Studying for RC Forum

[Ragged]

I have about four months untill October. Its too early to begin any actual studying but I would like to begin reading RC-like literature on the regular basis in order to get used to it.


What kind of literature would you recommend? Specific suggestions would be most welcome. I have an interest in history and science but would also like to get used to reading about writers and poets.

Thanks.

Edited for the absurd amount of ridiculous typos.

[tipler4213]

The Economist has some really dense, good articles that people recommend a lot.

[JerrySeinfeld]

I have about four months untill October. Its to early to begin any actual studying but I would like to begin reading RC like literature on the regular basis in order to get used to it.


What kind of literature would you recommend? Specific suggestions would be most welcome. I have an interest in history and science but would also like to get used to reading about righters and poets.

Thanks.

Too early to begin any actual studying?

[Ragged]

The Economist has some really dense, good articles that people recommend a lot.

Yea I love the Economist, but its still light reading and nothing like the RC passages. I was looking for something more academic like.

[Ragged]

I have about four months untill October. Its to early to begin any actual studying but I would like to begin reading RC like literature on the regular basis in order to get used to it.


What kind of literature would you recommend? Specific suggestions would be most welcome. I have an interest in history and science but would also like to get used to reading about righters and poets.

Thanks.

Too early to begin any actual studying?

Well yea. I just took the test Monday. And October is going to be my 3rd attempt. I feel like I'm already really prepared for the test so I don't think that more than 5 ot 6 weeks of studying isn't going to do me much good. In all honesty I'd take the test tommorow if I could.

[Nikrall]

Philosophy books. This will help you on all 3 sections.

Or read law review articles.

[JerrySeinfeld]

I have about four months untill October. Its to early to begin any actual studying but I would like to begin reading RC like literature on the regular basis in order to get used to it.


What kind of literature would you recommend? Specific suggestions would be most welcome. I have an interest in history and science but would also like to get used to reading about righters and poets.

Thanks.

Too early to begin any actual studying?

Well yea. I just took the test Monday. And October is going to be my 3rd attempt. I feel like I'm already really prepared for the test so I don't think that more than 5 ot 6 weeks of studying isn't going to do me much good. In all honesty I'd take the test tommorow if I could.

So you're going to be taking the test for a third time, and you think it's too early to start studying?

[Kobe_Teeth]

Find a favorite philosopher. Read their books. Philosophers tend to go into pain-staking detail about abstract concepts. Any RC passage after an entire, actively-read, philosophy book will seem pretty easy. You'll probably gain some speed as well.

PS...I like Foucault.

[Kobe_Teeth]

Philosophy books. This will help you on all 3 sections.

Or read law review articles.

+1. Even with LG...you'll be surprised. Philosophers love to talk about the relation of multiple-abstract concepts in spatial terms. Keeping this straight will help you keep the "moving parts" of an LG straight in your mind.

[JerrySeinfeld]

Find a favorite philosopher. Read their books. Philosophers tend to go into pain-staking detail about abstract concepts. Any RC passage after an entire, actively-read, philosophy book will seem pretty easy. You'll probably gain some speed as well.

PS...I like Foucault.

Can you recommend a good one, specifically.

[Kobe_Teeth]

I read the Foucault reader which is a general overview of his writings...
http://www.amazon.com/Foucault-Reader-M ... 234&sr=8-1

After reading Foucault I read on his successors books that was rather interesting:
http://www.amazon.com/Homo-Sacer-Sovere ... 274&sr=1-1
(this book is far from light-reading)

And I have always wanted to read something by Sartre but never got the chance (read: time). He's the dude that created existentialism, if my memory serves.

[Kobe_Teeth]

I have about four months untill October. Its to early to begin any actual studying but I would like to begin reading RC like literature on the regular basis in order to get used to it.


What kind of literature would you recommend? Specific suggestions would be most welcome. I have an interest in history and science but would also like to get used to reading about righters and poets.

Thanks.

Also, start studying now. Its not too early. Not even close. You should already be studying. You post on here wayyyyyy too much to not already be studying. Start studying. Seriously.

[Ragged]

I have about four months untill October. Its to early to begin any actual studying but I would like to begin reading RC like literature on the regular basis in order to get used to it.


What kind of literature would you recommend? Specific suggestions would be most welcome. I have an interest in history and science but would also like to get used to reading about righters and poets.

Thanks.

Also, start studying now. Its not too early. Not even close. You should already be studying. You post on here wayyyyyy too much to not already be studying. Start studying. Seriously.

You don't understand. I got 177 on a prior PT with 33 minutes per section. I'm good to go. Feeling great and confident about the LSAT. What happened on Monday was a fluke. I don't see myself activly studying for another 4 months. Feel like I might burn out.

[Ragged]

I have about four months untill October. Its to early to begin any actual studying but I would like to begin reading RC like literature on the regular basis in order to get used to it.


What kind of literature would you recommend? Specific suggestions would be most welcome. I have an interest in history and science but would also like to get used to reading about righters and poets.

Thanks.

Too early to begin any actual studying?

Well yea. I just took the test Monday. And October is going to be my 3rd attempt. I feel like I'm already really prepared for the test so I don't think that more than 5 ot 6 weeks of studying isn't going to do me much good. In all honesty I'd take the test tommorow if I could.

So you're going to be taking the test for a third time, and you think it's too early to start studying?

Sounds bad doesn't it. I just think that if I can't score well after studying for another month then its just not possible for me. Plus I'm afraid of the burn out.

[Ragged]

I read the Foucault reader which is a general overview of his writings...
http://www.amazon.com/Foucault-Reader-M ... 234&sr=8-1

After reading Foucault I read on his successors books that was rather interesting:
http://www.amazon.com/Homo-Sacer-Sovere ... 274&sr=1-1
(this book is far from light-reading)

And I have always wanted to read something by Sartre but never got the chance (read: time). He's the dude that created existentialism, if my memory serves.

Thx Kobe. I will be sure to buy one of those philosopher books and read some everyday. Thats great advice.

[Benevolent Despot]

There are more than enough RC passages to keep you occupied. I would personally stick to those.

If you actually run out, and don't want to re-read, then pick-up some law review articles, as well as peer-reviewed humanities, natural and social science journals.

Although The Economist is a great magazine, its prose is breezy compared to the LSAT.

Some specifics:

New Scientist
Harvard Law Review
Foreign Affairs

[Nikrall]

Find a favorite philosopher. Read their books. Philosophers tend to go into pain-staking detail about abstract concepts. Any RC passage after an entire, actively-read, philosophy book will seem pretty easy. You'll probably gain some speed as well.

PS...I like Foucault.

Can you recommend a good one, specifically.

What kind of things are you interested in?

I would say some of the best type of philosophy for studying the LSAT would be philosophy of language type books. Try word and object by Quine.

Or this: http://www.ditext.com/quine/quine.html

One of the most well known philosophy of language articles in existence.

[Nikrall]

I read the Foucault reader which is a general overview of his writings...
http://www.amazon.com/Foucault-Reader-M ... 234&sr=8-1

After reading Foucault I read on his successors books that was rather interesting:
http://www.amazon.com/Homo-Sacer-Sovere ... 274&sr=1-1
(this book is far from light-reading)

And I have always wanted to read something by Sartre but never got the chance (read: time). He's the dude that created existentialism, if my memory serves.

Sartre wrote mostly novels. Fun to read, but not exactly the kind of stuff that will make you analyze the reasoning skills used. But if you get the chance, read Nausea...its a great book.

[Chimica]

I would suggest reading on the types of things the LSAT writes about but one level harder (primary research).

I have found every science section easy and interesting and every history of art/dance/politics tough while every law related one is like slogging through thigh deep mud being bitten by mosquitos.

Oddly enough, I have read a lot (thousands) of heavy duty science articles (primary research literature) and almost no art history/law stuff. So once you read the harder stuff, the other becomes easier.

[Ragged]

I would suggest reading on the types of things the LSAT writes about but one level harder (primary research).

I have found every science section easy and interesting and every history of art/dance/politics tough while every law related one is like slogging through thigh deep mud being bitten by mosquitos.

Oddly enough, I have read a lot (thousands) of heavy duty science articles (primary research literature) and almost no art history/law stuff. So once you read the harder stuff, the other becomes easier.

Anything specific you can recomend?

[Chimica]

I would suggest reading on the types of things the LSAT writes about but one level harder (primary research).

I have found every science section easy and interesting and every history of art/dance/politics tough while every law related one is like slogging through thigh deep mud being bitten by mosquitos.

Oddly enough, I have read a lot (thousands) of heavy duty science articles (primary research literature) and almost no art history/law stuff. So once you read the harder stuff, the other becomes easier.

Anything specific you can recomend?

I'd go with Science or Nature. Those are good for a few reasons. They have the best research (those are the hardest to get into and have the highest "impact factor"). Also they have range of difficulty to their articles, from 1 paragraph blurbs to short research papers to full research articles. Also, their actual research article are summarised at the beginning of the journal with the main points (for non specialists) in a few paragraphs. So you could read the actual articles and then the blurbs.

Science journals are dense by definition. We have to pay to publish the papers and extra wordiness is not encouraged.

Though I don't read it (as I'm a chemist and not in medicine) I believe the New England Journal of Medicine would be another good one.

Now I know that you are aiming for 175+, so I'm suggesting some pretty heavy duty reading in Science and Nature. For someone else who was wanting to improve their general RC and science fluency, I would suggest New Scientist and Bill Bryson's fabulous and hilarious "A Short History of Nearly Everything"

[Ragged]

Thx Chimica I appreciate your advice.

[cdunn]

Hemmingway, Wells, Machiavelli...

Maybe try magazines to help with technical jargon - i.e. Pop. Sci., or anything by JAMA or APA...

[Ragged]

Hemmingway, Wells, Machiavelli...

Maybe try magazines to help with technical jargon - i.e. Pop. Sci., or anything by JAMA or APA...

As far as I know Hemmingway has a very journalistic approach to writing. Which means simple sentences and simple words. (I only read that one book about some old dude in high school) As to Machiavelli I only read his most famous work (dont remember the name now) and wording there is also pretty simple. Thats like anti-LSAT. And the same things goes for Wells.

I feel like novels isn't the way to go here. Something academic or scientific is required.

[cdunn]

Hemmingway, Wells, Machiavelli...

Maybe try magazines to help with technical jargon - i.e. Pop. Sci., or anything by JAMA or APA...

As far as I know Hemmingway has a very journalistic approach to writing. Which means simple sentences and simple words. (I only read that one book about some old dude in high school) As to Machiavelli I only read his most famous work (dont remember the name now) and wording there is also pretty simple. Thats like anti-LSAT. And the same things goes for Wells.

I feel like novels isn't the way to go here. Something academic or scientific is required.

I believe you're referencing "The Prince".

Both Henningway and Machiavelli are deceptivly simplistic. The number of words per sentence structure has no bearing on content, both explicit and implicit.

Want something strictly scientific/academic? Real any of the magazines I suggested.