Logical Reasoning
This is the step you should take BEFORE looking at answer choices
What is predicting the answer?
Assuming that because two things occur together, one causes the other.
What is correlation vs. causation?
The most important thing to identify while reading each paragraph.
What is the paragraph’s role?
The most important thing to identify between two passages.
What is the relationship between the passages?
The order you should follow in RC questions starts with these types.
What are global questions (main point, purpose)?
This part of the question tells you what your task is (e.g., strengthen, weaken).
What is the question stem?
Drawing a conclusion about a whole group based on a small sample.
What is a sampling flaw / overgeneralization?
Words like “however,” “but,” and “although” signal this.
What is a shift in the argument?
If one passage supports a theory and the other criticizes it, the relationship is this.
What is contrast or disagreement?
In LR, you should predict the answer at this point.
What is after reading the stimulus but before answer choices?
This is the statement or argument you analyze in an LR question.
What is the stimulus?
Treating something required as if it guarantees the result.
What is confusing necessary and sufficient conditions?
This reveals how the author feels about the topic.
What is the author’s viewpoint (or tone/attitude)?
After reading Passage A, you should do this before reading Passage B.
What is predict how Passage B will relate?
If you’re stuck between two answers for too long, you should do this.
What is skip and come back?
In necessary assumption questions, this must be true for the argument to work.
What is an assumption the argument depends on?
Ignoring an alternative explanation for the evidence.
What is a confounding variable flaw?
You should NOT rely on this when answering detail questions.
What is memory?
A question asking how both authors would respond to an issue is testing this skill.
What is comparing viewpoints?
This is the best way to improve from mistakes on the LSAT.
What is keeping a wrong answer journal?
A study shows that students who drink coffee score higher on the LSAT. A student concludes that drinking coffee improves LSAT scores. This reasoning is flawed because it ignores this possibility.
What is that higher-scoring students may be more likely to drink coffee (a confounding variable)?
Attacking the person instead of the argument.
What is ad hominem?
This question type asks what the passage suggests but does not directly state.
What is an inference question?
If both passages agree on a point but differ in reasoning, the relationship includes this.
What is agreement with different reasoning?
The LSAT rewards THIS more than speed or memorization.
What is consistency / pattern recognition / strategic thinking? (Any are acceptable)