Self-study
RC Passage Subject
5 RC Passage Subject tags
Art
Avg. 7.3 per section
Passages with subject matter centered on the arts (music, painting, photography, theater, etc.)
Reading Comprehension: Critique or Debate Passage 1, Paragraph 1 (Greek Dramas)
Reading Comprehension: Spotlight Passage, Paragraph 1 (Kate Chopin)
Reading Comprehension: Spotlight Passage 2, Paragraph 1 (Mphahlele)
Key tactics
- These passages often come in the Spotlight style either straightforwardly describing an artist or movement's work, or less commonly in the Critique/Debate style describing (or taking part in) a debate about that work's value.
- When the passage includes multiple viewpoints, the basic direction of those viewpoints (for/against [something] for [this reason]) are worthy of inclusion in your low-res summary.
- Pay close attention as well to the aesthetic or methodological characteristics ascribed to the art. For example, if the artist uses clay to sculpt abstract depictions of ancient warriors, all those elements are likely to be tested.
Comparative
Avg. 5.4 per section
RC passages that are split into two mini-passages, with questions that ask us to compare or contrast them with one another.
Reading Comprehension: Introduction to Comparative Passages
Reading Comprehension: The Split Approach
Reading Comprehension: The Sequential Approach
Reading Comprehension: Historians - Split Approach - Passage A
Reading Comprehension: Historians - Sequential Approach - Passage A
Key tactics
- There are two distinct methods of attacking comparative passages:
- The split approach involves reading passage A first, solving any questions that ask only about that passage and eliminating any answers you can from questions that ask about both passages, only then returning to read passage B.
- The sequential approach more closely mirrors the normal method (reading both passages up front identifying different perspectives and key concepts), but with the additional goal of identifying points of contact between the two passages (i.e. disagreements, agreements, or subjects they approach from different angles).
- You should keep an open mind about which approach is best for you. Try each on several passages, timed and untimed, before deciding which you prefer.
Humanities
Avg. 6.7 per section
Passages with subject matter centered on humanities and social science (history, philosophy, economics, etc.)
Key tactics
- The humanities comprise a broad range of disciplines with different methodologies - philosophy, for example, looks very different from public health. It is worth gaining a basic understanding of all these disciplines, and conveniently, LSAT passages are excellent introductory resources. Be conscious in your practice, then, of which discipline the passages you're reading come from, and build up mental associations like "in history, causal relationships matter a lot."
- As in all subjects, pay close attention whenever the passage splits things up into categories, or attaches a list of characteristics to a core concept.
Law
Avg. 8.2 per section
Passages with subject matter centered on law (jurisprudence, courts, legal systems, etc.)
Reading Comprehension: Critique or Debate Passage 2, Paragraph 1 (Custom Illustrations)
Reading Comprehension: Single Position Passage, Paragraph 1 (Stealing Thunder)
Reading Comprehension: Problem-Analysis Passage 2, Paragraph 1 (Tradition)
Key tactics
- Unsurprisingly, the skills required to understand the concepts described in legal passages are much the same as those required for the LSAT in general. Most notable is the ability to interpret rules precisely without over- or under-applying them.
- It's generally good practice to find interest or relevance in RC passages' subject matter, but for law passages in particular that project isn't at all contrived. All the concepts covered in law passages will absolutely be useful knowledge for you to bring to law school, and many of them are excellent introductions to fundamental concepts you'll study in more detail over the next three years.
Science
Avg. 11.5 per section
Passages with subject matter centered on science (biology, physics, chemistry, etc.)
Reading Comprehension: Phen-Hypo Passage, Paragraph 1 (Late Heavy Bombardment)
Reading Comprehension: Phen-Hypo Passage 2, Paragraph 1 (Medieval Glass)
Key tactics
- This topic is most commonly associated with the Phenomenon-Hypothesis style. The classic structure os a Science passage will open with an established theory followed by a non-conforming phenomenon followed by attempts to formulate a new theory that encompasses the new phenomenon.
- Rather than letting the new terms and big words get to you, focus narrowly on the passage's structural elements which is most commonly
- Science passages very commonly break up the world into multiple categories, then assign several characteristics to those categories. Fully understanding what those characteristics are is less important that not mixing them up.
- For example, a passage may describe red algae and green algae, then say red algae hydroximizes by flintabulating alpha-lunditudimase, whereas green algae de-hydroximizes by uncontingulizing alpha-lunditudimase. Here's what to get from that:
- Two types of algae: red and green. Red: hydro YES by flinning the alpha. Green: hydro NO by unconning the alpha.