| Average
Number per
Section (%) |
2–3 (5%) |
8–9 (16%) |
2–3 (5%) |
2 (4%) |
8–9 (16%) |
6 (12%) |
11 (21%) |
8–9 (16%) |
| Assess |
- Asks for the author’s
primary goal
- Look for: central
thesis, primary
purpose, main idea
|
- Asks about what is stated explicitly in the passage
- Look for: the author states, according to the passage, declarative language (is or are)
|
- Asks about what the
author is trying to do
during the passage
- Look for: purpose,
motive, intention, in
order to, because
|
- Asks to define a word or phrase as
it is used in the passage
- Look for: a word, phrase, or claim from the passage (usually in quotes or italics)
|
- Asks for unstated parts of
arguments
- Look for: assume,
because, conclude, imply,
infer, justify, reasonable,
suggest
|
- Asks about the logical relationship
between conclusions and the
evidence that strengthens them or
the refutations that weaken them
- Look for: relate, support,
challenge, relevance, significant,
impact
|
- Asks to take the information
given in the passage and
extrapolate it to a new
context (author’s response,
probable outcome, or
example)
- Look for: response, reply,
most likely to agree
with, least consistent
with, outcome, result,
expectation, consequence,
example, instance
|
- Asks about the logical relationship
between conclusions and the
evidence that strengthens them or
the refutations that weaken them
- Look for: relate, support,
challenge, relevance, significant,
impact, could, would
|
| Plan |
- Look at what you
wrote in your Outline
for the Goal
|
- Look for content
buzzwords in the
question stem and
check your Outline to
determine where the
relevant information
will be found
|
- Use your Outline to
locate the relevant
paragraph
|
- Use your Outline to locate the
relevant paragraph
|
- Determine whether
you are looking for an
assumption (evidence) or
implication (conclusion)
- Determine which claim
the answer is supposed
to support or be
supported by
|
- Determine the two claims and the
connection between them; you
will usually be given at least one
of these elements and will have to
find the other(s)
- Identify where each piece of the
argument can be found: in the
question stem, in the passage, or
in the answer choices
|
- If the question stem is
long, jump to the end to
determine what it’s asking
- Read any information
given in the question
stem closely, looking for
hints that connect it to the
passage
|
- Determine the two claims and the
connection between them; you
will usually be given at least one
of these elements and will have to
find the other(s)
- Identify where each piece of the
argument can be found: in the
question stem, in the passage, or
in the answer choices
|
| Execute |
- Reread the Goal in
your Outline, taking
note of the charge
and degree of the
verb (positive vs.
negative, extreme vs.
moderate)
|
- Reread the relevant
sentence, as well as
the sentences before
and after
- Create your prediction
by putting the answer
in your own words
- Make the prediction
brief so you can repeat
it to yourself between
answer choices
|
- Look at your Label for
the relevant paragraph
and the Goal at the
bottom of your outline
- If buzzwords in
the question stem
direct you to specific
sentences, reread
those portions,
thinking about
how they fit into
the purpose of the
paragraph and the
overall passage
|
- Reread the sentence with the
word or phrase, and perhaps the
surrounding context
- Rephrase the author’s definition of
the term in your own words
|
- Reread the relevant
sentence, noting explicit
evidence and conclusions
given
- For assumption
questions, the answer
is either similar to the
evidence given or links
the evidence to the
conclusions
- For implication questions,
the answer is either
similar to the conclusions
given or is another logical
conclusion one could draw
from the evidence
|
- Research the relevant text to
determine the missing claim
or the connection between the
claims
- Use Logic keywords to help
assemble the argument
|
- Reread the relevant text
- For response questions,
determine the author’s key
beliefs (Author keywords)
- For Outcome questions,
pay attention to cause–
effect relationships (Logic
keywords)
- For Example questions,
look for text that provides
definitions, explanations, or
the author’s own example,
noting any necessary or
sufficient conditions
|
- Research the relevant text to
determine the missing claim or the
connection between the claims
- Use Logic keywords to help
assemble the argument
|
| Answer |
- Match your
expectations to the
right answer
- If there is no clear
match, use process
of elimination
- Wrong answers are
often too narrow or
too broad
- Wrong answers may
have the wrong tone
(positive, negative,
ambivalent, or
impartial) or degree
(too extreme or too
moderate)
|
- Match your
expectations to the
right answer
- If there is no clear
match, use process of
elimination
|
- Match your
expectations to the
right answer
- If there is no clear
match, use process of
elimination
- Remove any answer
that conflicts with
the author’s main
argument or the
paragraph’s purpose
|
- Match your expectations to the
right answer
- If there is no clear match, use
process of elimination
|
- Match your expectations
to the right answer
- If there is no clear match,
use the Denial Test
(negate each answer
choice; whichever answer
choice—when negated—
has the most detrimental
effect on the argument
made in the passage is
the correct answer choice)
|
- Match your expectations to the
right answer
- If there is no clear match, use
process of elimination
|
- Match your expectations to
the right answer
- If there is no clear match,
use process of elimination
- Eliminate any answer
choices that are
inconsistent with the
author’s views
- Eliminate any answer
choice that does not contain
necessary conditions
|
- Match your expectations to the
right answer
- If there is no clear match, use
process of elimination
|