Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS)
What is tested on the CARS Section
The AAMC uses this section to measure student's analysis and reasoning skills by presenting questions that focus on the relationships between ideas or theories presented in passages that are typically between 500-600 words. All answers to these questions are either found in, or inferred from, the passage.
How is this section designed?
How is this section designed?
Passage Content
• Humanities: 50%
• Social Sciences: 50%
• Social Sciences: 50%
Timing and Structure
• 90 Minutes
• 53 Questions Total
• 9 Passages (5-7 questions each)
• 53 Questions Total
• 9 Passages (5-7 questions each)
Passage Content Disciplines
Humanities
▪ Architecture
▪ Music
▪ Art
▪ Dance
▪ Ethics
▪ Literature
▪ Music
▪ Art
▪ Dance
▪ Ethics
▪ Literature
▪ Music
▪ Philosophy
▪ Popular Culture
▪ Religion
▪ Theater
▪ Studies of Diverse Cultures *
▪ Philosophy
▪ Popular Culture
▪ Religion
▪ Theater
▪ Studies of Diverse Cultures *
Social Sciences
▪ Anthropology
▪ Archaeology
▪ Economics
▪ Education
▪ Geography
▪ History
▪ Archaeology
▪ Economics
▪ Education
▪ Geography
▪ History
▪ Linguistics
▪ Political Science
▪ Population Health
▪ Psychology
▪ Sociology
▪ Studies of Diverse Cultures *
▪ Political Science
▪ Population Health
▪ Psychology
▪ Sociology
▪ Studies of Diverse Cultures *
* Studies of Diverse Cultures passage could be classified as belonging to either the Humanities or Social Sciences Passage Content
Foundations of Comprehension (30%)
These questions test student's ability to infer meaning or intent from sentence context, as well as understand overall themes and specific word definitions using explanations, examples, and paragraph references to guide comprehension.
Understanding the Basic Components of the Text
Assess understanding of a passage’s basic components, including its main idea, specific details, word meanings, and rhetorical structures.
Inferring Meaning or Intent From Immediate Sentence Context
Requires inferring meaning beyond the literal text by analyzing word choice, rhetorical devices, structure, tone, and contextual clues to understand the author's intent and overall message.
Reasoning Within the Text (30%)
These questions require integrating different parts of a passage for a more complex interpretation, such as assessing logical reasoning within the passage without considering outside knowledge or personal opinions.
Integrating distant components of the text to infer an author's message, intent, purpose, belief, position, bias, assumptions
Requires integrating different parts of a passage to infer the author's message, beliefs, biases, and point of view by analyzing tone, language, structure, and how other perspectives are presented.
Recognizing and evaluating arguments and their structural elements (claims, evidence, support, relations)
Explores how different parts of a passage support the author’s thesis by evaluating arguments, evidence, biases, credibility, and logical coherence to determine the author's intent and reliability.
Reasoning Beyond the Text (40%)
These questions require applying or extrapolating passage information to new contexts to assess its impact to the passage assertions while relying solely on the passage and provided information, rather than external knowledge.
Applying or extrapolating ideas from the passage to new contexts.
Assess how passage information can be extended to new contexts by identifying the most reasonable outcome, analogous relationships, or author-consistent responses based solely on the passage content.
Assessing the impact of incorporating new factors, information, or conditions on ideas from the passage.
Introduce new information and require assessing its impact on the passage, determining whether it supports, contradicts, or modifies the original content.
How can I prepare for the MCAT?
ZP Tutoring offers help building an effective study schedule, organizing content review, and teaches you passage mapping strategies to ensure you achieve the highest score you are capable of!
Study Schedule
Online Whiteboard
Practice Review
Student Dashboard
