LSAT LR - Analyzing the Stimulus

Argument

A claim that is supported by at least one other claim.

A statement or judgement that follows from one or more reasons.

Argument

Premise

A fact, proposition, or statement from which a conclusion is made; does not have its own support within the argument.

A(n) _____ represents the reason(s)/evidence for why a conclusion should be accepted; this supports and/or explains a conclusion

Premise

Fact sets

A collection of statements without a conclusion.

Arguments differ from fact sets because fact sets…

Do not contain a conclusion.

Ask yourself these questions to identify conclusions:

• What is the author driving at?

• What does the author want me to believe?

• What point follows from the others?

Premise indicator key words:

• because

• since

• for

• for example

• for the reason that

• in that

Premise indicator key words:

• given that

• as indicated by

• due to

• owing to

• this can be seen from

• we know this by

Premise indicator key words:

• furthermore

• moreover

• besides

• in addition

• what’s more

• after all

Conclusion

A statement or judgement that is supported by evidence (i.e. a premise).

A(n) _____ is drawn from and rests on the premise(s) in an argument.

Conclusion

Whatever statement comes after a FABS key word…

Supports the conclusion.

Premise (support/evidence) indicator key words:

• for

• after all

• because

• since

FABS

Conclusion indicator key words:

*most common.

• so*

• thus*

• therefore*

• hence*

• consequently

• as a result

• accordingly

Conclusion indicator key words:

• clearly

• must be that

• shows that

• conclude(s) that

• follows that

• for this reason

Intermediate conclusion

A conclusion that supports the main conclusion, but has its own support within the argument.

Counter-premise

A premise that contains an idea that actually goes against the argument.

A(n) _____ introduces ideas that compare and contrast with the argument, or works against a preciously raised point.

Counter-premise

A(n) _____ generally weakens an argument.

Counter-premise

Counter-premise indicator key words:

• but

• yet

• however

• on the other hands

• admittedly

• in contrast

Counter-premise indicator key words:

• although

• even though

• still

• whereas

• in spite of

• despite

• after all

Complex argument

An argument that contains more than one conclusion.

Subsidiary conclusion (i.e. sub-conclusion, or supported premise)

An additional conclusion in a complex argument; has its own support within the argument.

A(n) _____ at some point makes a conclusion as the premise for another conclusion, thus building a chain with several levels.

Complex argument

T/F: In complex arguments, a statement can be both a conclusion for one argument, and a premise for another.

True

Two-speaker stimuli are often used to introduce _____ argumentation.

Complex

A(n) _____ can be categorized in two ways: those containing an argument, and those containing a set of facts.

LSAT stimulus

T/F: Premises must come before conclusions in an argument; if they are wrongly ordered, the relationship between the premise and the conclusion will be reversed.

False

T/F: Premises and conclusions must appear in the same sentence, and must not be separated out into multiple sentences.

False

T/F: If a conclusion is present, you must identify it before reading the question stem.

True

The following represents what?:

• Opposing conclusions

• Opposing premises

• Author’s concessions

Opposing ideas

Opposing conclusion

A statement made within the argument that is the opposite of the author’s conclusion.

Opposing premise (or opposing evidence)

A reason for an opposing conclusion.

Author’s concession (or disclaimer)

An argument that an author makes in favor of the opposing side of an argument.

Opinion indicator key words:

• should

• ought

• clearly

• obviously

• evidently

• apparently

• probably

Opposing views/ideas are usually prefaced with:

• attributions

• concessions

Attributions indicators key phrases:

• “Most people think…”

• Some people propose…”

• Many people believe…”

• “Some argue that…”

• “Some critics claim…”

• “Some critics maintain…”

• “Some scientists believe…”

Concessions indicators key words:

• granted

• while

• although

• naturally

• though it’s true

An author’s opinion in an argument usually represents a(n) _____.

Conclusion