MCAT Bio and Biochem Foundations- How to Improve Reading and Interpreting Graphs/Tables

[ash_xoxo1]

If I have an unlimited amount of time, I can get the correct answer to most questions on the Bio section but I'm having a very hard time quickly interpreting data such as tables, graphs, and figures. I get really confused with all of the abbreviations and the way they list certain things and especially gene variations...I'm a very visual person and have to write things down to keep them organized in my head such as (CHRY, CHRY', IEFL, etc) (I just made up those letters btw) so it's hard for me to take tests on the computer when I have to do it very quickly. Does anyone have any advice on how to improve or any materials I can purchase that focus on interpreting biological data? Thanks!

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[freak7]

If I have an unlimited amount of time, I can get the correct answer to most questions on the Bio section but I'm having a very hard time quickly interpreting data such as tables, graphs, and figures. I get really confused with all of the abbreviations and the way they list certain things and especially gene variations...I'm a very visual person and have to write things down to keep them organized in my head such as (CHRY, CHRY', IEFL, etc) (I just made up those letters btw) so it's hard for me to take tests on the computer when I have to do it very quickly. Does anyone have any advice on how to improve or any materials I can purchase that focus on interpreting biological data? Thanks!

The good news is that you can write notes down on scrap paper on the actual exam.

As far as crazy abbreviations, I just assigned them a single-letter designation and then mapped out the process with arrows.

For quickly interpreting data, keep it simple. What went up, what went down, and why?

 

[Umyo]

To practice reading graphs, try reading research papers. As many as you can get your hands on. You don't have to read the whole article, try to look for just the graphs. Papers that have to do with murine genetic or biomarker studies tend to align most with MCAT styled charts.


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[libertyyne]

Reading scientific literature for understanding will give you this skill.

 

[moggat]

Definitely practice by reading science papers, but try to read them the way you would on the MCAT--like a scientist.

Look for papers in good journals (Nature, Cell, JAMA, etc), read just the abstract, and then just the figures. You should be able to figure out everything from the figures (if its a good paper--reputable journals are better). Take notes, familiarize yourself with nomenclature, etc. Then, once you think you've grasped the gist of each experiment, go back and read the results and discussion to see if you were right.

It might take you a good long while the first few times, but after a couple papers you should be able to get through a whole paper in 15-20 minutes. And the MCAT passages are typically just one or two experiments. I definitely attribute my bio score to working in a research lab and having to read billions of papers.

 

[JustAPhD]

The good news is that you can write notes down on scrap paper on the actual exam.

As far as crazy abbreviations, I just assigned them a single-letter designation and then mapped out the process with arrows.

For quickly interpreting data, keep it simple. What went up, what went down, and why?

I like the "assign single-letter designations" method. I tend to do this occasionally when either A: the data is organized poorly or B: (as you mentioned, OP) the are a plethora of abbreviations that all seem to have the same 3-4 letters.