Diagramming SA's

Comments

• FixedDice Member

  February 2018 1804 karma

  Better safe than sorry, no?
• 1 Like

  paulmv.benthem Alum Member

  February 2018 1032 karma

  For me, it really depends on the level of difficulty. In most cases, if I read the passage carefully, then I can usually pick out the gap. I'll then make a little annotation in the passage to highlight the gap, and then I will move onto the ACs to find a choice that will allow the conclusion to be properly drawn. In such instances, I find that the diagramming can sometimes become both time consuming and confusing.

  For more difficult SA questions, however, I will often need to draw a crude diagram to the side of the passage. For instance, when the AC is describing a negation that allows a postive conclusion to be drawn.

  I've found one of the most helpful forms of practice for tackling SA questions is to write down the passage in a document (I use Evernote) and write up a structural outline in my own words. Oftentimes, SA question passages reuse argumentative structures, meaning that reviewing past structures allows you to more easily conceptualize the structure mentally and then anticipate a correct AC. It takes time, but it's definitely worth it!

  Keep up the great work!
• akistotle Member ⭐ 🍌🍌

  February 2018 edited February 2018 9382 karma

  After practicing, you will be able to do it without diagramming.
  　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
  I write arrows on the stimulus and undeline the sufficient and necessary condition: "For something to be successful, →　it must B" and do everything in my head like:

  "Something is not successful
  Something is A
  success → B

  Ok, now we need A → /B"
• Alex Alum Member ⭐

  February 2018 23929 karma

  @"Marco Antonio" said:
  To all of you who are masters of SA's: do you diagram them on the actual exam? I feel that if I don't then, I won't get them correct. Should I diagram them on the exam, or do I just need more practice diagramming them in general

  The thing is, don't try to take the test like a master until you have the skill set to back it up. One of the worst mistakes I've made in my prep was trying to take sections/PTs like someone who is scoring a 180 when I was far from it.

  Ideally, you don't want to be diagramming out SA's on the test. I think if you can get really good at them, you won't need to diagram 99% of them. Although there was a tough one about sentient beings on PT62? that I had to diagram... But that's the only one I can remember having to diagram in all the PTs I've taken.

  Yup! You got it! Tons of practice diagramming SAs will help you achieve a level of mastery. You've got the Ult + package so you have plenty of material to drill and practice on. Plus, JY's explanations always have diagrams in them for SA questions, which make it that much more helpful.
• akistotle Member ⭐ 🍌🍌

  February 2018 9382 karma

  @"Alex Divine" said:
  Although there was a tough one about sentient beings on PT62? that I had to diagram...

  I remember that one. I skipped first. lol
  https://7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-62-section-4-question-18/