For MAIN POINT questions, your correct answer must:
✔️ Capture the author’s overall purpose
✔️ Capture the author’s endorsed hypothesis
✔️ Be strongly supported by the passage
✔️ NOT merely mention facts, side issues, or partial points
For this passage:
Author’s goal:
To explain that medieval stained-glass windows are thicker at the bottom NOT because glass flows, but because old manufacturing methods created uneven panes.
This is the central phenomenon the author resolves.
Keep this locked in before evaluating answer choices.
2. Why the Wrong Answer Choices Are Wrong (Detailed)
(A)
"Zanotto's research has proven… viscous flow would take longer than the age of the universe."
❌ Why it’s wrong:
TRUE, but only a supporting detail.
It’s used only to debunk the myth, not to establish the actual explanation.
Does NOT state the author’s own hypothesis.
This would be like saying the main point of a crime novel is “the suspect is innocent,” ignoring who the real culprit is.
(B)
"Window-glass production has progressed…"
❌ Why it's wrong:
This is pure background from Paragraph 4.
The author does NOT write this passage to describe the history of glassmaking.
It ignores the phenomenon at the heart of the passage — the thickness difference.
It’s a detail, not the point.
(C)
"Scientists have developed ways of precisely calculating slow rates of flow…"
❌ Why it's wrong:
This is an invented storyline. The passage never claims scientists were motivated by the myth or that calculations are “precise.”
Does NOT relate to medieval window thickness.
Totally misses the author’s actual aim.
Irrelevant + unsupported = automatic elimination.
(D)
"Flow contributes to noticeable differences…"
❌ Why it's wrong:
DIRECTLY contradicts the author.
The author spends half the passage proving flow played no role.
Also adds an unsupported claim (“several factors”).
Opposite answers NEVER win in Main Point questions.
3. Why the Correct Answer Wins
(E) ✔️ Correct Answer
"Contrary to a commonly held belief, noticeable differences in thickness… are not due to flowing… but result from old glassworking techniques."
I was getting a lot of Main Point questions wrong because I was choosing the answer that summarized the passage the best. I didn't even realize I was doing that until you pointed out that MP was not a summary of the passage.
Just leaving a comment here because no one else has yet
Hey guys how are we feeling? I take the LSAT in 8 days so I'm freaking out a bit but feeling okay at the same time!!!
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13 comments
Full, Detailed Explanation
1. What the Main Point Must Capture
For MAIN POINT questions, your correct answer must:
✔️ Capture the author’s overall purpose
✔️ Capture the author’s endorsed hypothesis
✔️ Be strongly supported by the passage
✔️ NOT merely mention facts, side issues, or partial points
For this passage:
Author’s goal:
To explain that medieval stained-glass windows are thicker at the bottom NOT because glass flows, but because old manufacturing methods created uneven panes.
This is the central phenomenon the author resolves.
Keep this locked in before evaluating answer choices.
2. Why the Wrong Answer Choices Are Wrong (Detailed)
(A)
"Zanotto's research has proven… viscous flow would take longer than the age of the universe."
❌ Why it’s wrong:
TRUE, but only a supporting detail.
It’s used only to debunk the myth, not to establish the actual explanation.
Does NOT state the author’s own hypothesis.
This would be like saying the main point of a crime novel is “the suspect is innocent,” ignoring who the real culprit is.
(B)
"Window-glass production has progressed…"
❌ Why it's wrong:
This is pure background from Paragraph 4.
The author does NOT write this passage to describe the history of glassmaking.
It ignores the phenomenon at the heart of the passage — the thickness difference.
It’s a detail, not the point.
(C)
"Scientists have developed ways of precisely calculating slow rates of flow…"
❌ Why it's wrong:
This is an invented storyline. The passage never claims scientists were motivated by the myth or that calculations are “precise.”
Does NOT relate to medieval window thickness.
Totally misses the author’s actual aim.
Irrelevant + unsupported = automatic elimination.
(D)
"Flow contributes to noticeable differences…"
❌ Why it's wrong:
DIRECTLY contradicts the author.
The author spends half the passage proving flow played no role.
Also adds an unsupported claim (“several factors”).
Opposite answers NEVER win in Main Point questions.
3. Why the Correct Answer Wins
(E) ✔️ Correct Answer
"Contrary to a commonly held belief, noticeable differences in thickness… are not due to flowing… but result from old glassworking techniques."
✔️ Why it's correct:
Captures myth → debunking → true explanation (This mirrors the passage structure exactly.)
Precisely states the author’s endorsed hypothesis.
Includes both required pieces:
What people wrongly believe
What actually explains the phenomenon
This is the only answer that reflects the passage’s entire purpose.
4. Ultra-Condensed Main Point (Memory Version)
Medieval windows are thicker at the bottom not because glass flows, but because pre-modern glassmaking produced uneven panes.
This is the sentence you should be able to say in under 3 seconds on test day.
5. Main Point Cheat Sheet (Phen-Hypo Edition)
Use this for ANY Phenomenon–Hypothesis passage.
Step 1 — Identify the phenomenon
✔️ What needs explanation?
Step 2 — Identify competing hypotheses
✔️ Popular/existing explanations ✔️ Author’s new explanation
Step 3 — Look for author endorsement
✔️ Which hypothesis gets support, evidence, or detail? ✔️ The author’s endorsed explanation = MAIN POINT
Step 4 — Predict the Main Point
✔️ “The phenomenon is best explained by X.” ✔️ NEVER only describe the myth or the debunking. ✔️ MUST include the author’s final explanation.
Step 5 — Kill wrong answers
❌ Pure background ❌ Opposite of author’s view ❌ Only a detail ❌ Only debunking without the real explanation ❌ Overclaims or inventions
Correct answer almost always looks like:
➡️ “Contrary to a common belief, the true explanation is ____.”
I was getting a lot of Main Point questions wrong because I was choosing the answer that summarized the passage the best. I didn't even realize I was doing that until you pointed out that MP was not a summary of the passage.
Seems like your explanation for D was cut off
The tip that the main point is what the author thinks is prob the best tech I have ever adopted.
there's a typo under the explanation for answer choice B where it says ths instead of this.
CMON MAN... THAT'S TOO EASY
Just leaving a comment here because no one else has yet
Hey guys how are we feeling? I take the LSAT in 8 days so I'm freaking out a bit but feeling okay at the same time!!!