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Exam Strategy > LSAT Argument Questions > Flashcards

LSAT Argument Questions Flashcards

1
Q

How many types of argument questions on the LSAT and what are they?

A

Eleven

Main Point
Necessary Assumption
Sufficient Assumption
Weaken
Strengthen
Resolve/explain
Inference
Reasoning
Flaw
Principle
Parallel-the-reasoning
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2
Q

When working argument questions, what is the step by step process?

A

Step1: Assess the question
Step2: Analyze the argument
Step3: Act
Step4: Use Process of Elimination

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3
Q

In the step by step process for solving argument questions, describe step 1

A

Step 1: Asses the Question

Read the question first before reading the argument

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4
Q

In the step by step process for solving argument questions, describe step 2

A

Step 2: Analyze the argument

Identify and mark the author’s conclusion and premises. Jot down any flaws if necessary

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5
Q

In the step by step process for solving argument questions, describe step 3

A

Step 3: Act

Get clear with what is being asked…try to predict the answer before reading the choices

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6
Q

In the step by step process for solving argument questions, describe step 4

A

Step 4: use the process of elimination

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7
Q

What question phrasing is this…

What is the author’s main Point?

A

Main point

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8
Q

What question phrasing is this…

The Main conclusion drawn in the author’s argument is that…

A

Main Point

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9
Q

What question phrasing is this…

The argument is structured to lead to which one of the following conclusions

A

Main Point

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10
Q

How do we crack Main Point Argument questions?

A
  • identify the conclusion
  • use the Why Test, and then match your conclusions against the five 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.
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11
Q

What are necessary Assumption questions in the argument section?

A

Assumption questions ask you to pick the choice that fills a gap in the authors reasoning. A necessary assumption is something that the argument relies on but doesn’t state -something that needs to be true in order for the to argument work.

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12
Q

What is the negation test?

A

The negation test works only for necessary Assumption questions. Negate the answer choice to see whether the conclusion remains intact. If the conclusion falls apart, then the choice is a valid assumption and thus the credited response

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13
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument relies?

A

Necessary assumption question

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14
Q

What question phrasing is this…

The argument above answers which of the following?

A

Necessary assumption questions

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15
Q

What question phrasing is this…

The writers argument depends on which of the following?

A

Necessary assumption questions

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16
Q

How do we crack Necessary assumption Argument questions?

A
  • identify the conclusion, premises, and assumptions of the author
  • if you are having trouble finding assumption, look for a gap between two different ideas in the argument
  • the assumption will always at least mildly strengthen the authors 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 is your answer
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17
Q

What are sufficient Assumption questions in the argument section?

A

Similar to necessary assumption questions becuase we are looking for a missing gap in the authors reasoning. However, this assumption Is not required to allow the conclusion to follow. It simply makes it true. The negation test will not help us here and the credited responses can be more extreme

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18
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which one of the following, if assumed, would enable the conclusion to be properly drawn?

A

Sufficient Assumption

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19
Q

What question phrasing is this…

The conclusion follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

A

Sufficient Assumption

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20
Q

How do we crack Sufficient Assumption Argument questions?

A
  • identify the conclusion, premises, and the assumptions 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
21
Q

What are weaken questions in the argument section?

A

Weaken questions ask you to identify a fact that would work against the argument. Sometimes the answer you pick will directly contradict the conclusions; at other times, it will merely sever the connection between the premises and the conclusion, destroying the argument reasoning. Either way, the right answer will exploit a gap in the argument

22
Q

In the weaken the argument questions there are three types of arguments that you need to be concerned with, what are they?

A
  • causal Arguments
  • sampling Arguments
  • arguments by analogy
23
Q

What are Causal Arguments and what are its assumptions

A

A cuase and effect argument type found in weaken/strengthen questions that Assumes 3 things

  1. The stated possible cause is the only cause
  2. The causal relationship is not reversed
  3. And it didn’t occur by chance
24
Q

What are Sampling Arguments and what are its assumptions

A

A statisical argument type found in weaken/strentgh questions that Assumes 2 things

  1. A given statistic or sample is representative of the whole
  2. The sampling was conducted correctly
25
Q

What are Arguments by analogy and what are its assumptions

A

An argument type found in weaken/strengthen questions that Assumes one group, idea, or action is the same as another, with respect to the terms of the argument.

Weaken this by showing things not to be analogous

26
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which one of the following, if true, would most undermine the authors conclusion?

A

Weaken questions

27
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which of the following statements, If true, would most call into question the results achieved by the scientists?

A

Weaken questions

28
Q

How do we crack Weaken Argument questions?

A
  • identify the conclusion, premises, and assumptions of the author
  • read critically, looking for instances in which the author made large leaps in logic
  • then, when you go to the answer choices, look for a choice that has the most negative impact on that leap of faith
  • assume all choices to be hypothetically true
29
Q

What are Sampling Arguments and what are its assumptions

A

A statisical argument type found in weaken/strentgh questions that Assumes 2 things

  1. A given statistic or sample is representative of the whole
  2. The sampling was conducted correctly
30
Q

What are Arguments by analogy and what are its assumptions

A

An argument type found in weaken/strengthen questions that Assumes one group, idea, or action is the same as another, with respect to the terms of the argument.

Weaken this by showing things not to be analogous

31
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which one of the following, if true, would most undermine the authors conclusion?

A

Weaken questions

32
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which of the following statements, If true, would most call into question the results achieved by the scientists?

A

Weaken questions

33
Q

How do we crack Weaken Argument questions?

A
  • identify the conclusion, premises, and assumptions of the author
  • read critically, looking for instances in which the author made large leaps in logic
  • then, when you go to the answer choices, look for a choice that has the most negative impact on that leap of faith
  • assume all choices to be hypothetically true
34
Q

What are Sampling Arguments and what are its assumptions

A

A statisical argument type found in weaken/strentgh questions that Assumes 2 things

  1. A given statistic or sample is representative of the whole
  2. The sampling was conducted correctly
35
Q

What are Arguments by analogy and what are its assumptions

A

An argument type found in weaken/strengthen questions that Assumes one group, idea, or action is the same as another, with respect to the terms of the argument.

Weaken this by showing things not to be analogous

36
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which one of the following, if true, would most undermine the authors conclusion?

A

Weaken questions

37
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which of the following statements, If true, would most call into question the results achieved by the scientists?

A

Weaken questions

38
Q

How do we crack Weaken Argument questions?

A
  • identify the conclusion, premises, and assumptions of the author
  • read critically, looking for instances in which the author made large leaps in logic
  • then, when you go to the answer choices, look for a choice that has the most negative impact on that leap of faith
  • assume all choices to be hypothetically true
39
Q

What are strengthen questions in the argument section?

A

Strengthen questions are the flip side of weaken questions. Now your asked to pick a new fact that confirms the conclusion, or at the very least, helps the conclusion seem more likely. If there are problems with the argument, the answer here will most often address them

40
Q

What are Principle Strengthen Questions

A

A type of rare Strengthening Question that asks you to find a “principle” to “justify” the argument. Instead of identifying a specific fact or piece of evidence, the correct answer will be a general rule that will strengthen the argument as a whole. The answer may help the conclusion in an unexpected or rather extreme way, so don’t shy away from answers that are strongly worded

41
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which one of the following statements, if true, would most support the author’s conclusion ?

A

Strengthen Questions

42
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which of the following statements, if true, would strengthen the author’s argument?

A

Strengthen Questions

43
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which of the following principles, if established, justifies the actions taken by Mia in the argument above?

A

Strengthen Questions

44
Q

What are strengthen questions in the argument section?

A

Strengthen questions are the flip side of weaken questions. Now your asked to pick a new fact that confirms the conclusion, or at the very least, helps the conclusion seem more likely. If there are problems with the argument, the answer here will most often address them

45
Q

What are Principle Strengthen Questions

A

A type of rare Strengthening Question that asks you to find a “principle” to “justify” the argument. Instead of identifying a specific fact or piece of evidence, the correct answer will be a general rule that will strengthen the argument as a whole. The answer may help the conclusion in an unexpected or rather extreme way, so don’t shy away from answers that are strongly worded

46
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which one of the following statements, if true, would most support the author’s conclusion ?

A

Strengthen Questions

47
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which of the following statements, if true, would strengthen the author’s argument?

A

Strengthen Questions

48
Q

What question phrasing is this…

Which of the following principles, if established, justifies the actions taken by Mia in the argument above?

A

Strengthen Questions

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