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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. 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
Method of Reasoning
the unless equation (conditional reasoning)
Words used to introduce percentage ideas
Main Point Questions
2. The author assumes as true What is supposed to be proved. exp: 'this essay is the best because it is better than all the others'n
Rules for Family #2
Words used to introduce cause and effect relationships. (memorize)
False analogy
Circular reasoning
3. 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
Logical opposites
Rules for Family #2
Method of Reasoning
4. 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
Quantity indicators
Rules for Family #3
Primary Objective #4
Solving Parallel Reasoning questions in the order stated
5. If all 5 answer choices appear to be 'losers' - return to the stimulus and re-evaluate the argument.
What to do when a stimulus that contains conditional reasoning is combined with a must be true question stem
Primary Objective #9
Words used to introduce percentage ideas
Primary Objective #1
6. 1. The info in the stimulus is suspect. There are often reasoning errors present and depending on the question - you will help shore up the argument in some way. 2. The answer choices are accepted as given - even if they include 'new' info. Your task
Rules for Family #2
Resolve the Paradox question stem features
Words used to introduce percentage ideas
Primary Objective #3
7. 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
Source argument AKA ad hominen
What is the biggest reason students miss questions?
Typical assumption question stems
Primary Objective #6
8. If - when - whenever - every - all - any - people who - in order to.
Common features of Resolve the Paradox
2 speaker questions
Words used to introduce a sufficient condition
How to solve Justify questions mechanistically
9. 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
How to approach causality and strengthen questions?
Straw Man
Family #4: Disprove
3 incorrect answer traps (weaken)
10. 1. Appeal to authority - uses the opinion of an authority in an attempt to persuade the reader. The flaw is that the authority may not have relevant knowledge or all of the info regarding the situation - to there may be a difference of opinion among
Primary Objective #6
Words used to introduce percentage ideas
Primary Objective #1
Appeal Fallacies
11. They can be in the premises or conclusion. If they are in the conclusion the argument is flawed. Classic mistaken cause and effect reasoning refers to occurences when a causal assertion is made in the conclusion or the conclusion presumes a causal re
Family #2: Help
Fact test for Method of Reasoning questions
Causal statements
Conclusion definition
12. 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
Words used to introduce a necessary condition
Primary Objective #1
3 quirks of assumption question answer choices
13. 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
Primary Objective #8
Mistaken Reversal
Source argument AKA ad hominen
Method of Reasoning
14. 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 -
False dilemma
Quantity indicators
Probability indicators
3 logical features of conditional reasoning
15. 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
Necessary Condition
Primary Objective #3
Appeal Fallacies
Fact test for Method of Reasoning questions
16. 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
Rules for Family #3
How to identify Justify the Conclusion questions
Weakening conditional reasoning
Conclusion Indicators
17. 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
Primary Objective #9
Weakening conditional reasoning
Primary Objective #5
Weaken question signal words
18. Occurs when an author makes conflicting statements. n
Fundamental rules for strengthen - justify the conclusion and assumption questions
Source argument AKA ad hominen
Justify the conclusion formula
Internal contradiction AKA self contradiction
19. 1. ethical versus factual situations - when the stimulus addresses something ethical - a factual answer would be incorrect and vice versa 2. dual agreement or dual disagreement - often incorrect answer choices will supply statements that both speaker
Conclusion definition
Words used to introduce a necessary condition
Incorrect answers in Point at Issue questions
Primary Objective #6
20. Thus - therefore - hence - consequently - as a result - so - accordingly - clearly - must be that - shows that - conclude that - follows that - for this reason.
Conclusion Indicators
3 incorrect answer traps (weaken)
Mistaken Reversal
3 logical features of conditional reasoning
21. Assumes that only 2 courses of action are available when there may be others. n
Fact test for Method of Reasoning questions
Conclusion Indicators
LSAT Conclusion trick for Method AP questions
False dilemma
22. Mis-assessing the force of evidence is a frequent error committed by LSAT authors 1. Lack of evidence for a position is taken to prove that position is false 2. lack of evidence against a position is taken to prove that position is true 3. some evide
Circular reasoning
'Additional' Premise Indicators
Family #1: Prove
Errors in the use of evidence
23. Read closely and know precisely what the author said. DO NOT GENERALIZE!.
Primary Objective #4
Necessary Condition
Logical negation
Family #4: Disprove
24. 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
3 quirks of assumption question answer choices
Straw Man
Rules for Family #3
25. Carefully read and identify the question stem. DO NOT assume that certain words are automatically associated with certain questions types.
Method of Reasoning questions
Logical opposites
Primary Objective #5
Numbers and percentage errors
26. A fact - proposition or statement from which a conclusion is made. Ask: What reasons has the author used to persuade me? Why should I believe this argument? What evidence exists?
Typical assumption question stems
Premise definition
Family #2: Help
False analogy
27. Determine whether the stimulus contains an argument or if it is only a set of factual statements. MUST recognize whether a conclusion is present.
Errors of composition and division
Errors of conditional reasoning
How to determine the strength of an argument
Primary Objective #1
28. Negates both conditions - creating a statement that does not have to be true. Given: A+ --> Study Mistaken Negation: Not A+ --> Not Study
False dilemma
How to identify Justify the Conclusion questions
Words used to introduce numerical ideas
Mistaken Negation
29. Premises + answer choice = conclusion When approaching answers - separate them into winners and losers - then apply the justify formula.
3 quirks of assumption question answer choices
Mistaken Reversal
Solving Parallel Reasoning questions in the order stated
Justify the conclusion formula
30. 1. No conclusion. When a stimulus does not have a conclusion and contains a paradox - expect a Resolve question 2. Language of contradiction exp: but - however - yet - although - paradoxically - surprisingly.
Common features of Resolve the Paradox
'Additional' Premise Indicators
How to approach causality and strengthen questions?
Things to remember in regards to WEAKEN questions
31. 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
Necessary Condition
3 logical features of conditional reasoning
Words used to introduce percentage ideas
'Additional' Premise Indicators
32. 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
Logical opposites
Causal statements
Words used to introduce a necessary condition
How to determine the strength of an argument
33. Stimulus (affected or determined) ---> answer choices (accepted) AKA: Help Family assumption - justify the conclusion - strengthen/support - resolve the paradox.
Family #4: Disprove
Family #2: Help
2 speaker questions
Central assumption of causal conclusions
34. If the stimulus contains an argument - identify the conclusion. If the stimulus contains a fact set - examine each fact.
3 logical features of conditional reasoning
Primary Objective #2
Counter Premise Indicators
Words used to introduce percentage ideas
35. 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
Numbers and percentages Common misconceptions
Assumptions and conditionality: the two types of answer choices normally produced are?
Words used to introduce percentage ideas
Prephrasing Method of Reasoning questions
36. 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
Rules for Family #1
Weaken question signal words
Circular reasoning
Family #2: Help
37. 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?
2 speaker questions
Conclusion definition
Primary Objective #5
Prephrasing Method of Reasoning questions
38. 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
Circular reasoning
General lack of relevant evidence for the conclusion
Primary Objective #7
Numbers and percentage errors
39. 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
Necessary Condition
Resolve the Paradox question stem features
What to do when a stimulus that contains conditional reasoning is combined with a must be true question stem
Sufficient Condition
40. Refer to the amount or quantity in the relationship. Examples: (do not need to memorize) all - every - most - many - several - sole - only - not all - none - few.
Time shift errors
Incorrect Method of Reasoning answers
False dilemma
Quantity indicators
41. Supporter - the traditional linking role - where an assumption connects pieces of the argument. (often new or rogue pieces) They also can close gaps. Ex: All male citizens of athens had the right to vote. Therefore - Socrates had the right to vote in
Sufficient Condition
2 roles played by assumptions
Mistaken Negation
Method of Reasoning questions
42. Allows you to decide between contenders or to confirm that the answer you have chosen is correct. 1. Logically negate the answer choices under consideration. Usually consists of taking a 'not' out of a sentence or putting a 'not' in a sentence. 2. Th
Quantity indicators
Assumption Negation Technique
3 incorrect answer traps (weaken)
Circular reasoning
43. 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
Sufficient Condition
Exceptional case/over generalization
Appeal Fallacies
Assumption Negation Technique
44. 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
Common weakening scenarios
Circular reasoning
Appeal Fallacies
Weaken question signal words
45. 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.
Common features of Resolve the Paradox
the unless equation (conditional reasoning)
How to strengthen an argument
Assumptions and conditionality: the two types of answer choices normally produced are?
46. Amount - quantity - sum - total - count - tally.n
What is the biggest reason students miss questions?
Words used to introduce numerical ideas
Errors of conditional reasoning
Quantity indicators
47. If the stimulus contains an argument - determine whether the argument is strong or weak.
Errors of conditional reasoning
Numbers and percentage errors
Primary Objective #3
Causal statements
48. 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
Justify the conclusion formula
General lack of relevant evidence for the conclusion
Logical opposites
Prephrasing Method of Reasoning questions
49. Whenever you identify a causal relationship in the conclusion of an LSAT problem - immediately prepare to either weaken or strengthen the argument. Tasks for Weaken questions...must always identify a causal conclusion. Then ask if there relationship
Premise definition
Method of Reasoning questions
Words used to introduce numerical ideas
How to attack a causal conclusion
50. 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.
Method of Reasoning
What to do when a stimulus that contains conditional reasoning is combined with a must be true question stem
False analogy
Premise Indicators
Can you answer 50 questions in 15 minutes?
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