While the time is approaching towards CAT 2010, it is necessary that you keep in mind the checklist for every section or topic of CAT 2010. Take for instance, the section of Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. There are certain points which you must keep in mind during your preparation as well as the actual exam.

In this article CAT experts talk about the strategies of Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, which you should keep in mind during preparation, practice and the actual test.

Practice everyday

Like all the other sections you should practice the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section everyday. Gautam Puri, Vice Chairman, Career Launcher says that it is very necessary to keep yourself acclimatized with the graphs and data for this section.

Sidharth Balakrishna, CAT expert, author and IIM Calcutta alumnus suggests practicing Data Interpretation sets and Logical Reasoning questions. "Do around three to four Data Interpretation sets daily and about eight to 10 Logical Reasoning questions," he says.

Timing

Regarding the duration of studying, you must give one-third of the total duration of your study to the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section. "If you are studying for three hours every day; you should dedicate one hour each for each area," says Gejo Sreenivasan, Principal Consultant, Career Launcher.

Read regularly

If you think that you should just focus on practicing as you are done with all the reading, you are wrong. You should continue reading even before the exam. "You must read articles (especially business) which are heavy on data and analyze them. This will keep your 'DI cells' on toes," says Sreenivasan.

Follow the checklist

While solving the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning section, you must keep in mind the following checklist. The following list has been which has been provided by the experts Vinayak Kudva, Product Head, IMS Learning and Manish Saraf, COO, PT Education consists of the points you must check while attempting a question from this section:

1. Read the title carefully

2. Take your time and read both the questions and data set carefully. Understand what you are being asked to do before you begin figuring out the information.

3. Check the data and types of information required. Be sure that you are looking at the right part of graph or chart i.e., on paper columns or rows or proper lines.

4. Read the parameters listed along with axes and the scale. This is the most important points as generally one assumes standard scale as 1 unit = 100 or 1 unit = 10. Also the scales of two axes might be different.

5. The footnotes give the additional information for particular data. This also explains the jargons and lists the formulae that might be needed to solve the questions asked.

6. Check the units required. Be sure that your answer is in thousand, millions or whatever it is that the question specifies.

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2010 preparation.