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RC help!

melloishmelloish Free Trial Member
in General 59 karma
I need help with my RC section. I keep doing terrible (10-12 wrong per prep test). Every other section is below 6 wrong which is where I want to be. Any advice?!
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  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    23929 karma
    @melloish ,

    Are you using the 7Sage memory method?

    https://7sage.com/lsat-reading-comprehension-the-memory-method/

    Watch that, then watch this RC Webinar Sage @NicoleHopkins gave... It helped me immensely when I too was missing between 9-10 per section.




  • SprinklesSprinkles Alum Member ⭐
    11542 karma
    @"Alex Divine" said:
    this RC Webinar
    Good call, Alex. Nicole says RC is her strongest so def give the video a go :)
  • blah170blahblah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐
    3545 karma
    More importantly, find a method that works for you. Like in LG, you rely on tried and tested diagramming techniques, even to get you through the funky ones, you need a method that you can rely on for RC in terms of reading the passage and answering questions.
  • Nicole HopkinsNicole Hopkins Alum Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐
    4344 karma
    @melloish said:
    Any advice?!
    RC Arguments are cookie cutters! Learn the argument patterns that recur. Forget subject matter. It's all about argument.
  • tanes256tanes256 Alum Member
    2573 karma
    @"Nicole Hopkins" That's interesting. I haven't watched your RC video in quite some time but did you discuss the argument patterns? I'd like to hear more on this so I'll watch again, if so.
  • kmarie7kmarie7 Alum Member
    208 karma
    I started off even worse than you. I was getting -17. I was using the underlining method, and realized that was taking too much time and I was just underlining 75% of the passage. I then stopped, and just read. I do the memory method where I make sure I understand what I just read in each paragraph. I rarely mark on my passages. I have seen great improvement, currently at -8 and slowly improving. I agree with other posters, you have to find what works for you.
  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    23929 karma
    @kmarie7 said:
    I agree with other posters, you have to find what works for you.
    That is the secret with everything LSAT prep :)
  • Kristen BKristen B Member
    388 karma
    Honestly, I believe the LSAT trainer helped me the most with RC. After reading the book, I started to understand the importance of reading for structure, and not getting all bogged down in the content. Now whenever I read a RC passage I keep in the back of my head "why did the author right this," It really helps guide me through the passage.
  • tanes256tanes256 Alum Member
    2573 karma
    Has anyone noticed the argument patterns Nicole mentioned? I think The LSAT Trainer helped me the most. My best on RC is -4 but that can be sporadic. I agree that reading structure is crucial on RC but I'd like to look more into these patterns. The questions are pretty much the same for each passage but I don't think I've seen argument patterns. Would that be easier to notice with Manhattan's approach of labeling say the speaker's opinion or opposing views throughout the passage? Anybody?
  • Cant Get RightCant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 🍌 7Sage Tutor
    27901 karma
    @tanes256 said:
    Would that be easier to notice with Manhattan's approach of labeling say the speaker's opinion or opposing views throughout the passage?
    I definitely think an effective annotation strategy is important, and keeping up with different viewpoints and shifts in tone is definitely something I try to annotate for. Just don't underline something just because it seems substantial, this is the biggest annotation mistake I see. If it's substantial, it's easy to think, "Oh, this is important. Underline." This just isn't what annotation is for though. RC passages are dense and there is going to be a whole lot of substance. The substance is what you remember. Don't annotate it. You annotate the things that put that substance into its context: Critics claim that; new research suggests; Dr. Yamata's findings, while promising; etc. These are the things that build the framework for the real content, and these are the things that I've found most helpful to annotate for.

    As for structure types, I guess it could be beneficial to learn a list of common structures; but I think it'd be more intuitive to just learn how to read for it on the fly. That way you don't lose a specific essay's nuances by looking to pigeon hole it into a familiar category.
  • combsnicombsni Free Trial Member
    652 karma
    Check out the earliest prep tests. Their reading comprehension sections are vastly easier but they let you get used to the process
  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    edited August 2016 23929 karma
    @combsni said:
    Check out the earliest prep tests. Their reading comprehension sections are vastly easier but they let you get used to the process

    I think I will try this out! I haven't gotten to the RC part of my prep just yet, but this is something I have heard before; that early PTs have generally more easy RC....

  • tanes256tanes256 Alum Member
    2573 karma
    @"Cant Get Right" I've got to give the memory method more effort. I kinda tried in the beginning and it just wasn't working for me. I like Nicole's approach, I had better success with it, but I do see your point about the underlining stuff. When I hit the questions I don't really pay attention to what's not underlined. Depending on the questions that could help or hurt.
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