Lecture Notes for Verbal Reasoning Lesson 1 General Test-Taking Strategies

General Test-Taking Strategies: Know the Test Keep in mind the question categories Comprehension questions Main ideas, author’s purpose, details, inferences, and assumptions Evaluation questions Identify the statement’s function Assess the structure of the passage Judge the quality of the argument Application questions Apply ideas in passages to outside information Incorporation questions Apply 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 Test Keep 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 Mindset Be 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 challenge Don’t obsess over the test by putting too much pressure on yourself

General Test-Taking Strategies: Attitude and Mindset Advice: 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