Logical Reasoning
Contrapositive Flip — If P→Q, then ~Q→~P. When a statement says "All lawyers are logical," immediately note its contrapositive: "If not logical, then not a lawyer." Essential for assumption/flaw questions.
Necessary vs. Sufficient — Sufficient triggers ("if," "when") guarantee the result; necessary conditions ("only if," "unless") are required. Remember: "Only doctors can prescribe" means prescribing requires being a doctor (necessary).
Weaken = Alternative Cause — On weaken questions, find answer choices offering alternate explanations for the observed effect. If sales dropped after ad campaign, maybe competitor launched a better product simultaneously.
Flaw Spotting: Percent vs. Absolute — Classic trap: "20% more women than men applied" doesn't tell you actual numbers. 120 women and 100 men versus 1200 and 1000 are vastly different scenarios.
Reading Comprehension
MAPPS Structure — Mark Main idea, Author's tone, Purpose, Point-of-view shifts, and Structure as you read. Takes 30 seconds, saves 2 minutes hunting answers. Circle transition words like "however," "furthermore."
Question-Stem First — For specific detail questions, read the question before hunting the passage. Saves time versus re-reading. For main idea/tone questions, do these first while passage is fresh.
Extreme Language Trap — RC answer choices with "always," "never," "completely," "only" are usually wrong. Passages rarely make absolute claims. "Often," "typically," "suggests" are safer bets.
Analytical Reasoning (Logic Games)
SLOT Method — Draw Spaces, List elements, note Order rules, Test possibilities. For sequencing games, create a horizontal line with positions 1-5 (or however many needed) immediately.
Binary Grouping: In-Out Chart — For selection games (committee of 5 from 8 people), draw two columns: IN and OUT. Rules like "If A, then not B" get notated directly between columns.
Contrapositive Every Rule — Before attempting questions, write the contrapositive of every conditional rule. "If M is selected, P is out" becomes "If P is in, M is out." Catches 30% of deductions.
Cloud Diagram for Wildcards — Elements with no rules constraining them? Draw a cloud above your main diagram containing these "floaters." They're usually keys to hypothetical questions.
Local vs. Global Questions — Answer local questions (those with "if X is true...") first—they give you concrete scenarios. Save global "could be true" questions for last when you've built multiple valid scenarios.
Rule Substitution = Same Effect — For rule-substitution questions, the correct answer produces identical constraints. Test by seeing if the new rule permits exactly the same arrangements as the original.