Weaken Questions

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  Mellow_Z Alum Member

  May 2017 1997 karma

  How do you master them? Practice.

  You've identified a weakness which is half the battle. Now you have to correct it. Look at Manhattan, The LSAT Trainer, 7Sage, TLS, basically every resource you can find on weakening LR questions and keep reading and drilling until it clicks. I personally think Manhattan has a tremendous section on Assumption question types, that supplements with 7sage wonderfully.

  As far as conceptually, weakening questions give a lot of people issues. Be sure to focus on the relationship between the evidence, premises, and the conclusion.

  First, be sure to truly understand the argument the passage is making between the premises and conclusion. Don't rush into the answer choices after identifying the C and P. Take a moment and understand what is going on.

  Second, don't try to weaken the entire argument. The correct answer is going to focus on just one piece of the argument. Weaken the connection between the premises and the conclusion. You want to identify an answer that, given the truth and validity of the argument (we have to take the argument as truth in these question types), will make the conclusion illogical.

  Common types of this are :
  -Provide an alternative cause to the outcome in causal arguments
  -Provide new evidence which weakens the argument
  -Attack the evidence provided (small sample size, inaccurate sample group, etc)
  -Attack any assumptions the argument makes (if there is a jump from A-C, target that gap)

  Strengthening questions are very similar to weakening, so practicing those question types will be useful for you as well.