Reading Overview
Terminology note
The LSAT calls this section "Reading Comprehension", which many shorten to "RC."
Each Reading section contains 4 short texts. Each text is about 3 paragraphs long. You'll be asked 4 to 8 questions per text.
These Readings primarily test your ability to discern what the author of the text is arguing for and against.
4 myths of Reading
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| You can't improve at Reading | You can improve if you read differently |
| You should speed read | You should move at your own pace |
| You need to memorize what the text said | You need to understand why the author wrote it |
| You must take notes | You must pause and re-read |
The optimal way to approach the Reading section is to...
- invest in understanding the text, so that you can
- crush the questions.
Timing suggestion
You'll have time to spare if you average 3:00 per text (± 0:30) and 0:45 per question (± 0:15).
(3:00 x 4 texts) + (0:45 x 27 questions) = 32:15
Invest in the text
Investing in the text means moving at the pace of your understanding.
That doesn't mean you need to read slowly. Instead, you should read at an adaptive speed. Slow down when you need to, speed up when you can.
Learn more: how to pace yourself adaptively
You invest time in the text in order to grasp the central conflict. This conflict may be summed up in a single thesis sentence, or it may be more subtle.
The conflict will be nuanced. It's not enough to see that author is against something; you must also understand why they're opposed.
Learn more: how to find the nuanced conflict
Crush the questions
After investing time to understand the text, you can gain time by crushing the questions.
You crush the questions by...
- trusting your understanding and
- moving confidently through the answers.
Trust your understanding
How you use your understanding depends on the question. Reading questions range in size from big to small.
| Size | Asks about | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Big | the main conflict | Eliminate answers that are inconsistent with the main point. |
| Small | specific points | Know where to go back in the text to prove the correct answer. |
| Medium | goes beyond the text | Do both: predict to eliminate and go back to prove. |
Move Confidently Through The Answers
Confidence is key to speed because the answers are designed to confuse you. To avoid getting turned around by the answers, be decisive:
| Decision | How to make it... |
|---|---|
| Eliminate poisoned answers | Find the one poisonous word that makes it wrong. |
| Defer on weirdo answers | Don't spend time on confusing answers or answers you aren't sure about until you need to. |
| Select the best answer | The best answer might be an answer you love but more often it will be the least bad option. |
Useful Reading Skills
| Primary Skills | Adaptive speed | Read for the nuanced conflict | Confidently crush the questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary Skills | Move at your own pace | Find the thesis sentence | Eliminate for a reason |
| -- | Use feedback loops | Notice pivot words | Pause to predict |
| -- | Trust your confusion | Ask "Why?" instead of "What?" | Scan answers before going back |
| -- | Pause and reread | Be sensitive to tone | Pick the least bad answer |