Hi Lauren, my top tip for the WG is to read really carefully the instructions for each section and note them down in a number of short bullet points, which you can then go back to when having difficulty during the assessment. The biggest mistake I've seen people make with the WG is to treat it as a general critical thinking (IQ style) test and therefore rely too much on pure intuition when choosing the answer. I have found that an intuitive answer could be right in some sections and not in other. I have tended to score quite highly on the WG and my focus has been on the precise boundaries of the criteria given for each section - what can be assumed vs what can be inferred vs what can be deducted all have slightly different meanings, just as 'true', 'probable', 'beyond reasonable doubt', 'logically certain' all have slightly different meanings. The difference between the candidates who score highly and those who score at our under average will likely depend on an ability to notice those fine distinctions.
As for top tips for the inferences section, I have copy pasted bellow the information sheet I used. Besides tips to keep in mind, it has some summary of the 'test' I mentally go through when deciding on an answer:
Tips:
- If you don’t know the meaning of a word, try and figure out from its context.
- Notice the difference between qualifiers (e.g. some, most) and extreme qualifiers (always/none).
Test:
- True: The inference is explicit in the passage; if the inference is inferable from the passage (solely from the passage and without broader reference to general knowledge).
- Probably True: If the statement does not directly suggest the inference is true, but suggests it is likely (>50%) to be the case; or if the inference is based on common knowledge + information in the passage.
- More information required: Information you are asked is simply not given in the passage, with no grounds for correctly inferring the likelihood of the truth or falsity of the statement; also, generally if the inference is opinionated.
- Probably false: if the statement does not directly suggest the inference is false, but suggests it is likely (>50%) to be the false; or if the inference is false based on common knowledge + information in the passage.
- False: The inference directly contradicts something mentioned in the statement, or if the inference misinterprets the statement
This information sheet has been partly based on an excellent course made by the TCLA team on WG preparation. If you haven't already, I highly encourage you to watch it
here.
