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Any strategies, ideas, tips?. what do you guys thinking about wearing a rubber band as a bracelet and eveyr time you begin to day dream, just snap it so that it hurts.

You could buy one of those shock collars they use for dogs and shock yourself each time you daydream. Turn up the intensity w each successive distraction

Colonel_funkadunk wrote:You could buy one of those shock collars they use for dogs and shock yourself each time you daydream. Turn up the intensity w each successive distraction

lol thats funny, but i am being serious, what have you guys done to maintain focus, prevent yourself from day dreaming?

bump, anybody want to chime in?

I use a lot of the usual "active reading" techniques (e.g., drawing boxes around dates and names, underlining terms that are defined, marking where there are shifts in perspectives) to help me stay focused. I also keep a conversation with myself (in my head) about what's going on in the passage (similar to the walk-through/explanations in the Manhattan RC book) just to make sure I'm synthesizing information as I go along.

hetookmetoamovie wrote:I use a lot of the usual "active reading" techniques (e.g., drawing boxes around dates and names, underlining terms that are defined, marking where there are shifts in perspectives) to help me stay focused. I also keep a conversation with myself (in my head) about what's going on in the passage (similar to the walk-through/explanations in the Manhattan RC book) just to make sure I'm synthesizing information as I go along.

thanks!, i will try to do that.

what do you mean daydreaming

it's like 8 paragraphs

One little thing I did: move your pencil along the passage under the word you are reading (kinda like when kids follow along in a book with their finger). I actually did this to help me keep the pace of my reading fast, but if you are losing focus during the passages I could see it lessening the chance that your mind would wander/you would lose your place.

mephistopheles wrote:what do you mean daydreaming

it's like 8 paragraphs

its like 16 paragraphs.

I'm only able to focus and not get glossy eyed when I underline, circle names/key words, mark viewpoints, and write a few words about each paragraph. I hate RC though.

hillz wrote:I'm only able to focus and not get glossy eyed when I underline, circle names/key words, mark viewpoints, and write a few words about each paragraph. I hate RC though.

yeah thats what im trying to do so that i can be an active reader

What I found helpful for focus during RC is instead of just reading, get critical/analytical. In other words, while youre reading, ask yourself things like whose point of view is currently being mentionned and how it fits into the passage, how an example is used to make a point or undermine a point, what the main point is, how its supported etc. Always be analysing the passage while reading. This will help keep your mind engaged with the material and will help you tackle the questions that follow.

amphetamines

Guess what you'll be doing a lot in law school? Reading shit that isn't as interesting as the RC passages on the LSAT.

I take a page from those LR questions that always talk about curiosity being essential for true learning to occur. You always need to find a way to connect with the material. Remember that RC passages aren't supposed to be made up information, they're all supposed to be factually accurate. This means that you have a great opportunity to expand your intellectual horizons by being curious about the topic and learning something new. My goal is always to get truly interested in the information being discussed (some passages are easier than others). Try to view the passages in this light instead of the "this only applies for the next 9 minutes" approach and you may find yourself gaining focus.

And yes I realize this is probably the nerdiest post ever

Jon McCarty wrote:I take a page from those LR questions that always talk about curiosity being essential for true learning to occur. You always need to find a way to connect with the material. Remember that RC passages aren't supposed to be made up information, they're all supposed to be factually accurate. This means that you have a great opportunity to expand your intellectual horizons by being curious about the topic and learning something new. My goal is always to get truly interested in the information being discussed (some passages are easier than others). Try to view the passages in this light instead of the "this only applies for the next 9 minutes" approach and you may find yourself gaining focus.

And yes I realize this is probably the nerdiest post ever

first thing my tutor told me about RC was "read like you're going on a date with a hot girl who has a boring profession. Be prepared for that date."

lol

ilikebaseball wrote:

Jon McCarty wrote:I take a page from those LR questions that always talk about curiosity being essential for true learning to occur. You always need to find a way to connect with the material. Remember that RC passages aren't supposed to be made up information, they're all supposed to be factually accurate. This means that you have a great opportunity to expand your intellectual horizons by being curious about the topic and learning something new. My goal is always to get truly interested in the information being discussed (some passages are easier than others). Try to view the passages in this light instead of the "this only applies for the next 9 minutes" approach and you may find yourself gaining focus.

And yes I realize this is probably the nerdiest post ever

first thing my tutor told me about RC was "read like you're going on a date with a hot girl who has a boring profession. Be prepared for that date."

lol

Love it!