Flaw in the Reasoning Questions

Because Flaw in the Reasoning are so similar to Method of Reasoning questions, the
introduction to this chapter will be relatively brief.
Flaw in the Reasoning questions are exactly the same as Method of Reasoning
questions with the important exception that the question stem indicates that the
reasoning in the stimulus is flawed. Because the question stem reveals that a
flaw is present, you need not make a determination of the validity of the
stimulus; the question stem makes the determination for you. This information
provides you with a tremendous advantage because you can identify the error of
reasoning in the stimulus before proceeding to the answer choices. And, if you
did not realize there was an error of reasoning in the stimulus, the question stem
gives you the opportunity to re-evaluate the argument and find the error of
reasoning.
When indicating that a flaw is present in the argument, the test makers will use
phrases such as “the reasoning is flawed” and “the argument is vulnerable,” or
synonymous phrases. Here are several example question stems:
“Which one of the following most accurately describes a flaw in the
argument’s reasoning?”
“The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to criticism on the
ground that the argument”
“The reasoning above is flawed because it fails to recognize that”
“A questionable aspect of the reasoning above is that it”
“The reasoning in the argument is fallacious because the argument”
To identify the right answer choice, carefully consider the reasoning used in the
stimulus. The correct answer will identify the error in the author’s reasoning and
then describe that error in general terms. Beware of answers that describe a
portion of the stimulus but fail to identify the error in the reasoning.

Incorrect Answers in Method of Reasoning Questions

Some Method of Reasoning answer choices can be difficult to understand because they are
written in a way that is obviously designed to be confusing. The test makers excel at using
deceptive language to make wrong answers attractive and to hide the correct answer.
In Chapter Four we discussed several types of incorrect answers that appear in
Must Be True questions. In this section we will review selected answer types
from that chapter that apply to Method of Reasoning questions and add an
additional wrong answer type.
1. “New” Element Answers
Because correct Method of Reasoning answers must be based on
elements of the stimulus, an answer that describes something that did not
occur or describes an element new to the argument cannot be correct. All
of the wrong answer choices described below are simply very specific
variations on this theme.
2. Half Right, Half Wrong Answers
The makers of the LSAT love to present answers that start out by
describing something that in fact occurred in the stimulus. Unfortunately,
they often end by describing something that did not occur in the stimulus.
The rule for these answers is that half wrong equals all wrong, and these
answers are always incorrect.
3. Exaggerated Answers
Exaggerated Answers take a situation from the stimulus and stretch that
situation to make an extreme statement that is not supported by the
stimulus. Be careful, though! Just because an answer choice contains
extreme language does not mean that the answer is incorrect.
4. The Opposite Answer
As the name suggests, the Opposite Answer provides an answer that is
exactly opposite of correct.
5. The Reverse Answer
The Reverse Answer is attractive because it contains familiar elements
from the stimulus, but reverses them in the answer. Since the reversed
statement does not describe what occurred in the stimulus, it must be
incorrect.
Interestingly, the incorrect answer choices in any Method of Reasoning question
can be a helpful study aid in preparing for future questions. Since the makers of
the LSAT tend to reuse certain methods of reasoning, familiarizing yourself
with those methods and the language used to describe them helps you prepare
for when you encounter them again. You should carefully study all Method of
Reasoning answers—correct and incorrect—and it would not be unreasonable
to keep a list of the different types of methods you encounter. Remember, the
wrong answer choice on one question could be right answer choice on another
question. After you complete the problem and are reviewing each wrong
answer choice, try to imagine what type of argument would be needed to fit that
answer. This exercise will strengthen your ability to recognize any type of
argument structure.
As part of the First Family, Method of Reasoning questions are grouped with Must Be True,
Main Point, etc. Each type of question shares similar characteristics, but the exact execution of each is different. For example, one way to compare Must Be True questions to Method of Reasoning questions is to use an analogy about trees in a forest. A Must Be True question is like examining a single tree and looking at the details: the bark, the branches, the leaves, etc. A Method of Reasoning question requires you to look at that same tree,
but from a different perspective, one that is farther away and places that tree in the
context of the forest. You are no longer looking at the individual branches and leaves, but rather at the general structure of the tree.

The Fact Test in Method of Reasoning Questions

Because Method of Reasoning questions are similar to Must Be True questions,
you can use the principle behind the Fact Test to destroy incorrect answers. In a
Method Reasoning question, the Fact Test works as follows:
If an answer choice describes an event that did not occur in the stimulus,
then that answer is incorrect.
The test makers will try to entice you by creating incorrect answer choices that
contain elements that did not occur, and you must avoid those answers and
select the answer choice that describes what occurred in the stimulus. For
example, if an answer choice states, “The argument accepts a claim on the basis
of public opinion of the claim,” all parts of the answer must be identifiable in
the stimulus. First you must be able to identify where the author “accepts a
claim,” and then you must be able to identify where that is done “on the basis of
public opinion of the claim.” If you cannot identify part of an answer as having
occurred in the stimulus, that answer is incorrect.
Watch out for answers that are partially true—that is, answers that contain a
description of something that happened in the argument but that also contain
additional things that did not occur. For example, an answer choice states that,
“The author disagrees with the analogy used by the critic.” When examining
this answer, you must find both the “disagreement” and the “analogy”; if you
can only find one, or neither, the answer is wrong. But let us say you know the
author disagrees with the critic. That is a good start, but you will still have to
find disagreement with the analogy for the answer to be correct.
Stimulus Notes
The stimulus for a Method Reasoning question will contain an argument, and
the argument can contain either valid or invalid reasoning. As you read the
stimulus, you should naturally make an assessment of the validity of the
argument, and you can expect that many Method of Reasoning answer choices
will reflect that assessment.
Because recognizing argument structure is such an important part of attacking
Method questions, you must watch for the presence of the premise and
conclusion indicators discussed in Chapter Two. These indicators will help you
identify the structure of the argument and better help you understand the answer
choices.

Prephrasing in Method of Reasoning Questions

Method of Reasoning questions are challenging because they involve abstract
thinking, which focuses on the form of the argument instead of the concrete
facts of the argument. The answer choices will therefore describe the argument
in abstract terms, and many students have difficulty because the test makers are
experts at manipulating those terms to describe the argument in unexpected and
deceptive ways. Often, students will have a firm grasp of the structure of the
argument only to struggle when none of the answers match their prephrase.
This situation occurs because the test makers can use one or two words to
describe entire sections of the stimulus, and you are rigorously tested on your
knowledge of the mechanics of the argument and your ability to discern the
references in the answer choice.
When prephrasing in Method of Reasoning questions, you may understand the
details of the stimulus but not understand the structure of the argument. Thus,
each answer may sound implausible since they are related primarily to the
logical organization of the argument. Therefore, you must think about the
structure of the argument before examining the answer choices. However, do
not expect to see your exact prephrase as the answer; there are simply too many
variations on the way an argument can be described. Instead, make a general,
abstract prephrase of what occurred in the argument and then rigorously
examine each answer choice to see if the test makers have created an answer
that paraphrases your prephrase. Many students are deceived by the description
used by the test makers, and the only way to overcome this problem is to
compare the description given in the answer choice to the stimulus.
You may not have noticed, but this book began with the most concrete questions and
slowly moved towards the most abstract questions. For example, we began with Must Be True questions, which require you to identify the details of an argument. Later we discussed
Weaken and Strengthen questions, which require you identify both the structure and details of an argument. Now we have arrived at Method questions, which focus much more on structure. Because abstract thinking requires more work than concrete thinking, most students
find abstract questions difficult.

Method of Reasoning Questions

As you attack each question, keep in mind that Method of Reasoning questions are
simply abstract Must Be True questions. Use the information in the stimulus to
prove or disprove each answer choice.
Method of Reasoning questions require you to select the answer choice that best
describes the method used by the author to make the argument. Structurally,
Method of Reasoning questions are simply abstract Must Be True questions:
instead of identifying the facts of the argument, you must identify the logical
organization of the argument.
As part of the First Family of Questions, Method of Reasoning questions
feature the following information structure, modified slightly for the abstract
nature of these questions:
1. You can use only the information in the stimulus to prove the correct
answer choice.
2. Any answer choice that describes an element or a situation that does not
occur in the stimulus is incorrect.
Method of Reasoning question stems use a variety of formats, but in each case
the stem refers to the method, technique, strategy, or process used by the author
while making the argument. Here are several question stem examples:
“The method of the argument is to”
“The argument proceeds by”
“The argument derives its conclusion by”
“Which one of the following describes the technique of reasoning used
above?”
“Which one of the following is an argumentative strategy employed in
the argument?”
“The argument employs which one of the following reasoning
techniques?”
“Aiesha responds to Adam’s argument by”

Reasoning Questions And Ansowers

Questions:
1. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
granamelke means big tree
pinimelke means little tree
melkehoon means tree house
Which word could mean “big house”?
a. granahoon
b. pinishur
c. pinihoon
d. melkegrana
2. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
lelibroon means yellow hat
plekafroti means flower garden
frotimix means garden salad
Which word could mean “yellow flower”?
a. lelifroti
b. lelipleka
c. plekabroon
d. frotibroon
3. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
moolokarn means blue sky
wilkospadi means bicycle race
moolowilko means blue bicycle
Which word could mean “racecar”?
a. wilkozwet
b. spadiwilko
c. moolobreil
d. spadivolo
4. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
daftafoni means advisement
imodafta means misadvise
imolokti means misconduct
Which word could mean “statement”?
a. kratafoni
b. kratadafta
c. loktifoni
d. daftaimo
5. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
dionot means oak tree
blyonot means oak leaf
blycrin means maple leaf
Which word could mean “maple syrup”?
a. blymuth
b. hupponot
c. patricrin
d. crinweel
6. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
agnoscrenia means poisonous spider
delanocrenia means poisonous snake
agnosdeery means brown spider
Which word could mean “black widow
spider”?
a. deeryclostagnos
b. agnosdelano
c. agnosvitriblunin
d. trymuttiagnos
7. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
myncabel means saddle horse
conowir means trail ride
cabelalma means horse blanket
Which word could mean “horse ride”?
a. cabelwir
b. conocabel
c. almamyn
d. conoalma
8. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
godabim means kidney stones
romzbim means kidney beans
romzbako means wax beans
Which word could mean “wax statue”?
a. godaromz
b. lazbim
c. wasibako
d. romzpeo
9. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
tamceno means sky blue
cenorax means blue cheese
aplmitl means star bright
Which word could mean “bright sky”?
a. cenotam
b. mitltam
c. raxmitl
d. aplceno
10. Here are some words translated from an
artificial language.
gorblflur means fan belt
pixngorbl means ceiling fan
arthtusl means tile roof
Which word could mean “ceiling tile”?
a. gorbltusl
b. flurgorbl
c. arthflur
d. pixnarth