Verbsies: The Draupadi Method

Update coming this week!

@nomdeplume1234 for you There is at least one mistake in the document...I've corrected it for the next iteration

 

placeholder!

 

I started out with 11s and 12s, and after I implemented my method (in its entirety) I have been consistently scoring 14s. Before writing this guide I decided to solve passages from EK, TBR, TPR, and Kaplan; in order to test it on different planes. It worked like a charm .

I hope you enjoy the completed primer this time around. I did my best to condense it while retaining all of the relevant information.

I did notice a few grammatical errors, so please forgive me for those. There's no excuse for poor grammar, but I really wanted to finish the guide .

 

It's like an easter egg hunt. Your mother tells you to find the pink and yellow eggs, and not the red and blue eggs. All I recall is that I need to find pink and yellow eggs. So, to answer your question, I definitely remember what information I need to answer questions. I don't necessarily place a great importance on the order of the questions, or specific wordings.

I provide two examples in the pdf version of the guide where I breakdown precisely how I read questions, and what information I extract from them. I actually use that step to determine the main point of the passage. It's pretty neat.

 

Yes, yes you did! I can't wait to finish with the MCAT...you're way ahead of me! I have some serious catching up to do on that show. My brother loves Karna, like you do, but I will never forgive Karna for what he did.

I believe I began my primer stating this is only one perspective of looking at the Verbal section. I, in no capacity, claimed that this guide is the final perspective on Verbal, and that I have the final say or a monopoly on Verbal strategies. No, no, no! Also, I don't believe to have claimed to be presenting any new knowledge! Inductive reasoning, Deductive reasoning, Logic, analyzing arguments - these are things that have been around long before me, and I expect, long after me.

Saree why did you add Section's 3-7 to your primer?

If you think that approaching a verbal passage via logic is too cumbersome, then I respect your perspective. Sections 3-7 deals with logic and arguments. Why is this important? It is important because the author is making arguments or proposing arguments articulated by others. It is required of us to meticulously analyze those arguments. My methodology is concerned with exactly how to do that.

I disagree that answers are right based off of a "gut feeling" and/or "just because the author said so". I believe that there is at least one reason as to why one has selected the correct answer. I have never come across a single Verbal question, where I cannot discern a precise reason for an answer being correct. I say this from solving passages from EK, TPR, TBR, Kaplan, and AAMC. This is indubitably demonstrated in my guide through the use of examples.

Time Management

I agree with your statements on reading the passage. One should not skip words, be absentminded, and re-read paragraphs or statements. You say within reason, I define "within reason" as three minutes. Why? A Verbal passage must be solved in six to seven minutes. I find that if I devote more than 50% of my time towards reading the passage; it does not leave me with enough time to properly answer the questions. Yes, one must devote a reasonable amount of time towards reading the passage, but also towards answering passage questions. It is a question of balance, and I am presenting the balance that works for me.

Reading Questions first?

Yes, of course it creates a bias with respect to how one reads the passage. That is the point! It's like going to a grocery store:

Scenario A: Let me go to the store and figure out what I need as I peruse through Aisles 1-8.

Scenario B: My wife has given me a grocery list, and I know with exact precision which items I need to purchase (unless I want to reap my wife's fiery wrath! ).

I will argue in favor of Scenario B. Am I discriminating against other goods and services that the store offers? Yes, but with good reason. I don't much care about the contents of a Verbal passage, because my duty is solely to answer the questions. I go over this in great detail in the PDF version of the primer. Furthermore, I never forget what information I need to answer questions. I go over what information I extract from reading questions in my primer.

Efficacy of Saree's Methodology

The methods presented in this guide may not answer every question. For the simple reason because I don’t know and nobody knows the questions that will be asked of us. This guide is a systematic approach to most of the questions that one will encounter in the Verbal section. Think of it like a probability distribution, no one can account for the left hand or right hand tail of the distribution curve. However, if I look at a passage with say 6 questions, and 4 of them can be analyzed using my method then that is 67% right away. It is much better than the alternative of no method at all, or a method that is lacking logic based analysis.

Yes, I understand, that some people may answer Verbal questions based on their "gut feelings", and that is a valid technique. I'm confident that people have scored well using such a technique. However, for people of a similar disposition to me, that simply isn't good enough. I go over this with my Sherlock Holmes strategy, and I do state that it is a demanding strategy. However, if one would like to be confident of their answer selection, then that is what it takes. It isn't easy, nor is it for the faint of heart.

Further Discussion

Perhaps, I am being premature in posting a Verbal primer, if one defines maturity in this context as the experience of writing the MCAT. However, I believe in the cumulative progression of knowledge, and this is my contribution. I wholeheartedly welcome the perspective of those individuals who have had the experience of writing the MCAT, and I will fervently embrace their contributions to this thread.

I thank you for your critique, and I hope that you continue to share your perspective with us in this thread. Congratulations on scoring 11 on the VR section .

I would like to reiterate what I stated in my second post: I am looking forward to a valuable discussion on anything Verbal related Let us not solely discuss the contents of my primer, but all Verbal related strategies and methodologies. This is a complicated and important topic, and there is not a singular solution.

Note: Please be advised that the opening post you have read is analogous to a mini-book presented in a magazine; with the full contents being published in a book. For a detailed explanation of my methodology please refer to the PDF. I explain in great detail how one should apply my procedures, and provide four examples. It is imperative that you read the examples provided at the end of the primer.

 

How are you doing it? I've received numerous questions asking about the "why are you reading questions first, and how do you find that it helps you?".

What say you, Karna?

@gene_pool - Not ignoring you; I will have a reply tonight

Happy studying.

 

Technically, yes. Although I hope to make additions to it as this thread progresses, and others contribute Try it out for yourself, and let us know what worked and what didn't work for you!

 

Thoughts on time management with respect to Verbal passages?

 

Call me silly, but I wasn't aware of the 8.5minute time constraint. Thanks for the information!

For what it's worth here's my perspective: the challenge I faced with scoring 13+ was: myself. I knew that in order to score 13+ I could not afford to make silly mistakes, and that had a negative impact on my confidence. I began second guessing almost all of my answers 'hey Saree, are you sure about that answer choice? If you get it wrong you won't score 13+!'. I'm not sure if that helps, but for me, I had to believe in myself (methodology and reasoning). Oh, and practice helps a lot . Also, given your recent practice scores, you're already on track to scoring 13+.

 

You have a point! One cannot let themselves be blinded by arrogance (either that, or too much MB for me lately). I agree, that sometimes we have to settle for the most probable answer, because that is reflected in real life. It's the balance of probabilities strategy (Sherlock Holmes uses this quite often), where we look for the most likely answer choice - this reasoning is of course grounded in our intuition and understand of the passage and the author's perspective.

Oh, you flatter me!

Yes, I agree with that statement. No one sits and dreams of their strategy in one night, we accumulate experiences, ideas, etc. over time. It's a cumulative process, so no, I would not expect anyone to be able to fully understand and apply these concepts in a short period of time (given that the concepts are new to them).

For your edification, consider this: In order to successfully apply the Sherlock Holmes strategy, you must have an ossified understanding of inductive and deductive reasoning. So, I would therefore suggest, that you first understand the two different types of reasoning before moving on to strategies and my procedure. Furthermore, you may, along the way, develop your own strategies and magic tricks!

Finally - I did not learn these things in one sitting. My method has been a work in progress for many years.

--- EK? Does EK really present you with a strategy? Or just tips? I feel as though many of the MCAT prep books throw test-takers in the deep end of the pool and expect us to swim. So, perhaps, it is time that you craft your own methodology (I hope my primer can be of assistance in that endeavor). Reading books is quite important, I could suggest a few, although I will readily admit that I am partial to classic Western literature.

Last but not least: The essence of my methodology is to equip oneself with tools to understand the passage and its questions. You want to maximize your understanding, while minimizing errors, yes? The only way I know how is to understand what an argument is, what types of arguments are there, and how to (in)validate arguments.

Question: How do I cross out incorrect statements? Answer: Sherlock Holmes! Inductive & Deductive reasoning! Logical fallacies! Those are the only ways, that I am aware of, to confidently select the correct answer choice.

Do the premises (the assumptions) add up? Do they make sense? Are the corroborated by evidence presented in the passage? If so, is the evidence provided weak or strong? How does the author perceive those arguments?

I believe this video to be the most succinct explanation:

Question: Can you invalidate the premises - the guess?

If you can then it is wrong. If the guess does not agree with experiment, or in our case, evidence provided in the passage, then it is wrong. Strike out that answer choice. Verbal tests logical reasoning - scientific reasoning. Understanding the scientific method is imperative.

In the video, Mr Feynman states that: one can disprove any definite theory. To invalidate guesses or premises, I use the SH strategy, which is founded upon inductive and deductive reasoning.

In conclusion: You can disprove or prove any statement any question presented to you in the Verbal section of the MCAT if you are equipped with the requisite tools.

 

Do let us know how it went

 

I don't know what natural range means I don't think anyone has a natural score. I believe, that at some level, everyone has an understanding of the content in my primer. So, either they have a bit more information to absorb, or they know more than what is covered in my primer. I don't believe that anyone studying for the MCAT starts their car on empty .

You are quite correct. While reading a verbal passage, one should not be asking themselves if sentence A contains an argument or not, and whether said argument is inductive or deductive. The goal of the Methodology section is to familiarize the reader with the anatomy of an argument, and inductive and deductive reasoning, with the intention of developing an intuition for those concepts. Developing intuition takes time, but I believe as one continues to solve Verbal passages, that intuition will begin to materialize.

When I first began reading Verbal passages, I meticulously dissected a few passages, to establish which statements were arguments and which types of arguments they were. Furthermore, I had to test the arguments that the author was making. Reading methodology is fascinating, but precisely applying the methodology is equally important (and useful).

To provide you with a direct answer - my methodology (including sections on logic and the anatomy of an argument) informs my strategy and they way that I approach verbal passages.

 

Update!

After two weeks of not solving a single Verbal passage...I decided to start again this morning I'm not sure if I mentioned this in an earlier posting, but I don't think that there's a problem with referring back to the passage if need be. I know EK urges their readers not to look back at the passage (most likely due to time constraints), but I find it to be quite useful and not taxing.

I also tried to eliminate, Step 3) Deduce the crux of the passage[<10 seconds], and the results were less than desirable. Afterwards, I decided to increase that amount to twenty seconds (maximum), and it worked wonders!

Timing*:

constraint: 7minutes (optimal)
20 second scan of passage Qs
3minutes to read the passage
20 seconds to discern the crux
-----------------------------------
Total: 3minutes 40s...round up to 4minutes that leaves one with 3 minutes to solve 5-7 questions. At a minimum, that's 25seconds per question (max 36s). Which is a lot of time, if one considers that we pre-read the questions already!

If one encounters a cantankerous passage, we have 8minutes!


*Using generous numbers.

I just realized that the title of this thread, Verbsies, may be slightly misleading...but I have no idea how to rename it to Verbal

 

Thanks for the feedback! It sounds like you're doing well, and I'm glad to hear it

Here's what I suggest: don't time yourself!

Solve at least ten passages without timing yourself and focus on what is slowing you down.

As far as identifying the crux of the passage...MCAT Verbal questions identify the crux for you. By pre-reading the passage Qs you should already have a fairly good grip on what the crux of the passage is about. Question - why would MCAT authors ask you questions that are not relevant to the central theme of the passage? Of course they wouldn't, because the questions deal with the central theme of the passage. Therefore, you should be able to deduce the crux of from the passage Qs. At the very least, pre-reading questions will put you on the right track towards identifying the crux as you read the passage. This is why I find pre-reading questions to be invaluable.

Questions: At least 3 verbal passages a day. I find the verbal passages...entertaining...fun Analysis? Oh, right after! I'm a very curious person, and I don't think I would have the patience to wait until the day after...

 

@MinervaMcGonagall

Hello Professor!

Verbal SA -

Timing? A bit of both actually. I would split this up into at least 3 blocks. First block not timed, only several passages Second block timed session (8min per passage minimum) with review immediately after. What were the differences between the 1st and 2nd block? Any mistakes? If so, why? Third block Solve remaining passages Fourth block if required to finish remaining passages

The 8minute time constraint will almost always be present, and that is something that you will have to adapt to. I never look at the timer when I solve passages (regardless of the subjection section). I never think about how much time I have left, or how much time I have to spend per passage.

Verbal SA objective: To acclimate yourself with Verbal PoE and question types. By the time you are ready to write the MCAT; you want your PoE to be lightning quick. At that point, you won't be worried about time.

Predictive value? I don't know. To me, it's practice. If you are scoring well in non-timed sessions, I think it boils down to one thing: you need a faster PoE, and that will only come through practice!


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I'm going to be overhauling this guide with a lot of goodies next week Thank you so much to those who have sent me PMs and posted in this thread; your input has been quite valuable

This time I will be posting an abbreviated version

On that note, is there anything specific that anyone here would like to see?

 

Hi everyone! I'm glad to see some new faces in this thread I will be posting my overhauled Verbsies guide in a couple of days. It's incredible to take a moment and realize how far we have all come in these past few months...I've learned so much!

QUESTION: I think the psychological dimension of writing the MCAT is very important - do you guys think I should spent a page or two addressing this? Fear, etc.

Did you just call me...??? Thank you so much Beyond flattered right now!

I applaud your skepticism

I'm glad the method is working for you

What sorts of mistakes are you making? What are some of the conclusions of your post-game analyses?

Can't wait to hear how you fine tune your approach

I'm so happy to hear that! I started with non-timed passages as well...You'll be writing timed passages soon enough

I can relate to your time related anxiety...I'm definitely going to address this in my update.

Priority: AAMC Verbal SA
TBR/EK.