The Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills, or CARS, section on the MCAT is designed to test the ability of prospective medical students to interpret and manipulate novel information presented in passages covering a range of unfamiliar topics.
The Association of American Medical Colleges, which develops and administers the Medical College Admission Test, divides CARS questions into three categories: Foundations of Comprehension, Reasoning Within the Text and Reasoning Beyond the Text. Incorporation questions are part of the last category.
[Read: What Is the MCAT Test Like and How Do You Prepare for It?]
Because this CARS section is not centered around “studyable” topics, preparing for it requires approaches different than for the other sections, with individual focus on each type of question that appears on the test. Since incorporation questions may be the most daunting, consider this advice as you begin preparing for the CARS portion of the MCAT.
What Are Incorporation Questions?
Approximately 40% of the 53 MCAT CARS questions fall into the category of Reasoning Beyond the Text. This category contains two types of questions: incorporation and extrapolation. Though the ratio of incorporation to extrapolation questions may vary, it’s safe to estimate that about 20% of the CARS section will feature incorporation questions.
Incorporation questions ask students to consider the impact of new, external information on the passage at hand, much as a doctor would have to reconsider a diagnostic viewpoint or treatment plan in the context of a shifting clinical situation.
For example, incorporation questions might pose “what if” scenarios, providing new details and asking whether the details will negate or affirm an author’s argument. Other incorporation questions list several facts in their answers and ask students to select the fact that would best align with the viewpoint presented in the passage.
[Read: Why the MCAT Is Harder Than a Typical College Exam.]
Overall, these questions test the ability to logically integrate and account for new information to either support or refute established viewpoints.
How to Prepare for Incorporation Questions
Incorporation questions are a game of logic, requiring students to examine relationships between facts and to determine their collective implications. The best way to prepare for these questions is with frequent, careful practice.
As you begin practicing, remember the cardinal rule of the CARS section: Resist the urge to bring in outside knowledge. All of the information needed to answer the questions is right in front of you. External information is more likely to be detrimental than helpful.
Though you may be stressed about timing on the day of the test, it’s best to initially explore incorporation questions in an untimed setting.
[Read: What Is a Good MCAT Score?]
The first step to answering these questions correctly is to understand the overarching argument or arguments of a passage. After you read a passage, jot down the author’s main one or two opinions to practice identifying the theoretical framework into which you must integrate the new information presented in incorporation questions.
Don’t worry if gleaning the most important points takes a lot of time at first. Having a systematic process that you’ve practiced will ensure that you balance speed with accuracy on your actual test day.
As you approach the questions associated with a passage, identify the category into which each question fits. When you find an incorporation question, instead of simply considering why each answer might be right, take time in your practice sessions to consider why each answer might be wrong. Reflect on the main arguments of the passage and ask yourself whether an answer is congruent or incongruent with those arguments, and explain to yourself how each proposed answer fits in with the rest of the passage.
Remember that incorporation questions test your cognitive flexibility around an established perspective. Slowing down and carefully considering the logical implication behind each potential answer in test prep can help you develop the critical thinking skills necessary to quickly integrate novel information with the known information on test day.
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How to Master Incorporation Questions on the MCAT originally appeared on usnews.com
