Reading comprehension and inference
Answer from the passage, not from outside knowledge. A stated claim is explicit; an inference must follow from stated information without additional assumptions. Distinguish the author's position from a position the author describes.
Check yourself: Does the passage actually say this, or are you importing an assumption?
Sentence completion and vocabulary
Eliminate options that contradict the sentence's logic. A word's connotation matters: 'mitigate' reduces severity while 'aggravate' increases it. Two grammatically valid options can differ in meaning; choose the one consistent with the sentence's direction.
Check yourself: Does the completed sentence make a coherent, non-contradictory claim?
Data interpretation
Read axis labels, units, and the base year before computing. A percentage increase uses the earlier value as the denominator. A bar chart's visual height is proportional to its value only when the axis starts at zero; a truncated axis exaggerates differences.
Check yourself: Is your denominator the correct reference value?
Quantitative reasoning
Translate the word problem into a relationship before solving. 'A is 20% more than B' means A = 1.2B, not B = 1.2A. For ratio problems, ensure the parts sum to the stated total. For averages, the total equals the average times the count.
Check yourself: Have you written the relationship before substituting numbers?
Logical reasoning
In syllogisms, a valid conclusion follows from the premises alone. 'All A are B' and 'All B are C' yields 'All A are C', but 'Some A are B' and 'Some B are C' does not yield 'Some A are C'. Use Venn diagrams or formal rules rather than intuition about what 'sounds right'.
Check yourself: Can you draw a diagram where the premises hold but the conclusion fails?