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MSS Questions

FFolkeswithtwoFsFFolkeswithtwoFs Member
in Logical Reasoning 5 karma

Although already noted that MSS Qs are similar or can even be mistaken as Main Point Qs, I am not fully understanding on my own (without J.Y. pointing it out) what wording in the question stem makes an MSS Q. just that, an MSS Q.
For instance, unless the Q. stem directly states or contains "....is most strongly supported by...." I really cannot tell what makes an MSS Q. an MSS Q.

help

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  • OhnoeshalpmeOhnoeshalpme Alum Member ⭐
    2531 karma

    The biggest difference is in the stimulus. For a main point question, the conclusion is stated in the stimulus and one of the answer choices will repeat (or rephrase) this same conclusion. For MSS, you are given a series of premises in the stimulus but you are not given a final conclusion. The answer choices are your potential conclusions. Keep in mind that the correct answer choice is the one that receives any support from the stimulus at all, wrong answer choices will receive no support.

  • OhnoeshalpmeOhnoeshalpme Alum Member ⭐
    edited October 2018 2531 karma

    Here are a few examples of potential question stem indicators

    "would provide the strongest support..."
    "provides the most support..."
    "support the view that..."

  • keets993keets993 Alum Member ⭐ ⏰ 🍌
    6050 karma

    With main point questions, we are given an argument in the stimulus and our job is to identify the main conclusion of the argument. This will either be reworded in the answer choices or taken directly from the passage. For most strongly supported questions, @Ohnoeshalpme, has provided a great list of question stems that indicate the question type. The key here to note is that, while in main point questions everything is already stated in the passage, in MSS questions you are looking for something that is supported by the stimulus. It's generally a new piece of information [but not too new] that can be supported by what's given to us in the stimulus. While doing these, you should be able to point exactly where in the passage you think this answer choice is being supported. Wrong answer choices will seem like they are being supported but they are not. They can be too strong or draw upon your real life biases. The latter one is especially tricky because they will sound right and you will think they are supported (and they probably are in the real world) you must remember that they must draw their support directly from that tiny blurb. Hope that helps.

  • MindyKaleMindyKale Alum Member
    350 karma

    Please correct me if I am wrong @keets993

    I think it also helps to look at MSS questions also like Must be True questions in that the right answer choice may not support be supported by the stimulus information as strongly or as completely(as in the case of Main Point/Main Conclusion).

  • keets993keets993 Alum Member ⭐ ⏰ 🍌
    6050 karma

    @MindyKale yes that's right because the support flows downward. I don't think the original poster has reached MBT in the curriculum yet.

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