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15 LSAT Tips
In
watching many people take the LSAT over the years, I've been
very impressed with a recent applicant, who has scored repeatedly
in the 170s. For your benefit, I asked her to summarize her
recommendations for defeating the LSAT. Here they are, by
test section:
Logical
Reasoning:
1.
Question stems: Read the question stems before
investing any time in attacking the passages. This will allow
you to pinpoint exactly what you're looking for as you read,
saving you a considerable amount of time.
2.
Watch out for "Out of Bounds" choices:
If several choices appear to be true, see if they pertain
to the question itself and to exact boundaries of the argument.
Many, many times, multiple answer choices will be true, as
far as they go, but the incorrect choices will fall outside
the relevant boundaries.
3.
Assumptions Rule of Thumb: When working on assumption
questions, remember that assumptions, upon which a conclusion
relies, must be true for that conclusion to hold. If you have
any doubts about whether or not the conclusion relies on a
particular assumption, assume that the assumption is false.
Is your conclusion still true? If not, the conclusion does
rely on the assumption in question.
4.
Diagram the Argument: know the basic functions
of the following in an argument.
a.
Claim/Hypothesis/Conclusion - the idea that the argument
attempts to support; note that the hypothesis will likely
be backed by data or evidence in order to arrive at the
conclusion. (The conclusion is a hypothesis bolstered by
evidence and in that way is proven true.)
b.
Assumption - a statement that must be true in order for
the conclusion of the argument to hold.
c.
Evidence - information used to back up assumptions and the
conclusion.
Don't
focus too much on consciously diagramming the argument, but
do make a mental note of the different functions within an
argument as you tackle questions.
5.
Discrepancy Questions - When reading the passage,
look for an incongruency. Note that it will likely NOT involve
specific numbers - that is a favorite LSAT trap. Try to come
up with an idea of the answer; then scan choices for the correct
one.
Reading
Comprehension:
6.
Question Stems: Read the questions stems before
tackling the passage. Identify which question stems are general
or global, and which are specific, or local.
7.
Be a Proactive Reader: As you read the passage,
focus on structure and WHY the author is moving in a particular
direction rather than worrying too much about what is being
said. Make notes in the margins to diagram structure if necessary.
You should have a general understanding of the content, but
don't worry about retaining specific details; mark the lines
where the specific questions are addressed.
8. Answer the Questions Depending
on their Type: Your understanding of the framework
of the argument should help you answer most general questions
without referring too much to the text. On the specific questions,
refer to the relevant parts of the passage - do not attempt
to answer the question without referring to the passage.
9.
Choose the Order of Passages: Spend about 1 minute
quickly scanning the first couple of sentences in each passage.
Choose the easiest passage first, and save the toughest for
last. Easy questions are worth as much as hard questions.
10.
Time Crunch: If you're in a major time crunch,
read the first paragraph and the last paragraph of the passage
in question, along with the first sentence in each of the
middle paragraphs. Hone in on key words (i.e. first, second,
therefore, however, etc.).
Logic Games:
11.
Type of Game: Identify the type of game you are
dealing with. Is it sequencing, matching, etc? This will help
you determine which sort of diagram to create.
12.
Create a Diagram: Spend at least 3-4 minutes creating
the diagram. It may seem like a major time commitment, but
it is worth it in the end.
13.
Combine Assumptions: For example, in a sequencing
game, if A comes before B and B comes before C, do make sure
to note - in writing - that A comes before C. Incorporate
this in your diagram.
14.
But Beware of Overinterpretation: in "loose"
matching or sequencing games, make sure not to make more of
assumptions than what they actually say. For example, if a
game indicates that X and Y come after Z and that Q comes
after Y - you can assume that Q comes after Y and Z, but you
cannot assume that Q comes after X. Be very careful not to
make deductions that don't exist.
15.
The right answer: when you find the right answer
choice, fill it in and move on. Do not try to figure out if
the other choices are correct.
Next
Step: Preparing
Your Applications
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