When doing RC... Forum

[WaltGrace83]

Do you refer back to the text? I know that you are "supposed to" when it says something like "the clerk in line #x-y would most likely agree with the following," but I have noticed that really the only questions I am getting wrong are ones that I could have got right had I reread relevant parts of the section.

[bp shinners]

I have noticed that really the only questions I am getting wrong are ones that I could have got right had I reread relevant parts of the section.

I think that answers your question

Definitely go back if it's going to get you correct answers. The trick is to have tags so that you can quickly find the relevant information instead of re-reading the entire passage (or entire paragraphs). But I definitely go back to check the text itself to make sure I'm getting the question correct.

[RobertGolddust]

Unless your name is Will Hunting or Sheldon Cooper you need to refer back to the passage. I have read posts on this forum where people claim they can answer all the questions without referring back to the passage. But, I have never met anyone in the flesh capable of this.

I read alot and have a good memory and still find it necessary to return to the passage. However, if you have the same assets I do you might be able to get away with a minimal amount of notation. For instance I never write in the margins. I only underline points of view and circle dates, names, and words that might indicate someones attitude. Occasionally I will track enumerations or write a CC if a paragraph compares two viewpoints, but I seldom do this. My method is pretty full proof (for myself of course), its largely derivative of Powerscore's method and voyager's method.

[WaltGrace83]

Unless your name is Will Hunting or Sheldon Cooper you need to refer back to the passage. I have read posts on this forum where people claim they can answer all the questions without referring back to the passage. But, I have never met anyone in the flesh capable of this.

I read alot and have a good memory and still find it necessary to return to the passage. However, if you have the same assets I do you might be able to get away with a minimal amount of notation. For instance I never write in the margins. I only underline points of view and circle dates, names, and words that might indicate someones attitude. Occasionally I will track enumerations or write a CC if a paragraph compares two viewpoints, but I seldom do this. My method is pretty full proof (for myself of course), its largely derivative of Powerscore's method and voyager's method.

Yea I am going to try a few passages tonight without ANY annotation. Perhaps one of my problems with this section (-7 usually) is that I haven't tried all the strategies. Maybe I need to focus more on the questions (you know, the thing I actually get points for) rather than comprehension. Maybe that is a bad idea but it is a worth a try

[RobertGolddust]

Maybe I need to focus more on the questions (you know, the thing I actually get points for) rather than comprehension.

You've pretty much got the right idea. As far as comprehension goes, you still need to comprehend the material, but not to an extent where you could sit down and write a book report on late 20th century Native American rug weaving. Just make sure you can pre-phrase a main point for the whole passage and a main point for each paragraph.

[bp shinners]

Maybe I need to focus more on the questions (you know, the thing I actually get points for) rather than comprehension.

You've pretty much got the right idea. As far as comprehension goes, you still need to comprehend the material, but not to an extent where you could sit down and write a book report on late 20th century Native American rug weaving. Just make sure you can pre-phrase a main point for the whole passage and a main point for each paragraph.

Yep.

As to the questions, treat them as LR questions. A lot of people think the logic is "softer" in RC. It's not. The requirements for a correct answer are just as high as they are for LR. And most of the RC question types have an LR analogue; use the same strategies for both of them.