Wednesday, November 3

The LSAT Test Required by most law schools for admission

Second most important deciding factor after CGPA

Administered 3 times a year (February, June and October)

Deadline to apply for law school November 1st

5 timed sections: 3 that are scored

1 that is not scored

Writing sample section (not scored but used by some law school admissions boards)

Average score needed to get accepted 165

(80th percentile)

The LSAT Test Categories of scored sections:

Logical Reasoning

Logic Puzzles

Reading Comprehension

One of the above sections will appear twice but will not be graded because it is used as an experimental section for newly developed questions

The LSAT Test – Myths and TipsMyths:

Reading the questions first helps

Having a law-related academic background helps

Tips:

Time yourself while you practice questions

Read the information for each question in the order presented

Underline and use symbols to organize your thoughts

Our Focus: Logical Reasoning Why Logical Reasoning?

What about the other sections?

What resources are useful?

The PowerScore series

The Logical Reasoning Bible

The Logic Games Bible

The Reading Comprehension Bible

About Logical Reasoning What is it?

Critical thinking skills

Taking in information

Identifying exactly what is asked

Separating what is important information and what is not

Analyzing the important information using the appropriate method based on what is asked

24-26 questions, 35 minutes

Average of 1 minute 20 seconds per question

TIMING MANAGEMENT IS CRUCIAL!

Logical Reasoning Question Components Presented in the following order:

Stimulus

Question

Answer Choices

Sample QuestionMuscular strength is a limited resource, and athletic techniques help to use this resource

efficiently. Since top athletes do not differ greatly from each other in muscular strength, it follows that a requirement for an athlete to become a champion is a superior mastery of athletic techniques.

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

(A) Only champion athletes have a superior mastery of athletic techniques.

(B) Superior muscular strength is a requirement for an athlete to become a champion.

(C) No athlete can become a champion without a superior mastery of athletic techniques.

(D) The differences in muscular strength between top athletes are not great.

(E) Athletic techniques help athletes use limited resources efficiently.

Steps to answering a questionTask Estimated Time1.

1. Read the stimulus , determine if there is an argument, identify the conclusion and make notations

20 seconds

2. Read the question, identify what type of question it is and recall the appropriate strategy

5 seconds

3. Read ALL of the answer choices and eliminate obvious wrong answers

20 seconds

4. Analyze the remaining answer choices while referring back to stimulus/notations

20 seconds

5. Utilize strategy to decide between potential answerchoices

10 seconds

The Stimulus Argument vs. Fact Set

Fact Set

A collection of statements that do not lead to any kind of conclusion

Usually does not evoke any kind of reaction from the reader

Example: “The Jacksonville area has just over one million residents. The Cincinnati area has almost two million residents. The New York area has almost twenty million residents.”

The Stimulus Argument

A set of statements wherein one statement is claimed to follow from or be derived from the others.

Normally expresses an opinion using supporting statements

Supporting statements = “Premises”

Opinion = “Conclusion”

Example: “All professors are ethical. Mason is a professor. So Mason is ethical.”

Identifying a Conclusion A statement or judgment that follows from one or

more reasons.

What is the author driving at?

What does the author want me to believe?

What point follows from the others?

Identifying Premises A fact, proposition, or statement from which a

conclusion can be made.

What reasons has the author used to persuade me?

Why should I believe this statement?

What evidence exists?

Indicator WordsPremise Indicators Conclusion Indicators

because thus

since therefore

for hence

for example consequently

for the reason that as a result

in that so

given that accordingly

as indicated by clearly

due to must be that

owing to shows that

this can be seen from conclude that

we know this by follows that

for this reason

Simple Argument vs. Complex Arugment A simple argument has one conclusion supported by one

more more premises.

A complex argument has one MAIN conclusion and one or more subconclusions that are supported by premises, and that support the main conclusion.

P1 + P2 + P3 P4+P5+P6

SC1 + SC2 + P7

MC

Strong vs. Weak Argument Do the premises necessarily lead to the conclusion?

Always take the premises as true.

You are not trying to determine the TRUTH of the argument, you are trying to determine VALIDITY.

Validity = The conclusion makes sense given the facts stated.

Ex: Weak ArgumentThe Jacksonville area has just over one million residents.

The Cincinnati area has almost two million residents. The New York area has almost twenty million residents. We should move to Jacksonville.

Why is this a weak argument?

Ex: Strong Argument The Jacksonville area has just over one million

residents. The Cincinnati area has almost two million residents. The New York area has almost twenty million residents. Highly populated areas often have a high crime rate. We should move to Jacksonville.

Compare that to… The Jacksonville area has just over one million

residents. The Cincinnati area has almost two million residents. The New York area has almost twenty million residents. People who live in highly populated areas often smell bad. We should move to Jacksonville.

What is the point I’m trying to make?

Read the fine print! Be weary of quantity, frequency and probability

indicators. Know exactly what the author said!

Quantity Frequency Probability

All never must

Every often will

most sometimes probably

many hardly likely

several occasionally would

few frequently Not necessarily

sole rarely could

Scope of the argument Understand the scope of the argument in order to

eliminate answer choices are outside of the scope

Scope = The range to which the premises and conclusion encompass certain ideas.

If an argument is discussing a surgical procedure or technique, then the ideas of surgery and medicine are within the scope. But any ideas pertaining to federal monetary policy relating to healthcare is not.

Notating the Stimulus Things to notate/mark:

The Main Conclusion of an argument

Quantity, frequency and probability indicator words

To notate the conclusion, use brackets [ ]

To notate Q, F and P indicators, underline

Exercise 1 Identify the conclusion and determine if the argument

is strong or weak.

Some teachers claim that students would not learn curricular content without the incentive of grades. But students with intense interest in the material would learn it without this incentive, while the behaviour of students lacking all interest in the material is unaffected by such an incentive. The incentive of grades, therefore, serves no essential academic purpose.

Exercise 1 Answer Some teachers claim that students would not learn

curricular content without the incentive of grades. But students with intense interest in the material would learn it without this incentive, while the behaviour of students lacking all interest in the material is unaffected by such an incentive. [The incentive of grades, therefore, serves no essential academic purpose.]

Exercise 2 Identify the conclusion and determine if the argument is

strong or weak.

While it was once believed that the sort of psychotherapy appropriate for treatment of neuroses caused by environmental factors is also appropriate for schizophrenia and other psychoses, it is now known that these latter , more serious forms of mental disturbance are best treated by biochemical – that is, medicinal – means. This is conclusive evidence that psychoses, unlike neuroses, have nothing to do with environmental factors but rather are caused by some sort of purely organic condition, such as abnormal brain chemistry or brain malformations.

Exercise 2 Answer While it was once believed that the sort of

psychotherapy appropriate for treatment of neuroses caused by environmental factors is also appropriate for schizophrenia and other psychoses, it is now known that these latter , more serious forms of mental disturbance are best treated by biochemical – that is, medicinal – means. This is conclusive evidence that [psychoses, unlike neuroses, have nothing to do with environmental factors but rather are caused by some sort of purely organic condition], such as abnormal brain chemistry or brain malformations.

Exercise 3 (TIMED: 45 seconds) Identify the conclusion and determine if the argument

is strong or weak.

If relativity theory is correct, no object can travel forward in time at a speed greater than the speed of light. Yet quantum mechanics predicts that the tachyon, a hypothetical subatomic particle, travels faster than light. Thus, if relativity theory is correct, either quantum mechanics’ prediction about tachyons is erroneous or tachyons travel backwards in time.

Exercise 3 Answer If relativity theory is correct, no object can travel

forward in time at a speed greater than the speed of light. Yet quantum mechanics predicts that the tachyon, a hypothetical subatomic particle, travels faster than light. Thus, if relativity theory is correct, [either quantum mechanics’ prediction about tachyons is erroneous or tachyons travel backwards in time.]

Why determine strong vs. weak? This is the essence of critical thinking and logical

reasoning. Most logical reasoning questions that are asked will require you to make this kind of analysis.

Buy LSAT Prep Tests and practice, practice, practice!

Don’t forget to time yourself!

Next Session: The Question Stem

The 4 question family groups

The 13 question types

Must Be True Questions

Main Point Questions

Conditional Reasoning

Weaken Questions