Tips for MSS, Strengthen and Weaken Qs?

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• 1 Like

  FautApprendreLSAT1 Core Member

  December 2020 314 karma

  I also struggle with these. However, recently, I really found thinking of the MSS answer choice as a conclusion to the stimulus and the stimulus as a bunch of premises as opposed to a complete argument really helpful. I got this from the CC, when JY states that the difference between MP and MSS questions is that in the latter, you are just looking for the conclusion in the answer choices and not identifying it in the stimulus(as you do with MC questions). As for Weaken and Strengthen question, I am still struggling with them so I don't have any real helpful advise. Although, I have noticed that one of the reasons why I keep getting them wrong is that I fail to identify the "gap" or "flaw" with the argument before moving into the answer choices. I notice every time I actually identify the flaw, the answer choices are less tricky. Hope this is a bit helpful.
• 1 Like

  FaviPapi-1-1 Member

  December 2020 313 karma

  Here is my tip for MSS:

  Procedure:

  These questions ask you to pick an answer that gets most support from the stimulus. It is not a MBT; hence, such questions are more laid back or so to speak...

  PROCEDURE:

  A. Read the stimulus (without annotations)

  1. If the “vibe” is great, move forward to C.
  2. Otherwise, go on with B. 
  

  B. Read the stimulus again (with annotations)

  1. If you see any trigger words, write or highlight them (quantifier [a few, few, most], conditionality [if, only if] or causation [promotes, causes])
  

  C. Evaluate

  1. Attempt to see the linkage (if any)
  2. Attempt to figure out an inference
  

  D. Attack

  1. Go answer by answer and see which one is well supported
  

  I hope this helps,

  Favio
• thepowerfulreader Member

  December 2020 118 karma

  Thank you guys so much!
• Logicbaeee Member

  December 2020 92 karma

  I used to be bad at weakening but I took around 2 days to do all the weakening questions I had left over from PTs 1-35.

  I started untimed.

  My focus always is:
  1. Identify the conclusion
  2. Identify how the information is supporting it.
  3. If I can predict the flaw in the argument. This sets me up for the going into the answers but I can't always predict.
  4. Start eliminating ACs that clearly don't weaken the support structure.
  5. Select the remaining AC and see how it would weaken.

  For weakening Q's, for some reason I always keep in mind ALTERNATIVE CAUSE.
  Also, POE is very helpful because I know that I am getting the right answer by eliminating the bad ones first, it has decreased my errors as well.
• 1 Like

  FaviPapi-1-1 Member

  December 2020 313 karma

  Anytime bud - if you have any other question, you can shoot me a message; good luck studying.