Arguments - Actions Flashcards
Main Point
Identify the conclusion and premises.
Use The Why Test and then match your conclusion against the give answer choices.
Be careful not to fall for the opposite.
When down to two choices, look for extreme wording and relevance to eliminate one choice.
Necessary Assumption
Identify the conclusion, premises, and assumption of the author.
If you’re having trouble with finding the assumption, look for any gaps between two ideas int eh argument.
The assumption will at least mildly strengthen the author’s conclusion and is necessary for the conclusion to follow from the information provided.
When down to two choices, negate each statement to see if the argument falls apart. If it does, that’s your answer.
Sufficient Assumption
Identify the conclusion, premises, and assumption of the author.
Look for language in the conclusion that is not accounted for in the premise.
Paraphrase an answer that would strongly connect the premises to the conclusion and shore up the language gap.
Eliminate answer choices that bring in new information.
Weaken
Identify the conclusion, premises, and assumption of the author.
Read critically, looking for instances in which the author made large leaps in logic.
Then, when you go tot the answer choices, look for a choice that has the most negative impact on that leap of logic.
Assume all of the choices to be hypothetically true.
Strengthen
Identify the conclusion, premise, and assumption of the author.
Read critically, looking for where the author made large leaps in logic.
Then, when you go to the answer choices, look for a choice that has the most positive impact on that gap.
Assume all choices to be hypothetically true.
Resolve/Explain
Identify the apparent discrepancy or paradox.
Go to the answer choices and look for a piece of information that, when added to the argument, allows both facts from the argument to be true.
Assume all choices to be hypothetically true.
Inference
Read carefully, paying close attention to qualifying language, and then go to the answer choices.
Once there, cross off any answer choices that are not directly supported by the evidence in the passage.
Look for relevance and extreme language to eliminate answer choices.
Use the contrapositive if there are: “if then” statements contained in the passage and in the answer choices.
Reasoning
Read the argument carefully and then describe what is happening in you own words, focusing on the author’s conclusion and premises.
Take the description and rigorously apply it to all the answer choices.
Once you’re at the answer choices, use the technique of comparing the actions described in the answer choices against those that actually occur in the argument.
Cross out anything that doesn’t appear in the argument.
Flaw
Breakdown the argument into its parts; the flaw is usually related to the assumption.
State in your own words what the problem with the argument is.
With each answer, try to match the actions described in the answer choices with those of the argument itself. Look for the choice that has the same problem you found.
Eliminate the answers that don’t match; look for the answer that addresses the assumption.
Principle Match
Make sure you know which direction the argument flows. Are you being asked to find a principle that conforms to a situation, or a situation that conforms to a principle?
Once you’re sure, look for an answer that most closely matches the general principle underlying the argument.
Parallel the Reasoning
Will either contain flawed or valid reasoning, the question will tip you off.
Try to diagram the argument and then diagram each of the answer choices, comparing each one to the diagram you came up with for the argument itself.
If the argument is flawed, be sure not to choose an answer that fixes it.
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