TARA module strategy: three clocks, three jobs
Three modules, minutes each, three different jobs. About seconds per multiple-choice question.
One page
| Module | Format | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | questions, minutes | Conclusion, reasons, bridge |
| Problem Solving | questions, minutes | Target, limits, route, check |
| Writing Task | of prompts, minutes, up to words | Explain, argue against, judge |
Critical Thinking: find the bridge
Before the options, note the conclusion, the reasons and the bridge. Pick the answer that does the job the stem names. If no route appears, move on.
Problem Solving: write the target
The maths is basic: fractions, percentages, averages, area, tables and graphs. Write the target and unit, mark the limits, then check the answer against the wording.
Writing: choose before you polish
Pick the points that answer the statement, not every thought you have. Each paragraph should move the argument on.
Track reach
Log correct, wrong and unreached separately. A strategy works when both accuracy and reach go up.
Worked example Choose the right route card
One item asks you to pick only the information needed for a quantity. Another asks for your position on a statement. Which route fits each?
- Critical Thinking for both.
- Relevant Selection for the quantity, Writing Task for the proposition.
- Writing Task for the quantity, Finding Procedures for the proposition.
- The same route for both because the clock is shared.
Why this works: The second keeps the jobs separate.
Why the tempting route fails: The others mix up the modules.