The Thirteen Logical Reasoning Question Types

In the answer key to this book, all questions are classified as one of these thirteen
types. There are also additional indicators designating reasoning type, etc.
Each question stem that appears in the Logical Reasoning section of the LSAT
can be classified into one of thirteen different types:
1. Must Be True/Most Supported
2. Main Point
3. Point at Issue
4. Assumption
5. Justify the Conclusion
6. Strengthen/Support
7. Resolve the Paradox
8. Weaken
9. Method of Reasoning
10. Flaw in the Reasoning
11. Parallel Reasoning
12. Evaluate the Argument
13. Cannot Be True
Occasionally, students ask if we refer to the question types by number or by
name. We always refer to the questions by name as that is an easier and more
efficient approach. Numerical question type classification systems force you to
add two unnecessary levels of abstraction to your thinking process. For
example, consider a question that asks you to “weaken” the argument. In a
numerical question classification system, you must first recognize that the
question asks you to weaken the argument, then you must classify that
question into a numerical category (say, Type 10), and then you must translate
Type 10 to mean “Weaken.” Literally, numerical classification systems force
you to perform an abstract, circular translation of the meaning of the question,
and the translation process is both time-consuming and valueless.
In the following pages we will discuss each question type in brief. Later we
will examine each question type in its own chapter.

1. Must Be True/Most Supported
This category is simply known as “Must Be True.” Must Be True
questions ask you to identify the answer choice that is best proven by
the information in the stimulus. Question stem examples:
“If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also
be true?”
“Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the
passage?”
2. Main Point
Main Point questions are a variant of Must Be True questions. As you
might expect, a Main Point question asks you to find the primary
conclusion made by the author. Question stem example:
“The main point of the argument is that”
3. Point at Issue

Point at Issue questions require you to identify a point of contention
between two speakers, and thus these questions appear almost
exclusively with two-speaker stimuli. Question stem example:
“Larew and Mendota disagree about whether”
4. Assumption
These questions ask you to identify an assumption of the author’s
argument. Question stem example:
“Which one of the following is an assumption required by the
argument above?”
5. Justify the Conclusion
Justify the Conclusion questions ask you to supply a piece of
information that, when added to the premises, proves the conclusion.
Question stem example:
“Which one of the following, if assumed, allows the conclusion above
to be properly drawn?”
6. Strengthen/Support
These questions ask you to select the answer choice that provides
support for the author’s argument or strengthens it in some way.
Question stem examples:
“Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?”
“Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the
statement above?”
7. Resolve the Paradox
Every Resolve the Paradox stimulus contains a discrepancy or seeming
contradiction. You must find the answer choice that best resolves the
situation. Question stem example:
“Which one of the following, if true, would most effectively resolve
the apparent paradox above?”
8. Weaken
Weaken questions ask you to attack or undermine the author’s
argument. Question stem example:
“Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the
argument?”
9. Method of Reasoning
Method of Reasoning questions ask you to describe, in abstract terms,
the way in which the author made his or her argument. Question stem
example:
“Which one of the following describes the technique of reasoning used
above?”
10. Flaw in the Reasoning
Flaw in the Reasoning questions ask you to describe, in abstract terms,
the error of reasoning committed by the author. Question stem
example:
“The reasoning in the astronomer’s argument is flawed because this
argument”
11. Parallel Reasoning
Parallel Reasoning questions ask you to identify the answer choice that
contains reasoning most similar in structure to the reasoning presented
in the stimulus. Question stem example:
“Which one of the following arguments is most similar in its pattern of
reasoning to the argument above?”
12. Evaluate the Argument
With Evaluate the Argument questions you must decide which answer
choice will allow you to determine the logical validity of the argument.
Question stem example:
“The answer to which one of the following questions would contribute
most to an evaluation of the argument?”
13. Cannot Be True
Cannot Be True questions ask you to identify the answer choice that
cannot be true or is most weakened based on the information in the
stimulus. Question stem example:
“If the statements above are true, which one of the following
CANNOT be true?”