LSAT Question Types

PROVE
Must Be true / Most Strongly Supported

Must Be True

Overview

Must be true questions require you to select an answer that is proven by

the information presented in the stimulus. The correct answer can be a
paraphrase of part of the stimulus or it can be a logical consequence of
one or more parts of the stimulus. The answer choice must have proof in
the stimulus that supports your answer.

The correct answer to a Must Be True question can always be proven

by referring to the facts stated in the stimulus.

Stem Examples

"If the statements above are true..."

"The statements above, if true..."

"If the information above is correct..."

"... which one of the following must also be true?"

"...which one of the following conclusions can be properly drawn on the

basis of it?"

"Which one of the following can be properly inferred"

"If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also
be true?"

"If the information above is correct, which one of the following

conclusions can be properly drawn on the basis of it?

"Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the

statements?"

"Wich one of the following logically follows from the statements above?"

Most Strongly Supported

Overview
 When approaching this question type, you should use the same
approach as Must Be True questions, just be aware that the correct
answer needs to pass a lower bar than in Must questions. The correct
answer no longr has to pass the fact test (see yellow bulb above),
although in many cases it will.

Stem Examples

"The statements above, if true, most strongly support which one of the
following?"

"Which one of the following statements is most supported by the

information above?"

"The statements provide the most support for which one of the
following?"

Main Point

Overview

This is a subcategory of Must be True questions. The answer you select must
follow from the information in the stimulus. HOWEVER, even if the answer
choice must be true according to the stimulus, if it fails to capture the
author's main point, it cannot be correct. Like all must be true questions, it
must pass the fact test (see yellow bulb above), but with additonal criteria.

The two types of incorrect choices are: 1 - Answers that are true
but do not encapsulate the author's point; 2 - Answers
that repeat premises of the argument

Stem Examples

"Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main conclusion
of the argument?"

"Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion of the
journalist's argument?"

"The main point of the argument is that..."

"Which one of the following most logically completes the passage?" -- Fill in
the blank, main point questions

Point at Issue / Point of Agreement

Method of Reasoning

Flaw in the Reasoning

Parallel Reasoning / Parallel Flaw

HELP
 Assumption (Necessary Assumption)

Justify the Conclusion (Sufficient Assumption)

Strengthen / Support

Resolve the Paradox

HURT
Weaken

Overview

Weaken question types require you to select the answer choice hat
undermines the author's argument as decisively as possible.

The stimulus will contain an argument. Because we are asked to weaken the
author's reasoning, and reasoning requires a conclusion, an argument will
always be present. You must identify, isolate and assess the premises and
the conclusion of the argument. Only by understanding the structure of the
argument can you gain the perspective necessary to attack the author's
position.

Focus on the conclusion! Almost all correct weaken answer choices impact
the conclusion. The more you know about the conclusion, the better armed
you will be to differentiate between correct and incorrect answers.

Unlike the prove family, weaken answer choices are accepted as given,
even if they include "new" information. Weaken answer choices can bring
into consideration information outside of or tangential to the stimulus.
Just because a fact or idea is not mentioned in the stimulus is NOT
grounds for dismissing the answer choice. Your task is to determine
which answer choice -- when taken as true -- best attacks the argument
in the stimulus.

Stem Examples

The stem uses the word "weaken" or a synonym.

Key words: weaken, attack, undermine, refute, argue against, call into
question, cast doubt, challenge, counter

The stem indicates you should accept the answer choices as true, usually
with: "Which one of the following, if true..."

"Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?"

"Which one of the following, if true, most undermines the argument

presented above?"

"Which one of the following, if true, would undermine the physicist's

argument?"
 "Which one of the following, if true, would most call into question the
researcher's hypothesis?"

"Which one of the following, if true, most calls into question the claim
above?"

DISPROVE
Cannot Be True

Whatever is stated in the stimulus is simply accepted as given, with no

additional information. The answer choices are "under suspicion", and
the information in the stimulus is used to prove one of the answer
choices correct.
Must be True / Most Strongly Supported

Only what the author states in the stimulus can be used to prove one of the
answer choices. If an answer choice references something that is not included
or encompassed by the stimulus, it will be incorrect.

DISPROVE

Similar to the "prove" family, instead of using information in the stimulus to

prove one of the answer choices must be true, you instead prove that one of
the answer choices cannot occur or that it disagrees with information in the
stimulus. The right answer will directly disagree with the stimulus or a
consenquence of the stimulus.

You must accept the stimulus information -- even if it contains an error

of reasoning -- and use it to prov that one of the answer choices must
be true.
Any information in an answer choice that does not appear either
directly in the stimulus, as a combination of items in the stimulus, or
under the umbrella of a concept in the stimulus will be incorrect.
Whatever is in the answer choices is accepted as given, and the
stimulus is under suspicion. Accepting answer choices as a given means
you cannot dispute their factual basis, even if they include elements
not mentioned in the stimulus. Your task is to examine each answer
choice and see which one best fits the exact criteria stated in the
question stem.
The information in the stimulus is suspect. There are often reasoning
errors present, and you will further weaken the argument in some way.
The answer choices are accepted as given, even if they include new
information. Your task is to determine which answer choice best
attacks the argument in the stimulus.
Conidtional Reasoning
Sufficient Conditions

An event or circumstance whose occurence indicates that a necessary condition

must also occur.

Key Words

If, when, whenever, every, all, any, each, in order to, people who

Necessary Conditions

An event or circumstance whose occurence is required in order for a sufficent

condition to occur.

Key Words

Then, only, only if, must, required, unless, except, until, without,
precondition

The Unless Equation

Whatever term is modified by "unless," "except," "until," or "without" becomes

the necessary condition. The remaining term is negated and becomes the
sufficient condition.

Example

There can be no peace without justice. Since "without"

modified "justice", "justice" becomes the necessary condition (J). The
remainder, "there can be no peace", is negated by dropping the "no,"
and becomes the sufficient condition (P). P --
> J or if peace occurs, there must be justice.

3 Logical Features

The sufficient condition does not make the necessary condition occur. The
sufficient condition does not actively cause the necessary condition to happen.
This form of reasoning is known as casual reasoning. In a conditional
statement, the occurrence of the sufficient condition is a sign or indicator that
the necessary condition will occur, is occurring or has already occurred.

Either condition can occur first, or the two conditions can occur at the same
time.

The conditional relationship stated by the author does not have to reflect
reality. Your job is to not figure out what sounds reasonable, but rather to
perfectly capture the meaning of the author's sentence.

Invalid Statements

Mistaken Reversal
 Switches the elements in the sufficent and necessary conditions, creating a
statement that does not have to be true.

Mistaken Negation

Negates both conditions, creating a statment that does not have to be true

Contrapositive

Combination of mistaken reversal and mistaken negation. Since the

contrapositive is vali, it is as if two wrongs do make a right.