Analytical Tips

Many questions are much easier to solve than they initially appear to be. Do not feel intimidated by a group of questions merely because its conditions look long or complicated.
In reading the conditions, do not introduce unwarrranted assumptions.
Since it is intended that the conditions be as clear as possible, avoid interpreting them as if they were designed to trick you by means of hidden ambiguities or other such devices. When in doubt, read the conditions in their most obvious, common-language sense. This does not mean, however, that the language in the the conditions is not intended to be read for precise meaning. It is essential, for instance, to pay particular attention to function words that describe or limit rel;ationships, such as only, exactly, never, always, must be, cannot be, and the like.
Many examinees find it useful to underline key points in the conditions or to draw a simple diagram, as the directions for the analytical sections suggest.
Even thought some people who solve analytical reasoning problems find diagrams to be helpful, do not be concerned if a particular problem in the test seems to be best aproached without the use of diagrams.
Each question should be considered separatelly from the other questions in its group; no information, except what is given in the original conditions, should be carried from one question to another.

The material on which questions are based should be read with close attention to such matters as
1. what is specifically presented about a subject,
2. what is not explicitly presented but necessarly follows from what is presented,
3. what is suggested or claimed without substantiation in what is presented. In addition the means of relating statements, inferences, and claims - the structure of arguments - should be noted. It is important, in reading the arguments given, to attend to the soundness of the method employed and not to the actual truth of opinions presented.
You should determine exactly what information the question is asking for; for instance, although it may be expected that one would be asked to detect or name the most glaring fault in a weak argument, the question posed may actually ask for a selection of one of a group of other arguments that reveals the same fault. In some cases, questions may ask for a negative response, for instance, a weakness that is NOT found in an argument or a conclusion that CANNOT be drawn from an argument.