Do you read all answer choices on RC?

LSATaker

Hi,

When I think I arrived at the correct answer choice I tend to choose it and move on...
Or just reading the first part of the answer choice and stop when I found some words are not right.
Because otherwise I will not have enough time to finish all passages...:(
Is this a bad strategy?

danielznelson

@LSATaker said:
Or just reading the first part of the answer choice and stop when I found some words are not right.

This is absolutely what you should be doing if you are capable of doing it.

As far as reading all of the answer choices, I generally do. RC is certainly not as mechanical, and I'm often not as sure of my answer technically speaking.

But there are instances I think where you can reasonably select an AC and move on without looking at the rest of the ACs. In my personal experience, this is more uncommon than not, though just utilizing effectively this strategy a few times each section will definitely save you time.

Are you falling for traps when you use this strategy?

shahla.s-1

So for RC you need to take several RC sections and evaluate based on the data, what is working and what is not working for you. If not reading the other answer choices are causing you to miss that question, then you need to change your strategy and read all the choices and try to cut time in other places. But if its working for you, and your intuition is almost always correct, then go for it!

Sometimes what is needed is reading effectively to save time, I am now working on recording myself while testing to see where I am wasting time. Cause obviously there are people who are able to do it in the given time. I realized that I am not reading carefully enough so wasting too much time dwelling on the answer choices. When I do understand the passage properly, then I move pretty quick in answering and save ample time.

In RC even if the answer choice seems right to you, its best put a small line next to it and read the other choices. RC is very tricky because it has two very close answer choices. So when you come down to two, you need to check the little modifiers in the passage or the answer choice to make sure it matches what the question is asking.

I know it sounds difficult, but over time you will get really good and fast at it!

Cant Get Right

Agreed with @danielznelson and @"shahla.s-1" .

You should determine whether you employ this strategy on a specific question based on your confidence. So, if you're 50% confident an answer is right, you probably want to keep reading. If you're 95% confident, circle it and run. I find that my confidence tends to be a lot lower on RC and so I don't use this nearly as much as I do in LR. In LR, I probably end up only reading half the answers in the section, if not less. In RC, I probably read 85% or more. RC is trickier and I've learned to be more cautious in evaluating my confidence level.

LSATaker

@danielznelson
Sometimes, and sometimes not...
But I often endup the attracting answer choices using this strategy anyway and then compare them if needed...RC is the hardest section for me and I always run out of time, so I'm wondering how I can spend time efficiently

@"shahla.s-1" @"Cant Get Right"
Thanks,
Umm so it seems reading all choices is the way to go for everyone...maybe I should do that too then?
I haven't done enough PT yet so...:(
But from practice I can tell the answer choices and passages become trickier...
Not kind to international students at all.

twssmith

In LSAC's Superprep II "How to Approach Reading Comp Questions" they actually say - "one additional piece of advice" to at least glance at all of the answer choices even tho you may be fairly sure you have the right answer because they do intentionally place partially correct trap answer choices - got to love the LSAC peeps for openly acknowledging their tactics:P (page 44)

Alex

Yup - as @twssmith says, I would consider all the answer choices for a brief second. You never know.... Especially on RC.

LSATaker

@twssmith @"Alex Divine"
Thanks...I really don't know how to save time on RC
I usually go over like 10 minutes...I usually try to understand what passages say on 1st round, but should I skim? (just understand structure?)

Alex

@LSATaker said:
Thanks...I really don't know how to save time on RC
I usually go over like 10 minutes...I usually try to understand what passages say on 1st round, but should I skim? (just understand structure?)

No, I wouldn't just skim. Simply reading faster won't solve the issue here.

When you read a passage the first time around, how long does that take you?

LSATaker

@"Alex Divine"
It takes almost 4 minutes...for hard ones about 5 minutes
That's why I thought I should save time on questions...I often have trouble on those hard passages even though I know I should focus on structure...