What should you know about the LSAT Test Structure?
Before you take any examination, you must understand the question paper structure of it. This is especially important for stressful examinations, like the LSAT. Understanding theLSAT test structure is the first step that you take towards preparing for the examination. In the following sections of the article, the various features of the LSAT question paper have been discussed.Question Paper FormatThe first question that will naturally cross your mind, when you begin preparing for the LSAT is – what is the question paper like. The various sections of the test have been explained as follows:
- Reading Comprehension: As the name suggests, this section consists of comprehension passages that you have to critically analyze in order to answer the questions that follow. These passages are not more than 500 to 600 words. When solving the comprehension questions, ensure that you have read the passages thoroughly. This is important, because the questions, no matter how complicated, will always be based on the information provided in the passages.
- Analytical Reasoning: This section is unique, because it consists of a number of games with elaborate rules as to how you should play them. This has earned this section the name of ‘logic games’ among students. These games are designed to analyze your critical skills and to check how well you can interpret and analyze a given situation or circumstance.
- Logical Reasoning: This section consists of small passages. You have to read these passages and complete the arguments they are trying to make. This is a test of your analytical skills. It also tests your ability to draw the correct inference, based on the limited amount of information given.
- Writing Sample: As it is evident from the name, in this section you will have to write an essay. The essay will be a representation of your argumentative skills.
Once, you have understood the basic structure of the test, you will need to know the types of questions asked.Questions asked in the LSATTo help you understand the test structure for LSAT, the type of questions that you will have to answer for each section of the test have been discussed below:
- Types of Reading Comprehension passages: The passages for the Reading Comprehension section are quite complicated. They carry a lot of information, which you have to understand in order to answer the questions. Each passage to followed by 5 to 7 multiple choice questions. Most of the questions deal with the central theme of the passages.
- Types of Analytical Reasoning questions: In this section, you will have to understand the complex relationship between objects or events, in order to solve the puzzle. This will test your abilities as a lawyer to deduce and argue based on the given set of hypotheses and rules. This section consists of 4 such games, each followed by 5 to 7 questions.
- Types of Logical Reasoning questions: Here you will have to read short paragraphs. You will be required to understand the argument, assumptions and logic of the paragraphs, in order to answer the questions in this part of the test. You will have to analyze whether the arguments are true or the assumptions are correct. In this section, you will have to solve 24 to 26 questions.
Time You will Get to Solve the PaperThe LSAT is a complicated and time consuming examination. However, you will have to solve all the questions within a fixed time period. You will get 35 minutes to solve each section of the question paper. You will get additional 35 minutes to complete your Writing Sample. However, you must consider that some time will be consumed to fulfill certain administrative requirements of the test center. Thus, it is an examination that will take up a large part of your day. As you can understand from the information related to theLSAT test structure , it is quite a complex and stressful examination. So, if you want to succeed in it, gather all the information you need about it and start preparing for the test at the earliest.