UKCAT practise confusion

**SamilaDinuki** · 21-09-2007, 12:27 AM

hello everyone, im not sure if anyones asked about this before but does anyone find that when they practise ukcat questions and look at the answers they disagree with them. Im a bit lost with some qestions, i do my best to derive an answer logically and tend to find myself in disagreement with the explanations given for some questions.I find this epecially true of verbal and non verbal reasoning?does anyone else get what im on about?

**SamilaDinuki** · 21-09-2007, 12:51 AM

don't worry iv readanother thread that gives good advice on this matter!

**JamesM** · 21-09-2007, 01:09 AM

As above, read some of the past-posts for more info.
It seems to be the book that has this problem. I haven't had any problems with the official practice questions available online from UKCAT.

**SamilaDinuki** · 21-09-2007, 10:46 AM

Thank you James. The ones on the site all make sense to me!x

**JamesM** · 21-09-2007, 04:57 PM

No probs, its what were all here for.

Best of Luck with your UKCAT. When you sitting it? I'm on the 28th, drawing near now.

**SamilaDinuki** · 21-09-2007, 05:29 PM

Good luck with yours too. Mines on the 29th, got a lot of practising to do, iv always been a bit of a slow reader so my timing is awful at the minute, hoping i can speed things up bit over the next week.

**JamesM** · 21-09-2007, 06:28 PM

I find that reading the question quickly and then scanning the passage for the answer works best. Many others use this technique, but it may not work for all.

You do know about the SPANSS rule for AR section?

What section do you expect to find the easiest; do the best in? I think the AR, but I may be surprised. Im so scard of the QR section, as the time limit is awful. Im going to just guess and skip the multiple step ones, and return to them if I have time; pursuming there will be many 'easy' ones.

**SamilaDinuki** · 21-09-2007, 06:42 PM

no i don't know what the SPANSS rule is, care to enlighten me?im most worried about VR and AR , but i havnt practised QR and DA much yet, im not too afraid as mental arrhythmetic was one of my strong points at school, although i must be quite rusty now. I have to admit i havnt put much work in so far. im hoping a week of hardcore practise will be enough?:s.x

**JamesM** · 21-09-2007, 06:49 PM

Ok the SPANSS rule is basically a list of properties which are usually part of the pattern within SET A and B of the AR section.

It works on the basis that you quickly look for the following;

-S (Type of Shape; e.g. is a small square in each box?)
-P (Position; are shapes arranged in a horizontal line etc)
-A (angle; do all the shapes within the boxes have acute angles etc)
-N (Number; is there five shapes in each square?)
-S (shading; is there an identical black and white square within each box)
-S (Size; is there one large/small shape within each box?)

Scan through these within your mind, and you usually find the common relationship for the boxes within a particular set. They may be combined though, e.g. two small shapes which are black within each box of set a.

Hope this has helped!

**SamilaDinuki** · 22-09-2007, 01:23 AM

Very helpful, thanks for that!hope can speed up now with plenty of practise.Where are u doing ur BSc then?Where are you thinking of applying for med?im thinking Keele(5yr), Queen Mary's(4yr and 5yr) and UEA or Leicester(5yr).Really depend on the results though.