Systematic LR Problems - Any Suggestions?

[DouperLou]

Hey All,

I'm a newbie here, but i've been reading for a few weeks after finding this board. Its been informative; i am taking the LSAT in October and just started studying about two weeks ago. So far i've read the Kaplan book, Master the LSAT, and Logic Games Bible. I did minimal practice while reading, and am just going through practice tests (i've bought all three of the "10 actual" books and tests 39-42, so i've got lots of material!) and trying to apply the rules from the material I've read that seem to work best and make the most sense to me.

I've worked through three tests, and here is my progress so far:

1) Logic Games - my undergrad is CS, so these are pretty easy. I usually only miss 2-3 and can always figure out why. No problems here.

2) Logical Reasoning - I've been a little slow on the uptake of how to approach all of the different problem types, but i can consistently identify and eliminate 3 of the 5 solutions (ala Master the LSAT). But i have a real problem choosing between the remaining two. In fact sometimes when i go back to study the missed problem, knowing the correct answer, i can't figure out why it is better than the other answer i haven't eliminated. Sometimes i only miss 3-4 on a LR section, other times it is 8-9!!!

3) Reading Comprehension - i suck at this and just have to learn to read faster and make the margin notes, etc, that i need to locate the answer quicker. Some of the same issues as LR. Consistently miss 8-10 out of the 28.

I'm mostly distressed about the LR problems i'm having (they apply to some of the RC too). Anyone have any words of wisdom? I know it will get better over time as i get a feel for the questions, but if there is some advice that could hasten the learning curve it would be much appreciated.

Sorry this post is so long...

TIA,
-Lou

[BlueGirl]

I'm a math minor, CS emphasis and sometimes I convert the problems into if then else statements or while loops, stuff like that for the logical reasoning.  Doesn't work for all of them and I don't know if it will work for you, but sometimes writing a the problem underneath it helps me to focus on the logic rather than the words.
You have plenty of time to work on these two sections, though.  You should be fine.

[DouperLou]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply BlueGirl!

That makes total sense. "Master the LSAT" goes into diagramming a little bit, but doesn't really give that good of examples, or at least ones that i seem to able to easily implement or use as effective guides. I've pre-ordered the PowerScore "Logical Reasoning Bible" with the hope that it will have some things that work for me.

Do you have any suggestions for books that might cover diagramming better? That sounds like something that might work for me. I have real problems when the problems get really long and/or throw in lots of "some", "all", and "most" clauses; i just don't really know how to symbolize all that logic. The contrapositive, transitive, etc, properties are all fairly simple and remind me of basic algebra, but the grammer part seems to throw me off.

If it was just in Java code or something ...

Thanks so much!
-Lou

[BlueGirl]

I miss Java.  I've had to program in mostly VB.Net this summer and I can't wait to get back to Java. 

Anyways, I don't really know any good diagramming books.  I just went partly through the 10 real LSATs then went and took the test.  Anyways, "all" is just and upside down A and "some" is just a backwards E.       Not sure about most, though.  hmmmm

Good luck to you.

[Casper]

I'm a math minor, CS emphasis and sometimes I convert the problems into if then else statements or while loops, stuff like that for the logical reasoning.  Doesn't work for all of them and I don't know if it will work for you, but sometimes writing a the problem underneath it helps me to focus on the logic rather than the words.
You have plenty of time to work on these two sections, though.  You should be fine.

WOW.  I've never thought I'd see if/else and while loops while studying LSAT.  Could you give me an example how you would use if/else statements and while loops to solve LSAT type questions?

Hehehe.  I'd missed C++ programming too...

Thanks.

[DouperLou]

I had to teach a lab for my Graduate Assistantship (i just finished my MBA in June) where the language was VB. Its the language that just won't die. The new thing for Microsoft .NET is C#, which is like a merging of VB and Java, and is bearable.

Hopefully law school works out and programming will drift into a hobby activity ... 

-lou

[BlueGirl]

Could you give me an example how you would use if/else statements and while loops to solve LSAT type questions?

I don't have any specific examples, but I found this most useful in the parallel reasoning questions.  I label the "parts" A, B, C, etc. really quickly.  Then just write out if A then B.  if not C then B.  etc  for the question and answers.  Knocks off most of the answers pretty quickly for me.

VB.Net is bearable, much better than old style VB, but still.  Makes me feel like a child typing those silly key words (friend, me, etc).

Nice to see some other CS people on here.  Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

[DouperLou]

I went to the library and checked out a couple of books on logic tonight - don't know if they will help, but they seem to deal with analyzing arguments in english instead of strictly mathematical representation of stuff at least.

Yes, VB isn't too bad. Felt like i was programming in Pascal again like in High School or something. My work experience is mostly in Java doing Enterprise apps, and my undergrad work was in C/C++, so a dose of VB was a little grade-school.

-lou

[swifty]

I went to the library and checked out a couple of books on logic tonight - don't know if they will help, but they seem to deal with analyzing arguments in english instead of strictly mathematical representation of stuff at least.

Yes, VB isn't too bad. Felt like i was programming in Pascal again like in High School or something. My work experience is mostly in Java doing Enterprise apps, and my undergrad work was in C/C++, so a dose of VB was a little grade-school.

-lou

OT

Someone told me I should turn off visual basic that runs in the background to speed up my machine, but he didn't tell me how, and did say the reasons I might need it, but I forgot.  I don't want anything runing in the background I don't need.  Windows 95-98 took all my memory in the foreground(when I needed it equally for all sessions), and XP is using all my memory in the background.  Gawd I hate Windows!
Any help? Oh, this is recommended if you have a .vbs virus,  I don't.  But still want a faster machine.