Logical Reasoning - Overview

Question 1

Define the General Approach to Logical Reasoning

Answer 1

1. Identify the Question Type (i.e. skim the question stem)
2. Read the Stimulus CAREFULLY
3. Identify the author’s conclusion and premises OR connect information / identify the discrepancy
   3.5. Identify assumptions
4. Anticipate the shape of the correct answer (or not) based on the stimulus and question stem.
5. Hunt mode OR process of elimination

Question 2

How many potential answers may appear on the LSAT?

Answer 2

ONE AND ONLY ONE. THERE should NOT be any confusion between 2 or more answer choices.

However, keep in mind that SOMETIMES the RIGHT answer choice is not the MOST IDEAL answer choice.

The conclusion can be short, containing a referential that points to something in the context.

Question 3

Define the approach for Main Conclusion (MC) (i.e. Main Point (MP)) questions.

Answer 3

Step 1: Read the question stem and identify it as an MC question
Step 2: Read stimulus
Step 3: Identify context, premises, conclusion
Step 4: Hunt for conclusion paraphrasing in answer choices. The correct answer will likely utilize referential phrasing.
Step 4 Fallback: Process of Elimination

Question 4

What are some common Incorrect practices/ answers when answering a Main Conclusion (MC) / Main Point (MP) question?

Answer 4

Patterns in wrong answers
1. Stating a premise or context or other people’s position
2. Stating assumptions of the argument
3. Stating the sub-conclusion / major-premise
4. Leveraging various potential grammar or logical confusions (modifier, comparatives, sets and subsets, descriptive v. prescriptive, nesting, etc.) to create statements that sound like statements made in the stimulus.