LSAT Reading Comp -- Aspects to Success Flashcards
How do you identify the ISSUE?
*remember everything relevant should link to ISSUE*
*note double contrast word construction (i.e. But in spite of…) can be an excellent Issue indicator*
Location: It will be in the first Paragraph, perhaps 1st sentence of Second Paragraph CONTRAST WORDS to show conflict of opinion (APOV and OPOV) VIVID LANGUAGE to alert you to CHANGE IN TONE (what if this happened to me??) Answers questions - directly or indirectly GLUES all the thoughts of passage together
Lawyers Chase Videos And Glory
What 3 aspects do you need to focus on when READING THE PASSAGE?
These 3 things will account for 2/3 of correct ACs and these things comprise BIG PICTURE
- Issue
- POV
- Structure
Idiots Procrastinate Studying
What 2 aspects do you need to focus on when READING the QUESTION?
Read the question very carefully, understand the
TYPE of Q and
SCOPE of Q.
What 6 components of the STRUCTURE should you MARK UP in the PASSAGE?
*remember everything relevant should link to ISSUE*
Points of View - mark w/ CIRCLED LETTERS (note the relevant POVs are specifically about the ISSUE) (PINK) (note that if you see contrast word late in passage (yet, however, but, etc…) then it is likely APOV)
Major Thoughts (2 to 7 words) - draw a BOX
Headings - Simply top of
LIST- draw an H Lists - Either WITHIN or ACROSS paragraphs - mark w/ CIRCLED NUMBERS (ORANGE)
Cut paragraphs where POV or TOPIC change within paragraph - Draw LINES and label pre- and post-cut (underline)
Issue (subscript Conflict of opinion, or Review body of work (style or content), or Problem solution discovery (traditional vs new theory) - draw Ic Ir Ip (YELLOW)
Please Microwave His Lamb Chop Immediately!
What are the 3 types of ISSUE you will find in a passage?
*remember everything relevant should link to
ISSUE* Conflict of Opinion (APOV vs OPOV or CPOV). And within Conflict of Opinion, there is YOU’RE WRONG and WE DON’T KNOW
Review a Body of Work - ask WHAT ARE THEY DOING - usally about Style or Content
Problem/Soln/Discover - new theory vs old, research studies/experiments and the IMPACT
Corny Reading Problem
How do you identify the Author Point of View (APOV)?
(note the relevant POVs are specifically about the ISSUE) APOV contrast words (however, yet, but, although, despite, while…) chatty language (clearly, the fact is, indeed, and the result, certainly…) recommendation (should, ought, needs) solutions
APOV can be stated overtly, implied, even repeated and scattered…
**ask yourself – how do they feel about ISSUE and HOW STRONGLY? **
How do you identify the Opposing or Historian POV (OPOV or HPOV)
(note the relevant POVs are specifically about the ISSUE) OPOV, HPOV
Meyerson says… Critics argue… Others speculate… Theories, Models, Thoughts…
**ask yourself – how do they feel about ISSUE and HOW STRONGLY? **
What are your 4 types of Stop and Think work? to help you get clarity and keep short term memory clear…
- Take INSTRUCTIONS from TMs: e.g. if VAGUE or NEW concepts come up in the Issue or APOV (as opposed to minutiae), you need to define that VAGUE term – instruction from TM is to define the VAGUE term!
- Visualization: visualization is a habit and skill
- Think back to your issue: Relate and stop and think back to your issue – when they use thesaurus words, keep repeating orig issue wording –
- Boil it DOWN: aka paraphrase
If you see a new complicated technical word in the ISSUE (e.g. lichenometry), what should you think?
This is a cue to Take Instructions from The TMs. In other words, you need to recognize that you need to figure out WHAT exactly this new word means from the rest of the passage.
What to do if you are running out of time for Reading passages or Arguments?
Pick ACs with weak language in inference questions!
What usually do CONTRAST words (or even MULTIPLE CONTRAST WORD CONSTRUCTIONS) indicate in the first paragraph of a Reading Comp passage?
The issue is nearby (contrast words in 1st paragraph) (but maybe not in BoW passsages) Presenting APOV, OPOV, etc. (contrast words in 2nd paragraph) Presenting problem vs solution (contrast words in 2nd paragraph)
BoW passages about PERSON’s work often focus on what two general themes?
Problem-Discovery-Solution passages often have what elements?
BoW about PERSON is going to focus on Style and Content, or both
Problem Discovery Soln is often in Traditional Theory Structure: • Traditional Theory - with 100% word (that’s your tell)…sets up an overly broad theory about to be BUSTED
• Problem/Discovery addressing 100% verbage in TT (Issue)…new method introduced • Studies • Research • Experiments Impact
See the word assumption or presumption? Presume or assume?
Pay attention
APOV often has…
Contrast words. Note that APOV may not be a fully formed opinion…it can be simply: BUT there is some other stuff going on that the other POV overlooks…
If you see “only if” in a Reading PAssage…
Put an ARROW through it (then) and highlight it in the passage because it WILL be asked about in the questions
