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Is it really helpful to retake questions that you missed?

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 3:11 pm
by AliceAgain
I am having trouble with this. I understand the logic of it -- to see if you can answer the question correctly now. But my problem is that I am never sure whether I get the answer right the second time around because I now am better at this kind of question or just because I remember this particular question.

I have been reviewing missed questions after only a week or so, so maybe I need to wait a longer period of time? I still think I would just recall the answer to the particular question, but maybe not . . .

Re: Is it really helpful to retake questions that you missed?

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 4:42 pm
by fnma2jd
This is probably more than you're looking for but for me the answer is yes.

I've found that this is actually where I've had the most gains. I'm a bit of a numbers guy so I've got a system down where I take ones that I've circled(unsure when answering) and ones that I got wrong and go through and redo them untimed, writing out the reasoning next to it. After that I go through those and see which ones (if any) I still got wrong. I look up the ones I got wrong untimed on MLSAT boards, lsat hacks, 7sage video, etc. I'm then able to sort out into different categories "what I don't know", "What I'm slow at/timing issues", "misread stimulus", "misread answer".

I know it seems excessive but I started out kind of lost as to why I was getting questions wrong so I developed this system.

The key is to, even if you remember the question, write out why each answer choice is wrong or right.

Re: Is it really helpful to retake questions that you missed?

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:28 pm
by Christine (MLSAT)
fnma2jd wrote: <snip>

The key is to, even if you remember the question, write out why each answer choice is wrong or right.
I agree with this.

If you're repeating (or reviewing) the question, it shouldn't be focused on simply whether you can 'get it right' - you probably can, since at the very least you can often remember what the correct answer is supposed to be. What you're really looking for at this point is whether you truly understand *why* the correct answer is correct, and why each incorrect answer is incorrect.

Knowing that (B) is correct is worthless if you don't understand what makes that tick. If you understand what makes that question tick, you can use that knowledge on new questions in the future that have similar issues/patterns. And without this type of review, practice tests aren't learning experiences, they're just snapshots of your ability at any given point.

Re: Is it really helpful to retake questions that you missed?

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:42 pm
by mellow
This is just personal experience, but I noticed that I would second guess or even sometimes not choose the correct answer because I remembered it. So I would look at a question and think, "It's obviously D. And hey, I recognize it." But then I'd start thinking, "Wait. I thought it was obvious the first time around and I got it wrong. Maybe it's not D."

Also, while getting a question correct on a retake doesn't necessarily show you've improved (because you could have remembered it), getting it wrong a second time is a huge red flag that really points out what you should be focusing on.

Re: Is it really helpful to retake questions that you missed?

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:49 pm
by LSAT Hacks (Graeme)
Yes, it's useful. As others have said, it's about understanding the question. Why is the right answer right? That's the important part.

The way I really got good at the LSAT was by seeing the same questions over and over with different tutoring students. The experience forced me to examine them in more depth.

Re: Is it really helpful to retake questions that you missed?

Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2013 8:09 pm
by the_pakalypse
Graeme (Hacking the LSAT) wrote: The way I really got good at the LSAT was by seeing the same questions over and over with different tutoring students. The experience forced me to examine them in more depth.
I had similar results while studying for my retake.