Missed LR question explanation strategies

every missed LR question and the principle + strat needed for right answer

negative prediction parallel reasoning structure

a prediction that WILL NOT happen signaled by conclusion keywords

ex: conclusion- it follows that ——> there won’t be any applicants

find an ans. choice that says something will not happen

Method of Argument

pay attention to keywords. Analogy will use keywords for all argument categories:

• Appeal to authority: “___, who is quite knowledgable…,

• Example: “For example, For instance, ” one specific case

• Analogy: SIMILARLY. RED LIGHT KW

• Counterexample: “But their theory is refuted by…”

• Means/ Requirement: Uses formal logic keywords, something NEEDED to achieve result

• elimination of alternatives: discredits all other options, leaving one

• Definition: auth gives explicit definition to clarify requirements for argument

• Ad Hominem: author attacks oppponents credibility, not their argument.

Anything outside of EXPLICIT SUPPORT for a necessary assumption question is _______

wrong, out of scope, 180, distortion, etc.

Parallel reasioning must match the formula TO THE TEE; break it down like math. Start with the _________ to trim choices down.

conclusion

parallel reasoning: use ________ to break the argument down into a diagram. Guess immediately if you don't have the time and/or consistently get these wrong

shorthand

weaken questions: if you are trying to weaken the argument’s evidence, dont pick an answer that weakens the conclusion!

Ex: “Which of the following, if true, most undermines the value of the evidence for the expert witness’s conclusion?”

Expert witness: Ten times, and in controlled circumstances, a single drop of the defendent’s blood was allowed to fall onto the fabric. In all ten cases, the stained area was much less than the expected 9.5cm2. in fact, the stained area was always between 4.5-4.8 cm2. I conclude that a single drop of the defendant’s blood stains much less than 9.5 cm2 of the fabric.

correct: in an eleventh test drop of the defendant’s blood, the area stained was also less than 9.5 cm2-this time staining 9.3 cm2.

incorrect (you picked): another person’s blood was substituted, and in otherwise identical circumstances, stained between 9.8-10.6 cm2 of the fabric.

level 3 and 4 questions often use long clauses to confuse and add time for you to figure out meaning: SIMPLIFY IT

ex: “Each of the following, if true, weakens the argument against the predominant theory about northern cave paintings EXCEPT:” (level 4)

• here, the author is the one arguing against the predominant theory about northern cave paintings. This shortens the question down to “"each of the following, if true, weakens the author’s argument except:”

stay in scope on strengthen questions:

• ask: what is the subject of the ans. choice? Is it completely in line with the stimulus subject?

ex: Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument that “Thus, in order to explore a potential means of cost effectively helping ppl prone to mental disorders, we should increase funding for intervention research (stim. conclusion)”

correct ans: reducing known risk factors for mental disorders is relatively inexpensive compared to the long-term treatment required

chosen ans: most minor mental disorders are more expensive to treat than OTHER* MINOR HEALTH problems.

*out of scope, we’re talking about mental health only

in method of arg, the ans, choice often EXPLICITLY mentions argument words in passage

ex:

• Question- which of the following most accurately describes the argumentative technique used in the argument?

• argument evidence in stimulus: SOME PEOPLE CLAIM that the reason herbs are not prescribed as drugs by licensed physicians is that medical effectiveness of herbs is seriously in doubt

• correct ans- questioning a CLAIM about why something is the case by supplying an alternative explanation

• chosen ans- identifying all plausible explanations for why something is the case and arguing all but one of them can be eliminated

Don’t go out of scope on flaw

ex:

ev- in a family business, employees can be paid low wages. operating expenses are lower, making profits higher

conc- a family business is a family’s surest road to financial prosperity.

correct ans: ignores the fact that in a family business, paying family members low wages may itself reduce the family’s prosperity

*chosen ans: presumes, without providing justification, that family members are willing to work for low wages in a family business bc they believe doing so would promote the family’s prosperity

*Says nothing abt family willingness to work in stimulus

common weaken wrong answer choices are ____ and _______

outside scope, 180