LSAT Logical Reasoning Review

A set of vocabulary flashcards designed to reinforce key concepts and terms related to LSAT logical reasoning.

Evidence

The reason or facts used to support a conclusion.

Conclusion

The main point the author tries to persuade the audience to accept.

Conclusion Keywords

Words that signal a conclusion, including 'thus,' 'therefore,' and 'hence.'

Evidence Keywords

Words that signal evidence, including 'because' and 'since.'

Opinion Keywords

Words that indicate an author's judgment, such as 'good,' 'bad,' or 'awful.'

Rebuttal Keywords

Words indicating an argument against another point of view, including 'wrong' or 'misguided.'

Recommendations

Conclusions that suggest a course of action, typically signaled by 'should' or 'should not.'

Sub Conclusion

A conclusion that supports a main conclusion.

Thus Test

A method used to determine the main conclusion from multiple conclusions.

Main Point Questions

Questions that ask for the overall conclusion of an argument.

R/R Patterns

Patterns indicating recommendations or rebuttals that signal conclusions.

Common Wrong Answers

Answers that describe evidence or sub-conclusions rather than the main point.

Irrelevant Comparison

A choice that compares unrelated attributes erroneous to the argument.

Extreme Answers

Choices that use overly strong language, such as 'all' or 'never.'

Distortion

Choices that misrepresent the relationship between details from the passage.

Contradiction (180)

Choices that directly contradict what the correct answer must convey.

Faulty Use of Detail

Choices that correctly state something but do not answer the question.

Role of Statement Questions

Questions asking to identify the function of a particular statement.

Main Conclusion

The central conclusion drawn from an argument.

Subconclusion

A statement that has its own support and contributes to the main conclusion.

Evidence

Any piece of information that supports the conclusion.

Background Info

Information that does not provide evidence for the conclusion.

Formal Logic

A statement is formal logic when either something in the statement guarantees another thing in the statement OR something in the statement is required for something else in the statement to happen.

Necessary Condition

A condition that must be met for something to occur.

Sufficient Condition

A condition that, if met, guarantees the outcome.

Contrapositive

A statement formed by reversing and negating the conditions of a logical statement.

Assumption

An unstated piece of evidence that supports the conclusion.

Sufficient Assumption

An assumption that guarantees the argument's conclusion.

Necessary Assumption

An assumption that must be true for the conclusion to hold.

Point at Issue Questions

Questions identifying where two speakers disagree.

Method of Argument

The strategy an author uses to construct their argument.

Common Methods of Argument

Including ruling out alternatives, using examples, or formal logic.

Parallel Reasoning

A question type that asks for a similar reasoning pattern in another argument.

Reading Comprehension

The ability to understand and interpret written passages.

Main Idea

The author's primary point or argument presented in a passage.

Scope

The specific aspect of the topic the author is addressing.

Purpose

The author's reason for writing, such as to persuade or inform.

Kaplan 5 Step Method

A strategy to approach reading comprehension passages.

Redlight Keywords

Keywords that indicate high importance or likely questions.

Yellow Light Keywords

Keywords that require careful attention but are not always crucial.

Green Light Keywords

Keywords that indicate a forward direction and aid in understanding structure.

Logical Reasoning Keywords

Terms that help signal conclusions, evidence, or comparisons.

FUD

A trick answer that distracts from the main idea by introducing faulty premises.

Conclusion Example

Since/ because x, y. X is evidence, y is the conclusion. Y because/ since X. X is evidence, Y is the conclusion.

Opinion Key words

when the author evaluating something (saying is it good or bad), opinion key words reliably signal the conclusion.

Sub conclusion Example (lemonade example)

The information after “so” in the lemonade example below. It has it’s own support (popular juice stores in the area) but in town is used to support the main conclusion, that the stand will fail.

A new lemonade stand has just opened for business in the town square. The stand will surely fail. A popular juice store always sells lemonade in the town square, so the new lemonade will not be able to attract customers.

Common wrong/ trap answers example

1990 editorial: local pay phones have cost a quarter ever since the 1970s, when soft drink from a vending machine cost the same $. The price of a soft drink has more than doubled since, So phone companies should be allowed to raise the price of pay phone calls too.

Main Point example

Psychiatrist: We are learning that neurochemical imbalances can cause behavior ranging from extreme mental illness to less Serious but irritating behavior such as obsessive fontasizing, petulance, and embarassment. These findings will promote compassion and tolerance when looking at a mental illness, quirk, or mere difference botween two persons, since being mentally healty can now be seen as simply having the same neurochemical balances as most people.

- Which of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the psychiatrists argument?

Understanding the role of the neurochemical in behavior will foster empathy toward others...

Neurochemical imbalances con cause mental illness and other behariors.

Neurochemical balances and imbalances ave the main determinants of mental behavior.

Being mentally healthy is a matter of having. the same neurochemical balances as most people.

c) Advances in neurochemistry enhance our theories of mental illness.Id

Identifying Evidence Example

Although free internotional trade allows countries to specialize, which in turn increases productivity, such specializations carries risks After all, small countries often vely on one or two products for the bulk of their exports, If those products are raw materials, the supply is finite and can be used up If they are food stuffs, a natural disaster can wipe out a seasons production overnight.

Example of role of statement question

Columnist: It has been noted that attending a live

musical pertormance is a richer experience than is listening to music. Some say that is merely because we do not see the performers when we listen to recorded music. However, there must be some other reason.for there is relatively little difference between listening to someone read a story over the Listening radio and listening to someone in the same room read a story.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the role played in the argument by the observation that attending a live musical pertormance is a richer. experience than is listening to recorded music?

It is what the columnist purports to show.

It is the reason given for the claim that the columnist's argument is attempting to undermine.

It is what the columnist's argument purports to explain.

It is what the columnists argument purports to refute. (Why not d?)

V It is what the position that the columnist tries to undermine is purported to explain.

Example of point at issue

Wong: Alhough all countries are better off as democracies, a transitional autocratic stage is sometimes. requived betore a country can become democratic..

Tate: The freedom and autonomy that democracy provides are of genuine value, but the simple material needs of people ave most important. Some contries can better meet these needs as antocracies than as democracies

Wong and Tate's statements provide the most support for the claim that then disagree over the truth of which one of the following?

There are some countries that are better off as antocracies than democracies.

Nothing is move important to a country than the freedom and autonomy of the individuals who live in that country.

1) In some cases, a country cannot become a democracy.

The freedom and autonomy that democracy provides ave of genuine value.

All democracies succeed in meeting the simple
material needs of neoble.Example of method of arguing

Example of method of arguing

The legislature is considering a proposed bill that would prohibit fishing in Eagle Bay. Despite widespread concern over the economic effect this ban would have on the local fishing industry, the bill should be enacted The bay has one of the highest water pollution levels in the nation, and recent study of the bays fish found that

80% of them contained toxin levels that exceeded governmental safety standardos Continning to permit fishing in Eagle Bay could thus have grave effects on public health.

The argument proceeds by presenting evidence that ) The toxic contarination of fish in Eagle Bay has had grave economic effects on the local fishing industry.

The moral principle that an action must be judged on the basis of its foreseeable effects is usually correct.

The opponents of the ban have failed to weigh properly its foresceable negative effects against its positive ones.

Val Failure to enact the ban would carry with it unacceptable risks for the public welfare.

e) The ban would reduce the level of toxins the fish in Eagle Bay.

Examples of formal logic

All law students must take torts.

(This is formal logic since something in the statement

(law student) guarantees something else in the

statement (take torts). Alternatively, you can also

say that something in the statement is required.

for something else in the statement (law student),

EX.

Some law students take administrative law.

This statement is NOT formal logic. There is nothing in this statement that guarantees anything. nor is there there a requirement for something else to happen.

Common sufficient trigger key words for Formal Logic

Common Sufficient (trigger) Keywords: Left Side ***

If*

All

Every

In order to

Whonever or When

Each

The only

→ These keywords tell us what the sufficient condition is.

The information that comes right after any keyword in the list above goes on the left-hand side of the

arrow.

Example of writing out formal logic

Whatever happens after unless/ withoutlexcept/until is treated as the necessary and placed on the right side.

→ The other term is negated and placed on the left

Ex. No one gets in the plone lislesd they have a boarding

pass and ID.

Gets on the plane → Boarding Pass + ID

METHOD 2

→ Substitute the word "if not" for unless /without

except." Treat if like normal as sufficient.

EX. Unlessl I have a towel, I will not go to the beach

If no towel → No beach

"Or" and vice versa

OR

EX. 2 Unless I apply AND have an undergrad degree, I will not attend law school.

If not apply or no undergrad → not attend IS.