pinktoadette wrote:Hi, I need some pointers here. Ive been kind of struggling with CR.
I do notice that I do slightly better if I write out premise/conclusion. But I need to write out every premise. It takes up so much time.
If I write shorthand notation, I get lost easily. I write kind of long but not the entire sentence.
If I don't write anything, my brain drifts away and I end up reading the passage over and over.

I was wondering how you guys do it?

Thanks!

Hello!

I see exactly what you're saying. Writing out the information helps you to detangle it and make sense of exactly what it is saying, exactly the way that diagramming the sentence helps you to understand its grammatical construction. The problem in either case is exactly the same:

IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME.

But here's the caveat. When you are doing practice, if following the logic of a passage or argument is difficult, as it seems to be for you, you aren't ready to start timing yourself. Keep writing out the premises and conclusions as you slog through the Official Guide or whatever book you're using (for Critical Reasoning, you really should have the Official Guide). Do this for every practice problem. See if you can't start to notice patterns in the writing style and the wording. Try to get use to this dense but logical way of writing.

If you persist, eventually it WILL become easier and you will strengthen your reading skills to the point where for most problems you won't need to write everything out to follow it. You need to build up neuronal connections for this stuff the way you build up muscle to get stronger.

Happy studying!

Yes I was thinking if I keep practicing, eventually I'll see some sort of pattern in the questions.

Thank you!

It takes too long and does not make sense to write out each premise. On the GMAT about 50% or more of each question is likely to be "background information" that does not require the same focus as the more important parts of the stimulus.

But how to tell what is important and what is not?

Please read my article "MIP: Critical Reasoning the Tim Duncan Way" that details what to focus on and what level of detail is required as you write this information down.

Here is the link: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/02/ ... duncan-way

Thank You guyzzz for this explanation!!!

David@VeritasPrep wrote:It takes too long and does not make sense to write out each premise. On the GMAT about 50% or more of each question is likely to be "background information" that does not require the same focus as the more important parts of the stimulus.

But how to tell what is important and what is not?

Please read my article "MIP: Critical Reasoning the Tim Duncan Way" that details what to focus on and what level of detail is required as you write this information down.

Here is the link: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/02/ ... duncan-way

Hi David,

Can you please help me find the main conclusion in the below stimuli ?

1) In the United States, nearly half of the whole blood received by blood banks is acquired by buying blood from "Donors". This is a dangerous practice. It increases the risk of hepatitis for recipients because people who have the disease and who are desperate for money may lie in order to sell their blood. The practice is also demonstrably inefficient because the people willing to sell blood may not have the blood types needed.Finally, it commercializes what can be a beautifully rewarding act.--> I chose the second sentence

2) The brain loses sensitivity to the pain-killing effects of narcotic medicines taken regularly over a long period of time. This occurs because the flow of medication is controlled by the selective permeability of a barrier found in the tiniest of blood vessels. This barrier, which surrounds the brain and spinal tissues, determines which substances-ranging in size from molecules to viruses and bacteria - will pass from the blood into the cells and fluids of the brain. --> i chose the 1st sentence