Is Reasoning and Data Interpretation giving you hard time ? If you are clueless about how to prepare and score well in this section, We are here to help you.

There are few steps which one should follow for preparation of any subject. These are :

1. Get a knack of Syllabus
2. Buy Books/ Collect Study Material
3. Learn the basics/ Understand Concept
4. Practice
5. Revise

Syllabus

Once you have filled in your application form, the next step should be to find out the syllabus and exam pattern. Zero in the chapters you are strong in. Chalk out a strategy according to number of chapters you need to finish off and time left.

Books

After you have planned your strategy, it is time to buy books. Do not buy more than one book. Too many books will only hamper your preparation. You will get confused looking at different ways a particular question is solved. Also it will burn a hole in your pocket. Check out the best books for reasoning.

Clear Your Concepts

Take up one topic at a time and start with step by step procedure to solve a particular type of question. Finish off all the topics one by one. Once you have finished your preparation and gained enough confidence, it is time for PRACTICE!

Practice

The most important part for preparation is practise. Needless to say , you should practise as much as you can. Solve practice paper as seriously as the real paper. Give these tests in a time bound manner.

Revise

Start your revision few weeks before the exam. You should not go for an exam without revising what you have studied. No matter how much you have practised, you will forget things in the examination hall if you have not revised properly.

Tips for Data Interpretation Questions

DI will include graph, charts and tables from which questions will be asked. You will have to glean and analyse the data provided to you.

• Identify the important parts of the data. Do not panic if there is a lot of data in the table, most of them would be unnecessary. Believe me.
• Attempt the easy questions first. For e.g. most of the questions are counting type  ( How many people have income more than Rs. X). These questions can be solved without calculations and one should try to answer them with 100% accuracy)
• Avoid the ones which you think will be difficult to answer especially when there is negative marking.

Tips for Logical Reasoning Questions

You will be judged on your mathematical and verbal abilities. Questions on  Seating Arrangement, Blood Relations
Series, Coding and Decoding, Distance and Direction are usually asked.

• Write down important information given in the question in the form of a table or diagram. For seating arrangement questions, draw a table and then try different combinations as per the question given.
• For Number Series, find out if the series is increasing, decreasing or both. E.g.  7, 10, 8, 11, 9, 12,..This series is an example of alternating addition and subtraction. In the first pattern, 3 is added while in the second, 2 is subtracted.
• Give special attention to words like ‘all’, ‘some’, ‘none’, ‘only’ or ‘unless’.
• Solve reasoning questions step by step. A lot of information is given in the question. Read one sentence at a time. Take out the important data/ part of the question.
• If you are unable to understand a question or you are unable to make headway, it is wise to switch to another question.

Tips for Data Sufficiency Questions

This will include questions where you will be given two statements. You will have to answer if you can solve the question asked by using one statement individually, or using both, or you cannot solve the problem with both the statements.

• Read the first statement and then see the question. Check out if you solve the question with first statement. If yes, then put a tick and if no then a cross on that statement.
• Now read on the second statement and see if the question can be answered or not. This way you will make things appear easier to you.

Also See : How to prepare Quantitative Aptitude