HOW TO BUILD MCAT® CRITICAL READING SKILLS From Chemistry to CARS, the MCAT requires excellent critical reading skills. To improve your ability to read and glean information from a passage, you need to practice. Be critical when you read the content and watch for vague areas or holes in the science passages that aren't explained clearly.
READ ACTIVELY Take control of the passage. Don't let the passage control you. • • • • • •
Highlight key words and phrases. Link and predict major themes. Take notes on your scratch paper. Translate the main idea of each paragraph into your own words. Remember that information about new topics will be woven throughout the passage. You may need to piece together information from several paragraphs and a figure to get the whole picture. For CARS passages, summarize the main point and tone of the whole passage before attacking the questions.
ACTIVE READING WITH STUDY GROUPS If you have a study group you are working with, take turns asking and answering the questions below. Having to explain something to someone else not only solidifies your own knowledge, but helps you see where you might be weak. • • • • • •
What was this passage about? What was the conclusion or main point? Was there a paragraph that was mostly background? What information was found in each paragraph? Why was that paragraph there? What extra information could I have pulled out of the passage? What inferences or conclusions could I make? If something unique was explained or mentioned, what might be its purpose? Were there any comparisons in the passage?
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