© (Getty Images) Young student learning in the middle of a public library. practicing an old book and making notes.

The LSAT is a test of endurance under time pressure, like a mental marathon.

It would be inadvisable to run a marathon without first training to run a full 26.2 miles. Likewise, it’s a bad idea to take the LSAT without first training with real practice tests.

That said, very few athletes run daily marathons. Instead, they vary their training with shorter intervals and complementary forms of exercise. They might focus one day on sprinting or climbing hills and another day on strength and conditioning at the gym.

In the same way, LSAT test-takers should use full practice exams judiciously. Taking one test after another, day after day, may seem impressive, but it can reinforce bad habits and lead to burnout.

Improvement comes from focused and methodical practice with careful attention to review and experimentation. Still, real practice exams belong at the core of any LSAT study strategy, as long as they’re used well.

Accessing Real Practice LSAT Tests

Unlike other standardized tests, real LSAT tests are not hard to come by. In fact, the Law School Admission Council, which administers the exam, has made available more than 70 full, real, past LSAT tests for purchase, either through paperback compendiums of practice exams or through Official LSAT Prep Plus, which is currently priced at $99 and provides one year of access to an online bank of practice tests.

The LSAC also provides one free demo test online and five practice exams for members who sign up for an online account. Even more tests are available through private test prep companies.

Choosing a LSAT Practice Test

With so many tests available, where should law school applicants start? Since the mid-1990s, practice exams have been numbered in chronological order. More exact tests provide the most relevant practice.

The LSAT has changed a bit over time. In 2007, the practicing comprehension section began including a comparative passage, and in 2019 the LSAT moved to a digital format. LSATs that date back to the 1990s may include less clear questions and more elaborate types of logic games than exact tests.

It’s also easier to find discussions and explanations of questions online for more exact LSATs.

That said, sections from old LSATs can be great substitutes for experimental sections. On the real LSAT, one section will be experimental and unscored. Experimental sections often throw test-takers for a loop, precisely because they haven’t been correctly balanced and refined. Since older tests also feel a little offbeat, they achieve the same effect.

Using Timed and Untimed Practice

Taking full timed practice exams is great for simulating test conditions and getting a sense of your current LSAT score range. Most of the time, however, it is better to break each practice test into individual sections. Taking each section at full attention, separated by downtime for rest and review while the questions are fresh in your memory, is more conducive to learning than taking a full test at once.

A good LSAT study plan should start with a period of mastering fundamental techniques learned from a book, course, online program or tutor.

Once you have the basics down, practice them by taking untimed sections. Work slowly and deliberately, as if you were learning how to swim or ski for the first time. The questions you get wrong with unlimited time are exactly the kinds of questions you should focus on in your practice and review.

It may come as a surprise, but you will pick up speed more reliably through untimed practice than through timed practice. Slowly working your way through difficult questions will help you break each question into a series of steps that eventually feel intuitive and automatic, like muscle memory. In contrast, time pressure makes it too tempting to cut corners.

Once you are performing consistently with untimed practice, move to timed section practice. Periodically take full practice tests, as a marathoner might space out long-distance runs.

Weeks of timed practice will help build stamina, so you can sustain the focus you need to perform at your best. By knowing exactly what you’re up against, you’ll face less test anxiety.

Following this plan will help make test day feel like just another day of practice – hopefully your last!

Copyright 2022 U.S. News & World Report

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© AP This July 16, 1945, file photo, taken six miles away shows the first atomic bomb explosion at the Trinity Test Site in Alamogordo, N.M.

The International Day Against Nuclear Tests was declared by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 2, 2009, with the adoption of Resolution 64/35. The resolution called for the day to be held on Aug. 29, and it first took place the following year. Kazakhstan had initiated the resolution, and Aug. 29 was chosen as the date because the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site closed on that day in 1991. The Semipalatinsk test site had been the foremost Soviet nuclear testing site, and it had been located in Kazakhstan. The day is seen as an opportunity to urge countries to sign and ratify the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. The United States has signed the treaty, but has not ratified it. In order for the treaty to enter into force, the United States and seven other countries must ratify it. 

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Today is: International Day Against Nuclear Tests

In our search for self-knowledge, we’ve all likely taken one (or several) personality tests. The goal is to gain insights about ourselves—why we are the way we are. But are these tests any good? Do they accurately measure personality? Are they actually helpful for self-understanding? The answers are complex.

Let me focus on three of the most popular personality tests: The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Enneagram, and the Big Five.

The Myers-Briggs is the most widely administered psychological test. It is based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types. It was constructed by the mother and daughter team of Katherine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers. Katherine Briggs used Jungian notions of personality to analyze characters in literature. Although the MBTI is based on Jungian theory, it was really Isabel Myers’ interpretation of that theory that lies beneath the test’s construction. The MBTI has four dimensions (Introversion-Extraversion; INtuition-Sensing; Thinking-Feeling; Judging-Perceiving). Combinations yield 16 personality types, and users get to know their four-letter “type” (e.g., ESTJ; INFP).

The Enneagram has ancient roots, derived from Babylonian and Sufi traditions. It yields nine types, represented numerically. The types have descriptive labels (e.g., “The Reformer,” “The Achiever,” “The Peacemaker,”). Unlike the MBTI, whose “official” test is published by the Myers-Briggs Corporation, there are various tests for assessing the Enneagram.

The Big Five was primarily developed as a research tool to help understand how personality relates to a variety of outcomes, from well-being to academic success, to potential as an employee. It consists of five dimensions: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness. Although there are various measures to assess the Big Five the most common is the "NEO," so named for the first 3 dimensions.

Is This Test Any Good?

A first concern is the underlying theory behind the test. As mentioned, the MBTI was based loosely on Jung’s theory. The Enneagram theory pre-dates the field of psychology and is an interpretation of ancient traditions regarding personality types. The Big Five evolved after decades of research on different personality traits and was the result of reducing dozens of proposed traits into five core, stable, “higher-order” traits.

Any good test needs to demonstrate good validity, measuring what it’s supposed to measure, and reliability (i.e., stability, so that you don’t get different scores for the same person at different times).

Both the MBTI and the Enneagram have been criticized by personality psychologists for a lack of solid evidence of validity and reliability. For example, the forced-choice format of the self-report MBTI might lead to a change from an Extravert to an Introvert because the test-taker changed their responses to a couple of items, suggesting problems with test reliability. In addition, typologies suffer from the fact that the test-taker is put into a category. For example, you may be labeled an Extravert (“E”) or an “Introvert” (I) and that is your type. In actuality, personality dimensions are continuous, with persons being more or less introverted or extraverted, and the typology doesn’t differentiate strong introverts from relatively weak introverts.

On the other hand, the Big Five measures, such as the NEO, have been extensively validated. They offer continuous scores on each of the five personality traits, so the user can tell if they are strong or weak on each trait. The Big Five measures, however, are mostly used for research and don’t typically offer the detailed interpretations characteristic of the other two measures.

In addition to these well-known personality measures, there are a lot of so-called personality tests out there on the Internet. One should be especially concerned about the interpretation of personality test results.

The Barnum Effect

Named for P.T. Barnum, who famously said, “there’s a sucker born every minute,” the Barnum Effect occurs when people are given vague interpretations of their personality test scores that could fit just about anyone. This is the effect that horoscopes, fortune tellers, and charlatans create when they suggest the information they provide applies to an individual when it could really apply to almost anyone (e.g., “Sometimes you can be loud, outgoing, and a people person, but other times you can be quiet, shy, and reserved.”) Be wary. Many online “personality tests” provide these vague interpretations that could apply to just about anyone (and some of the MBTI and Enneagram type descriptions seem a bit “Barnumy” to me.)

Personality Tests: What Are They Good For?

Personality tests were originally developed as research tools to better understand individual differences in people. Later, they were used for multiple purposes. Some personality tests, such as the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), are used to diagnose different psychological disorders. Other personality tests, such as the Hogan Assessments, are used for personnel selection and for developing employees and managers.

What about tests that individuals take for self-exploration: the MBTI, Enneagram, and the Big Five? Simply put, they should be “taken with a grain of salt.” Realize that these only provide you some indication of the personality traits that you may possess, but they are not exact and can be totally wrong. Any one test result could be affected by the test-taker, who might try to “second guess” the test, or answer in a socially-desirable way.

Remember too, that personality is not destiny. Possessing certain desirable (or undesirable) traits doesn’t mean that you are locked into certain behavioral patterns. Traits represent tendencies—patterns of behavior—and we can break out of tendencies. Moreover, the situation also comes into play. For example, an introvert might, in certain situations, behave more like an extravert, and vice versa.

In short, don’t get too hung up on the results of your personality tests.

In­di­an Tech­ni­cal and Eco­nom­ic Co­op­er­a­tion (ITEC) Day 2022 was cel­e­brat­ed by the High Com­mis­sion of In­dia, in col­lab­o­ra­tion with the Ma­hat­ma Gand­hi In­sti­tute for Cul­tur­al Co­op­er­a­tion on Sep­tem­ber 30 with Min­is­ter of For­eign and Cari­com Af­fairs, Dr Amery Browne grac­ing the oc­ca­sion as the Chief Guest.

Ri­ta Tou­s­saint, Per­ma­nent Sec­re­tary, Min­istry of For­eign and Cari­com Af­fairs and His Wor­ship Joel Mar­tinez, May­or of Port-of-Spain were al­so present.

The mes­sage from Dr S Jais­hankar, Ex­ter­nal Af­fairs Min­is­ter on In­dia’s De­vel­op­ment Co-op­er­a­tion was screened.

ITEC Alum­ni from T&T at­tend­ed in per­son and re­newed the ex­pe­ri­ence of their vis­it to In­dia, while those from the Com­mon­wealth of Do­mini­ca and Grena­da shared in vir­tu­al mode their per­spec­tive of hav­ing at­tend­ed ITEC cours­es.

Friends of In­dia and of­fi­cials of the High Com­mis­sion of In­dia and Ma­hat­ma Gand­hi In­sti­tute for Cul­tur­al Co­op­er­a­tion al­so at­tend­ed the com­mem­o­ra­tive event.

© 2022 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Let’s face it. You either landed on this page because you’re crossing your fingers for a little bundle of joy, or you’re praying for anything but that. Nonetheless, you’re here, and we want to say it’ll all be okay.

But who better to talk about all things pregnancy than a doctor? Enter Dr. Kenosha Gleaton, board certified doctor in gynecology and obstetrics and medical director of Natalist — a women’s health startup that provides products and resources for fertility and pregnancy.

We spoke with Dr. Kenosha about the best pregnancy tests out there, when to take a test, how soon you can take one and more.

While we gathered expert insight, we still recommend reaching out to your doctor for full assurance.

FAQs with Dr. Kenosha

How do pregnancy tests work?

“Pregnancy tests detect a hormone called human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), which can be detected in urine or blood after an embryo implants itself into your uterine wall,” Dr. Kenosha told The New York Post. “hCG is the first detectable sign of pregnancy, and home tests (like the Natalist Pregnancy Test and Natalist Early Pregnancy Test Strips) are an easy and reliable way to determine if you’re pregnant.”

When should you take a pregnancy test?

Dr. Kenosha explained that testing first thing in the morning before your expected period is usually your best bet, as your urine “has a higher concentration of hCG” at that time Though, you can test at any time of the day.

Dr. Kenosha also notes that “drinking lots of liquids in the few hours before testing can dilute your urine and cause a false negative result.” This meaning you could be pregnant, but the test will show you’re not.

Furthermore, “14% to 25% of women have irregular menstrual cycles, which can make it harder to predict when to test,” said Dr. Kenosha. “If this is you, try counting at least 14 days from when you had sex. If your test says you’re not pregnant and you think you might be, test again the next day or in a few days.”

All of this to say, it can be tricky to know exactly when to test, but there are a few methods that can help out.

How soon can you take a pregnancy test?

Taking a pregnancy test too soon is a thing, though, “it varies based on a test’s sensitivity rate so be sure to read the directions thoroughly,” explained Dr. Kenosha.

“You can use most pregnancy tests starting five days before you expect your period to start,” she continued. “If you get a negative result and are testing more than three days before your expected period, you could still be pregnant and should take another test in a few days.”

The reason for this is that you could be early in your pregnancy, meaning “you may not have enough hCG for the test to detect yet,” Dr. Kenosha told The Post. Though, in just two days, your hCG levels will usually double, meaning the more likely it is to get a positive result.

How accurate are pregnancy tests?

“Pregnancy tests are more than 99% accurate in clinical studies when used on the day of your expected period,” shared Dr. Kenosha. Still, false negatives are a thing. This means hCG was not detected in your urine, though you actually are pregnant.

Dr. Kenosha says false negatives happen for two reasons. First, “your urine was too diluted” or “it’s too early to detect a pregnancy.”

Truth be told, false positives are a thing too, though they’re more unlikely.

To avoid false test results, Dr. Kenosha recommends seeing your doctor to confirm your outcome.

Best pregnancy tests

1. Best pregnancy test strips: Natalist Early Pregnancy Test Strips, $16

Both reliable and affordable, these early pregnancy test strips provide you peace of mind ASAP. Proven to be over 99% accurate and ringing in as low as 85 cents per test, these Natalist test strips are a fan favorite. Not to mention, Natalist doesn’t produce electronic waste from batteries or other components found in many digital pregnancy tests.

2. Best early response pregnancy test: First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test, 3 Count, $13, original price: $20

In just three minutes, you will have an answer as to whether you are pregnant or not — even if it’s six days sooner than your missed period. Pair these tests with the EasyRead App which is over 99% accurate for full assurance.

3. Best digital pregnancy test: Clearblue Pregnancy Test Combo Pack, $10

Say goodbye to confusing lines and markings with this digital pregnancy test. It will clearly display your results by either practicing “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant.” In the pack is also a Clearblue Rapid Detection Pregnancy Test that will offer you positive (+) or negative (-) results.

4. Best pregnancy test subscription: Stix Pregnancy Tests, $12 every four weeks

Always have a test on hand with this Stix pregnancy test subscription service. You will be able to know whether you’re pregnant up to three days before your missed period.

5. Best First Response Triple Check Pregnancy Test Kit, $15

Tripple-check your results with this pack of three First Response tests. This pack provides you with three different ways to test.

Check out New York Post Shopping for more content.

WASHINGTON, Oct 4 (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Tuesday that any new North Korean nuclear test would seriously threaten international stability and acknowledged past indications Pyonyang might be preparing for such a test.

"As you know, there (have) been indications in the past that the DPRK is preparing a test for what would be its 7th nuclear test," Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder told a news briefing, referring to the North's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"If they do do such a test, from our perspective, it will clearly constitute a grave escalatory action and seriously threaten regional and international security and stability."

Reporting by Phil Stewart and Kanishka Singh

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.