Logical Reasoning Main Conclusion Questions

University:
University of Pittsburgh
Course:
LSAT | Prep Course
Academic year:

2023
Views:

119

Pages:

2
Author:

mns81

LSAT PREP Sage Training – Week 3 Logical Reasoning Main Conclusions and Most Strongly Supported Questions Main Point Questions   Can you identify the main conclusion of an argument? o “Main point of the passage” These questions can be confusing. These passage usually contain: o Sentences which do not belong to the argument.  Stimulus begins with context.  The first part is often context, and not part of the authors argument.  Context indicators help you figure out where other people’s arguments end and where the authors argument begins.  Often a setup, author reports to you.  Ex: Most experts believe that a recession.  Sometimes a statement without support. o A complex argument structure where there are sub-conclusions and a main conclusion.  Stimulus will drop the main conclusion in the first sentence or hide it in the middle with no indicators.  Last sentence will have a conclusion indicator (‘Therefore”) but will not be the main conclusion, will be the major premise. Example: Luke likes carrots. All Jedi are powerful, and Luke is a Jedi. All powerful beings like carrots. Therefore,Luke is powerful.  Main conclusion = Luke likes carrots o Why? – Everything else supports this statement directly or indirectly.  Sub-Conclusion / Major Premise – Luke it powerful. o Why? Because it has its own support and premises  If you see a conclusion indicator “therefore” preceding the last sentence in a Main Point Question, doNOT label it as the main conclusion. Examples of Question Stems:  Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion of the economist’s argument?  Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the argument as a whole? Most Strongly Supported:    Of the five-answer choice each most strongly supported question gives you only one will have any support at all. Again, searching out the conclusion. However, the conclusion is removed from the stimulus and in the answer choices. These questions zero in on only one or two statements from the stimulus and push together to force out the most strongly supported answer. Example:  The correct answer simply restates a particular statement in a more general way.  Example: There is a black cat in the house. o The right answer: there are mammals that live in the community. Question Stem Examples:  The consultant’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?  Which one of the following conclusions is most strongly supported by the information above?