Detail Questions & Everything About Them | Verbal Reasoning for GMAT PDF Download

What are GMAT Detail Questions?

Detail questions apply to both short and long reading material. These questions ask about a specific part of the reading material, not about the piece as a whole. The benefit of these types is that you do not need to focus on the entirety of the material, but can focus on the specific areas that the test administrators want you to concentrate on. As with all reading comprehension questions, read the question thoroughly and make sure that you understand what the test administrators are asking you. If you can tell that they are only interested in a specific portion of the reading material, you are on your way to identifying a detail question. Also, do not be intimidated by the nature of the question. It is easy to get thrown off because you have so little time to read and answer the question and this question is about a particular detail. The great thing about detail questions is that their answers are usually located somewhere in the reading material, so these types of questions are usually more straightforward than main-idea questions.

Key Strategies for Approaching GMAT Detail Questions

Since the detail questions in the GMAT reading comprehension section are relatively straightforward, the process of finding the right answer is simplified. As a result, the GMAC does not make these questions easy, throwing in tricks and traps at every turn. We will equip you with the strategies to power through them.

Let us start with the basics:

1. Approach the detail question

Test takers are pretty divided when it comes to this eternal chicken-or-egg question: read the full reading material first or the question first? This depends on the reader (you) and how you process information. If you are an extrovert and internalise information as you go, then reading the reading material may be best for you. If you are an introvert, like me, then you may want to read the question first to get an idea of what to look for when reading the reading material. Whatever way works for you and is most compatible with the way you think is the best strategy.

2. Comprehend the question

Read the question carefully and make sure you understand what the question is asking you. Rephrase the question to have greater clarity about what it is looking for and what it means.

Now, ask yourself if you understand the question and its tone. Do you know what the question is looking for? Once you can comprehend what the question is asking, rephrase the question. This may seem time consuming, but one of the most common wrong answers in detail questions in the GMAT reading comprehension arises because test takers read the question incorrectly. They do not understand what the question is asking and end up looking at the wrong thing and ultimately answering the question incorrectly. More time upfront can save you points in the long run. With practice, you should be able to move through these steps much faster.

Look for the pertinent areas in the reading material

The biggest clues to start with are the actual words used in the question itself. Start by looking for references to those specific words in the reading material. However, do not limit yourself to those exact words. Broaden the scope to synonyms and antonyms of those words.

For the same example question above, use the following questions to set you up for searching the reading material:

• Does the reading material define any of these terms? What does it say about 'penalties' or 'study fabrication'?
• Does the reading material mention anything that could be considered a synonym for 'penalties'? An antonym?
• Does the reading material mention anything that could be considered a synonym, euphemism or reference to 'study fabrication'? An antonym or opposing view?
• How many times does the reading material mention either 'penalties' or a reference to those penalties?
• How many times does the reading material mention either 'study fabrication' or a reference to that fabrication?
• What does the reading material say about how 'penalties' and 'study fabrication' are related?

By reading closely but efficiently - searching for any mention of the two specific topics - you are simultaneously (1) finding the right answer in the reading material and (2) completing an exhaustive search to ensure you do not skip over anything important. This is related to one of the most common root causes of wrong answers: bypassing the issue. By not searching for the references (either direct or indirect) to the topics at hand, you risk skipping over the answer. Just because the question asks about the 'penalisation due to the study fabrication' does not mean that the answer has to appear right next to the word "penalisation" or the phrase "study fabrication." In fact, the GMAC likes to trap test takers by using references to the topic words to directly correlate with the answer.

In the following reading material, highlight the pertinent areas where the text discusses the topic of "penalisation" and/or "study fabrication." The best area to start with are the actual words used in the question itself.

For example, the pertinent part of the reading material could read: Professor Howden was penalised heavily for the study fabrication because he was the lead on the project. He had directed the other scientists to follow suit and gave poor guidance to his teams. However, when Professor Howden's allegations that Professor Morris had directed him to lie about his theory due to the astrology department's lack of funding came to light, Professor Morris was hit with the largest punishment of the sting and was sued by the university as well. Professor Marks was fired by the institution along with Professor Ryan and Professor Smith. Professor Smith had to recant all her publications and studies and was immediately defunded by NASA. However, in light of all this, few professors were promoted to chair positions due to the scandal. Professor Howell became chair of the Astrology Department and Professor Fines now sits as the chair of the observatory. The Astrology Department is going through a very difficult time but not all hope is lost. Last year the Chemistry Department went through a very public scandal. Professor King was penalised severely to set a precedent of zero tolerance in the faculty community.

3. Now you are ready to predict the answer

Now let us go back to the question: Which astrologer was most penalised for the fabrication of the study, as stated in the reading material?

There are several clues for you in the question itself.

1. You know you are looking for a person, more specifically an astrologer.

2. The person was harmed by the scandal.

3. The person was involved in the fabrication of the study.

Now, using those clues, pick your answer. Make sure your response fits all the clues you gleaned from the question.

Be very mindful of the clues you are using to pick and support your answer.

4. Process of elimination

To quickly double check the tricky questions, consider running through all the answer options and conducting a speedy process of elimination. You do not want to double check every detail question you get, but for the ones that stump you, or for the ones where you cannot find the answer explicitly in the reading material, try the process of elimination.

Now you are ready to tackle those detail questions in the GMAT reading comprehension section in an effective and efficient manner. These questions are not difficult once you are equipped with the right mindset, strategy, and approach. Now that you know how to work with them, avoid the tricky traps that the GMAC sets to catch unsuspecting test takers. Here is a recap of the common pitfalls of detail questions from the material above:

Common Pitfalls of Detail Questions

1. Answering the wrong question

One of the most common mistakes is to misunderstand the question and provide the right answer to your version of the question rather than to the actual question asked.

2. Bypassing the right answer

There are clues in the language of the question, so use them to locate where the answer in the reading material should be. Be mindful of the context.

3. Assuming the wrong answer

Too many students just look for the "key words" from the question in the reading material and answer on that basis alone. Remember that the GMAT is not that straightforward. You will most likely have to dig a little for the correct answer.

4. Answering the wrong part of the question

Is the question looking for a person? If yes, the answer should be a person. Do not let your dream score slip away because you did not pay attention to the question properly.

The GMAT detail questions can be tricky and time consuming, but once you have your strategies straight and your approaches in check, you are ready to tackle these types of questions. Remember that GMAT preparation is a marathon, not a sprint. Make sure you are training appropriately and taking the right steps towards hitting your target score.

5. An inference

This is a unique trap that the GMAC uses for detail questions. The other common wrong answers appear in the other question types.

Because this question type requires finding an answer within the reading material, there will sometimes be an answer choice that appears to be supported but is not actually directly stated anywhere in the reading material. The correct answer will always be explicitly mentioned in the reading material, so discard any answer that is not directly stated in the text. Avoid choices that require you to infer beyond what is written.

6. Distorting the reading material

Distorting the reading material usually involves stating something from the material but tweaking it. The GMAC often takes an idea from the reading material and reverses or alters it so it implies the opposite of what the material actually says.

This can also take the form of distorting tone or purpose. If the author was describing a phenomenon or informing the reader about a concept, an answer choice may make it seem as though the author was arguing a point or supporting one side over another.

7. Extreme language

Words such as "always," "any," "all," "never," and "none" should be warning signs for a wrong answer. The GMAT passages are balanced and measured. Even when a passage argues for an idea, the author will include concession points and balanced analysis. Any answer choice that makes a bold generalisation or a simplified statement about a detail in the reading material will most likely be wrong.

8. Unsupported or new information

Always be on the lookout for new information in an answer choice. Whether it is something related but unsupported by the reading material, or something outside the scope of the material, these trap answers can be tempting. Sometimes the GMAC includes an idea that might seem to fit with the discussion but is ultimately outside the scope of the reading material. Sometimes they introduce actual numbers or values when the material mentions only percentages. Do not fall for this trap. Make sure that everything in the answer is actually present in the reading material.

How to Identify Detail Questions

Detail questions are readily identifiable if you know what to look for. Phrases such as "According to the reading material," are the greatest tells that you are dealing with a detail question. Other phrasing includes:

• "The author cites..."
• "The author indicates explicitly,..."
• "Which of the following statements about... is supported by information in the reading material?"
• "Which of the following would the author most likely agree with?"

The core concept behind these question stems, and this question type, is that you are looking for something written in the reading material.