Doing LR section backwards Forum

[PierceFromCT]

Does anyone else do the section backwards? I find it improves my accuracy on the last few really difficult questions.

[stintez]

Does anyone else do the section backwards? I find it improves my accuracy on the last few really difficult questions.

That is a very interesting approach. Starting from the last question and going to the first. I think I may try that on my practice test tonight.

[jpSartre]

I used to do this for LG and RC, but then I realized I'd rather rack up points on the easy questions and struggle for the last few, rather than vice versa. In my opinion the same principle applies to LR

[nonamebreakdown]

I go first two pages, second two pages, last two pages and finally third two pages. I figure the last few questions are not questions you can really rush through, but the ones on the third two pages (generally #15-19) can be done more quickly, so that ~10 minutes should be enough time to get through them.

[Bert]

I go first two pages, second two pages, last two pages and finally third two pages. I figure the last few questions are not questions you can really rush through, but the ones on the third two pages (generally #15-19) can be done more quickly, so that ~10 minutes should be enough time to get through them.

This is what I did as well.

[cardinalandgold]

I just did them in order. But what worked for me was doing the first 15 questions in 15 mins, leaving 20 mins for the remaining more difficult questions.

[catharsis]

I just did them in order. But what worked for me was doing the first 15 questions in 15 mins, leaving 20 mins for the remaining more difficult questions.

[Foxxtrot]

I'm a believer in the backwards LR section. My biggest problem historically with the LR section has been adjusting from
the simple logic of the first easy questions to the more complex, abstract logic that populates the end of the section.
This was compounded by the frustration of feeling I was moving slower and slower as the section went on.
Almost all of my mistakes (before the switch) happened between questions 18-26.
It made me feel quite pathetic that I could easily nail almost 20 questions in a row only to have my
entire section undone by the last 8 or so questions.
However, since the change I make significantly fewer mistakes in the last questions and have no problems with
speed frustration (as, for me, the complex questions make the easier questions fly by).
Furthermore, I tend to finish with lots of extra time for corrections/double-checking which I rarely did going front to back.

[PierceFromCT]

I'm totally with you Foxxtrot... but I like the first four pages, last four pages approach as well.

My main problem is that I'll obsess over questions when I'm down to two mediocre options. When I went in order, I wasted time by obsessing over easy questions (i.e. 1-15), and then didn't have loads of time for the hard questions.

When I reverse the order, and do the difficult questions first, I can obsess all I want for the first fifteen minutes... Then when I feel the time crunch, I rush through 1-15 knowing that I don't have time to obsess and second-guess my answers.

[ZombiesAhead]

The LSAT producers are definitely considering the progression of questions as a means to trip up test-takers. Backwards might help avoid some of their tricks but I wouldn't count on it. I think that LR questions are more and more unpredictable as far as difficulty on newer tests - likely to make it more difficult for people who have relied on pacing by counting on doing 1-10 or 1-15 much more quickly than the remainder.

[OklahomasOK]

The LSAT producers are definitely considering the progression of questions as a means to trip up test-takers. Backwards might help avoid some of their tricks but I wouldn't count on it. I think that LR questions are more and more unpredictable as far as difficulty on newer tests - likely to make it more difficult for people who have relied on pacing by counting on doing 1-10 or 1-15 much more quickly than the remainder.

Definitely agree with this. I found that PT53 had an LR section where the first 8 were significantly more challenging than the next 8.

I tried working the first 10, then last five, then remaining 10, but ultimately found that it was better to get the points I knew I could easily get and work my way to tougher questions. That being said, I still work RC according to the passages with the most questions to fewest questions.

[Nailjohnj]

I just tried this on a PT yesterday and I wanted to share the results.

I have been having issues with timing working first to last because I always end up rushing at the end whent the questions are the hardest. Invariably the majority of my mistakes were coming at the end of the LR sections and killing my scores. I was -1/-2 in RC, -4/-5 in LG (ususally completing three and getting into the fourth) and a whopping -7/-8 per LR section. My scores were consistently 161-164 (actually last 5 before last night were 161,164,161,164,162). This is just setting the stage.

I decided to work the LR section 1-7 then last-8. my reasoning behind this was to #1 warm up my brain to getting ready for args before jumping into the hard ones and then #2 make it so that the ones that I was working more quickly through (usually #8-12) were ones that didn't require as much work to get the through so I could afford to rush a little more. The results were great. Not only did I cut out the majority of my mistakes #20-26 in the sections (would be perfect if not for two idiotic mistakes), but also I wasn't guessing on 3-4 with 10 secs to go, but rather finishing with time to check my score sheet. I even floated an absolutely terrible LG section (-8, yikes!) into a personal best 168, and only 3 stupid mistakes from the promiseland of 170. I plan to take 3 more tests in this manner, but I feel this might be something for people feeling overwhelmed by the LR sections, its like a workout, warmup-hard extertion-cool down.

Good luck to all taking this in 4 days.... we are going to ROCK it!

[dominkay]

Eh. I don't think gimmicks are going to get you into the 99th percentile.

[d34d9823]

I go first two pages, second two pages, last two pages and finally third two pages. I figure the last few questions are not questions you can really rush through, but the ones on the third two pages (generally #15-19) can be done more quickly, so that ~10 minutes should be enough time to get through them.

17,18, and 19 are sometimes some of the most difficult questions on the test.

On the other hand, 1-9 are always a joke.

I subscribe to the principle that they should be done easiest to hardest: both to let your brain get warmed up before the hard ones, and to ensure that if you run out of time, you have answered the most questions possible. Doing the test front to back is the best way to approximate this approach.

[lawchampion]

I go first two pages, second two pages, last two pages and finally third two pages. I figure the last few questions are not questions you can really rush through, but the ones on the third two pages (generally #15-19) can be done more quickly, so that ~10 minutes should be enough time to get through them.

17,18, and 19 are sometimes some of the most difficult questions on the test.

On the other hand, 1-9 are always a joke.

I subscribe to the principle that they should be done easiest to hardest: both to let your brain get warmed up before the hard ones, and to ensure that if you run out of time, you have answered the most questions possible. Doing the test front to back is the best way to approximate this approach.

+1

[Kobe_Teeth]

.aedi doog a ton s'ti dnuof dna siht deirt ev'I

[jpSartre]

I go first two pages, second two pages, last two pages and finally third two pages. I figure the last few questions are not questions you can really rush through, but the ones on the third two pages (generally #15-19) can be done more quickly, so that ~10 minutes should be enough time to get through them.

17,18, and 19 are sometimes some of the most difficult questions on the test.

On the other hand, 1-9 are always a joke.

I subscribe to the principle that they should be done easiest to hardest: both to let your brain get warmed up before the hard ones, and to ensure that if you run out of time, you have answered the most questions possible. Doing the test front to back is the best way to approximate this approach.

+1

+2