Self-paced
I was wondering if anyone has found a reliable method to approaching Strengthen/Weaken questions? It is the only LR question type that I cannot seem to grasp 100%.
2
I was wondering if anyone has found a reliable method to approaching Strengthen/Weaken questions? It is the only LR question type that I cannot seem to grasp 100%.
1 comments
Was in a similar position during my prep journey. Strengthen, weaken and resolve were my bane and textbooks don't have much to say about them specifically.
For strengthen and weaken questions
Having a very specific sense of the conclusion is a non-negotiable. You can actually notice how easily they write tricky wrong answer choices by writing answer choices that weaken/strengthen a definitive argument...except that wasn't the point the speaker in the stimulus was making. It's tough to notice this trend because textbooks/explanations gloss over these answer choices by saying they're irrelevant (which is true but not particularly helpful).
The correct answer choice will almost never strengthen/weaken any of the premises. The rule on the LSAT is that you accept the premises as true. If an answer choice strengthens/weakens an argument's premises, it's most probably not the right answer. Premises are, for the sake of the stimulus, established facts. Accepting this will allow you to eliminate a significant amount of wrong answer choices. Consider yourself an appellate judge that will not contend the truth of the evidence brought before them but the soundness of the reasoning used to justify the judgment of the lower court by using evidence whose truth has already been confirmed. In simpler terms, ask why the premise can't justify the conclusion and for weaken questions, point out that gap/for strengthen questions, fill that gap. (There are exceptions to this, but they are exceedingly rare)