A complete system for turning every wrong RC answer into a predictable, fixable pattern — not a mystery.
Most LSAT students keep some kind of error log…
…but almost nobody keeps a useful one.
They write things like:
- “Misread the passage.”
- “Should’ve slowed down.”
- “Tricked by inference.”
These notes don’t help.
A real RC error log has ONE purpose:
To reveal the pattern behind your mistakes so you can fix the root cause — not the symptom.
This guide gives you the exact log system Kingston Prep students use in our rolling 4-nights-per-week LSAT program. It diagnoses your errors in a way that actually transforms your performance.
Let’s build it.
THE 3–LAYER KINGSTON RC ERROR LOG
Every missed RC question falls into one (or more) of three layers:
- Passage Understanding Error
- Question-Type Error
- Answer-Choice Error
Your log needs to capture all three.
Here’s how.
LAYER 1: Passage Understanding Errors (Structure Problems)
These are the mistakes that happen before you even see the questions.
Common Passage-Level Errors
1. Misidentified the author’s view
Symptoms:
- Main point wrong
- Attitude wrong
- Couldn’t tell if the author supported or criticized something
Fix:
- Mark tone words
- Label the author vs. others
- Rehearse passages focusing ONLY on perspective
2. Lost the structure mid-paragraph
Symptoms:
- Not sure how paragraphs related
- Confusion about shifts
- Had to reread large chunks
Fix:
- Predict paragraph jobs
- Do weekly structure-only passages
- Limit marking to the 3 markers (attitude, contrast, nouns)
3. Over-focused on detail during reading
Symptoms:
- Felt slow
- Didn’t know the point of the passage
- Couldn’t answer main point confidently
Fix:
- Practice “job-based reading”
- Spend less time on dense info, more on paragraph purpose
4. Understood the content but forgot it quickly
Symptoms:
- Needed to revisit the passage multiple times
- Couldn’t recall where information lived
Fix:
- Commit to 3–6 word paragraph labels
- Drill retrieval over recall
- Practice mapping
Log Format for Layer 1:
Passage Problem: (pick 1–2)
- Misread author view
- Lost structure
- Over-focused on detail
- Weak paragraph labeling
- Didn’t predict structure
Why it happened:
(short note about the moment it broke — e.g. “Science paragraph 2 overwhelmed me, chased mechanism details.”)
LAYER 2: Question-Type Errors
Most students think “I misunderstood the question.”
Not true — they misunderstood the type of question.
RC question types are consistent and predictable. Here are the main types and what your error log should track.
MAIN QUESTION TYPES & WHAT TO LOG
1. Main Point
If missed:
- You probably misread author attitude or conclusion.
Log:
Error Type: Misidentified author’s main purpose
Fix:
- Summarize the passage BEFORE reading answer choices.
2. Primary Purpose
If missed:
- You confused what the author did vs. wrote about.
Log:
Error Type: Confused topic with purpose
Fix:
- Rephrase purpose as a verb: “evaluate,” “describe,” “argue,” “challenge,” etc.
3. Author Attitude / Perspective
If missed:
- You didn’t notice tonal signals.
Log:
Error Type: Missed tone word, misread emotion
Fix:
- Highlight/underline evaluative language.
4. Paragraph Function
If missed:
- You didn’t assign a clear job to the paragraph.
Log:
Error Type: No paragraph role label / unclear relationship
Fix:
- Rehearse quick labeling drills.
5. Detail Questions
If missed:
- You misremembered a fact OR mis-located it.
Log:
Error Type: Searched wrong paragraph
Fix:
- Strengthen paragraph labeling, not memory.
6. Inference Questions
If missed:
- You assumed beyond the text OR overlooked a qualified phrase.
Log:
Error Type: Added assumptions / ignored limiting language
Fix:
- Practice “what MUST be true” vs. “what CAN be true.”
7. Analogy Questions
If missed:
- You copied the topic, not the relationship.
Log:
Error Type: Matched surface features instead of logic
Fix:
- Write down the abstract relationship first.
Layer 2 Log Format:
Question Type: (e.g. Inference)
Mistake Pattern: (e.g. Assumed extra info / missed qualifier)
Correct Process Was: (write the correct mental steps)
LAYER 3: Answer-Choice Errors
This is where precision matters. Every wrong answer choice you pick will reflect ONE of the following predictable traps.
THE 7 MAJOR RC ANSWER TRAPS (Log These)
1. Too Strong
Words like: all, any, always, entirely, must, never.
If the passage isn’t absolute, this is wrong.
Log as:
Trap: Extreme language
2. Too Weak
Sometimes the passage does take a strong stance — and the correct answer reflects that.
Log as:
Trap: Hedged when the author wasn’t
3. Half-Right, Half-Wrong
Starts true → ends false, or vice versa.
The most common RC trap in 2024–2025 tests.
Log as:
Trap: Mixed accuracy
4. Wrong Paragraph
True fact, wrong location, wrong context.
Log as:
Trap: Out-of-scope placement
5. Opposite Meaning
Passage says X, answer says anti-X.
Log as:
Trap: Polarity shift
6. True but Not Answering the Question
Painful, but common.
Log as:
Trap: Irrelevant truth
7. Out-of-Scope
Not discussed, not implied, not supported — even if it feels reasonable.
Log as:
Trap: Added assumptions
Layer 3 Log Format:
Chosen Wrong Answer Trap: (one of the 7)
Correct Answer Was Right Because: (one sentence explaining the logic)
HOW TO USE THE LOG EFFECTIVELY
Step 1: Review the Log Every 8–10 Passages
Patterns will jump out:
- 70% of your misses come from 2–3 traps
- Your biggest issue may be inference assumptions
- Or paragraph structure
- Or attitude
- Or misreading strong/weak wording
Once the pattern is obvious, adjusting your approach becomes simple.
Step 2: Pair Error Logging With Passage Re-Read (Purpose Only)
This is crucial:
You never reread the passage word-for-word.
You reread ONLY for:
- author view
- structure
- paragraph roles
If the mistake came from misreading, you correct the structure, not the details.
Step 3: Replicate the Fix Within 24 Hours
Mistake → Diagnosis → Correction → Same-day reinforcement.
Kingston students drill a “fix-it” passage every night.
That’s why their RC curve rises steadily instead of wobbling.
WHAT A COMPLETED KINGSTON RC ERROR LOG ENTRY LOOKS LIKE
Passage Problem: Lost structure in P2 (chased details)
Question Type Missed: Paragraph Function
Why Missed: Didn’t identify P2 as “establishing contrast theory”
Answer Trap Chosen: Half-right-half-wrong
Correct Answer Was Right Because: It captured the paragraph’s role, not the topic.
Fix Action: 5 structure-only passages this week
That’s all you need — and it works.
Why This System Works So Well for Kingston Students
Because our class meets 4 nights a week, students:
- log errors immediately
- get instructor feedback in real time
- get personalized pattern analysis
- practice the fixes the same night
- drill multiple passages back-to-back
- climb the timing ladder faster
- eliminate repeating mistakes within days, not weeks
It’s the repetition + personalized correction that makes the error log powerful instead of theoretical.