LR 911!!!

laestelle2009

with the December LSAT just around the corner and and a 21+ improvement on my PT's, i'm anxiously awaiting test day. one problem left to tackle: improve on flawed reasoning questions.

i've drilled these questions like no other, and i'm still no better at them. what helped you guys solve this question type? what suggestions for improvement are you guys willing to share? anyone willing to help?!?!?!

ENTJ

I had some issues with flawed method of reasoning as well. There are three things that I did to help me improve:

1) Really listen and digest the explanations provided by JY/Jonathan when you BR.
2) Remember that all the answer choices are repeats. They maybe the wrong answer choice for that specific question, but they will be the right answer choice for another question.
3) Try to anticipate the answer choice! Is it descriptively accurate? Does it address the specific flaw?

Good luck!

dvillat1

I agree with the comment above! Also, I was having the same problem as you and remembered I printed out this PDF a couple of weeks ago and realized how useful it was to review for LR questions (esp. flaw questions). It's the list of common LR flaws. Here you go, I hope this helps!

http://7sage.com/lesson/19-common-argument-flaws/

tanes256

@laestelle2009 21+ point improvement!! That is freaking awesome! Congrats! How long did it take for you to gain that improvement?

barcanou

I have this problem with the exam in general. I've been studying a couple hours a day since June. My diagnostic was 163 and the PTs I took this weekend were 164 and 162. It's really disheartening to think that I may just me maxed out and the errors I'm making are due to a gap in my mental capacity

pjanderson5

@barcanou if your diagnostic was 163 you aren't even close to maxing out! Study hard and smart and you can get into the 170s!

barcanou

@pjanderson5 -- When I BR I'm consistently above 170 but the mistakes I make under timed conditions are consistent and don't seem to be getting better. My errors are pretty even across all sections and are mostly due to not reading carefully enough and this is something I don't know how to study for except maybe to just do a million tests. I'm taking in December, but barring a miracle will be taking again in June for next cycle. Thanks for the positive feedback, though!

pjanderson5

@barcanou You should strongly consider drilling the types of problems that are giving you trouble untimed. You need to get accurate before you get faster.

barcanou

@pjanderson5 - I figured the way to go was to start doing everything with really restrictive timing as some people have mentioned on here--like 7 mins per RC passage--but am curious if anyone here has had success getting over the mid-160s hump

K-Magnet

Suggestions:

1) Know your own (or JY's) examples for the abstract language. The same abstract descriptions for flaws are used over again. In studying, have in your mind specific examples for these descriptions. What would circular reasoning actually look like?

2) Pre-phrase the correct answer. Don't go to the answer choices and start comparing them to each other. Think about what the flaw is before even looking at the choices. Think about which 'abstract' category this flaw might belong to. Then choose the answer that conforms to your pre-phrase. Sometimes you will not be able to pre-phrase correctly. But remember: forget comparing one answer choice to another, compare each answer choice back to the stimulus.

turnercm

+1 @tanes25; a 21+ point improvement is awesome!!!!