I'm trying to use the four step CR process for each CR question but am running into a challenge: it can often be difficult to identify an evidence-based question from an assumption-based question by looking at the question stem alone. I understand that evidence-based questions won't have a conclusion and that's one of the big differences between the two families, but it's hard to properly identify this difference from the question stem alone. Am I missing something that will help to quickly identify the two families just by looking at the question stem?
Thanks!
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- AlexH250
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- RonPurewal
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Re: Step 1 of the 4 step CR process
which part is the "stem"? i don't know the terminology.
in any case, of course you should be reading the actual question part of the question first!
i.e., the part under the reading passage, where you're actually told WHAT YOU NEED TO DO with the passage. ("Which of these is an assumption?" "The passage most strongly supports the idea that..." etc.)
in any case, of course you should be reading the actual question part of the question first!
i.e., the part under the reading passage, where you're actually told WHAT YOU NEED TO DO with the passage. ("Which of these is an assumption?" "The passage most strongly supports the idea that..." etc.)
- RonPurewal
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Re: Step 1 of the 4 step CR process
when you read the question part, basically, what you should do is this:
1/
do you understand what the question is asking you to do?
if so, DO NOT "classify" the question, and DO NOT try to put it into a "family". just do what the question asks you to do!
e.g.,
The argument is flawed because of doubts about the truth of which of the following?
--> "the speaker is just assuming that some X thing is true, but, in fact, X thing might not be true... and, if X thing is not true, the argument won't work. what is X thing?"
if you understand that this is the task at hand, then there's no point in classifying this as "weaken question", because that doesn't add any value. in fact, it subtracts value, by taking away specifics.
2/
think in terms of "question type" and/or "categories" ONLY if you DON'T already intuitively understand what the question is asking you to do.
--
really, CR is primarily meant to be something you can just walk into the testing room and do, without extensive "studying". all of the methods, etc. are just backups, for when your intuition fails you.
1/
do you understand what the question is asking you to do?
if so, DO NOT "classify" the question, and DO NOT try to put it into a "family". just do what the question asks you to do!
e.g.,
The argument is flawed because of doubts about the truth of which of the following?
--> "the speaker is just assuming that some X thing is true, but, in fact, X thing might not be true... and, if X thing is not true, the argument won't work. what is X thing?"
if you understand that this is the task at hand, then there's no point in classifying this as "weaken question", because that doesn't add any value. in fact, it subtracts value, by taking away specifics.
2/
think in terms of "question type" and/or "categories" ONLY if you DON'T already intuitively understand what the question is asking you to do.
--
really, CR is primarily meant to be something you can just walk into the testing room and do, without extensive "studying". all of the methods, etc. are just backups, for when your intuition fails you.
3 posts Page 1 of 1