Method Of Reasoning & Boldface Flashcards
When an author agues that a claim “MIGHT/MAY not be true”… He..
Is NOT stating a Firm conclusion
Does NOT Reject the claim
Is “Considering the possibility” that the claim might be true
Is also considering the possibility that the claim may also not be true
To Find the answer to a 2-speaker Method of reasoning question, you must do what 3 things?
- Read through the exchange
- Note any conclusions made by both speakers
3.Know how the 2 speakers each supported their conclusion
4 common Method of reasoning incorrect answer types
- An answer that presents new components e.g highlighting gaps with new info
- An answer that is partially correct eg first part correct but second will be incorrect
3.An answer that describes methods that the argument could use but doesn’t use.
- An answer that a method that resembles what the argument does but is not what the argument actually does.
The “5 step” strategy for answering Method of reasoning questions
- Carefully read, breakdown and understand the argument’s structure & how it works
- Identify the question type and what it’s asking of you
- In your head, Summarise the argument’s method & logical flow in simple terms, before looking at the options
- Carefully go through and choices and eliminate “obviously wrong” choices
5.Carefully analyse the final answer choice. (Do NOT guess/rely on ‘gut’, find PROOF!!)
In answering 2-speaker method of reasoning questions, it’s helpful to analyse what element in an answer choice?
The VERB
By considering the verb in each answer choice, we can eliminate the ones that down match the passage
E.g if the argument says “could be”
correct - The author ‘suggested’
incorrect- The author ‘asserted’
Method of reasoning Questions focus on which of the following;#
How the argument is structured
Merits of the argument i.e whether its good/bad
How the argument is structured
our job is to know how the argument works, what supports what, the main idea and how its supported.
We don’t care if the argument is a good or bad one.
Strategy for avoiding partially incorrect answers
Read the answer choice carefully and completely to the end.
Consider what each part says and whether its correct
eliminate any anger choice that has one part correct and the other partially correct/incorrect
Strategy for avoiding answer choices that say things that resemble what the argument does
Really understand fully how the argument is structured, how it works, how each parts fit together
Knowing ‘vaguely’ will make you fall for the trap
Argument: Sheila is a female, not a male, because she has XX chromosome
which answer choice is correct
a) The author made a consideration about Sheilas gender
b) The author states a fact about Sheilas gender
Correct answer is B
A fact/evidence is NOT a consideration
Facts = evidence that is true
Consideration = opinion not supported by facts
What is the strategy to answering boldface questions?
- Look for any conclusion.. a statement supported by other statements
- Identify the reference point - main conclusion/idea
- Pay attention to detail, considering context and keeping various parts of the passage straight in your mind.
- Understand the relationships between the boldface portions and other statements, and the role they play in the argument
Difference between;
a) The claim “May” be correct
b) The claim “Must” be correct or
“is” incorrect
A - The author ‘questions’ the claim
B- The author “argues against” the claim
What is the CLUE for boldface questions
1 or 2 statements highlighted in BOLD in a passage
What is the CLUE for 2- Speaker method of reasoning questions
2 speaker dialogue
What is the CLUE for normal Method of reasoning questions
Question stem:
the author proceeds by
the author argues by
