Need Tips on how to Proceed

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• 4 Likes

  maco4538 Alum Member

  May 2022 323 karma

  Work hard on mastering LGs. By the time you are ready to take the actual exam, you should have practiced 99% of all LGs from PTs 1-70 at least twice. Realistically, with enough practice, there is no reason you cannot get that LG scores down to -5 or lower. RCs are more tedious, and ample improvement in that area may be challenging. Treat RC as your "damage control" section is your best bet. Meaning trying to get your LR and LG scores as good as possible and keep mistakes in RC low as possible. Getting good at LR and LG is your best shot at maximizing points.

  LRs get more manageable when you master ascending skills. For example, the first skill you will need to master is recognizing argument structures. QTs' main point and argument parts lay down the foundations, and the Method of Reasoning QT puts those two skills together.

  The next skill you'll move on to is mastering inferences. These parts of the argument act as the glue that holds the premises and the conclusion together. Start with foundational inferences, which are necessary assumptions. These assumptions are the "bottom line" of the argument. Then, move on to the sufficient assumptions. These assumptions complete arguments, whereas necessary assumptions begin arguments. Other inference questions are similar to RC inference questions about the author's attitude and stuff. MSS also falls into inferences. MSS provides 5 claims, and only 1 is substantiated. All inference questions require proficiency in identifying argument parts and reasoning methods, so I recommend building this skill second.

  The third skill you'll want to build is evaluating arguments. This requires putting your argument structure skills and your inference skills together. To evaluate ideas, the LSAT will test your ability to find flaws in the author's method of reasoning, resolve or reconcile, and strengthen or weaken an argument. To do so correctly, you'll need to quickly and accurately identify argument parts and methods of reasoning. If it's a flaw QT, you should know the 20+ flaw types by heart. If it's a resolve reconciliation, you should identify the premises in the argument that contradict the result and find an AC that addresses that contradiction. If it's weakening or strengthening, then you should really focus on the method of reasoning and attacking it.

  The last skill requires replicating arguments and putting all three of the previous abilities together. These are not necessarily hard, but they are time-consuming if you are not already relatively quick with the other 3 skills. These are parallel reasoning and parallel flaws.

  A final note: mastering these skills in LR WILL help you exponentially in RC. RC is analogous to LR. The only real difference is that LR gives you a paragraph-length stimulus, whereas the RC has 2-4 stimuli per passage. Suppose you replicate the argument structure skills for each paragraph of each passage (e.g., highlighting MC, SC/MP, and premises). In that case, you will better understand the structure of the passage, making the RC questions 10x easier. When you have your course labeled and broken down by argument, you can quickly draw more inferences and locate references more efficiently. RC is testing all the same skills as LR, but you are provided more material to sift through.

  I hope this helps!
• snyder188 Core Member

  May 2022 19 karma

  @maco4538 said:
  Work hard on mastering LGs. By the time you are ready to take the actual exam, you should have practiced 99% of all LGs from PTs 1-70 at least twice. Realistically, with enough practice, there is no reason you cannot get that LG scores down to -5 or lower. RCs are more tedious, and ample improvement in that area may be challenging. Treat RC as your "damage control" section is your best bet. Meaning trying to get your LR and LG scores as good as possible and keep mistakes in RC low as possible. Getting good at LR and LG is your best shot at maximizing points.

  LRs get more manageable when you master ascending skills. For example, the first skill you will need to master is recognizing argument structures. QTs' main point and argument parts lay down the foundations, and the Method of Reasoning QT puts those two skills together.

  The next skill you'll move on to is mastering inferences. These parts of the argument act as the glue that holds the premises and the conclusion together. Start with foundational inferences, which are necessary assumptions. These assumptions are the "bottom line" of the argument. Then, move on to the sufficient assumptions. These assumptions complete arguments, whereas necessary assumptions begin arguments. Other inference questions are similar to RC inference questions about the author's attitude and stuff. MSS also falls into inferences. MSS provides 5 claims, and only 1 is substantiated. All inference questions require proficiency in identifying argument parts and reasoning methods, so I recommend building this skill second.

  The third skill you'll want to build is evaluating arguments. This requires putting your argument structure skills and your inference skills together. To evaluate ideas, the LSAT will test your ability to find flaws in the author's method of reasoning, resolve or reconcile, and strengthen or weaken an argument. To do so correctly, you'll need to quickly and accurately identify argument parts and methods of reasoning. If it's a flaw QT, you should know the 20+ flaw types by heart. If it's a resolve reconciliation, you should identify the premises in the argument that contradict the result and find an AC that addresses that contradiction. If it's weakening or strengthening, then you should really focus on the method of reasoning and attacking it.

  The last skill requires replicating arguments and putting all three of the previous abilities together. These are not necessarily hard, but they are time-consuming if you are not already relatively quick with the other 3 skills. These are parallel reasoning and parallel flaws.

  A final note: mastering these skills in LR WILL help you exponentially in RC. RC is analogous to LR. The only real difference is that LR gives you a paragraph-length stimulus, whereas the RC has 2-4 stimuli per passage. Suppose you replicate the argument structure skills for each paragraph of each passage (e.g., highlighting MC, SC/MP, and premises). In that case, you will better understand the structure of the passage, making the RC questions 10x easier. When you have your course labeled and broken down by argument, you can quickly draw more inferences and locate references more efficiently. RC is testing all the same skills as LR, but you are provided more material to sift through.

  I hope this helps!

  This is great! Thank you so much.Do you think I should still be mixing in PTs and individual drill sets?
• maco4538 Alum Member

  May 2022 323 karma

  @snyder188 said:
  This is great! Thank you so much.Do you think I should still be mixing in PTs and individual drill sets?

  Yes be sure to do timed drills for every Logic Game, especially timed full sections. Do not neglect those Miscellaneous games. You have about a 35% chance of coming across a MISC game on test day. Since you are planning on sitting in August, you have about 8-9 weeks to PT. You should be drilling sets with questions pulled from PT 1-58 and practicing full length PTs with 59-92. A great strategy is to use the "Flex" mode for PTs 59-75, which leaves out the experiment section. It is always a good idea to preserve as many LSAT questions as possible so that you are always practicing with new material. Then, with PTs 76-92, practice simulating test day conditions.

  Personally, I like taking 2 full length PTs every Saturday. For example, I take 1 flex PT, skip BR, take a 30 minute break, and come back and take another flex PT. Once I finished both PTs, I then BR both. The reason I approach PT days like this is because after taking one full length PT, I have gotten most of the nerves gone and I can recall mistakes I was making during the test. So when I finish one PT, I feel 10x more confident going into the second PT. This is a personal preference, and certainly everyone has a different approach to PTs. My strategy for test day is to take PT 92 in the morning before I take the actual test.