Reading Comprehension

Taking notes does not mean taking TONS of notes.
We (at GMAT Prep Now) believe you should identify and summarize:
- the theme of each paragraph (4 to 8 words)
- conflicting points of view (4 to 8 words)
- main idea (4 to 8 words)

So, we're talking about 20 to 30 words altogether (and you can use shorthand and acronyms to use fewer words).

If you take good notes, you won't have to go back and re-read the passage. More importantly, when you're looking for specific pieces of information to summarize, you will better engage with the passage (which is a HUGE factor in RC success).

If others are interested, we have a free set of videos that cover all sorts of Reading Comprehension strategies: https://www.gmatprepnow.com/module/gmat- ... prehension

Cheers,
Brent

For some detail questions, you may have to return to the passage. However, if you take notes, you may have a good idea where the required information is located.

Yes, I take notes.

I can't say that it's a universal strategy. I've heard that test-takers in other galaxies sometimes don't take notes

Having said all of that, when it comes to Reading Comprehension, I don't believe that there's one specific approach that works best for everyone. I always recommend that students spend some time experimenting with different strategies to see which one best suits their memory, reading speed and English proficiency.

Cheers,
Brent

Hi edson,

Some Test Takers are naturally strong in the Verbal section, so they take fewer notes (much in the same way that some Test Takers are really strong in the Quant and don't take notes either). If your goal is score at the highest possible level though, you really have to think about the logic behind note-taking. Have you EVER gotten an RC question wrong because of a silly/little mistake? If you have, then note-taking might have kept that mistake from happening.

The process of note-taking serves several purposes. Beyond summarizing the passage (in each paragraph and overall), you also engage your thinking at a higher level (since you have to process what you've read and note the ideas). The note-taking also forces you to look away from the screen, which is beneficial (physiologically and psychologically).

Ultimately, you can choose to approach this process and the GMAT in whatever manner you choose. If you hit your goal score, then your plan will have worked. As a gauge though, I'd like to know a few things about your studies:

1) Have you taken the Official GMAT yet? If so, then how did you score?
2) How have you scored on each of your practice CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
3) What is your goal score?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

I think it's almost impossible to give universal advice on note-taking; this is why you'll find so much contradictory advice from prep companies. I think that some students benefit from note-taking, abut my suspicion is that for a majority of students, note-taking does not add value.

The problem is that we were trained to take notes back in high school and college. When we took notes back then, we tended to focus on 2 things:
- remember details
- prepare for a test weeks or months in the future

On the GMAT, those objectives are useless. You should only take notes on the GMAT if:
- writing helps you to stay focused / organized in your thinking
- you focus on the STRUCTURE of the passage, not the details

I recommend performing your own experiment: try 3 RC passages taking notes, then try 3 with no notes at all. See if there is a difference in your accuracy. If notes improve accuracy, take them. If they don't - save time by skipping them.