CDR vs. Topscore Reading - Different Methods?

[GoBlue24]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm kind of in a dilemma regarding my strategy for the reading section... I first did CDR and found it was easier READING the entire passages and then answering the questions (due to questions on tone, inference, etc.)... and it worked pretty well. Then I started doing Topscore and I stuck to the same strategy as I did for CDR for the first passage but it was so fricken' detailed I just literally said "fck this" and went immediately into search and destroy mode and it worked out much better.

SO basically, I've done both strategies with the same results (21-24ish), mainly because the styles were so different. Now my question is... which method should I choose.....? I have no clue which one is the right representation of the actual DAT and I'd rather not choose the wrong strategy AKA try reading the entire passage if it's so dense or use S&D if they ask a ton of tone/inference questions, etc.

 

[Plaque Buster3]

im in the same boat dude

 

[dentistmom]

I think it's going to depend on the passage itself. You can tell quickly what kind of writing it is. If it's dense, I plan to use the scan- keyword then search and destroy method. If it's about sociology or something more conceptual, I'm going to read carefully, and still write down a couple of keywords for each passage.

Even if they ask tone questions about a detailed scientific passage, you can catch the tone or meaning by reading through the relevant paragraph on the detail they're asking about.

 

[aznnytezx]

This is what I am planning to do. I am planning to do search and destroy on the 50 potential search and destroy questions. Marking all the tone questions, then I would then read the passage as normal to get the tone for those questions (The passage with more tone questions), and start working to the passages with the least tone questions.

 

[dymm]

I did both CDR and Topscore. Personally, I didn't feel comfortable using tricks or gimmicks for this section so I just went with the classic "read the passage quickly then answer the questions" route. I scored 18-23 range on the practice materials and got a 22 on the DAT.