What's your Scratchwork Like?

[Jay2910]

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Hey Everyone,

Question:
The Kaplan course enforces, the importance of using your scratchpaper to "map out" passages of the test even before you begin to actually read and attempt the questions. The point of it being able to prioritize, and manage time effciently.

An ideal scratchwork paper should have something like "Topic, scope, main points of passage, question it begins with, equations etc". They suggest that we do this for all of the test except the writing. Ofcourse scratchwork depends from person to person

How many of you actually use this kind of technique? Does it really help with time management? Does it hamper it? If you don't use this kind of technique then what do you do( for all sections)?

I am at this point,where I don't know, if I am not doing well enough because my scratchwork isn't "supporting" my thought process.

Thanks!

 

[ShoTyme]

I don't use scratch paper for verbal personally. I think it slows me down. I just make sure I understand the point/counterpoint of the passage. I really try to understand why the author is writing what he or she is writing and what else can be inferred. I do this as I go. For other passages, I still don't write anything. I do work out physics problems or organic problems on scratch paper if need be. But that's about it. I feel that if I write a bunch of crap, then it will just slow me down. I don't know if that helps but that's what I do. Good luck.

 

[gumbyj]

Hey Everyone,

Question:
The Kaplan course enforces, the importance of using your scratchpaper to "map out" passages of the test even before you begin to actually read and attempt the questions. The point of it being able to prioritize, and manage time effciently.

An ideal scratchwork paper should have something like "Topic, scope, main points of passage, question it begins with, equations etc". They suggest that we do this for all of the test except the writing. Ofcourse scratchwork depends from person to person

How many of you actually use this kind of technique? Does it really help with time management? Does it hamper it? If you don't use this kind of technique then what do you do( for all sections)?

I am at this point,where I don't know, if I am not doing well enough because my scratchwork isn't "supporting" my thought process.

Thanks!

Do you mean for verbal or the sciences as well?

 

[EnginrTheFuture]

For verbal, the general consensus is to not physically map anything out or you will waste way too much time.

What is good practice is using this tool at first to learn how to mentally note key ideas, words, attitudes, argument structure, etc.

The thing is that verbal is VERY personalized. What works for you may be a terrible game plan for another. You just have to practice a LOT of passages and full lengths to see if you need to alter your method. Eventually you will find what works for you.

 

[Jay2910]

Do you mean for verbal or the sciences as well?

I mean for both verbal and sciences. Kaplan has us map out everything so I wanted to know y'all's opinion about that.