Logical Reasoning Ch 9

What are the question stem keywords for Weaken questions?

Which of the following if true, Weaken, Most undermines the conclusion, Most venerable, Count as evidence against, Calls into question.

What are you looking for in a Weaken question?

The most powerful thing you can find to destroy the argument’s conclusion.

What is the role of the Loophole in Weaken questions?

The correct answer is essentially the Loophole, pointing to the weakness it exposes.

What is the strategy for Weaken questions?

Make a Loophole to zero in on the argument’s weakness. Find the Loophole actualized in the answer choices.

What is the Back-Up Plan for Weaken questions?

Does this make the conclusion less likely to be true?

What is the game plan for Weaken questions?

Attack the argument using the Loophole, which identifies the main problem. Find a strongly worded answer choice matching the Loophole. If no answer weakens, reread the stimulus for missed details and create a clear Mission.

What should you do with Weaken EXCEPT questions?

Mark the word EXCEPT clearly to avoid mistakes, as they often appear.

What is a major mistake to avoid in Weaken questions?

Don’t cross out a strong answer because it seems “too big” or doesn’t have to be true. Strong answers are needed for Weaken questions.

What are the question stem keywords for Strengthen questions?

Which of the following, if true, Strengthen, Most helps to justify/strengthen/support.

What are you looking for in a Strengthen question?

The most powerful thing you can find to help the argument’s conclusion.

What is the role of the Loophole in Strengthen questions?

The correct answer patches up the weakness exposed by the Loophole, covering the argument’s flaw.

What is the strategy for Strengthen questions?

Make a Loophole to expose the argument’s weakness. Come up with something that plugs the hole exposed by the Loophole. Find that helping hand in the answer choices.

What is the Back-Up Plan for Strengthen questions?

Does this make the conclusion more likely to be true?

What is the game plan for Strengthen questions?

Support the argument by fixing the flaw exposed by the Loophole with a powerful answer that makes the conclusion more believable. Keep an open mind for subtle answers that connect to the premises.

What are stealth Strengthen answers?

Subtle answers that don’t obviously support the argument but cover a specific flaw, resembling necessary assumptions. They make sense once the flaw is identified.

What are the question stem keywords for Sufficient Assumption questions?

Which of the following if true/assumed, Enable the conclusion to be properly drawn/justify the conclusion, The conclusion follows logically if.

What are you looking for in a Sufficient Assumption question?

The most powerful thing you can find to prove the conclusion 100% valid.

What is the role of the Loophole in Sufficient Assumption questions?

The correct answer plugs the Loophole on overdrive, fully fixing the argument’s weakness.

What is the strategy for Sufficient Assumption questions?

Make a Loophole. Go overboard filling the gap exposed by the Loophole until the conclusion is 100% proven. Build the ironclad bridge between premises and conclusion. Find that bridge in the answer choices.

What is the Back-Up Plan for Sufficient Assumption questions?

If this is true, is the argument 100% completely valid?

What is the game plan for Sufficient Assumption questions?

Fully cover the Loophole’s problem with a strong answer that makes the conclusion 100% true, often connecting dangling variables or using “If our premises, then our conclusion.”

What is a common mistake in Sufficient Assumption questions?

Confusing Sufficient Assumption with Necessary Assumption or Strengthen, choosing an answer that’s not strong enough. Double-check the question stem for “most” to avoid this.

Do Sufficient Assumption answers need to be true?

No, Sufficient Assumptions don’t have to be true. They are Powerful, not Provable, and should not be rejected for being too big or extreme.

What are the question stem keywords for Counter questions?

Which one of the following, if true, Counter, In response to.

What are you looking for in a Counter question?

The most powerful thing the first speaker could say to destroy the second speaker’s argument.

What is the role of the Controversy in Counter questions?

The Controversy shows where to begin the response, clarifying the disagreement between the two speakers.

What is the strategy for Counter questions?

Use the Controversy to understand the disagreement. Pretend you’re the first speaker and attack the Loophole in the second speaker’s argument. Find that attack in the answer choices.

What is the Back-Up Plan for Counter questions?

Is this something the first speaker would say and does it hurt the second speaker’s argument?

What is the game plan for Counter questions?

Use the Controversy to identify the disagreement. As the first speaker, find the Loophole in the second speaker’s argument and respond with a powerful comeback questioning relevance, reasoning, or adding new info to weaken it.

What are the question stem keywords for Contradiction questions?

If the statements above are true, Cannot be true, Violate the principle, Could be true EXCEPT.

What are you looking for in a Contradiction question?

The thing that contradicts literal words from the stimulus.

What is the role of the Inference in Contradiction questions?

Contradiction questions do not like inferences; any inference or anything resembling one is incorrect.

What is the strategy for Contradiction questions?

Ignore inferences as wrong answers. Look for something that cannot happen given the stimulus information. Avoid wild or weird answers that don’t directly contradict.

What is the Back-Up Plan for Contradiction questions?

Does this contradict the stimulus?

What is the game plan for Contradiction questions?

Eliminate inferences and provable answers. Choose a strong answer that directly contradicts the stimulus’s premises or conclusion, avoiding random or off-topic options.

What distinguishes a correct Contradiction answer from wrong ones?

Correct answers directly clash with the stimulus, making both impossible. Wrong answers are random or weird but don’t contradict. Strong language is more likely to contradict than weak.

What type of stimulus do Contradiction questions typically use?

Contradiction questions are usually based on a set of facts, like a Premise Set, but may follow an argument, treating all parts as 100% true.

What are the question stem keywords for Evaluate questions?

The answer to which of the following questions, Which of the following, if true, Evaluate + the argument/the conclusion, Most helpful to know/relevant to evaluating.

What are you looking for in an Evaluate question?

A powerful pop quiz for the argument’s clarity.

What is the role of the Loophole in Evaluate questions?

The correct answer asks whether the Loophole is active, focusing on the crux of the argument’s validity.

What is the strategy for Evaluate questions?

Prepare a Loophole to expose the argument’s validity crux. Find an answer that asks whether the Loophole is true.

What is the Back-Up Plan for Evaluate questions?

Is this crucial for the argument’s validity?

What is the game plan for Evaluate questions?

Identify the Loophole’s key point. Choose an answer that tests the argument’s validity by addressing the Loophole. If no Loophole match, ask, “Does this matter?” for each answer.

How do you assess relevance in Evaluate questions?

The correct answer is a relevancy test, affecting whether the conclusion is valid. One outcome activates the Loophole, ruining the argument; the other lets it hold.

What are the question stem keywords for Resolution questions?

Which one of the following, if true, Most helps + explain/resolve/account for, Discrepancy/Paradox/Conflict/Surprising result.

What are you looking for in a Resolution question?

The most powerful thing you can find to make the Paradox make sense.

What is the role of the Resolution in Resolution questions?

The Resolution is the correct answer.

What is the strategy for Resolution questions?

Use the Resolution from CLIR and choose it from the answer choices.

What is the Back-Up Plan for Resolution questions?

Does this make the Paradox make sense?

What is the game plan for Resolution questions?

Select the CLIR Resolution, ensuring it doesn’t just match exact words. Use a generalized Resolution to catch various correct answers, avoiding options that affect both sides of the Paradox equally.

Why use a generalized Resolution in Resolution questions?

A generalized Resolution (e.g., “something desirable about X vs. Y”) catches more possible correct answers, increasing the chance of identifying the right one.

What should you note about EXCEPT in Resolution questions?

“Except” often appears in Resolution questions, so mark it clearly to avoid mistakes.