Lecture Notes for Verbal ReasoningLesson 1

General Test-Taking Strategies

General Test-Taking Strategies:

Know the TestKeep in mind the question categories

Comprehension questionsMain ideas, author’s purpose, details, inferences, and assumptions

Evaluation questionsIdentify the statement’s function

Assess the structure of the passage

Judge the quality of the argument

Application questionsApply ideas in passages to outside information

Incorporation questionsApply outside information to arguments in passage

Test-Taking Strategies:Know the Test

Feel comfortable with the verbal reasoning test content

60 minutes long

Usually seven passages (8 ½ minutes per passage).

6-10 questions per passage for about 40 questions

Passages drawn from social sciences, humanities, and sections not included in the science portion of the test.

Advice: Access a peer-reviewed scholarly journal from the SUU library databases and read at least one article per week.

Apply tactics for reading passages to journal reading.

Get comfortable with various “discourse communities.”

General Test-Taking Strategies:

Know the TestKeep in mind the scoring system

You can miss several questions and still receive a perfect score

The test rewards those who finish all passages

General Test-Taking Strategies:

Attitude and MindsetBe confident and relaxed, but not too relaxed.

Harken back to relaxation routine from these sessions

Be confident in your score.Don’t doubt yourself when you are unsure or you are forced to guess.

Read the passage with arrogance.Be confident with how you’re reading the passage.

View the exam as a challengeDon’t obsess over the test by putting too much pressure on yourself

General Test-Taking Strategies:

Attitude and MindsetAdvice: the five-second break

Close your eyes, take a deep breath, slowly exhale, and recall the relaxation activity from our prep sessions.

Right before beginning the verbal reasoning section, after each passage, or if you feel anxious.

Exude energy.Train yourself to concentrate for long periods.

Give 100% every time you practice.

Maintain focus.Ignore any distractions

Clear your mind of any clutter