Search and Destroy vs Reading the passage

[yankeefan86]

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My RC strategy was go to the questions and write down the key words or ideas from the first 10 QUESTIONS. My theory was as I was reading and comprehending the passage I would look at the key words from the questions and try to answer them as I was reading. With this strategy I would try to answer as many questions as I could on the first run. Then after the passage was read I would continue to finish the questions based on the knowledge I had on the passage. This strategy has worked out ok for me, but in the end it seems like I always resort to search and destroy to answer the remaining questions.

My question is, is it a sound plan to search and destroy each passage for 20 minutes or actually read each passage if it is an easy one?

btw I have tried Kaplans roadmap idea and it didn't work out for me. writing the roadmap chewed up too much time for me

 

[Teeth12345]

I've been taking practice tests and I tried out the Kaplan method and the search and destroy method. In terms of getting problems right, I get almost the same number wrong for both methods but the difference is the time. With Kaplan's method, I always feel rushed during the last passage bc I spent so much time writing down key words. With S&D, I feel safer because I jump right into the questions for 20 minutes.

The only problem with S&D is that it sucks for inference/application questions. It works great for detail questions.

Question for people who have taken the DAT: are the RC questions asked similar to the questions Kaplan asks? A lot of Kaplan's detail questions are word for word from the passage. This is why S&D helps me - is this how it is on the actual exam?

 

[wall1two]

for my last few practice tests ive been going through the questions and if any have a "go to paragraph 5 and .." i start there. then i go to the questions and hit some search and destroy, but any paragraph i read i write a key word from the first sentence and last sentence, and if it has any numbers or dates i put a # sign. and any chemicals/molecules i draw a quick circle with a dot in it (like an atom) like a retroactive map making but with focus on search and destroy. it seems to be going ok, only problem is i cant read half of the crap i end up writing down

 

[punchdrunk7]

I took the DAT twice, used Search and Destroy both times and got a 20 both times. Wish I and done better but I was very happy with 20.

 

[Sunspear]

Reading Comp strategy is totally subjective and highly dependent on the individual. Myself for example, I live and breathe on reading the entire passage first, and only then answering the questions. Of course, when reading the actual passage, I tell myself to honestly become interested in the information. Don't dread what you're reading - you'll only hinder comprehension - become interested in it! Be like, "Yeah, this is cool - I can't wait to read more." If you have that learning-positive attitude, you'll retain much more and find you won't need to go back and look things up (i.e., wasting time).

I finished my actual DAT RC with 11 minutes left and scored a 23 with this method.