“Q:A” Reading for the author’s viewpoint - MCAt

lorelei: There is a big different in reading passages for the VR section of the MCAT versus the two science sections. In the sciences, you try to read a passage primarily for comprehension (what the author is saying). In verbal, not only do you have to understand what the author is saying, but also why s/he’s saying it and how s/he forms the argument. So when you are reading your practice passages, try thinking about the following questions:

-what is the purpose of this passage? Why did the author take the time to sit down and write this? (In the sciences, the answer is often "to explain an experiment" or "to teach us about X reaction" but in verbal you’re frequently looking for "to convince us of Y argument" or "to defend Z position." The author has some sort of interest, or he wouldn’t bother to sit down and write an essay. If you can find the author’s bias, you’re there.)

-what is the purpose of this paragraph or sentence? Is it background information? Is it an explanation of an opinion? Is it supporting examples?

-if I were arguing with this person, where would I attack their argument? Where are there assumptions or personal opinions? I find this strategy useful because it makes you look at how the author is building the argument.

Watch out for key words that show you opinions: these aren’t just things like "I think" or "personally" but also clearly, obviously, on the contrary, simply, everyone, no one, pervasive, …. I’m sure people can think of more.
These are words that people usually don’t use unless they have some sort of investment in the topic - and thus, a particular viewpoint. Noticing them can help you find out what the author thinks.

There are also key words that help you follow the structure of an argument. Some of these overlap with the above set, but here I’m looking for ways to follow how the author builds his case, more than what exactly the case is. Some of these might be then, however, also, but, primarily, further, in contrast, ….

The overall goal is to see the passage as not just a bunch of information, but an argument. I would suggest trying to read some passages in this way - you can use other pieces as well, like newspaper columns or opinion pieces in higher-level magazines like The Economist. Practice seeing the argument, but don’t worry about your speed until reading for the argument becomes second nature to you.

QofQuimica: Adding to lorelei’s great suggestions about always considering the author’s purpose when reading MCAT passages, I’d like to also point out that most authors of MCAT passages are writing "scholarly articles," not polemics. In other words, it would be highly unusual to read an MCAT passage where the author is ranting and raving like a lunatic. Rather, most passages have a sober, considered, and deliberate tone. Even when an author is expressing disagreement with some other expert in the field, s/he will do so in a reserved manner. This subtlety is a part of what makes it difficult to pick out the author’s viewpoint sometimes. But there will still be clues to tell you where the author stands with regard to the topic (positive, negative, or neutral). Look for the opinion keywords that lorelei mentioned above to help you pick up on this. Also, avoid picking extreme choices for the author’s viewpoint, unless the tone of the passage is also extreme. Again, such a passage would be uncommon.