Analytical reasoning is essential to many competitive exams, including entrance exams for colleges, universities, and various job positions. 

Analytical reasoning assesses the ability to analyse information and draw conclusions based on logical reasoning. 

Here are some tips to help you improve your analytical reasoning skills for competitive exams:

• Understand the question: It is essential to understand the question and the information provided before attempting to solve the problem. Read the question carefully, identify the key facts, and consider what is being asked.
• Break down the problem into smaller parts to help you analyse it more effectively. Identify the relationships between different pieces of information and try to establish patterns or connections.
• Practice with previous exam papers: One of the best ways to improve your analytical reasoning skills is to practice with previous exam papers. This will help you familiarise yourself with the types of questions likely to appear on the exam and help you better understand the exam format.
• Use logic: Analytical reasoning is all about using logic to draw conclusions based on the available information. Ensure you understand the principles of logical reasoning and use them to guide your thinking.
• Time management: Time management is crucial during competitive exams, so developing strategies to help you manage your time effectively is essential. For example, you could practice taking timed exams to help you better understand how much time you should allocate to each question.
• Avoid assumptions: Avoid making assumptions based on incomplete information. Instead, focus on the information provided and use logical reasoning to conclude.
• Stay calm and focused: Finally, staying calm during the exam is essential. If you encounter a difficult question, take a deep breath, and try to break down the problem into smaller parts. 

Remember that analytical reasoning is a skill that can be developed with practice, so keep working at it!

Important Topics Under Analytical Reasoning

Analytical reasoning can cover a wide range of topics, but here are some of the important ones that are often included in competitive exams:

• Blood Relations: Questions on blood relations typically involve determining the relationship between different family members based on the information provided.
• Syllogisms: Syllogisms are logical arguments that involve two premises and a conclusion. In analytical reasoning, questions may ask you whether a conclusion logically follows the given premises.
• Directions: Questions on directions typically involve determining the direction a person is facing or the direction they need to travel to reach a specific location.
• Ordering and Ranking: Questions on ordering and ranking typically involve arranging a group of items or people in a specific order based on the given criteria.
• Seating Arrangement: Questions on seating arrangements typically involve arranging a group of people or objects in a specific order based on the given criteria, such as the seat number, their position relative to each other, etc.
• Puzzles: Puzzles can involve a wide range of topics and are designed to test your ability to think logically and analytically. These can include jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and other similar games.
• Data Sufficiency: Questions on data sufficiency typically involve determining whether the given information is sufficient to answer a specific question or solve a problem.

These are just a few of the essential topics covered in analytical reasoning. 

It is important to note that exams may cover different topics, so checking the exam pattern and syllabus before beginning your preparation is essential.

Types of Analytical Reasoning 

Analytical reasoning is a broad category that includes several types of reasoning. Here are some of the most common types of analytical reasoning:

• Deductive Reasoning: Deductive reasoning involves drawing conclusions based on established premises or principles. For example, if all humans are mortal and Socrates is a human, then Socrates must be mortal.
• Inductive Reasoning: Inductive reasoning involves drawing conclusions based on observations or evidence. For example, if every cat you have ever seen has fur, then you may conclude that all cats have fur.
• Abductive Reasoning: Abductive reasoning involves making an educated guess or hypothesis based on incomplete information. For example, if you come home and find your front door broken, you may hypothesise that someone has broken into your house.
• Logical Reasoning: Logical reasoning involves using established principles of logic to conclude. This type of reasoning is often used in syllogisms, where two premises are given, and a conclusion is drawn based on those premises.
• Spatial Reasoning: Spatial reasoning involves visualising and manipulating objects in space. This type of reasoning is often used in puzzles, where you need to rearrange objects or shapes to solve a problem.
• Quantitative Reasoning: Quantitative reasoning involves using mathematical or numerical concepts to solve problems. This type of reasoning is often used in data analysis and data interpretation.

These are just a few of the most common types of analytical reasoning. 

Question Structure in Analytical Reasoning

Questions in analytical reasoning typically present a scenario, puzzle, or problem and require you to analyse the given information to arrive at a logical conclusion. 

The structure of the question may vary depending on the type of reasoning being tested, but here are some general designs you may encounter:

• Statement and Conclusion: In this type of question, a statement or a set of statements is given, and you must determine whether the conclusion logically follows from the given statements.
• Data Sufficiency: In this type of question, a problem is given along with some data or information. It would be best if you determined whether the information given is sufficient to solve the problem.
• Passage-Based Questions: In this type of question, a passage is given, and you must analyse the information provided to answer the following questions.
• Ordering or Ranking Questions: In this type of question, a group of items or people is given, and you must arrange them in a specific order based on the given criteria.
• Seating Arrangement Questions: In this type of question, a group of people or objects is given, and you are required to arrange them in a specific pattern based on the given criteria, such as seat number or position relative to each other.
• Blood Relation Questions: In this type of question, you must determine the relationship between family members based on the information provided.
• Puzzle-Based Questions: In this type of question, you are presented with a puzzle or problem that requires you to use analytical reasoning to arrive at a solution.

How to Answer Questions based on Analytical Reasoning

Here are some tips to help you answer questions based on analytical reasoning:

• Read the question carefully: Analytical reasoning questions often involve complex scenarios or puzzles, so it is important to read the question carefully and ensure you understand what is being asked.
• Identify the critical information: Identify the necessary information in the question, such as the given facts, the constraints, or the criteria for solving the problem.
• Make a diagram or chart: For some types of questions, it can be helpful to make a diagram or chart to visualise the relationships between the different elements in the problem.
• Use logical reasoning: Use logical reasoning to analyse the information provided and arrive at a solution. This may involve deductive, inductive, or other types of reasoning.
• Eliminate incorrect answer choices: For multiple-choice questions, eliminate wrong answers based on the provided information.
• Practice, practice, practice: The more you practice answering analytical reasoning questions, the better you will become at identifying key information, using logical reasoning, and arriving at a solution.
• Manage your time: Analytical reasoning questions can be time-consuming, so managing your time effectively during the exam is essential. If you get stuck on a question, move on to the next one and return to it later if you have time.

Remember that analytical reasoning questions are designed to test your ability to analyse information, use logical reasoning, and arrive at a solution. 

You can improve your analytical reasoning skills and perform well on these questions with practice and preparation.

Do’s and Don’ts of Analytical Reasoning

Here are some do's and don'ts to keep in mind while solving analytical reasoning questions:

Do's:

• Read the question carefully and understand what is being asked.
• Identify and use the critical information in the question to solve the problem.
• Use logical reasoning to arrive at a solution.
• Practice regularly to improve your analytical reasoning skills.
• Please keep track of time and manage it effectively during the exam.
• Stay calm and focused while solving the questions.
• Use diagrams, charts, or tables to visualise the problem and its solution.

Don'ts:

• Take your time to understand the questions—only assume something provided in the question.
• Refrain from relying solely on intuition or guesswork to arrive at a solution.
• Save time on a single question, especially if it seems complicated.
• Stay focused on relevant information and details.
• Stay calm if you get stuck on a question; move on to the next one and return to it later if you have time.
• Remember to review your answers before submitting the exam.

Examples

Here are some examples of analytical reasoning questions:

Example 1 - Statement and Conclusion:

Statement: All cats are mammals.

Conclusion: All mammals are cats.

Does the conclusion logically follow from the statement?

Answer: No, the conclusion does not logically follow from the statement. The statement implies that all cats are a type of mammal, but it does not imply that all mammals are cats.

Example 2 - Data Sufficiency:

If x and y are positive integers, is x + more significant than 10?

x > 5

y > 5

Answer: By combining both statements, we can conclude that x + y > 10. Therefore, both statements together are sufficient to answer the question.

Example 3 - Passage-Based Question:

Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

"John is taller than Mike, and Mike is taller than Tom. Who is the tallest among the three?"

Based on the information provided, it can be concluded that:

Answer: John is the tallest among the three.

Example 4 - Ordering or Ranking Question:

Six people (A, B, C, D, E, and F) are standing in a line. They are arranged in the following order: B is between A and C, D is next to A, and E is next to F. Who stands in the middle of the line?

Answer: A is standing in the middle of the line.

Example 5 - Blood Relation Question:

If P is the son of Q, and Q is the sister of R, what is the relationship between P and R?

Answer: P is the nephew of R.