Need advice on how to tighten up LR and RC Forum

[PSteel]

Alright, here's the situation. So far, I'm smack in the middle of the 40's PT's (going to finish through 65 come the LSAT this June), and I'll typically end up scoring somewhere over a 165. On some, I'll even get as high as 170. The problem is, I know that I can score over a 170, if not for the fact that I'll end up getting -8 or something to that effect on either the LR or RC section. I've yet to find a way to get some sort of improvement out of the wrong questions either. I know that I get them wrong, and sometimes I'll even wonder why I put the wrong answer instead of the right one, as I'll notice after the fact how blatantly obvious the right answer was.

This problem with the LR and RC has been more severe since I hit the 40's, as now I'm hitting lower marks that I was used to. While I'm used to seeing over a 165, I'm not used to hitting a 162, then two 169's, then back down to a 161. Each time, while my LG scores have been pristine, the other two sections have tanked for me. So I'm just wondering if anyone has any way or method for me to just tighten up those sections, or even learn from them, so this way they're not such extreme liabilities for me, or even as random. I'd even like to know if it's something going on with these particular sets of tests, the 40's area, that's effecting my numbers. I'd appreciate any advice someone can give.

[shifty_eyed]

Could it be a stamina issue? Do your bad sections tend to be section 3 or 4?

[boiseman]

I'm running into a similar problem. I often will find myself over thinking the question, and end up circling the sucker choice answer. Is timing ever an issue? Do you have an established approach for attacking LR questions? i.e.

1. read question stem.
2. so on...
3. so on...

I am an LSAT new-bee, but from what I have read the test's do get more complex the more recent they are (someone may shed some light on this).

[jbates14]

same thing happened to me except in the 50s...cant figure out the issue, I think the LR and RC just gets harder

[PSteel]

It's definitely not a stamina issue. It's completely random. My worst section could be two, yet 3 and 4 I only get one or two questions off.

I've been timing myself more aggressively lately with these sections as well. This typically works to good effect, my scores HAVE gone up in general. Normally I read the argument, then the stem (If I have to reread a part of the argument because I don't already have a rough idea of the answer from the stem, I'll do so, but ONLY then), and then I'll proceed to rule out all the wrong answers, which, on the first 15 questions, isn't so bad. I rarely have to read the argument for those twice, unless the language gets garbled in my head (which I'm working on). In fact, a small portion of what I get wrong are due to my misreading them. Ironically, this is on the later questions though, when I DO read the questions twice. Maybe my misreading is just misunderstanding at the time?

As for the RC, that is pretty consistent with me, in all honesty. I'll either get only 1 or 2 wrong, or I'll get about 5 wrong, but no more. And those are typically wrong because I missed something, and didn't really think to go back and reread that portion, because I thought I thought I had it. I think it's bad form to go back on every question, as that's a huge time drain, and I'll typically only do it for the questions that I notice I need to. That's why I think part of my problem is just not noticing the mistakes I'm making. This leads to the main question of how can I start to notice these mistakes more?

[Micdiddy]

Look at every LR question you miss and ask yourself why you picked the wrong answer (what attracted you to it?), figure out exactly why it is wrong (if you cannot post it here and we'll help), then decide exactly why the right answer is right. Look at difficult LR question you got right too and ask yourself why you didn't get fooled on these ones. Eventually, you will learn what to look for it right and wrong answers that'll make your scores more consistent. Always review your pt before taking a new one.

For rc, do the same thing. Why did you pick the wrong one? Why is the right one right? Locate the exact spots in the passage that 'tell' you the right answer.

I don't think it has anything to do with particular pt's in the 40's, inconsistencies are natural especially when you don't take proper time to review your work. Review, drill, pt, tls and your score will continue to improve