How to improve on strengthen questions on LR

Gracelover

I suck at weaken questions too, but I suck even more at strengthen questions.

One of the problems is, I tend to try to focus on the error in the passage, so sometimes I fall for the weakening answers which addresses the error(this is especially true for strengthen EXCEPT questions)...

Another problem is, strengthening is so hard to do! Sometimes I think an answer choice blocks a potential assumption and thereby strengthens, but later I learn that apparently the answer was entirely irrelevant. And sometimes I pick an answer choice which I really think strengthens the argument but apparently it's irrelevant too.

Gracelover

I noticed a lot of strengthening and weakening arguments have a lot to do with correlation/causation assumptions

Nilesh S

Redo the theory and practice... write out your reasons for why each answer choice should be correct according to you or should not be... when you train your intuition this way, things start to become clearer. Often, we get stuff wrong or right based on a thought process that goes on in our minds but this is so internalized that it is difficult to articulate. Once you articulate, it becomes easier to see if, where and why/how you are right or wrong.

kellysmelly

Its always about making the existing premises somehow more related to drawing the conclusion.
(1) Add more strength/support to believe one/or more stated premise in the passage
(2) Exclude a possible gap (assumption) in a stated premise in the passage, so that the premise is now stronger by knowing the gap is closed.

Gracelover

@Nilesh S and @kellysmelly

Thank you guys!