44 First Order and Second Order Rules

Take for example this first-order rule:

Set A – All shapes have curved sides.

Set B – All shapes have straight sides.

First-order rules are not too complex. There is usually one parameter that is different between the two sets; here, it is the curvature of the sides of the shapes. These can be complex, but only on rare occasions. The difficulty in rule finding is when another layer of difference is combined, hence second-order rules.

The majority of Abstract Reasoning rules between Set A and Set B that you will encounter in the real UKCAT test are of two-orders of rules. This is where more than one parameter difference is used to build rules. For example,

Set A – All shapes have curved sides. One square is in the bottom left corner.

Set B – All shapes have straight sides. One circle is in the bottom right corner.

As you can see from the example above, there is an additional rule which is somewhat unrelated to the first part of the rule. Second-order rules such as these are used throughout the test – which is why Abstract Reasoning is seen to be very difficult!

General Tips

1. What is the UKCAT? And is it fair?
2. UKCAT Registration – Book UKCAT Now!!!
3. If you can, take the UKCAT test one year earlier.
4. Your UKCAT test day should not be the first time you locate the Pearson Vue UKCAT test centre
5. Try not to book the UKCAT test day during school/university term-time
6. Do not put off the UKCAT test
7. Take the UKCAT test in the afternoon, not the morning
8. Register for UKCAT Bursary early
9. UKCAT test only lasts one medical school application cycle
10. Prepare your materials the night before your UKCAT test day
11. Pre-UKCAT test jitters
12. Admittance to medical school is not solely based on this UKCAT test
13. Eat breakfast on UKCAT test day
14. The Pearson Vue UKCAT test room
15. Not allowed to eat or drink in the UKCAT test room
16. Rest yourself between UKCAT subtests
17. That two-sided sheet of paper is all you've got (sort of)
18. Every question is equally weighted
19. There is one (and only one) correct answer. Accept it
20. The UKCAT is not a race
21. Just because you didn't answer one or two questions does not mean you will get a poor score
22. Plan each day for the two weeks prior to your UKCAT test
23. Incorporate exercise into your UKCAT routine
24. Keep focused
25. Practise regularly at the time of the day that you will be take the UKCAT test
26. Do not peak in your UKCAT practice too soon
27. Why UKCAT Practice is Important

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Verbal Reasoning UKCAT Tips

28. Why is reading comprehension important for Medicine
29. Attempt shorter passages first, flag longer passages
30. Put simply, a 'true' statement can co-exist inside the passage
31. Put simply, a 'false' statement contradicts the passage
32. Put simply, a 'cannot tell' statement requires more information than the passage
33. Look out for extreme qualifiers
34. Words in the Passage does not mean Cannot Tell
35. Practise by reading broadsheets

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Quantitative Reasoning UKCAT Tips

36. Why is mathematics important for medicine?
37. Practise your simple mathematics - quick and accurately
38. Practise your speed with the simple calculator - not scientific
39. Know your GCSE Maths
40. Beware of percentages

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Abstract Reasoning UKCAT Tips

41. Why is pattern recognition important for medicine?
42. Learn the simple/advanced mnemonics
43. Practise the patterns
44. First order and second order rules
45. Beware of common distractors

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Decision Analysis UKCAT Tips

46. Why is cryptography important for medicine?
47. Diligence in Decision Analysis
48. Shorthand shortcuts in Decision Analysis
49. Only three types of questions

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Miscellaneous UKCAT Tips

50. Eliminating the incorrect responses
51. Moving on from UKCAT Results
52. What does my UKCAT score mean?