Tips on how to improve LR esp. flaw

chinobonito

hi everyone, i was wondering how i can improve on flaw questions? I feel like sometimes they're obvious, but for the harder ones, i either get it or i don't. Any tips on how to improve? I plan to redo the flaw practice problems, but i feel like if i drill enough, LSAT may repeat those flaw, but i need to see why that is the case instead of memorizing the common flaw packet. I think this has helped, but it hasn't helped enough.

some notes i took from the lessons on flaw:

Flaw / Descriptive weakening

similar to weaken, similar to MOR questions
Descriptive

2 step test for choosing the right ac: (especially helpful for tough questions, where the wrong ac are very attractive)

1. Descriptively accurate for the argument - if it doesn’t rightly describe the argument, then don’t even bother with 2nd step, this ac is wrong

my notes on this tip above is that it may be easy or hard to spot. for example, this difficult flaw problem, which most people picked D, it is neither descriptively accurate, nor does it describe the flaw. However, the inaccuracy of D (incompatible) is so subtle, that I missed it when under timed condition. Any tips on how to improve? I guess i truly need to learn to walk before i run, but under timed condition, i feel like i'm forced to run with it... if that makes sense.

I literally watched this video 5 times in a row, and everytime i listen to it, i learn something. but can someone please give me more tips? im truly trying to improve for my June LSAT test.. thanks everyone

http://7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-51-section-1-question-15/

2. describes the flaw? - the ac is assuming, is that why the argument is wrong? Review 19 common argument flaws
sometimes the trap answers satisfies step 1, but not 2 (descriptively accurate, but wrong flaw)

this is hard to spot if i feel like i didn't anticipate the flaw already...but sometimes i can take a stab at the answer choices and get lucky on the harder ones.

Any other tips on how to improve on LR in general? i feel like for each test, it is a hit or a miss, some LR sections are hard, some are easy, sometimes both are easy, and RC and LG are harder. Maybe lsat tries to balance the overall difficulty of the test without giving away a pattern

brna0714

I definitely agree with your point about the writers "balancing" the test. I've noticed that as well.

As for improving on flaw questions, I'd recommend purchasing the Cambridge Packets and working your way through those after reviewing the corresponding 7sage lessons. The packets have helped me tremendously and I especially like that they're arranged by difficulty.

jdawg113

each LSAT does differ between sections and you will often hear people say one had a particularly hard LG but a decent RC and such... of course it is subjective to what you find difficult but in general LSAC does balance the test out differently. if the test in general was easier the curve will be less forgiving or some sections can make up for the difficulty of others.

Nilesh S

If you want to improve on the flaw questions, try work through the flaw section of the LSAT trainer... it complements 7sage very well and gives you mini flaw spotting exercises through its drills that fine tune your abilities.

emli1000

I agree with Nilesh! Def needed for flaw. I'm actually drilling that section today and the trainer goes smoothly with 7Sage.

emli1000

Here are my notes

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PdMLY7RsypmEqGXzC_ngA9ADsePK-srXe5J193m0Ao8/edit

blah170blah

Can't underscore LSAT trainer enough for flaws. Also, when you miss flaw questions, do you identify the flaw correctly but mess up at the answer choices or do you trip up mostly at the point where you need to identify the flaw in the stimulus?

chinobonito

@blah170blah that is a good point! I naturally anticipate and look for a flaw while iam reading, before I go to the answer choices. depending on the q stimulus, i can sometimes anticipate a few flaws to none. This would determine whether if I mess up on the answer choices what about you?? How do you approach flaw questions

chinobonito

@emli1000 thank you! i sent you a request via email after i clicked on that link

blah170blah

I've gotten a lot better at flaw questions. I used to be like you, where sometimes I could anticipate flaws and other times never. When I see a flaw question now, I can almost always identify the flaw in the stimulus but miss questions because I misunderstand an answer choice. I'm trying to improve on that by memorizing examples so when I see an answer choice I don't get confused

chinobonito

@"Nilesh S" @emli1000 thanks for the LSAT Trainer suggestion. I am going to try that with 7sage, because 7sage is a great tool too. i noticed that they have a 13 or 8 week trainer schedule. I am aiming to take the June LSAT, so it's a little under 13 weeks away ... i noticed this schedule (see link below) contains LSAT lessons that i may or may not need. what would you recommend me to do to customize this schedule to tailor my needs? i am doing well on LG, but need improvements on LR and RC.

http://www.thelsattrainer.com/assets/twelveweektrainerstudyscheduleexams52-712.pdf

I also try to take 1 LSAT a week (full time job gets in the way) and BR, additional drills ... thanks!!!

chinobonito

@blah170blah that's awesome, please feel free to message me any questions you feel are unique, interesting to go over, or questions. I think that would help us both to solidify our knowledge and logic

Nilesh S

Yes you definitely ought to customize... remember that Iron man quote... the man makes the suit not the other way round... well this is exactly like that... these schedules are to guide you... not to control your prep... if you can tweak them to maximize your efficiency, you should definitely do that.

emli1000

Customize according to your needs.