So What's Your Style?

[ramona223]

I'd like to get a good consensus on this...Ok, as far as physics passages go, reading could be as minimal as possible before answering questions...What about G-chem and O-chem, heck, even Bio passages? How carefully do you read passages from each category before answering questions?

I recently started to minimize reading physics passages and it's been working out GREAT for me (a change from my last MCAT studying era)...I tried out not reading and maybe just skimming O-Chem passages as well (i.e. looking at reactions and a minimal description of what's happening), -it seems a bit trickier w/ O-Chem...Not sure about G-Chem and Bio...I Don't think I can get away with avoiding the passage as far as Bio/Physio goes...

One thing's for sure, there's a kind of "give and take" in this method, in that the more review you do, the less attention you can pay to the text of passages (again, at least in physics...).

Thoughts or satisfactory methods for the other subjects?

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[ultimateend]

I'd like to get a good consensus on this...Ok, as far as physics passages go, reading could be as minimal as possible before answering questions...What about G-chem and O-chem, heck, even Bio passages? How carefully do you read passages from each category before answering questions?

I recently started to minimize reading physics passages and it's been working out GREAT for me (a change from my last MCAT studying era)...I tried out not reading and maybe just skimming O-Chem passages as well (i.e. looking at reactions and a minimal description of what's happening), -it seems a bit trickier w/ O-Chem...Not sure about G-Chem and Bio...I Don't think I can get away with avoiding the passage as far as Bio/Physio goes...

One thing's for sure, there's a kind of "give and take" in this method, in that the more review you do, the less attention you can pay to the text of passages (again, at least in physics...).

Thoughts or satisfactory methods for the other subjects?

From taking the test in April I would say it would be very risky to skim. There were many PS and BS questions that required very detailed reading from the passages. I think the whole test is a reading comprehension test, not just verbal. If you want to skim, do it over the graphs and figures and then come back to them if any question asks you to extrapolate info from it.

 

[ramona223]

From taking the test in April I would say it would be very risky to skim. There were many PS and BS questions that required very detailed reading from the passages. I think the whole test is a reading comprehension test, not just verbal. If you want to skim, do it over the graphs and figures and then come back to them if any question asks you to extrapolate info from it.

you know, the funny thing is, i do tons of verbal, and my verbal has been improving during the last weeks....i noticed as my verbal was improving, so was my reading comprehension speed in ps and bs and it helped a lot for those one or two questions that test your knowledge of the passage (esp. in physic)...and up until yesterday i was contemplating the same thing-that this whole test is a one big reading comprehension test....

but then the other day i read the physics thread in which it was recommended that you not read too carefully for the sake of time, and having tried that out worked well for me...so at the cost of maybe missing a few questions that were passage based, i didn't waste too much time reading long summaries of topics that some passages include-stuff i had already read in my reviewing phase . i think the compromise between reading carefully and barely reading at all is KNOWING WHERE to find pertinent info by SKIMMING efficiently...
I guess I haven't tried out skimming in ps enough to be 100% comfortable (maybe i just feel comfortable because i'm doing topical tests in which I know what topic is being tested)...It is true that on the MCAT they like to combine various topics into one experiment...but still, if your recall of each topic is good, you can save time by skimming...improving reading comprehension helps you for the whole test for sure. I guess it helps to know WHAT kind of passage your dealing with as well....
What the heck is a "discrete" passage? I keep seeing that everywhere...

 

[Shrike]

From taking the test in April I would say it would be very risky to skim.

You are entitled to this opinion, but among experts it is a minority view.

To the OP: skimming is appropriate for long passages in every science. Organic chemistry passages in particular are often short enough that it's fine to read them.

 

[Shrike]

What the heck is a "discrete" passage? I keep seeing that everywhere...

Some people refer to questions without passages as "dicrete." To TPR folks, they're "free-standing questions" -- a better term, to my mind. I have never heard of a dicrete passage.

 

[ramona223]

Some people refer to questions without passages as "dicrete." To TPR folks, they're "free-standing questions" -- a better term, to my mind. I have never heard of a dicrete passage.

Thanks Shrike! Your Physics method has been working for me. I was first told to not read certain PS passages too carefully in my review course, but didn't pay attention...On test day in April, I ran out of time for PS and practically guessed for two passages and skipped a bubble because I got so nervous about running out of time.....Would you recommend the same method for G-chem passages or mostly physics?
Again, for me, reviewing well aids in not having to read "summary" type passages that tend to be longer and getting to questions faster in PS.

 

[psiyung]

Some people refer to questions without passages as "dicrete." To TPR folks, they're "free-standing questions" -- a better term, to my mind. I have never heard of a dicrete passage.

Here is something that you can explain to me. If the students skim as you say, how the heck do you expect them to answer questions that are directly related to the passage?

 

[cyanutopia]

Whatever you do, DON'T skim. Most of the information you need to answer all the questions is right there in the passages (true for all sections). Read carefully, but only read the passage once before tackling the questions. I recommend making a one phrase summary (sometimes just one or two words) after each paragraph and next to each figure to make a sort of "table of contents" for yourself so that finding stuff in the passage later on will be easier. Using this method I was able to increase my score 10 points.

Often times, a passage will contain exceptions to knowledge that you already have. If you think you know more than the passage, by all means, go right for the questions, but remember that MCAT writers know how most people take tests---give yourself the advantage and be distinct.