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Test your basic knowledge |
LSAT Logical Reasoning Clues
Start Test
Study First
Subjects
:
logic-and-reasoning
,
LSAT
Instructions:
Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can
study here
.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.
This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Usually have one male and one female. The female uses sound reasoning and the male uses flawed reasoning or makes a mistake. This is not always true - but more often than not.n
the unless equation (conditional reasoning)
Weakening conditional reasoning
2 speaker questions
Numbers and percentage errors
2. 1. Stem uses the word 'if' or another sufficient indicator 2. Stem uses the phrase 'allows the conclusion to be properly drawn' or 'enables the conclusion to be properly drawn'. 3. Stem does not lessen the degree of justification. Never uses 'most ju
How to identify Justify the Conclusion questions
Internal contradiction AKA self contradiction
Typical assumption question stems
Appeal Fallacies
3. 1. The stimulus will almost always contain an argument you must identify - isolate and assess the premises and the conclusion of the argument 2. Focus on the conclusion. Almost all correct answer choices impact the conclusion 3. The info in the stimu
Fundamental rules for strengthen - justify the conclusion and assumption questions
Errors in the use of evidence
Family #4: Disprove
Words used to introduce percentage ideas
4. If the stimulus contains an argument - identify the conclusion. If the stimulus contains a fact set - examine each fact.
Strengthen questions ask you to identify the answer choice that best supports the argument. 2 common features
Assumptions and causality: typical correct answer categories
Primary Objective #2
How to identify Justify the Conclusion questions
5. 1. Whatever term is modified by 'unless' - 'except' - 'until' or 'without' becomes the necessary condition 2. The remaining term is negated and becomes the sufficient condition.
Prephrasing Method of Reasoning questions
the unless equation (conditional reasoning)
Logical opposites
Probability indicators
6. Determine whether the stimulus contains an argument or if it is only a set of factual statements. MUST recognize whether a conclusion is present.
3 logical features of conditional reasoning
Family #4: Disprove
General lack of relevant evidence for the conclusion
Primary Objective #1
7. Argument Part - If you do see the main conclusion at the end of a Method-AP problem - be prepared to answer a question about a part of the arguement other than the conclusion.n
Method of Reasoning
Mistaken Reversal
How to approach causality and strengthen questions?
Uncertain use of a term or concept
8. Authors misuses info to such a degree that they fail to provide any info to support their conclusion or they provide info that is irrelevant to their conclusion. n
Probability indicators
Exceptional case/over generalization
General lack of relevant evidence for the conclusion
Family #4: Disprove
9. Negates both conditions - creating a statement that does not have to be true. Given: A+ --> Study Mistaken Negation: Not A+ --> Not Study
'Additional' Premise Indicators
How to solve Justify questions mechanistically
Things to remember in regards to WEAKEN questions
Mistaken Negation
10. Weaken - attack - undermine - refute - argue against - call into question - cast doubt - challenge - damage - counter - When evaluating answers ask yourself: 'Would this answer choice make the author reconsider his position or force the author to res
Solving Parallel Reasoning questions in the order stated
'Additional' Premise Indicators
Weaken question signal words
How to solve Justify questions mechanistically
11. As an argument progresses - the author must use each term in a constant - coherent fashion. using a term in different ways is inherently confusing and undermines the integrity of the argument. n
False dilemma
Fact test for Method of Reasoning questions
Words used to introduce percentage ideas
Uncertain use of a term or concept
12. If the stimulus contains an argument - determine whether the argument is strong or weak.
Primary Objective #3
Assumptions and conditionality: the two types of answer choices normally produced are?
3 logical features of conditional reasoning
How to identify Justify the Conclusion questions
13. Prephrase: after reading the question stem - take a moment to mentally formulate your answer to the question stem.
Errors in the use of evidence
How to determine the strength of an argument
Primary Objective #6
Method of Reasoning questions
14. To weaken a conditional conclusion - attack the necessary condition by showing that the necessary condition does not need to occur in order for the sufficient condition to occur. With a combo of a conditional reasoning stimulus and a weaken question
Family #3: Hurt
How to strengthen an argument
Weakening conditional reasoning
Main Point Questions
15. Amount - quantity - sum - total - count - tally.n
Probability indicators
General lack of relevant evidence for the conclusion
Words used to introduce numerical ideas
Premise Indicators
16. 1. The sufficient condition does not make the necessary condition occur. That is - the sufficient condition does not actively cause the necessary condition to happen. 2. Temporally speaking - either condition can occur first - or the two conditions c
Strengthen questions ask you to identify the answer choice that best supports the argument. 2 common features
3 logical features of conditional reasoning
Primary Objective #8
Numbers and percentages Common misconceptions
17. First Family The correct answer choice will be a rephrasing of the main conclusion of the argument. The conclusion is either in the middle or beginning of the stimulus. The correct answer choice must not only be true it also must summarize the author
Main Point Questions
Primary Objective #2
What is the biggest reason students miss questions?
Circular reasoning
18. Mistaken negation and reversal exp: taking the non-existence of something as evidence that a necessary precondition for that thing also did not exist' (MN) 'mistakes being sufficient to justify punishment for being required to justify it' (MR)n
Quantity indicators
Numbers and percentage errors
Errors of conditional reasoning
Fundamental rules for strengthen - justify the conclusion and assumption questions
19. Refer to the likelihood of occurence or the obligation present - as in 'The mayor should resign.' 'the law will never pass.' Examples: (do not need to memorize) must - will - always - not always - probably - likely - would - never - rarely - could -
3 logical features of conditional reasoning
'Additional' Premise Indicators
Probability indicators
Conclusion Identification Method
20. Thus - therefore - hence - consequently - as a result - so - accordingly - clearly - must be that - shows that - conclude that - follows that - for this reason.
What is the biggest reason students miss questions?
Quantity indicators
Primary Objective #5
Conclusion Indicators
21. A. Eliminates an alternate cause for the stated effect B. Shows that when the cause occurs - the effect occurs - assumption answers affirm the cause/effect relationship C. Show that when the cause does not occur - the effect doe not occur D. Eliminat
Assumptions and causality: typical correct answer categories
Family #1: Prove
Rules for Family #3
Words used to introduce a necessary condition
22. 1. You must accept the stimulus info- even if it contains an error in reasoning-and use it to prove one of the answer choices must be true. 2. Any info in an answer choice that does not appear either directly in the stimulus or as a combination of it
Counter Premise Indicators
Quantity indicators
Rules for Family #1
Logical negation
23. 1. An indication that the answer choices should be accepted as true 2. Keywords that indicate your task is to resolve the problem Action: Problem: Resolve Paradox Explain Contradiction Reconcile Discrepancy Conflict Puzzle *Attempt to prephrase Corre
Quantity indicators
Resolve the Paradox question stem features
False analogy
Method of Reasoning
24. Stimulus (affected or determined) ---> answer choices (accepted) AKA: Help Family assumption - justify the conclusion - strengthen/support - resolve the paradox.
Conclusion Identification Method
3 incorrect answer traps (weaken)
Family #2: Help
What is the biggest reason students miss questions?
25. This type of flawed argument attacks the person (or source) instead of the argument they advance. because the LSAT is concerned solely with argument forms - a speaker can never validly attack the character or motives or a person; instead - a speaker
Sufficient Condition
Survey errors
Source argument AKA ad hominen
What is the biggest reason students miss questions?
26. Introduce something that actually contains an idea that is counter to the argument. By raising opposition - the author can minimize the damage that would be done by the objection if it were raised elsewhere. but yet - however - on the other hand - ad
Counter Premise Indicators
Rules for Family #2
False dilemma
How to approach causality and strengthen questions?
27. Switches the elements in the sufficient and necessary conditions - creating a statement that does not have to be true. Given: A+ --> Study Mistaken Reversal: Study --> A+.
Primary Objective #7
2 roles played by assumptions
Premise Indicators
Mistaken Reversal
28. Carefully read and identify the question stem. DO NOT assume that certain words are automatically associated with certain questions types.
Primary Objective #5
How to determine the strength of an argument
Logical opposites
Exceptional case/over generalization
29. Premises + answer choice = conclusion When approaching answers - separate them into winners and losers - then apply the justify formula.
What to do when a stimulus that contains conditional reasoning is combined with a must be true question stem
Incorrect Method of Reasoning answers
Necessary Condition
Justify the conclusion formula
30. Always ask: Do the given facts support the conclusion? Do the premises strongly suggest that the conclusion would be true? Does the conclusion feel like an inevitable result of the premises? Or Does the conclusion go beyond the scope of the info in t
Main Point Questions
Errors of conditional reasoning
Necessary Condition
How to determine the strength of an argument
31. 1. Stimulus will contain an argument. Must isolate and identify and assess the premises and the conclusion. 2. Focus on the conclusion. Almost all correct Weaken answers impact the conclusion. 3. The info in the stimulus is suspect. There are often r
Things to remember in regards to WEAKEN questions
Primary Objective #6
'Additional' Premise Indicators
Family #4: Disprove
32. 1. Incomplete info. The author fails to consider all of the possibilities or relies upon evidence that is incomplete. This flaw can be attacked by bringing up new possibilities or info. 2. Improper comparison. The author attempts to compare two or mo
2 roles played by assumptions
Incorrect answers in Point at Issue questions
Common weakening scenarios
Mistaken cause and effect
33. An event or circumstance whose occurrence is required in order for a sufficient condition to occur.
Exceptional case/over generalization
Necessary Condition
Mistaken Reversal
Words used to introduce a necessary condition
34. 1. The stem uses the word strengthen or a synonym (support - helps - most justifies) 2. The stem indicates that you should accept the answer choices are true.
What is the biggest reason students miss questions?
General lack of relevant evidence for the conclusion
Quantity indicators
Strengthen questions ask you to identify the answer choice that best supports the argument. 2 common features
35. 1. The info in the stimulus is supect. There are often reasoning errors present - and you will further weaken the argument in some way. 2. The answer choices are accepted as given - even if they include 'new' info. The task is to determine which answ
Method of Reasoning questions
Rules for Family #3
Primary Objective #1
Causal statements
36. If an answer choice describes an event that did not occur in the stimulus - then that answer is incorrect. Watch for answers that are partially true - that is answers that contain a description of something that happened in the argument but that also
Fact test for Method of Reasoning questions
Family #1: Prove
Probability indicators
Primary Objective #7
37. They often feature 2 conclusions (main and sub.) - when the main conclusion is typically place in the first or second sentence and the last sentence contains the sub. conclusion. The sub. conclusion is set off by conclusion indicators while the main
LSAT Conclusion trick for Method AP questions
How to identify Justify the Conclusion questions
Causal statements
False analogy
38. Involves judgements made about groups and parts of a group. an error or composition occurs when the author attributes a characteristic of part of the group to the group as a whole or to each member of the group Error of division - author attributes c
LSAT Definition of 'either/or'
Primary Objective #8
Common weakening scenarios
Errors of composition and division
39. 1. Watch for answers starting with the phrase 'at least one' or 'at least some'. When an assumption answer choice starts with one of these phrases it is usually right. But ALWAYS verify with A.N.T. 2. Avoid answers that claim an idea was the most imp
Conclusion Indicators
How to identify Justify the Conclusion questions
3 quirks of assumption question answer choices
'Additional' Premise Indicators
40. A. Eliminate any alternate causes for the stated effect. B. Show that when the cause occurs - the effect occurs. C. Show that when the cause does not occur - the effect does not occur. D. Eliminate the possility that the stated relationship is revers
Circular reasoning
How to attack a causal conclusion
How to approach causality and strengthen questions?
Family #2: Help
41. Stimulus (affected or determined)--/-> answer choices (accepted) Negative sign on the arrow reflects attacking or hurting the argument (weaken).
Weaken question signal words
Family #3: Hurt
Rules for Family #2
Things to remember in regards to WEAKEN questions
42. 1. You can use only the info in the stimulus to prove the correct answer choice 2. Any answer choice that describes an element or a situation that does not occur in the stimulus is incorrect Method of Reasoning questions use a variety of formats - bu
Method of Reasoning questions
2 roles played by assumptions
Primary Objective #4
Primary Objective #5
43. Think about the structure of the argument before examining the answer choices. Do not expect to see the exact prephrase - there are too many variations. Make an abstract prephrase then examine each answer to see if it paraphrases the prephrase.n
Family #1: Prove
2 roles played by assumptions
Prephrasing Method of Reasoning questions
How to attack a causal conclusion
44. A statement or judgement that follows from one or more reasons. Ask: What is the author driving at? What does the author want me to believe? What point follows from the others?
Conclusion definition
2 speaker questions
LSAT Definition of 'either/or'
Internal contradiction AKA self contradiction
45. Read closely and know precisely what the author said. DO NOT GENERALIZE!.
Primary Objective #4
Primary Objective #6
Conclusion Indicators
Weakening conditional reasoning
46. Occurs when an author attempts to attack an opponent's position by ignoring the actual statements made by the opposing speaker and instead distorts and refashions the argument - making it weaker in the process. Often prephrased by 'what you're saying
Words used to introduce a sufficient condition
Straw Man
False dilemma
Assumptions and causality: typical correct answer categories
47. Takes a small number of intstances and treats those instances as if they support a broad - sweeping conclusion. Often appears as an incorrect answer.n
Primary Objective #3
Resolve the Paradox question stem features
Exceptional case/over generalization
Assumptions and causality: typical correct answer categories
48. 1. If conditional statements are linked together in the argument - the correct answer choice for an assumption question will typically supply a missing link in the chain or the contrapositive to that link. 2. If you see a conditional conclusion and t
Primary Objective #1
Assumptions and conditionality: the two types of answer choices normally produced are?
Conclusion definition
Main Point Questions
49. Because - since - for - for example - for the reason that - in that - given that - as indicated by - due to - owing to - this can be seen from - we know this by.
Words used to introduce a sufficient condition
Premise Indicators
Mistaken Negation
Exceptional case/over generalization
50. Stimulus (accepted) --/-> answer choices (affected or determined) cannot be true.
Weakening conditional reasoning
Family #4: Disprove
Quantity indicators
Primary Objective #2