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

2. 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

3. 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.”

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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