LSAT reading materials Forum

[Woods]

Hi everyone, I'm looking for suggestions about what othe reading materials would resemble the LSAT reading passages, at least in some way? Any wbesite or sources are welcome, thanks!!!

[Mr.Binks]

I think the general consensus here is that something more dense would be best; something that doesn't tell you everything you need to know in the first line. So the Economist, Wall Street Journal, etc. would be good materials to read in your spare time.

[Mik Ekim]

LSAT passages are the best reading material, but it's understandable if you need to step away once in a while --

I would suggest --

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson --

1) it's stuff about science written for non-science people -- that's also true of the science passages on the lsat
2) it's dense
3) it's very enjoyable -- it is certainly helpful to read dense material to prepare for the LSAT, but no one says that that dense material has to be boring, and, in fact, I think the more interested you are, the better off you will be -- maybe I'm just super-nerdy, but I think this book is a lot of fun to read
4) it covers every single significant scientific discovery/controversy ever -- i'm willing to bet that at least 50% of the scientific issues that are discussed in LSAT passages are mentioned, in one way or another, in this bryson book
5) it's inspiring as all hell and shows you how brilliant people can be

[LSAT Blog]

The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker is chock-full of arguments addressing correlation/causation issues, alternative causes/explanations, etc.

I agree that reading science books is worthwhile in that it can increase your comfort level and familiarity with the types of arguments/passages you typically see on the LSAT. Not a replacement for actual RC passages, but a good complement to them.

[TheColonel]

LSAT passages are the best reading material, but it's understandable if you need to step away once in a while --

I would suggest --

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson --

1) it's stuff about science written for non-science people -- that's also true of the science passages on the lsat
2) it's dense
3) it's very enjoyable -- it is certainly helpful to read dense material to prepare for the LSAT, but no one says that that dense material has to be boring, and, in fact, I think the more interested you are, the better off you will be -- maybe I'm just super-nerdy, but I think this book is a lot of fun to read
4) it covers every single significant scientific discovery/controversy ever -- i'm willing to bet that at least 50% of the scientific issues that are discussed in LSAT passages are mentioned, in one way or another, in this bryson book
5) it's inspiring as all hell and shows you how brilliant people can be

This is the first I've heard of this as good practice for the LSAT but it does make perfect sense. It has a bunch of science and historical anecdotes and is superbly written. As much as I love The Economist, this writing style seems more in line with what the RC sections in the LSAT are since so much of The Economist focuses on news rather than the more historical/research focus of the science or history passages in the LSAT. (Caveat: I don't have any real proof of that other than my gut feeling after a bunch of studying.)

[princeR]

I just bought that science book off of Amazon, sounds very interesting, should be a good read!

[TyrionLannister]

Just iBooked that Bill Bryson book. Fascinating. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Mal Reynolds]

Just started reading the Bill Bryson book. I have really enjoyed some of the anecdotes about the scientists who have contributed to our understanding of the universe. My favorite so far is one about Sir Isaac Newton. Apparently a scientist came to ask him if he understood how and why the planets orbit around the sun-he was trying to win a bet about the planets having elliptical orbits. Not only had Newton came to the exact same conclusion but he had already worked out the physics mathematically. The only problem was that Newton had worked out the math then forgot where he put it-the astronomical equivalent of misplacing the cure for cancer, as the author puts it. He spent the next two years working on his book the Principia Mathematica. Pretty funny.

[Woods]

I think the general consensus here is that something more dense would be best; something that doesn't tell you everything you need to know in the first line. So the Economist, Wall Street Journal, etc. would be good materials to read in your spare time.

Thanks, could you please name a little more from the "etc."?

[d0rklord]

I think the general consensus here is that something more dense would be best; something that doesn't tell you everything you need to know in the first line. So the Economist, Wall Street Journal, etc. would be good materials to read in your spare time.

Thanks, could you please name a little more from the "etc."?

Bloomberg Business Week

[TheColonel]

I think the general consensus here is that something more dense would be best; something that doesn't tell you everything you need to know in the first line. So the Economist, Wall Street Journal, etc. would be good materials to read in your spare time.

Thanks, could you please name a little more from the "etc."?

I'd add the New Yorker and The Atlantic. They're both longer denser articles rather than shorter news articles. Generally, I think these are better because they have some sort of a point/conclusion like RC passages do, rather than just being a description of events.

[Mik Ekim]

I also recommend The Week, which is a news magazine that culls together various opinions and articles on key issues. The Week is meant to be somewhat light reading, and is not nearly as dense as The Atlantic or The Economist, but it'll give you tons of practice in terms of organizing support and opinions relative to some central debate.

[Micdiddy]

I started doing this last month with the Economist, Scientific America and the Smithsonian. Of the three I have found The Smithsonian to be the best and most interesting, Scientific American to be the next most interesting but not all that dense, and the Economist to be dense but not all that interesting.

And Bryson is a great author but I have not read that particular book, but kudos for him nonetheless.

[alpha kenny body]

If anyone has the LSAT preptest books they cite the sources of their passages and I've noticed a lot of Time magazine as well.

[Woods]

If anyone has the LSAT preptest books they cite the sources of their passages and I've noticed a lot of Time magazine as well.

Wow, sources of LSAT passages?

[TyrionLannister]

Harvard Law Review?

http://www.harvardlawreview.org/index.php