Making stupid mistakes Forum

Prepare for the LSAT or discuss it with others in this forum.
Post Reply
foodlaw

New
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2016 4:16 am

Making stupid mistakes

Post by foodlaw » Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:18 pm

What do you do to mitigate stupid/silly mistakes? For PT 80, I made the most annoying mistakes on the second LR. I got #1,4, and 21(really easy MBT) wrong, bringing my -2 to -5 :( These were all incredibly easy, level 1 questions! UGH :evil:

OK, here's what happened:
For 1, I didn't read the wrong answer choice I chose critically.
For 4, I didn't read the argument with scrutiny and confused the concepts, thus choosing the wrong answer.
For 25, I drew the diagram right and everything, but I think the way I diagrammed [/unworthy] might have tripped be up.

I guess the takeaway for myself is to read with scrutiny. Is there anything else I can do so I never make this type of mistake again? Thanks!

User avatar
somethingElse

Gold
Posts: 4007
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:09 pm

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by somethingElse » Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:25 pm

meditate

foodlaw

New
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2016 4:16 am

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by foodlaw » Thu Nov 09, 2017 9:35 pm

somethingElse wrote:meditate
Yup, I meditate everyday.

User avatar
Barack O'Drama

Gold
Posts: 3272
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:21 pm

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by Barack O'Drama » Thu Nov 09, 2017 10:53 pm

You need to learn and practice reading/being more careful. Not sure what else you can do?
Last edited by Barack O'Drama on Fri Jan 26, 2018 7:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Platopus

Gold
Posts: 1507
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 11:20 pm

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by Platopus » Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:45 pm

.
Last edited by Platopus on Sun Dec 17, 2017 3:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


foodlaw

New
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2016 4:16 am

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by foodlaw » Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:59 pm

Platopus wrote:There is no such thing as a stupid mistake. The test is designed to intentionally get you to mix up concepts and encourages you to read too quickly. Part of mastering the LSAT is realizing that the test is actively working against you. When you start to realize that there are no stupid mistakes, you'll actually make less.
Exactly! Which is why I'm look for advice on how to tackle this issue :shock:

User avatar
somethingElse

Gold
Posts: 4007
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:09 pm

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by somethingElse » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:04 am

meditate more and know for every question why the right answer is right and specifically why every wrong answer choice is wrong

User avatar
Platopus

Gold
Posts: 1507
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 11:20 pm

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by Platopus » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:06 am

.
Last edited by Platopus on Sun Dec 17, 2017 3:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Barack O'Drama

Gold
Posts: 3272
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:21 pm

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by Barack O'Drama » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:22 am

Last edited by Barack O'Drama on Fri Jan 26, 2018 7:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


User avatar
somethingElse

Gold
Posts: 4007
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2015 1:09 pm

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by somethingElse » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:28 am

somethingElse wrote:meditate more and know for every question why the right answer is right and specifically why every wrong answer choice is wrong
and do this during your timed PT (like I mean as you're going through a question, you should be crossing out the 4 wrong choices for a substantive reason every time and knowing why the right is right)

then if you get one wrong after BR really delve into that question and know why you got it wrong

also if you're going through a PT and let's say you know what the right answer is but you're not able to cross out all of the wrong ones definitively (maybe your scratched for time, idk) then do go back and cross those out during your BR

User avatar
JazzOne

Gold
Posts: 2979
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:04 am

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by JazzOne » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:47 am

Thanks for this. I am sharing it with one of my chemistry students who is so frustrated by careless errors on tests.

User avatar
Barack O'Drama

Gold
Posts: 3272
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:21 pm

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by Barack O'Drama » Fri Nov 10, 2017 1:04 am

JazzOne wrote:
Thanks for this. I am sharing it with one of my chemistry students who is so frustrated by careless errors on tests.
Of course! I found this article invaluable for my harder math classes during undergrad. I'm sure it will be very helpful for your chem students too.
Last edited by Barack O'Drama on Fri Jan 26, 2018 7:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Deardevil

Bronze
Posts: 496
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2016 11:00 pm

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by Deardevil » Fri Nov 10, 2017 11:37 am

Some of my errors come from misreading or feeling so confident about an early answer choice that I do not read the remainder.
In the end, not rushing into things and managing your time well would be, at the very least, useful in minimizing certain mistakes.

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


User avatar
JazzOne

Gold
Posts: 2979
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:04 am

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by JazzOne » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:38 pm

Deardevil wrote:Some of my errors come from misreading or feeling so confident about an early answer choice that I do not read the remainder.
In the end, not rushing into things and managing your time well would be, at the very least, useful in minimizing certain mistakes.
This is a very common phenomenon. I think it has to do with confirmation bias. I have a method for dealing with this. Whenever I like an answer choice, I INCREASE the threshold of certainty I need to eliminate later answers. In the past, when I liked an answer, I would kind of go on cruise control as I read the other answers. I wasn't really thinking about them critically. I was just passing over the text so I could confirm what I already thought I knew: the later answers are wrong. Now, when I like an answer, I spend MORE time analyzing the remaining answers so that I don't overlook another plausible answer.

foodlaw

New
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2016 4:16 am

Re: Making stupid mistakes

Post by foodlaw » Fri Nov 10, 2017 9:22 pm

JazzOne wrote:
Deardevil wrote:Some of my errors come from misreading or feeling so confident about an early answer choice that I do not read the remainder.
In the end, not rushing into things and managing your time well would be, at the very least, useful in minimizing certain mistakes.
This is a very common phenomenon. I think it has to do with confirmation bias. I have a method for dealing with this. Whenever I like an answer choice, I INCREASE the threshold of certainty I need to eliminate later answers. In the past, when I liked an answer, I would kind of go on cruise control as I read the other answers. I wasn't really thinking about them critically. I was just passing over the text so I could confirm what I already thought I knew: the later answers are wrong. Now, when I like an answer, I spend MORE time analyzing the remaining answers so that I don't overlook another plausible answer.
This is really helpful!

Get unlimited access to all forums and topics

Register now!

I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...


Post Reply

Return to “LSAT Prep and Discussion Forum”