Speed Training for LR

[Craving Oyer]

So I'm to the point where I really don't miss any questions because I didn't understand them. I am, however, still missing questions (typically 5 of the last 6 for example) in each section because I simply never had the opportunity to read the question. Can anyone make suggestions for improving speed at this point?

I'm thinking an ideal breakdown for LR pacing would be:
Questions 1-15: 15 minutes
Questions 16-25: 20 minutes

So, my plan is to go back to old tests and work my way through LR sections practicing:
Questions 1-5: 5 minues
Questions 6-15: 10 minutes
Questions 16-25: 20 minutes

Once I've gotten used to each step, I'll put it all together. Any thoughts?

[senseless]

Pacing should depend on the individual question, in my opinion. There are some questions that can easily be answered in 20-30 seconds, while others may take up to 2 minutes. Some say the 1st 10 questions are the easiest; my October LSAT seemed to support that. I found the most difficult questions to be concentrated between 14-22.

My strategy is to skip a question as soon as it looks confusing, then come back to it later. I also skip the longest passages because even though they may not be too difficult, I'd rather save the reading for the end of the section. On my October LSAT I got to the end of each LR section with about 3 skips and between 5-10 minutes to attack them.

Good luck!

[Scentless Apprentice]

I agree with Mackler. The time constraints can be used as general benchmarks, but the fact is that sometimes there are difficult questions between 10 - 15, and it may be worth it to spend an extra 2 minutes or so.

As far as skipping questions, I think that's an artful dodge, and is something you'll develop as you progress in your prep.

Your pacing just kind of falls into place after you're able to consistently finish in 35 minutes. This took me a long time, but it did eventually happen.

[FutureLawyer9]

I agree with Mackler. The time constraints can be used as general benchmarks, but the fact is that sometimes there are difficult questions between 10 - 15, and it may be worth it to spend an extra 2 minutes or so.

As far as skipping questions, I think that's an artful dodge, and is something you'll develop as you progress in your prep.

Your pacing just kind of falls into place after you're able to consistently finish in 35 minutes. This took me a long time, but it did eventually happen.

How long is "a long time"

[Scentless Apprentice]

I agree with Mackler. The time constraints can be used as general benchmarks, but the fact is that sometimes there are difficult questions between 10 - 15, and it may be worth it to spend an extra 2 minutes or so.

As far as skipping questions, I think that's an artful dodge, and is something you'll develop as you progress in your prep.

Your pacing just kind of falls into place after you're able to consistently finish in 35 minutes. This took me a long time, but it did eventually happen.

How long is "a long time"

I think it took me a couple of months to finish an LR section on time without really rushing at the end.

Don't go by my experience though..I was studying all sections at the same time..so it wasnt just LR for those 2 months. I havent taken the test yet..I postponed because I decided to sit out a cycle. I actually havent studying the LSAT in over a month..I'm curious to see how I do when I pick it up again in a few weeks. I just do a logic game here and there because I'm a gigantic nerd.

[EarlCat]

Speed comes with practice.  You've apparently got the logic side of it down, which is great.  The next plateau is where you don't have to actually *think* about the logic...you're so familiar with the concepts that they become automatic--you know exactly what you're looking for when you read an argument, exactly when you've found it, and exactly what answer matches what you found.  That's when the clouds part, the sun shines down, and all becomes peaceful in the world.  Welcome to Nirvana.

[Craving Oyer]

Thanks to all for the replies. I plan to get through 20 more preptests (all from 2000-2008) before December 6th. Additionally, I'm going to keep doing some timed section training in the breaks between classes when I don't have the hours for a full preptest. I can't physically do much more practice than that without sacrificing sleep! 

[EarlCat]

Let me clarify a bit.  Your speed is NOT going to improve by merely doing timed practice.  Practice SLOWLY, off the clock, and get to KNOW the ins and outs of the test.  IMO, once you get the logic down, it really becomes more about pattern recognition, but that's not easy to attain if you're flying through questions when you practice only looking for the credited responses.

[Brent Dunn]

One thing that you may want to consider is that it is wise to build in a little bit of a time buffer. That is get used to finishing in a bit less that 35 mins.
Many people will move a little more slowly on the actual test than they will in their practice tests. Part of this is the natural effect of knowing that it is the real thing. For example, on practice tests many people will be satisfied with being 80-90% sure on the LR and RC sections, and will move on to the next question. However, this isn't always the case in the real test. Many of these same people will instead spend the little extra time required to be 100% sure, and that slows them down just a little bit.

Obviously, there are two ways to counter this tendency. The first is to really try on the practice tests to be as sure as you want to be on the actual test. While this is a good idea, I think that it is difficult to do. You will know that the real test is the real thing, and that really does affect most people for better or worse. In my experience, a 3-5 minute buffer is a really good idea on the practice tests. That way even if you are a little slower you can still finish the section. It also give a greater sense of confidence, knowing that you have that buffer in case you need it.

[Craving Oyer]

Thanks, Earlcat. That makes sense. I'll still get through the preptests timed, but I'll use some of the pre-2000 LSATS to break up and just sit for an hour and work through a section slowly focusing on the logic.