nicole's method to implement but it doesn't seem like you need to change up your whole strategy.

Alex

@"J. Tharp"

The thing with RC methods and RC in general is that you can't just pick up new methodologies and see immediate results. For example, someone I know took over a month to practice using the memory method and at the end of the lil' RC intensive was going -0 on almost all RC passages. However, it was a slow road to get there. And at first, I recall him doing worse than he was on his diagnostic. But the secret it to find what works and keep practicing it.

@"J. Tharp" said:
but considering I was doing very well on RC before taking full practice tests, is learning this method just going to interfere with what I was doing well naturally or add to it? Maybe a difficult question to answer

Yeah it is hard to answer... I guess only you know deep down if it is clicking with you. I mean, are you able to see why it [Nicole's Strategy] theoretically should work? Also, it is hard to tell from your post how it is actually working for you as compared to you original strategy because you are comparing your strategy to sections and not full tests and now the Nicole's strategy to full tests? Did I read that right? I mean if you can go -1 with your strategy on a full test or any section, perhaps you have found a way that works for you.

At the end of the day, RC is such an odd section because there can be no hard and fast rules like there are with LR/LG. On my diagnostic I had no idea what I was doing and did pretty well. I think the secret underlying all the strategies is just remembering that the answers are always in the passage. Figuring that out and really grasping that was the turning point in RC for me.

J. Tharp

@tanes256 @"Alex Divine" Thanks guys! Both of your thoughts are really helpful. I think I'm going to tailor Nichole's notation strategy to my own needs, as well as JY's memory method. I didn't really go through all the memory method steps during the curriculum because, just as with doing full RC sections, I was usually getting -1 or -0 on the RC passages in the curriculum. However, there were a few that I did worse on. I think I was a little overconfident and need a better plan for when a passage just doesn't vibe with me. I think my RC will probably drop at first, but now I know that's normal and I won't be as discouraged.