Lecture Notes: Frameworks in Reading Comprehension (LSAT)

Introduction

• Speaker: Patrick from LSAT Lab
• Topic: Using frameworks to improve reading comprehension (Reading Comp) for the LSAT
• **Three Key Improvement Areas: **
  1. Read the passage effectively
  2. React properly to different question stems
  3. Scrutinize every word in answer choices

Big Picture Reading Strategies (Lesson 1 Recap)

• Chunking: Breaking down the passage into smaller parts
• Self-Summarizing: Pausing to summarize briefly
• Frameworks: Highlighting key ideas and using pivot words (e.g., but, yet, however)
• Big Idea: Slow down for important ideas, move quickly through supporting details

Importance of Frameworks

• Purpose: Help remember main ideas amidst many details
• Analogy: Focusing on key 'donors' at a banquet, ignoring the rest

Common Framework Types

1. Old/New
   • Typically used in science passages
   • Example structure: Old idea → Pivot → New idea → Author's assessment
2. Problem/Solution
   • Common in law passages
   • Example structure: Problem description → Possible solutions → Author’s recommendation
3. Highlight a Noteworthy Figure
   • Seen in arts and humanities
   • Focuses on why a subject (artist, author, etc.) is important or unique
4. Challenge a Position
   • Relevant in society and law passages
   • Structure: Other point of view → Author's challenge to this view
5. Present a Debate
   • Involves multiple viewpoints
   • Structure: Multiple perspectives → Sometimes author's synthesis or own position

Identifying Frameworks

• Science Passages: Lean towards Old/New
• Humanities Passages: Lean towards highlighting noteworthy elements
• Clue Words: Keywords like 'traditionally', 'but', 'however', etc.

Example Analysis

1. Ireland's Landscape Passage
   • Problem: Fragmentary historical documents
   • Solution: New method of investigating using pollen grains
2. Latina Autobiographers of the 1980s
   • Highlight Noteworthy framework
   • Main Idea: Autobiographies are innovative mixes of language, genres, and identities

Framework Clues

• Pivot Words: Indicate framework moments (e.g., 'but', 'however')

Practical Tips for Reading Passages

• First Paragraph: Identify topic, possible framework, and presence of the author
• Chunking/Compressing: Extract core sentences from complex paragraphs

Main Point Questions (Using Framework)

• Identify the subject that matches the main topic
• Look for key phrases or ideas that align with identified framework

Additional Framework Types

• Explaining Puzzling Events
• Providing Examples of General Claims

Practice & Next Steps

• Exercise: Apply frameworks to sample passages

• Upcoming Lessons: Focus on question types and improving accuracy in answers

• Resources: LSAT Lab's free plan offers three tests to practice reading comp passages with various frameworks

Review and Conclusion

• Call to Action: Explore more YouTube videos from LSAT Lab for additional strategies and practice