Weakening Questions

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• blah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3545 karma

  I'd be really curious to see how you're doing in strengthening questions. When you miss weakening questions, is it because you don't understand the argument? Or do you get messed up at the answer choices?
• 1 Like

  emli1000 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 edited February 2015 3462 karma

  First identify the premise and conclusion, weaken the support bwtn the premise and conclusion. Remember the beam example? Avoid answer choices that weaken the conclusion, as well as the premise since that'll be too easy to identify.
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  emli1000 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3462 karma

  ASSUMPTIONS & WEAKENING QUESTIONS
  ASSUMPTIONS Lesson 1
  WHAT ARE ASSUMPTIONS?
  Simply put, they are premises that the author has left out of the argument. That is all assumptions are, period. It’s a forgotten premise that is left out.
  Assumptions are VERY subtle! Therefore you have to be careful!
  EX: We’ll get to the theater in time to catch the show[C] because we’re going to take a cab [P].
  A1: There are cabs a plenty
  A2: It is not raining
  A3: There’s no traffic jam
  If you deny these assumptions then they weaken the argument.
  DO NOT ATTACK THE PREMISE OR CONCLUSION; ATTACK THE SUPPORT! YOU ARE TO ACCEPT ALL OF THE ANSWER CHOICES.
  
  
  HOW TO WEAKEN ARGUMENTS Lesson 6
  **On Weakening questions the focus is on the SUPPORT not the premise or conclusion---ATTACK the SUPPORT not the P or C on every Weakening question.
  
  SOME SAMPLE QUESTION STEMS
  Which one of the following, if true, is the logically strongest counter that Albert can make to Erin’s argument?
  Which one of the following statements, if true, most weakens the argument?
  Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the argument?
  Which one of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the conclusion drawn in the argument above?
  Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument in the newspaper article?
  
• Cococbutter Member

  February 2015 7 karma

  I don't have a problem identifying the premise or conclusion. I get messed up with the answer choices. I guess I am having a hard time grasping the "beam" concept.
• 1 Like

  emli1000 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3462 karma

  Could it be that you don't understand what the support is? So you fail to weaken the support? & you fall for the tricky answer choices? Make sure you don't move on to the answer choices without first making sure you understand what's the support between the premise and conclusion.
  
  "I really don’t understand what JY means by not attacking the premise or conclusion." The incorrect answer choices will attack either the conclusion or premise. For Weakening question types you have to identify the premise(s) and conclusion, as well as the support. Once you find out what's the support in the argument, that is when you try to make an inference of what the correct answer choice could be. Until then try not to move onto the answer choices because they are tricky and they will confuse you.
• blah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3545 karma

  I completely agree with emli1000. If you're messing up at the answer choices, chances are you need a stronger grasp of the support that underlies the connection between the premise and the conclusion. I would say that before moving on to the answer choices, ask yourself, "Why does the author believe the conclusion?" and try to answer the question with 3-4 words maximum. Write those words next to the stimulus. Once you write those words down, make sure that the answer choices both (1) address the support you have written down in question and (2) actually weaken the connection between premise and conclusion.
  
  Characteristics of wrong answer choices for weakening questions fall into two categories:
  (1) the don't address the support
  (2) they don't play the right role (in this case, strengthen instead of weaken argument)
  
  If you can think about what part of the stimulus the answer choice is addressing, you will be less likely to pick an answer choice that doesn't address the support (not picking those ACs that full under Category 1). Your understanding of the argument and the role the "beam" plays in connecting premise and conclusion will help you pick answer choices that the prompt asks of you (IE picking the answer choice that weakens instead of strengthens).
• MisterMagic Alum Member

  February 2015 89 karma

  I have a little more trouble with weakening questions too, and I also have issues with the "beam" metaphor. It doesn't really represent support very well for me, but obviously it works for others. That's exactly what it is though, just a metaphor, so if it gives you issue, then consider discarding it...
  
  Also, ask "How does this premis(es) support the conclusion?" You absolutely must understand how the author thinks this premise supports this conclusion. ALL of the answer choices (right or wrong) will either weaken, strengthen or, the trickiest, are irrelevant (So what?).
  
  I use sometimes a rephrasing of the "support".."Oh, so he's saying this supports that because the thing is gonna do this stuff to that, or this happens because that..." whatever. Then say "Yeah, but what about/what if ____A/B/C/D/E_____" to each answer choice. "Yeah, that makes you say hmmmm, I'm not so sure about your conclusion being a result of that premise there, chief..." is the right answer. "So what? WTF cares? That has no bearing on this," is irrelevant (incorrect) and "Well, yeah, that makes even more sense," actually strengthens, so you know that's wrong.
  
  Alot of times, the "alternative explanation" is the right answer, because it's like "Yeah, there's that premise, sure, and yeah, that conclusion is true, but here's why. It's not because your premise supports it, but for this other thing."
  
  The real trouble I have is distinguishing between weaken/irrelevant. If it weakens even the tiniest, stupidest, most insignificant and ridiculous way, then it weakens. It's easy to look right at the correct answer choice and say "So? Who cares???" when it really does weaken, even if only in the very strictest sense and if only according to some LSAT author.
  
  One thing to remember is that the conclusion isn't wrong, and that the premises aren't either. The real trap isn't that incorrect answer choices actually attack premise/conclusion, they just really look like they do when in fact they leave premise/conclusions completely intact...
  
  I honestly have to use process/elimination for harder weaken questions, eliminating strengthen/irrelevant answer choices. I usually get down to 2 remaining choices at worst, they aren't my favorite question types. I get stuck in the "this argument is stupid" distraction, thinking there isn't any "beam" to weaken in the first place on some questions. Or the "there's no answer choice that weakens, just irrelevant" rut... That's lousy.
  
  Pay close attention to stems, watch for "except"...
  
  By the way, there's no "inferring" to the correct answer choice on a weakening question... Understand exactly what an inference actually is, or you're screwed on the LSAT. Words mean really really specific things in the LSAT paradigm, not like when everyday, conversational language is used. It's a good habit to get really strict with your own language both in your head and in your voice, being very precise and correct.
• harrismegan Member

  February 2015 2074 karma

  Weakening questions are my weakest too (aside from NA, damn).
  For me, I think it really just comes from a mental conversation with yourself.
  
  Find the conclusion.
  Find the premise.
  
  Ask yourself - is there something else that can explain this? Is there an assumption here? is there a shift in the language (..... example, like "believing" and "knowing")?
  
  Most of the time there will be and an answer choice will reflect that.
• 1 Like

  emli1000 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3462 karma

  @harrismegan start drilling those Cambridge packets on weakening and NA! LOL I've noticed that NA/Weaken are somewhat alike.
• harrismegan Member

  February 2015 2074 karma

  @emli1000 I do need to!!!! I'm currently working through the course again. But I went a little fast, so I have a two week period where no lessons or prep tests are assigned. I'm going to drill, drill, drill! Then see where I'm at prep test wise
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  emli1000 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  February 2015 3462 karma

  @SoltanShah ^ read above