Lsat Logical Reasoning Bible (Chapter 3)

Front 1

Must Be True/Most Supported

Back 1

This category is simply known as “Must Be True.”

Must Be True questions ask you to identify the answer choice that is best proven by the information in the stimulus.

Question stem examples:

“If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true?”

“Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?”

Front 2

Main Point

Back 2

Main Point questions are a variant of Must Be True questions.

As you might expect, a Main Point question asks you to find the primary conclusion made by the author.

Question stem example:

“The main point of the argument is that”

Front 3

Point at Issue

Back 3

Point at Issue questions require you to identify a point of contention
between two speakers, and thus these questions appear almost
exclusively with two-speaker stimuli.

Question stem example:

“Larew and Mendota disagree about whether”

Front 4

Assumption

Back 4

These questions ask you to identify an assumption of the author’s
argument.

Question stem example:

“Which one of the following is an assumption required by the
argument above?”

Front 5

Justify the Conclusion

Back 5

Justify the Conclusion questions ask you to supply a piece of
information that, when added to the premises, proves the conclusion.

Question stem example:

“Which one of the following, if assumed, allows the conclusion above to be properly drawn?”

Front 6

Strengthen/Support

Back 6

These questions ask you to select the answer choice that provides
support for the author’s argument or strengthens it in some way.

Question stem examples:

“Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?”

“Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the
statement above?”

Front 7

Resolve the Paradox

Back 7

Every Resolve the Paradox stimulus contains a discrepancy or seeming contradiction. You must find the answer choice that best resolves the situation.

Question stem example:

“Which one of the following, if true, would most effectively resolve
the apparent paradox above?”

Front 8

Weaken

Back 8

Weaken questions ask you to attack or undermine the author’s
argument.

Question stem example:

“Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the
argument?”

Front 9

Method of Reasoning

Back 9

Method of Reasoning questions ask you to describe, in abstract terms, the way in which the author made his or her argument.

Question stem example:

“Which one of the following describes the technique of reasoning used
above?”

Front 10

Flaw in the Reasoning

Back 10

Flaw in the Reasoning questions ask you to describe, in abstract terms, the error of reasoning committed by the author.

Question stem example:

“The reasoning in the astronomer’s argument is flawed because this
argument”

Front 11

Parallel Reasoning

Back 11

Parallel Reasoning questions ask you to identify the answer choice that contains reasoning most similar in structure to the reasoning presented in the stimulus.

Question stem example:

“Which one of the following arguments is most similar in its pattern of reasoning to the argument above?”

Front 12

Evaluate the Argument

Back 12

With Evaluate the Argument questions you must decide which answer choice will allow you to determine the logical validity of the argument.

Question stem example:

“The answer to which one of the following questions would contribute
most to an evaluation of the argument?”

Front 13

Cannot Be True

Back 13

Cannot Be True questions ask you to identify the answer choice that
cannot be true or is most weakened based on the information in the stimulus.

Question stem example:

“If the statements above are true, which one of the following
CANNOT be true?”

Front 14

Family #1: Prove/Must-Be

Back 14

Must Be True, Main Point, Point at Issue, Method of Reasoning, Flaw in the Reasoning, Parallel Reasoning

1. You must accept the stimulus information—even if it contains an
error of reasoning—and use it to prove that one of the answer
choices must be true.

2. Any information in an answer choice that does not appear either
directly in the stimulus or as a combination of items in the stimulus
will be incorrect.

Front 15

Family #2: Help

Back 15

Assumption, Justify the Conclusion, Strengthen/Support, Resolve the Paradox

1. The information 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” information. Your task is to determine which answer choice best meets the question posed in the stem.

Front 16

Family #3: Hurt

Back 16

Weaken

1. The information in the stimulus is suspect. 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” information. Your task is to determine which answer choice best attacks the argument in the stimulus.

Front 17

Family #4: Disprove

Back 17

Cannot Be True

1. You must accept the stimulus information—even if it contains an
error of reasoning—and use it to prove that one of the answer
choices cannot occur.

2. Any information in an answer choice that does not appear either
directly in the stimulus or as a combination of items in the stimulus
will be incorrect. The correct answer choice will directly disagree
with the stimulus or a consequence of the stimulus.

Front 18

Must Be True, Cannot Be True, and Resolve the Paradox questions are
generally connected to...

Back 18

...stimuli that do not contain conclusions. All
remaining question types must be connected to stimuli with conclusions (unless a conclusion is added by the question stem, as sometimes occurs).

Front 19

Weaken and Strengthen are...

Back 19

...polar opposite question types, and both are often based on flawed or weak arguments that contain holes that must be closed or opened further.

Front 20

Stimuli that do not contain conclusions are generally connected to...

Back 20

...Must Be True, Cannot Be True, and Resolve the Paradox questions

Front 21

Method of Reasoning and Flaw in the Reasoning questions are...

Back 21

...a brother/sister pair. The only difference between the two is that Flaw in the Reasoning question stems explicitly note that the stimulus contains an error of reasoning.

In a Method of Reasoning question the stimulus contains valid or invalid reasoning.

Front 22

Parallel Reasoning questions are a one-step extension of...

Back 22

...Method of Reasoning questions in that you must first identify the type of reasoning used and then parallel it.

Method of Reasoning and Parallel Reasoning questions both have a strong Must Be True element.