LSAT QUESTION TYPE & CONDITIONAL LOGIC

FLAW (the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that it?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: An accurate description of why the argument’s reasoning is flawed. This could be an abstract description of the flaw or something specific that the argument overlooks or assumes.

NECESSARY ASSUMPTION (which one of the following is an assumption that the argument depends?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: Something that must be true in order for the argument’s conclusion to possibly follow from the premise.

MSS - MOST STRONGLY SUPPORTED (which one of the following is most strongly supported by the information above?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: Very strongly supported by the information in the stimulus. It might not be 100% proven, but you have good reason from the stimulus to believe the answer is true.

STRENGTHEN (the conclusion of the argument is strongly supported if which one of the following is assumed?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: Something that, if true, would make the conclusion more likely to follow from the premises.

WEAKEN (which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: Something that, if true, would make the conclusion less likely to follow from the premises.

RESOLVE, RECONCILE, OR EXPLAIN (which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve/explain the apparent discrepancy in the information above?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: Something that, if true, would help explain the apparently conflicting facts in the stimulus.

SUFFICIENT ASSUMPTION (the conclusion of the argument follows logically if which one of the following is assumed?

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: Something that, if added to the premises, would 100% guarantee the truth of the conclusion

PSEUDO-SUFFICIENT ASSUMPTION: FIND THE RULE (PSAr) (which one of the following, if valid, would most help to justify the argument?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: Something that, if true, would make the conclusion more likely to follow from the premises.

MAIN CONCLUSION (which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion drawn in the argument?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: Restatement or paraphrase of the main conclusion of the argument.

ARGUMENT PART (which one of the following most accurately states the role played by the statement?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: Accurate description of the role played by the statement we’re asked about.

PARALLEL METHOD OF REASONING (the reasoning in the argument above is most similar to the reasoning in which one of the following arguments?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: An argument that most closely matches the key elements of reasoning in the argument in the stimulus.

PARALLEL FLAWED METHOD OF REASONING (The flawed reasoning in which one of the following is most closely parallel to the flawed reasoning in the argument above?)

CORRECT ANSWER CRITERIA: An argument that most closely matches the flawed reasoning in the argument in the stimulus.

If A, then B

A → B (If it rains, I’ll stay inside)

A only if B

A → B (I’ll only go out if I finish my homework)

Only if B, then A

A → B (Only if I finish my homework, I’ll go out)

A if B

B → A (I’ll go out if I finish my homework")

Only A are B

B → A (Only doctors are licensed to prescribe → If licensed, then must be a doctor)

A is sufficient for B

A → B (Studying is sufficient for passing → If I study, then I’ll pass)

B is necessary for A

A → B (Passing is necessary for graduating → If I graduate, I must’ve passed)

All A are B

A → B (All turtles are reptiles → If turtle, then reptile)

No A is B

A → /B (No cats are dogs → If cat, then not a dog)

None but A are B

B → A (None but doctors are surgeons → If surgeon, then doctor)

The only A are B

A → B (The only athletes are soccer players → If athlete, then soccer player)

The only B is A

B → A (The only surgeon is Dr. Smith → If surgeon, then it’s Dr. Smith)

A if and only if B

A ←→ B (I’ll forgive you only if you apologize)

A only if B, and if B then A

A ←→ B (You can go only if you pay, and if you pay, you can go)

Unless A, B

/A → B or /B → A (You’ll fail unless you study → If you don’t study, you’ll fail)

A unless B

/B → A or /A → B (You’ll fail unless you study → If you don’t study, then you’ll fail)

Without A, B

/A → B (Without training, you can’t compete → If no training, no compete)

Not both A and B

A → /B or B → /A (You can’t be both tall and short → If tall, then not short.

At most one of A and B

A → /B and B → /A (At most one of A and B can win → If A wins, B cannot vice versa)

Cannot be both A and B

A → /B (You can’t be both a lawyer and a judge → If lawyer, then not judge)

Never A without B

A → B (Never succeed without effort → If success, then effort

Either A or B (inclusive)

/A → B and /B → A (Either I’ll nap or I’ll cry → If I don’t nap, I must cry)

A or B, but not both (exclusive)

A → /B and B → /A (I’ll nap or cry, but not both → If nap, then won’t cry)

No one who is A is B

A → /B (No one who lies is honest → If you lie, you are not honest)

Every time A happens, B happens

A → B (Every time I sneeze, my dog barks → If sneeze, he barks)

Whenever A, then B

A → B (Whenever I run, I get thirsty → If run, then thirsty)

Anything that is A is B

A → B (Anything that flies is a bird → If it flies, it’s a bird)

All but A are B

/A → B (All but Tom went home → If you’re not Tom, then you went home)

Sufficient condition indicators

These tell you: if this happens, then that must happen - they introduce the condition that guarantees the other

If, when, whenever, all, any, each, every, the only (be careful - what comes right after “the only” is the sufficient), in order to, people who, anything, anytime, wherever, as long as)

EXAMPLE: If a person is a lawyer, then they passed the bar (lawyer → passed bar

Necessary condition indicators

These tell you: you can’t have the sufficient without this - they introduce the condition that MUST be true if the sufficient happens

Only, only if (what comes after “only if” is the necessary), only when, only where, requires, must, depends on, necessitates, is essential, is needed, is necessary.

EXAMPLE: you can be a lawyer only if you passed the bar (lawyer → passed the bar)