MGMAT Flashcards
For every question, you should begin by understanding what you are given:
What is this author actually arguing?
What are the pieces of this argument?
How do they fit together?
Premise
- Is part of the core of the argument; present in every argument
- Supports the author’s conclusion
- Can be a fact or an opinion; can be a description, historical information, data, or a comparison of things
- Is often signaled by words or phrases such as because of, since, due to, or as a result of
Signal word: Premise
This point is used to support a claim or conclusion elsewhere in the argument
Because, since, for, after all
Signal word: Cause and effect
One fact or claim leads to another
Therefore, thus, so, consequently, for this reason, it follows that, as a result
Signal word: Concession
These words concede or acknowledge an opposing point but the author doesn’t necessarily change his or her mind
Even though, though, although, whereas, despite, while it is true that
Signal word: Contrast
These words cross the line: the author is changing direction or disputing an earlier point
However, but, yet, nevertheless, even so
Argument structure cheat sheet
- a premise is a piece of evidence (fact or claim) that supports the author’s conclusion
- a (final) conclusion is the author’s main claim
- an intermediate conclusion is both a claim and a premise; it supports the final conclusion
- background information helps to set the context for an argument
- a counterpoint or counterpremise goes against the author’s conclusion
MGMAT’s four-step approach for all CR questions:
1) Identify the question
2) Deconstruct the argument
3) State the goal
4) Work from wrong to right
The structure-based family
These questions ask you to determine something based upon the building blocks of the argument.
What pieces are included in the argument and how do they fit?
The two types of structure-based family questions
Describe the role
Describe the argument
The assumption-based family
These questions all depend upon an understanding of the assumptions made by the author to reach a certain conclusion
Assumption
Something that the author does not state in the argument; for this reason, such assumptions are called unstated.
An assumption is, however, something that the author must believe to be true in order to draw the given conclusion. Without the assumption, the argument fails.
An assumption should plug a hole in the argument. The assumption will be necessary to the argument; that is, if the assumption isn’t true, the argument breaks down.
Five types of assumption questions
- Find the assumption
- Strengthen the argument
- Weaken the argument
- Evaluate the argument
- Find the flaw
The evidence-based family
These arguments all lack conclusions; they consist entirely of premises. They also won’t include any assumptions.
You’re asked to find something that must be true or something that eliminates a discrepancy in order to answer the question.
Two types of evidence-based questions
Inference
Explain a discrepancy
An effective argument map will summarize:
the core of the argument, including the premises and the conclusion
On GMAT Verbal in general, you’re asked to find the “best” answer. You’re going to use a two-step process to do so:
1) First, look through all five answers and eliminate as many “definitely wrong” answers as you can. Do not try to decide which is the right answer right now. Instead, concentrate on eliminating wrong answers.
2) If you have only one answer left after this first pass, great; you’re done. If yo have two or more answers left, then compare those remaining answers.
Methodology cheat sheet
1) Identify the question: The question type indicates what kind of information you can expect to find in the argument and what kind of reasoning will help you to answer the question.
2) Deconstruct the argument: Break the argument down into its building blocks. Make a very abbreviated map showing both the details and the “flow” of the information.
3) State the goal: Very briefly articulate your goal based upon this question type.
4) Work from wrong to right: Plan to go through the answers twice. On the first pass, focus on eliminating anything that is definitely wrong; leave everything else in. On the second pass, compare any choices that remain, then pick.
Counterpoint or Counterpremise
- Is not part of the core; only present occasionally
- Opposes or goes against the author’s conclusion in some way
- Introduces multiple opportunities for traps: believing that the conclusion is the opposite of what it is, mistakenly thinking that a counterpoint is a premise (and vice versa)
- Is often signaled by a transition word such as although, though, however, yet, and but
Background
- Is not part of the core; not always present
- Provides context to help understand the core; similar to premises, but less important to the argument itself
- Is almost always fact-based; can be in almost any form: historical information, data, descriptions of plans or ideas, definitions of words or concepts, and so on.
Conclusion
- Is part of the core of an argument; present in most arguments
- Represents the author’s main opinion or claim; can be in the form of a prediction, a judgment of quality or merit, a statement of causality, or the outcome of a plan
- Is supported by at least one premise
- Is often signaled by words such as: therefore, thus, so, or consequently
