Verbal Tippidy tips

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

JLeBling

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2012
Messages
152
Reaction score
19
Ok

I just discovered a few things about the VR that may be so obvious that it's easy to miss :idea:. With the MCAT a few months away, I've decided to take up the SN2ed study schedule and to do 2-3 verbal passages a day.

(1) A few days in, this is what I am realizing: It is SO MUCH EASIER to find the correct answer if you notate your answer choices. i.e. using a pencil directly on the page, compared to transcribing the correct answers on a separate answer page. It says this in the EK 101 intro and I was surprised it actually worked when i tried it.

I put an X on the answers that are definitely wrong, a ~(squiggly line) beside the "maybes", and a check mark _/ on the positives. This helps for the convoluted questions like "which statement would the author's uncle's boss not, necessarily, not disagree with?"

In this case X would indicate the right answer because there would be checks on all the statements that are in agreement.

My main concern with this one is that the format may be a little bit different on the CBT. So for anybody who has already written it, what kind of interface do they have that allows you to eliminate answer choices?

(2) Also, if you are having a hard time with the double negative questions, consider: "which statement would the author's uncle's boss not, necessarily, not disagree with?"
treat it like a math equation:
"which statement would the author's uncle's boss not (-), necessarily, not(-) dis(-)agree with?"

(-) (-) (-) = (+) (-) = (-) so: what statement does the other not agree with?

(3) This one is really stupid but I suspect it may actually work. I've started putting my face in the book when I am reading/answering the passages. NO NOT FACEBOOK. I pretty much put my nose in the crease of the book so that nothing but the text is in my field of view. This way it's much easier to stay focused. I guess on the CBT you would just jam your face up on the computer screen. I'm sure I look like an idiot while doing it, but whatever. You got to do what you got to do.


Ok that's it. Try it and tell me what you think.

Members don't see this ad.
 
Tip #1 was my mainstay test taking technique that allowed me to rip my Psych undergraduate multiple choice exams....
 
IIRC you can cross out answers in the real thing. I took it last January though, so maybe someone with a more recent experience can back me up...?
 
Top