For many students, there’s an air of mystery surrounding the GMAT Integrated Reasoning section.  Designed to test real-world skills, the IR section can seem more complicated to study for than the other sections of the exam. In this guide, I’ll help you find the best tools for GMAT integrated reasoning practice.

First, I’ll talk about what the IR section tests and the types of questions you’ll see on it. Next, I’ll talk about what you need to prepare for the IR and what you should look for in your IR practice materials. Then, I’ll review both official and unofficial practice materials so that you have a good starting place to begin your practice. Finally, I’ll give you some tips for making the most out of your Integrated Reasoning GMAT practice.

What’s on the GMAT Integrated Reasoning Section?

The GMAT Integrated Reasoning section is non-adaptive (meaning the difficulty level of questions doesn’t vary depending on how you do), contains 12 questions, and lasts for 30 minutes. The IR section is scored from 1 to 8, in single-digit increments. Like the Analytical Writing Assessment, your IR score is separate from your Quantitative and Verbal scores and doesn’t factor into your total GMAT score.

IR questions a more open-ended than normal multiple choice questions. Instead of simply selecting the one right answer of five options, you may choose one, two, three, four, or even all five answers as correct. IR questions ask you to use both your Verbal and Quantitative skills together. You’ll have to analyze data in a number of forms (words, charts, tables, etc) and pull out insights from each.

There are four types of GMAT IR questions:

• Two-part analysis: these questions are often wordy and have small tables attached to them. You’ll be asked to choose two correct answers out of five or six options.

• Multi-source reasoning: these questions present information from, you guessed it, multiple sources. You’ll navigate through and analyze multiple sources of data.

• Graphic interpretation: these questions require you to analyze the information presented in a graph or a chart. You’ll have two questions, with answer choices presented in drop down menu format.

• Table analysis: data in these questions is presented in a sortable table along with three questions. To answer these questions correctly, you’ll need to differentiate between essential and nonessential information.

What Should I Look for in GMAT Integrated Reasoning Practice?

As a test-taker, it can be hard to figure out which GMAT integrated reasoning practice questions are right for you. Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering which materials to use.

#1: Do the Questions Have the Same Format as Real GMAT IR Questions?

GMAT IR questions have unique formats that are unfamiliar for most students and can be confusing. The only way to ensure you know how to approach the questions on test day is to practice with questions that look like those you’ll see on the real GMAT IR section until you’re comfortable with with their style. As such, it’s vital that your GMAT IR practice questions are the same four types and closely resemble those you’ll see on the test.

#2: Is the Resource Computerized?

You’ll take the GMAT on a computer, so it makes sense to practice on a computer as much as possible before test day. This is especially important for IR practice, since the questions require you manipulate data and interact with answers in ways that aren’t possible on paper.

#3: Does the Difficulty Level of the Practice Questions Match the Real GMAT?

While the Integrated Reasoning section isn’t adaptive, you will see questions at different difficulty levels (easy, medium, and hard). When practicing, you’ll want to make sure that your GMAT IR practice questions cover all difficulty levels so you’re prepared to solve whatever questions you see on test day.

You should also beware that unofficial questions can sometimes be much easier or harder than the questions you’ll actually see on the GMAT. If you notice that you’re doing much better or worse than usual on a specific set of practice questions, consider that they may not be very accurate.

#4: Are Practice Questions Grouped by Skill or Difficulty Level?

Targeted practice, when you focus your practice session on one specific skill or question type, is one of the most effective ways to prepare for the GMAT. If you decide to focus on solving only graphic interpretation questions for one hour-long session, you’ll learn more than if you break that same one-hour session into shorter, 15-minute sections for all four question types. You might also want target your practice by difficulty level, for instance working at solving easy questions in a shorter amount of time.

Resources that allow you to sort questions by difficulty level or skill are extremely valuable, since they make creating targeted practice sets much simpler.

Official GMAT Integrated Reasoning Practice

Using official GMAT integrated reasoning practice questions is a great way to ensure that you’re preparing with high-quality practice questions. The questions in GMAT official resources are actual, retired GMAT questions, written by the same people who write the real GMAT.

The Official Guide for GMAT Review 2017 ($28.89)

This print guide, written by GMAC, is an official study guide that covers all sections of the GMAT. The guide comes with a chapter dedicated to the Integrated Reasoning section, which reviews the question types and discusses strategies for solving problems. The guide also comes with access to an online Integrated Reasoning companion, which includes more information about the IR section as well as 50 online IR practice problems.

Overall, it’s a great place to start with your GMAT prep, including for IR.

GMATPrep (Free)

This online software gives you access to two full-length practice computer-based tests, with the option of purchasing up to six total CATs. Each of the practice tests includes one IR section, with 12 questions.

Beyond the CATs, GMATPrep includes an additional 15 free IR practice questions.

IR Prep Tool ($19.99)

This online software includes 48 IR questions, answer explanations, and customizable question sets. This resource is great because it lets you create your own sets of GMAT IR practice questions, sorting by question type and difficulty. It also lets you practice questions in either study mode (untimed) or exam mode (timed).

If you really want to focus on GMAT IR practice, this is one of the best tools available, but it’s fairly expensive for just a few dozen questions, especially compared to the full official guide.

Unofficial GMAT Integrated Reasoning Practice

Because the Integrated Reasoning section is the newest section on the GMAT, there are relatively few resources out there, especially if you compare the few GMAT Integrated Reasoning practice questions to the numerous Quant or Verbal questions. Even so, there are some high-quality GMAT IR practice materials out there that you can use to supplement the official resources in your prep.

Veritas Prep Integrated Reasoning Sample Questions

Veritas Prep has developed a number of Integrated Reasoning practice questions, and offers 14 of them free-of-charge on their website. Veritas Prep is known for having high-quality practice questions and this resource gives you realistic examples of all four types of questions that you’ll find on the IR section. The questions are also accompanied by in-depth explanations that explain why each answer is correct or incorrect.

GMAT Club’s E-Book Bundle

GMAT Club, an online forum that provides support and advice for GMAT test takers, has compiled a list of all free e-books and practice question sets that address the IR section. This resource is great for test takers who are looking for materials that include both instruction and practice questions. Note that these downloadable resources are available as PDFs, so you won’t be able to solve questions online.

GMAT Pill’s Integrated Reasoning Sample Questions

GMATPill has compiled nearly 200 IR sample questions that you can practice online. These questions are broken down into question type, with specific information on skills tested and solve rate, so you can see how hard each question is.

The online format is useful, because you’ll get used to solving the questions on a computer, but the web-based interface doesn’t look anything at all like the interface on the real GMAT. Keep that in mind as you’re practicing.

800score.com’s Integrated Reasoning Sample Questions

800score.com offers demos of the four question types in an online format that has a very similar interface to the actual GMAT. The site also offers instructional videos and other resources you can use in your prep.

Unfortunately, there are only four GMAT integrated reasoning practice questions here, but they’re of high quality and worthwhile for their similarity to actual GMAT IR questions.

4 Tips for Making the Most of Your GMAT Integrated Reasoning Practice

It’s important to make sure that you’re making the most out of your GMAT test prep by practicing smart. Here are some tips for how to make sure you’re making your GMAT IR prep valuable.

#1: Practice Your Pacing

The GMAT IR section is short – only 30 minutes to solve 12 complex, multi-step questions. It’s important to consider timing when you’re practicing. You’ll want to pay attention to how long it takes you to solve problems, particularly during practice tests, when you’ll be answering all 12 questions in one sitting. As you practice, place time limits on yourself and work to see how quickly you can solve problems.

#2: Put Away the Calculator

The IR section doesn’t let you use your own calculator, though you’ll have access to an online calculator with basic functions. Practice using the online calculator with your sample questions, or using a simple four-function calculator on your phone that mimics the simple calculator you’ll use on the test. By only using the resources you’ll actually have on the GMAT, you’ll ensure you’re comfortable and prepared on test day.

#3: Dedicate Time to IR Practice

Many test takers skip preparing for the IR section in favor of spending more time on the Quant and Verbal sections, since they’re considered more important. But as the IR section becomes more seasoned, business schools are considering IR scores more. Especially since the IR section is designed to simulate skills you’ll need in the real world, it’s important to make sure you do well on it!

While you’ll likely spend more time prepping for the Quant and Verbal sections, build in time to focus on IR. Make sure you take the IR section on every practice test you do and spend a few dedicated study sessions on IR questions.

#4: Familiarize Yourself With the Questions

The IR questions look different from every other question type on the GMAT. Spend time with the practice questions so that you familiarize yourself with the visual nature of these questions, as well as with the practice of choosing multiple right answers. Doing so will help you feel more confident on test day. It will also save you time, as you’ll be able to easily recognize question types and know what to when you take the actual exam.

What’s Next?

Learn more about the other sections of that GMAT by reading our guides on GMAT Quant and GMAT Verbal.

Is the GMAT Total score the only one that matters? Read our guide to find out how the total score is calculated and how business schools weight the different scores.

Take a look at our massive collection of GMAT sample questions to start your prep with a huge selection of practice questions for all four sections,

The post The Best GMAT IR Practice: 200+ Questions for Your Prep appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Introduced in June of 2012, Integrated Reasoning is the newest section of the GMAT. The test makers added this challenging section to emphasize skills of data interpretation on their business school exam.

This guide will go over everything you need to know about the Integrated Reasoning GMAT section, including its purpose, question types, and how you can prepare for it. To start, let’s go over a basic overview of GMAT IR.

What Is the Integrated Reasoning GMAT Section?

As of June 5, 2012, GMAT Integrated Reasoning (IR) is the second section of the exam, after the 30-minute Analytical Writing Assessment. It’s 30 minutes long and asks 12 questions, leaving you with an average of 2.5 minutes per question.

The section is scored between 1 and 8 in single unit intervals. Your Integrated Reasoning score doesn’t count toward your total score out of 800, which is based solely on your Quantitative and Verbal scores.

When you look at Integrated Reasoning sample questions, you’ll see a variety of tables, charts, and graphs. Some questions will also feature passages. Your job in this section is to interpret and synthesize data from multiple sources and to use this data to draw conclusions and evaluate statements.

The tables have sorting functionality, so you’ll be able to reorganize information in alphabetical or increasing numerical order to highlight what’s most important. You can also use an on-screen calculator tool for questions that require math.

The GMAT Integrated Reasoning section is all about data. You’ll sort through a large amount of information, pick out significant details, and use a combination of math and verbal skills.

So why did the test makers add this data-heavy section to the GMAT in the summer of 2012?

What’s the Purpose of the Integrated Reasoning GMAT Section?

According to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), skills of “integrated reasoning” are very important for success in the world of business. Business leaders today need to analyze sophisticated streams of data and synthesize complex information to solve problems.

In 2012, GMAC spoke with over 600 employers across the world and asked them to rate how important “integrated reasoning” skills were to their business. The majority of employers said that these skills were essential for business school graduates and that they looked for evidence of them during the hiring process.

Integrated reasoning skills are also important during business school, when students examine hypothetical case studies and solve problems using evidence from multiple sources. Since GMAC tries to make the GMAT as relevant to business schools and employers as possible, it added the Integrated Reasoning section to reflect these expectations.

While employers agree that integrated reasoning is an essential skill, it’s unclear how much emphasis business schools place on the GMAT IR section. As it’s relatively new to the test, does the Integrated Reasoning score matter in business school admissions?

Does the GMAT Integrated Reasoning Score Matter?

Whenever we start to wade into admissions decision territory, the waters get a little murky. Business schools don’t share exactly how much emphasis they place on GMAT scores, instead insisting that their admissions process is holistic and based on a number of factors, including work experience, essays, and recommendation letters.

The clearest idea we have about the importance of the Integrated Reasoning GMAT score comes from Kaplan’s surveys of admissions officers at 200 business schools in the US. In 2015, 59% of respondents said that an applicant’s GMAT IR score was an important part of their evaluation, a significant increase from the 41% that said it was important in 2014 and a huge jump up from 22% in 2012.

As officers have gotten more familiar with the GMAT Integrated Reasoning section (and GMAC has heavily promoted the section), its role in the admissions process has grown. This trend will likely continue as more and more applicants send scores from the updated version of the GMAT.

While math and verbal scores are still more important than IR scores, you should still aim for an above average (ie, above 4.23) score in IR, and even higher if you’re applying to a selective school. If you’re sending off strong scores, then a competitive IR score will reinforce the positive impression you make.

You should also prepare for GMAT IR so that you don’t end up exhausting a lot of mental energy on this challenging section before you even get to math or verbal. Before you can start your GMAT Integrated Reasoning practice, first, you need to know what’s tested in the IR section.

What’s Tested in the Integrated Reasoning Section?

As its name indicates, the GMAT IR section calls for an integration of your math and verbal skills. You’ll need to read graphs, charts, and tables and perform simple calculations. You’ll also have to read through passages and pick out important information.

Because of this integration of skills, any prep you do for the math and verbal sections will also help you in IR. The GMAT IR section isn’t about memorizing content. Instead, it asks you to solve problems, think critically, and draw meaningful conclusions.

Each IR question is multi-part, but you don’t get partial credit. You have to answer all parts of a question correctly to get points.

There are four question types in the IR section, and each should show up more or less equally. The four GMAT Integrated Reasoning questions are multi-source reasoning, table analysis, graphics interpretation, and two-part analysis.

If you see a certain question type a disproportionate number of times, then one or more of those question types is probably experimental and unscored. However, you don’t really have any way of knowing which ones are experimental, so you should treat all of them as equally important.

Read on for a description and example of each of the Integrated Reasoning GMAT questions, plus some tips on how to approach each one.

#1: Multi-Source Reasoning Questions

Multi-source reasoning questions will present you with three different tabs of information. You could get a mix of passages, charts, and graphs, or you could see three of the same source type. Each source will present information on a shared topic.

You’ll get a few questions related to the tabs, and these questions may take one of two formats. The first format is a typical multiple choice question with five answer choices.

The second format involves a two-column grid. In each column, you’ll need to select between two dichotomous choices, like yes/no, true/false, or increase/decrease.

The example below shows a multi-source reasoning question paired with a multiple choice question. As you can see, the first source presents information in the form of a passage. On the real GMAT, you’ll be able to click through each tab to look at all three sources of data.

How to Approach

Multi-source reasoning questions are the most time-consuming question type in the GMAT IR section. They have three different pages of information and several questions that relate to the same topic.

As you prep for the GMAT, you might allow yourself a little longer time on these question types than on the others. You’ll need to review information on three tabs to tackle the questions.

You may have to compare and contrast the various sources. In this way, these questions are similar to reading comprehension questions in the Verbal section. You must be able to comprehend main points, locate details, and synthesize ideas.

#2: Table Analysis Questions

You don’t have to deal with multiple sources of information in table analysis questions. You just have to look at a large table full of data. This table will have sorting functionality, so you can use the drop down menu to rearrange the data by column.

These questions present several statements, and you’ll choose between two dichotomous answer choices, like yes/no, true/false, or, as in the sample below, would help explain/would not help explain.

How to Approach

When answering table analysis questions, you need to take time to understand what the question is asking you to do. In the sample above, you need to determine whether each statement would help explain the information in the table.

For instance, the table shows that only 5% of the Russian population visits a natural history museum each year. This percentage is the lowest of the other countries on the graph. The second statement, “Russia has the fewest natural history museums per capita,” could be one reason why so few people visit natural history museums. If this statement were true, it “would help explain” the information in the table.

As you can see, table analysis questions are not always straightforward, and you need to take some time reading the question and statements to understand what they’re asking.

A table may also be presented in a misleading way. For instance, a question may ask about a ratio from X to Y, and the table may show the ratio from Y to X. It’s your job to use the drop down menu and sort the data in the right way to answer the accompanying question.

On the above sample question, for instance, you could sort by each of the five columns: country/political union, public library, zoo/aquarium, natural history museum, or science/technology exam. If you sort by country/political union, then the countries will rearrange themselves in alphabetical order. If you sort by any of the other columns, then the data will go in order from the smallest number to the largest.

The sorting kind of resembles online shopping. If you were shopping for watches on Amazon, for instance, you could sort them from lowest price to highest. Similarly, you can sort each numerical column in GMAT table analysis questions from lowest value to highest value.

By taking advantage of sorting functionality, you can get to your answers in the most efficient way.

#3: Graphics Interpretation Questions

While multi-source reasoning questions may or may not have graphics, graphics interpretation questions definitely do. You could get any kind of graph or chart, like a pie graph, line chart, bar graph, scatter plot, or some other unusual graphic.

Below the graphic, you’ll get two sentences that ask you to fill in the blank. Instead of a blank line, you’ll get drop down menus and be asked to choose among a few answer choices.

As long as you can readily interpret the graphic, these questions tend to be less time-consuming than the others. The sample question below shows T-Rex mass by age.

How to Approach

To prepare for these questions, you should get comfortable reading graphs, charts, and other graphics. Make sure you can immediately understand what a graphic is communicating and collect data from it.

For instance, you may need to find the mean, median, or range of data from a graph. All of these concepts are also useful for the GMAT Quantitative section.

#4: Two-Part Analysis

Two-part analysis questions start with some short introductory material. Then, you’ll see a chart, as in the example below, and need to select one answer in each column.

These questions can be entirely verbal or entirely mathematical. Often, you have to find your answer for one column before you’re able to figure out your answer for the other one.

The example below is a mathematical two-part analysis question that asks you to work with speed and time to figure out how many liters of fuel a car is using.

How to Approach

These questions could call on your math or verbal skills; you don’t really know which. To prepare, you should especially develop your reading comprehension skills, so you know exactly what the two-part question is asking you to do.

You should also review how to calculate rate, speed, profit, and other concepts common to Quantitative word problems.

Beyond understanding the four question types, what else do you need to do to prepare for the GMAT IR section?

How to Prepare for Integrated Reasoning: 9 Tips

What are the best ways to prep for the Integrated Reasoning GMAT section? What skills are specific to this section, and what practice do you need to do to be successful?

Read on for nine key tips to rease your GMAT Integrated Reasoning score, six to guide your prep and the final three to shape your approach on test day.

#1: Brush Up On Your Graph Reading Skills

There isn’t a whole lot of new content or concepts you need to study for the GMAT Integrated Reasoning section. For the most part, it relies on the same math, verbal, and critical reasoning skills that you need for the other sections of the GMAT.

What is unique about GMAT Integrated Reasoning is its inclusion of various graphics, like bar graphs, scatter plots, and line graphs. To get ready, you should review how to interpret data from a variety of graphs and charts, as well as look over unconventional graphics that communicate data in some way.

There’s a lot of work in the GMAT IR section in only 30 minutes, so you don’t want to waste time trying to figure out how to read a certain type of graph. Before you test, get comfortable interpreting data from various sources so that you can readily understand each graphic when you take the test.

#2: Notice Where Math and Verbal Skills Overlap

As mentioned above, you don’t need to memorize a bunch of formulas or learn new vocabulary to do well in IR. In terms of math, you may need to use arithmetic to add numbers or calculate percentages, rates, or profits. You may also need to interpret word problems and figure out what steps to take to solve the problems.

All of these skills are also important for the math section, so they should fall into your Quantitative prep. Similarly, the prep you do for reading comprehension and critical reasoning questions in the Verbal section will help you in the IR section.

If you’re practicing arithmetic, reading comprehension, or critical reasoning for the math and verbal sections, then you may also drill these skills with IR questions. You’ll reinforce fundamental skills, which will help you on all three sections of the GMAT.

#3: Develop a Test-Taking Rhythm With Practice Tests

One major challenge of the IR section is sorting through complex information in a short amount of time. While there are just 12 questions, each question has multiple parts. For all intents and purposes, there are quite a few more than 12 questions in this 30-minute section.

Taking timed GMAT Integrated Reasoning practice tests and paying attention to the timer will help you develop a sense of pacing. You might set certain benchmarks, like you’ll aim to have six to seven questions answered by the time 15 minutes have gone by.

If you haven’t reached that goal, then you might want to take an informed guess on a particularly confusing question. It might be better to skip a question somewhere in the middle than wait, run out of time, and have to guess on a later question that you had a better chance of getting right.

You should also note that some question types may take longer than others. Multi-source reasoning questions, for instance, have three tabs of information, while the other question types only have one. You might allocate more time to answer these questions than other ones.

You should also take time after each practice test to reflect on how much time you spent per question. Some practice tests will show you how much time you spent on each question to help you examine your performance.

#4: Answer Realistic Sample Questions

In addition to taking timed practice tests, you should also practice with realistic, computer-based IR questions. The best ones come from the test makers, and you can find sample questions on the free GMAT Prep Software. You can also purchase additional practice questions and practice tests.

You might also use unofficial practice questions from third parties, but they should represent the same format as what you’ll see on the GMAT. You should be able to click through tabs, sort charts, and use an on-screen calculator tool.

One of the hardest things about GMAT IR questions is figuring out what they’re asking and understanding how to approach answering them. By answering lots of sample questions, you’ll get more skilled at comprehending these tricky, often confusing questions.

#5: Practice Using the On-Screen Calculator

You can’t use your own calculator, but will be able to access an on-screen calculator during the GMAT IR section. You shouldn’t need to make many advanced calculations, but the calculator can be a time saver on math-oriented questions that require you to add up a column of numbers or calculate a percentage.

Using an on-screen calculator can be awkward if you’re not used to it, so practice with it before test day. That way, the calculator will be a time saver and not a time waster.

#6: Study Just Enough to Meet Your Goals

While you definitely don’t want to bomb the GMAT IR section, you also don’t need to take it quite as seriously as the verbal and math sections. At this point, it’s still unclear how much emphasis business schools put on IR scores, and there may be applicants sending scores from the pre-IR section version of the GMAT.

That being said, the IR section is challenging, and you do want to know what you’re up against. If you go into the test blind, then you’ll exhaust a lot of mental energy here before even getting to the math and verbal sections, thereby compromising your math, verbal, and total scores.

Set an IR score goal and work towards it, but balance your prep time in favor of the math and verbal sections.

#7: Be Picky About What Data Matters

There’s a lot of extraneous information in each question. Your job is to sort through the fluff and pick out the important details – just like in integrated reasoning for real life jobs.

Glancing over the data first may help you get your bearings, but then you should read the question. Think carefully about what it’s asking and what you need to know to answer it.

Then, you can look directly for relevant information and pick it out from the table, chart, graph, or passage before you. Your task is not to interpret every piece of information, but rather to sift apart what’s important and what isn’t.

#8: Take Advantage of Sorting Functionality

To help you root out important data, tables and charts have sorting functionality. As discussed above, you can use a drop down menu to reorganize information by different columns.

You can sort a table by columns, and it will rearrange itself in alphabetical order or by lowest to highest number. A table will rarely be organized in a helpful way right off the bat. In fact, it may present information in a way designed to trip you up.

You should carefully read what a question is looking for and then sort the table to prioritize certain data points over others.

#9: Know When to Guess and Move On

As you know, the GMAT IR section is strictly timed and fast paced. If a question totally stumps you, then you might need to make your best guess and move on.

It’s important to answer all of the questions in the section. You’ll get a worse score penalty for missing questions than for getting one wrong.

Since there are some experimental questions thrown in, you can even get a few wrong and still get top scores. If timing is an issue or a question is completely throwing you off, then you should give yourself permission to guess and move on.

If you follow these tips as you get for and take the GMAT, then you’ll be in a good position to tackle the IR section. As we finish up, let’s go over some final thoughts about the Integrated Reasoning section on the GMAT.

Integrated Reasoning GMAT: Final Thoughts

The Integrated Reasoning section was added in 2012 to introduce skills of data interpretation to the GMAT. To excel in business school and beyond, you should be able to evaluate and synthesize information from multiple data streams and use your analysis to make informed decisions.

Since the IR section is relatively new, it hasn’t yet taken on a great deal of importance in business school admissions decisions. That being said, it’s growing in importance each year, and you should still aim to get an above average GMAT Integrated Reasoning score.

To get ready for the IR section, you should practice reading graphs and charts and answer plenty of practice questions. Since this section integrates various skills, your math, verbal, and critical reasoning skills that you develop for other sections will also be useful.

Like the other sections of the GMAT, the IR section wants you to evaluate information and draw evidence-based conclusions. Both of these skills will take central stage in business school and beyond.

What’s Next?

Now that you know all about the Integrated Reasoning section, let’s take a deep dive into one of the most important sections on the GMAT, the Quantitative section. Check out this guide to learn all about the structure, skills, and question types on GMAT math.

Are you familiar with the full format and structure of the GMAT? This comprehensive guide goes over the entire GMAT exam pattern, including sample problems of each and every question type.

Beyond learning about the exam itself, are you interested in how the GMAT is scored? Check out our guide to everything you need to know about GMAT scoring.

The post GMAT Integrated Reasoning: 9 Tips for a Top Score appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Are you worried about the GMAT integrated reasoning section? You’re not alone. Many students find the integrated reasoning section difficult to understand and to prepare for.

In this article, I’ll guide you through the best prep books and other materials available to help you succeed on IR questions, as well as offer some tips for GMAT integrated reasoning prep. By the end, you’ll be more than ready to start your Integrated Reasoning prep.

The GMAT Integrated Reasoning Section: The Basics

First off, before getting into the best integrated reasoning prep books, let’s go over what the integrated reasoning section of the GMAT is and what it tests.

The GMAT integrated reasoning (IR) section tests your ability to integrate complex information from multiple sources and to answer questions about the information provided by those sources. The sources can include short passages, tables, graphs, charts, and other graphics.

The IR section includes twelve multi-part questions that need to be answered in 30 minutes and includes four question types: table analysis, graphic interpretation, two-part analysis, and multi-source reasoning (which usually includes several short passages).

Each of these questions has multiple parts, usually two or three. You must answer each part of an IR question correctly in order to get credit for the question. There is no partial credit.

The IR section is scored from 1-8 in single-digit intervals and is not adaptive (find out more about the computerized adaptive format of the GMAT here). The IR score doesn’t impact your total GMAT score, which includes only the verbal and quant scores.

Do You Need Integrated Reasoning GMAT Books?

So, now that I’ve gone over the basics, let’s talk IR prep. When you’re considering integrated reasoning GMAT prep books and materials, the first thing to consider is if you need them at all. MBA admissions committees generally don’t consider the IR section to be as significant as the verbal and quantitative sections, so you shouldn’t overdo your IR prep. You don’t want to go off on a tangent and spend too much time prepping for this section, particularly if you’re struggling significantly with the verbal or quant section.

Though the integrated reasoning section isn’t as significant as the verbal or quant section, it still matters to admissions committees and shouldn’t be entirely overlooked. Regardless of how you do on practice tests on the integrated reasoning section, you should take time to review the basics of the IR format and question types. It’s especially important to make sure that it’s not an extremely weak spot in your overall GMAT.

After you take an initial diagnostic GMAT, you’ll know more about how much trouble you have with the integrated reasoning section. These are some of the signs that you should devote some extra time to integrated reasoning prep:

• You don’t get through all the questions or struggle with timing.

• You have a lot of trouble with answering the questions or understanding what they’re asking of you.

• You got a very low IR score (below 4 out of 8) on your first practice test.

If any of those statements apply to you, you should devote some time to IR prep (which might require an integrated reasoning prep book).

Also, if you’re doing well in the other sections and the IR section is a particular weakness, you should devote some targeted prep time to the IR section to ensure that it isn’t a glaring weak spot on your MBA application.

Why get a prep book rather than simply completing integrated reasoning practice questions? GMAT integrated reasoning books are especially helpful if you find the format of the integrated reasoning section baffling or who have trouble analyzing graphics and graphs. In this case, you’ll benefit from more in-depth answer explanations and breakdowns of the IR format.

Also, GMAT integrated reasoning books could help if you are regularly completing practice quizzes and aren’t improving on integrated reasoning questions. A lack of progress could signal that you need more devoted attention to this area.

What to Look for in Integrated Reasoning GMAT Books: 3 Key Characteristics

Quality integrated reasoning GMAT books should have several key traits. Let’s go over what they are so you know exactly what to look for.

#1: Easy to Digest

Remember that even if you’re struggling with the GMAT integrated reasoning section, it should never take over your GMAT prep.

This means that any prep book you choose should be easily digestible. It should be thorough and in-depth without being overly long or taking up too much of your prep time. Make sure it’s a quick read, straightforward, and not overly dense.

#2: Realistic Practice Questions

The practice questions in the IR prep book you select should be as similar in tone, content, format, and length to real GMAT IR questions as possible.

You should also ensure that there are plenty of practice quizzes and question sets available in the prep book you select, so that you can regularly implement the skills you’re building through drills during your GMAT study sessions.

#3: Detailed Explanations of Answers and Format

In a high-quality IR prep book, there will be detailed answer explanations of practice questions that will help you understand exactly where you’re going wrong on ones you answer incorrectly. A good prep book will help you break down the questions you don’t answer correctly and analyze your weaknesses and error patterns so you can quickly remedy the problems.

Additionally, the best IR prep books will include an in-depth breakdown of the four IR question types and the format of each, and will help you learn what to look for in different kinds of graphs and charts that you might encounter on the exam.

5 Best GMAT Integrated Reasoning Books

Now, let’s take a look at the five best GMAT integrated books available. For each book, I’ll go over its price, pros, and cons, as well as why you might choose it (or not) as an integrated reasoning resource.

#1: Manhattan Prep GMAT Integrated Reasoning & Essay Strategy Guide

Overview: This 144-page Manhattan GMAT integrated reasoning book (half of which is concerned only with integrated reasoning) includes breakdowns and examples of each IR question type, as well as practice questions and answer explanations. There’s also an IR strategy section that illustrates ways to tackle each question type and each hurdle you might encounter in integrated reasoning.

Price: $26 in paperback; $32.99 in ebook

Pros: Manhattan Prep’s breakdown of integrated reasoning question types is particularly in-depth and comprehensive, and the strategies are straightforward. If you struggle with knowing how to approach IR questions, this book will be especially helpful for you.

Also, with your purchase, you get one year of access to an accompanying website with additional IR practice questions, exercises, and answer explanations.

Cons: While the strategies in this book are helpful, there aren’t as many practice questions as you might get in another resource. You should also probably only consider the book if you’re looking for help with the analytical writing assessment as well, because about half the book is devoted to the GMAT essay.

#2: Manhattan Review GMAT Integrated Reasoning Guide

Overview: Manhattan Review’s GMAT Integrated Reasoning Guide emphasizes both strategy and practice, taking readers through an overview and examples of each IR question type before launching into a series of IR practice quizzes.

In total, there are 50 integrated reasoning practice questions in the Manhattan integrated reasoning book, each of which is accompanied by an answer explanation.

Price: $13.55 in paperback

Pros: The GMAT Integrated Reasoning Guide includes a wide variety of IR practice questions of varying difficulty levels and question types. Whatever you find most challenging in the integrated reasoning section, you’re likely to find practice questions that address it here.

Cons: The answer explanations in the Manhattan integrated reasoning book aren’t always as in-depth or detailed as they might be.

Also, the strategies offered in the book are often focused around logical deduction, which may or may not be the best way for you to approach the IR questions. In contrast to other books that offer a wider variety of options for how you might tackle GMAT questions, Manhattan Review sticks to a single strategy.

#3: Peterson’s Mastering the GMAT: Part IV, Integrated Reasoning

Overview: This prep ebook is sold as part of Peterson’s larger Mastering the GMAT volume. It gives readers an overview of the integrated reasoning section, followed by a three-step approach that test-takers are encouraged to follow for each IR question type. Examples and explanations of each question type are included.

While the text is 115 pages in total (including a guide to the GMAT overall, the computerized adaptive format, tips for business school applications, and other helpful general information), the integrated reasoning section ends on page 45.

Price: $2.51 on Google Play

Pros: This is a quick, inexpensive guide to GMAT integrated reasoning questions. If you don’t have a lot of time to devote to IR prep but need a bit more depth than you can find in more general prep books, Peterson’s is a great resource.

Cons: To get integrated reasoning practice questions, you’ll have to purchase the rest of Peterson’s Mastering the GMAT or their online resources. This slim volume only includes a few examples (though they are very in-depth).

#4: McGraw-Hill’s Conquering the GMAT Math and Integrated Reasoning and 500 GMAT Math and Integrated Reasoning Questions to Know By Test Day

Overview: McGraw-Hill’s Conquering the GMAT Math and Integrated Reasoning is a comprehensive guide to both the GMAT quant section and the GMAT integrated reasoning section.

While the book is over 300 pages in its entirety, only about a third or slightly less of the guide is devoted specifically to integrated reasoning. It includes IR tips, strategies, and practice questions, including two full-length IR practice tests and answer explanations.

McGraw-Hill’s other integrated reasoning resource, 500 GMAT Math and Integrated Reasoning Questions to Know By Test Day, is also over 300 pages, but is devoted entirely to practice questions and answer explanations. In total, there are over 500 practice questions here: 300 quant questions and 200 integrated reasoning questions, divided by question type.

Price: Conquering the GMAT Math and Integrated Reasoning: $11.99 in ebook format; $12 in paperback

500 GMAT Math and Integrated Reasoning Questions to Know By Test Day: $19 in ebook format; $7.35 in paperback

Pros: Chapter 6 of Conquering the GMAT Math and Integrated Reasoning goes in depth on how to tackle each integrated reasoning question type. There’s a lot of meaty strategy and quite a few helpful and specific tips.

Of course, the biggest pro of this prep book is the fact that it includes two full-length IR tests.

Similarly, 500 GMAT Math and Integrated Reasoning Questions to Know By Test Day provides a lot of IR practice, with 200 practice questions (more than any other IR prep resource) available within its pages.

You might consider purchasing both of these books as companions, if you’re looking for both in-depth strategy guides and a wide variety of practice questions for both the quant and integrated reasoning sections of the GMAT.

Cons: In both books, interpreting and drawing conclusions from graphics (a skill that’s difficult for many GMAT test-takers) could be explained more fully and in more depth. Answer explanations are sometimes brief and lacking in detail. Also, both books contain typos and proofreading errors that can sometimes get distracting.

#5: Vibrant Publishers’ GMAT Integrated Reasoning Practice Questions

Overview: Vibrant Publishers’ GMAT Integrated Reasoning Practice Questions includes 150 integrated reasoning practice questions, divided by question type and followed by answer explanations. The book begins with an overview of the GMAT as a whole and a brief explanation of each integrated reasoning question type.

Price: $14.95 in paperback; $3.99 in Kindle

Pros: The biggest advantage of this book is its large number of practice questions and answer explanations. Because the practice questions are divided by question type, you can focus on the ones that you struggle with most.

The answer explanations are also in-depth and detailed, and will take you through each step of reading and answering an IR question.

Finally, GMAT Integrated Reasoning Practice Questions is highly affordable, giving you quite a bit of value for a low price.

Cons: The practice questions provided here are primarily of easy to moderate difficulty, so if you’re specifically looking for advanced IR practice questions, you’ll need to supplement elsewhere.

Also, there’s not an in-depth section on the IR format that breaks down each question type. This book is primarily a source of practice questions, not an overview of the IR section as a whole.

3 Additional GMAT Integrated Reasoning Resources

Looking for integrated resources beyond prep books? There are a few other high-quality materials that you can use to hone in on the integrated reasoning section of the GMAT. Let’s take a look at the three best ones.

#1: GMAT Official Integrated Reasoning Prep Tool

Overview: The GMAT Official Integrated Reasoning Prep Tool is a web-based tool that includes 48 integrated reasoning practice questions and in-depth answer explanations. You’ll also receive a progress report at the end of each customizable practice session that will let you know how you did on the practice questions in comparison to others who answered the same ones.

Price: $20

Pros: The most obvious pro of the Official IR Prep Tool is that it’s one of the only sources of official integrated reasoning GMAT practice questions, so it’s a reliable way to gauge your progress as you prepare for the IR section. The visuals are also quite similar to what you’ll see on exam day.

Cons: With your purchase, you only get access to the IR prep tool for six months. If you need it longer, you’ll need to buy an extension.

#2: GMAT Pill Online Integrated Reasoning Practice Questions and Videos

Overview: The online GMAT Pill guide to integrated reasoning includes an overview of the section, strategies to succeed in integrated reasoning, sets of IR practice questions divided by question type, and video explanations for each set of practice questions.

Price: Many of the GMAT Pill integrated reasoning resources are free with no required sign-in. Others are also free but require a signup with your email. Still others (marked with a “lock”) require you to purchase the full GMAT Pill course for $437 (lifetime membership) or $169 for the first month (and $99/month thereafter).

Pros: GMAT Pill offers one of the most comprehensive guides to integrated reasoning questions out there. The question types are further divided into skill sets or concepts being tested, making each practice question set all the more helpful for targeting your particular weaknesses.

There are hundreds of IR practice questions, many of which are available for free, and the video explanations that break down examples and the skills you’ll need to address them are in-depth and easy to digest.

Cons: GMAT Pill’s visuals can get distracting and confusing, making navigation of the integrated reasoning section difficult. It’s also difficult at times to know what you can access for free and what you need to purchase.

#3: Magoosh’s Complete Guide to GMAT Integrated Reasoning (PDF)

Overview: This online ebook contains strategies for each IR question type, about two examples of each question type, and answer explanations.

Price: Downloadable for free

Pros: Magoosh’s book is concise and to the point. The examples presented are of appropriate complexity levels, and the answer explanations are easily digestible and detailed.

Cons: There aren’t many practice questions available here, and only a few examples of each type of integrated reasoning question.

This resource might be good for a quick overview during one or two study sessions if you’re not struggling a great deal with the IR section.

Top 3 Tips for GMAT Integrated Reasoning Prep

If you’re ready to prepare for the GMAT integrated reasoning section, make sure you’re making the most of your prep time by using these top study tips.

#1: Practice, but Don’t Overdo It

If you take an initial diagnostic GMAT (find out more about how to do so here) and find that you struggled quite a bit with the integrated reasoning section, you should absolutely devote prep time to it using the materials above.

However, keep your IR prep in perspective. Generally speaking, business schools aren’t going to be as concerned about your integrated reasoning score (or your analytical writing assessment score, for that matter) as they are about your total score.

So, while you should devote some time to the integrated reasoning section, don’t spend too much unless your initial IR score is very low. Focus on ensuring you can reliably hit an OK score (usually agreed upon as a 4 or above, or a 5 for a top MBA program) and don’t worry too much about getting a perfect 8. Spending too much time on IR prep can take away from studying for the more significant GMAT sections.

#2: Know When to Guess

You shouldn’t be afraid to guess on the GMAT when you’re unsure, but this rule is especially true on the IR section.

You have very limited time on the IR section, and each question has multiple parts, all of which you must answer before you can move on to the next one. If you want to answer all 12 questions on the IR section, you’ll have only two and a half minutes per question.

Because there’s no partial credit on IR questions, it’s not in your best interest to agonize for too long over questions you’re struggling with. Even one incorrect answer will make the whole response incorrect, so you have more chances to miss the entire question. If you’re having trouble with a question, take your best guess and move on, leaving yourself more time for questions you have a higher chance of getting right.

Pay attention to your skill set when you’re deciding when to guess, too. If you’re a whiz with reading comprehension passages but struggle with reading pie charts, consider guessing earlier on questions that include the latter. This way, you’ll give yourself a higher chance of being able to take your time with, say, multi-source reasoning questions that include several short passages, which you might find easier.

#3: Familiarize Yourself With Graphs and Charts

Reading graphs, tables, and charts, which are commonly included in the integrated reasoning section, is a difficult skill for many test-takers. The way we read graphs and charts when we read articles, for example, won’t necessarily help you on the IR section.

When you read a magazine or newspaper article, you might skim graphs and charts for just the information you consider most interesting or pertinent. On the IR section, every detail could potentially be significant; you’ll need to read all of the captions and other specifics and be able to synthesize and interpret them efficiently and effectively.

When you complete practice IR questions and read IR prep books, regularly note how you might be misinterpreting graphics or missing details in them in order to improve your performance on questions that include graphs, tables, charts, and other pictorials.

What’s Next?

Ready to start your IR prep? Find the best sources of GMAT integrated reasoning practice questions here.

If you’re looking for more specific tips for excelling on the IR section, check out our expert guide to getting a top integrated reasoning score here.

Ready to shoot for a top GMAT score? Our eight expert tips will put you on your way.

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