Master LSAT Conclusion, Role Questions With Argument Strategies

Most LSAT prep programs focus on question types in their treatment of the logical reasoning section. This is generally a good approach, as identifying and using the right strategy for each question type is essential to maximizing your score on the LSAT.

Another important method of maximizing one's score in the logical reasoning section is by identifying and understanding common argument structures.

There tend to be a few argument structures the test's writers use to create the arguments for all question types. In this post, we'll focus on the final of three common argument structures and how to attack it.

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The final argument structure we will look at is an argument that has the following form:

1. Some people think (or thought) X.

2. But they are wrong.

3. Here's why.

Let's look at an example.

Most people used to believe that smoking was healthy for your lungs. But research over the past fifty years shows that this belief is incorrect. Many long-term studies conducted over the past several decades show that smoking 10 cigarettes or more per day causes irreparable damage to one's lungs.

One important thing to note about this argument, especially in comparison with the other argument structures we have examined, is that this is a valid argument: the single premise -- the last sentence -- forces the conclusion -- the second sentence -- to be true.

Because this is a valid argument, you will not encounter this argument structure in the following common logical reasoning question types: flaw, assumption, strengthen and weaken. Instead, you will most likely find this argument structure in conclusion and role questions.

Here is what you should look for in an answer for each of those question types.

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Conclusion: If you encounter this argument structure within a conclusion question, you should quickly recognize it and know that the second sentence is the argument's conclusion. But your work is not done yet.

It is very common in conclusion questions to find an incorrect answer choice that appears to properly identify the conclusion, but in fact is an imprecise paraphrase of the conclusion. Compare the following two possible answer choices:

-- Smoking is not healthy for your lungs.

-- Smoking can cause irreparable damage to one's lungs.

The first answer choice is an accurate paraphrase of the conclusion, while the second, although it sounds good, is not. The conclusion is that the belief that smoking is healthy for your lungs is false. Although the argument states that smoking can cause irreparable damage to your lungs, that in itself is not the conclusion.

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Role: For role questions, you may be asked about any of the three statements that comprise this argument. The second and third statements -- the conclusion and premise, respectively -- will be relatively straightforward in terms of describing their roles. You should, however, make sure that, as above, the answer choice you choose properly paraphrases the argument, especially the conclusion if applicable.

The first statement is a bit trickier in that it serves only to clarify the conclusion and provides no further logical content to the argument. If you are asked to describe the role played by the first sentence, you should look for an answer similar to "It is a position that the argument is intended to refute."

Although the three argument structures that we have examined are very common and you should be familiar with them and learn to recognize them quickly, these three are by no means the only argument structures on the LSAT. As you continue to prepare to take the LSAT, you should watch for other argument structures and learn how to address each of them in the context of the different question types in which they commonly appear.

This approach is particularly helpful for students who are looking to improve their scores on the logical reasoning sections but do not have consistent difficulty with specific question types. I recommend looking through the logical reasoning questions that you have gotten wrong on recent tests and see if there is a pattern with respect to argument structures. If there is, make sure you both understand the argument structure or structures that are consistently giving you trouble and learn to quickly identify them.

What do you find most challenging about the logical reasoning section? Let me know in an email or tweet me.