LSAT arguments are different in structure than arguments we are otherwise used to in everyday life.  Very different. Your success on the LSAT depends on your ability to recognize the structure of LSAT arguments, find flaws where necessary, and differentiate between valid LSAT arguments and invalid ones.

All valid LSAT arguments contain at least two premises and one conclusion

A conclusion is the statement that an argument is trying to convince us of. A premise is a statement intended to support the conclusion. Valid LSAT arguments are, therefore, almost like mathematical equations because the premises, when added together, must equal the conclusion.

Consider the following example:

Premise: Rover is a dog

Premise: All dogs play fetch

Conclusion: Rover plays fetch

When we add the premises together, i.e., that Rover is a dog and all dogs play fetch, we are forced to conclude that Rover plays fetch.

REMEMBER: Take LSAT arguments at face value . . . .

On the LSAT, you should never try to attack the “real world” factual validity of the premises themselves. So, in the example above, you would never try to challenge the premise that all dogs play fetch. Although we know in the real world that not every dog plays fetch, in the LSAT world, you take the premises at face value.

Valid and Invalid LSAT Arguments

A valid LSAT argument is not an argument that is merely persuasive or that you agree with. Instead, an LSAT argument is an argument where the premises logically add up to the conclusion. In philosophy, this is called a deductive argument. If it does not add up (like in a mathematical equation), then it is an invalid argument.

Consider this example:

Kobe is the highest scorer in the NBA

Kobe is on the all-defensive team

Kobe is the best player in the NBA

While this argument may be persuasive, on the LSAT it would not be considered valid because the premises do not have to add up to the conclusion. In other words, in the example above, the conclusion does not have to be true.

The distinction between real world arguments and LSAT arguments is critical. You must learn the difference between the two to do well on the LSAT. The best way to do this is by reviewing actual LSAT problems and LSAT explanations so that you can observe this principle in practice.

Hopefully this brief lesson on LSAT arguments and LSAT logic can clear up some confusion about the LSAT.

One of the most common problems students have as their LSAT studying progresses is knowing how to choose between two answer choices that both look appealing. On difficult problems, many students can eliminate three of the five answer choices confidently. Then, with the remaining two answer choices, self-doubt, second-guessing, and panic often ensue. Obviously, your performance on the LSAT is directly proportional to how you perform in these situations. Below are 4 LSAT tips that will help you select between two answer choices when this situation arises.

Be wary of answer choice “A”

Our LSAT prep course doesn’t emphasize gimmicks; rather, our LSAT preparation focuses on understanding the logical principles in the exam.  Nevertheless, this is one strategy you can use when stuck on two answer choices.  Very often, the writers of the LSAT will make answer choice A appealing in the hopes that hurried students will choose it without critically examining the other answer choices. Be wary of this LSAT trick. Other times, students may find answer choice A appealing, wed themselves to it psychologically, and examine the other answer choices through this lens. You can avoid both of these problems by recognizing this tendency and not committing to any answer choice until you read and understand all five answer choices.

Trust your first instinct

Keeping in mind the advice above, it is important that you are not “talked out of” a correct answer choice by another answer choice that seems to be more correct. Often, your first chosen correct answer is better than a second answer choice. This is because you have more recently looked at the passage (in the LSAT reading comprehension section) or the question (in either the LSAT Logical Reasoning or LSAT Logic Games sections) and are more focused on what you are looking for on the exam. If you are truly stuck, go with the answer choice you liked first.

Re-read the question

When students are choosing between two answer choices, it is not uncommon for them to re-read the passage or question to better understand it. Much more important, however, is to re-read the question. Confusion between two answer choices can many times be explained by a lack of focus on the task at hand. Students may find a particular answer choice appealing because it persuasively deals with an aspect of the passage or question rather than because it answers the question presented. By re-reading the question, you will be better focused on what you are looking for and cut out irrelevant answer choices.

Flag it and move on

If you are still stuck after following the steps above, and simply cannot choose, flag the answer choice, and return to it later on in the section – perhaps at the end. When you return, you may approach the problem differently, allowing you to better choose the correct answer. This final LSAT tip should be used sparingly, since returning to questions during the exam is very time-consuming.

Being stuck between two answer choices is a very common occurrence. Applying the 4 LSAT tips above will help reduce the frequency of this, but it will not eliminate it altogether. The LSAT is a difficult test, and truly successful students will not be frustrated by individual problems that are annoying. Remember to keep your cool, and, when you are stuck between two answer choices, recognize the tendencies described above, re-read the passage or the question, give your best answer, and move on.

Studying for the LSAT is something that every savvy LSAT student must do a lot of.  The key to studying for the LSAT is to study smarter, and not necessarily longer or harder for the exam.  In other words, when you don’t have all the time in the world, it is important to be efficient when studying for the LSAT.  Here are 4 important tips that will help you study and work smarter.

1) Avoid group study

The temptation arises — especially for students in college or those taking a traditional LSAT course – to study in groups. Although this may be a more enjoyable form of learning, it is not the most efficient means of studying for the LSAT. Learning the logic of the LSAT largely requires drilling and practice. Group study is a great way to communicate with others and learn different viewpoints, but it is not a very effective way to drill or engage in the repetitive training required to master LSAT logic.

 2) Pace yourself when studying for the LSAT 

Professional athletes practice multiple hours a day, but they don’t practice around the clock. Likewise, studying for the LSAT should not be a 24-hour-a-day obsession. Rather, as an LSAT student, you should pace yourself and dedicate no more than four hours a day studying for the LSAT. (This is where an LSAT prep course often helps: it provides structure.)  If not, you will find yourself mentally fatigued and increasingly stressed about the exam.

3) Focus

There are many LSAT materials and theories about the LSAT. (LSAT Freedom, for instance, focuses on its video LSAT explanations.)  It is easy to get lost among all of the blogs, courses, and prep materials. Don’t trouble yourself with gathering every tip imaginable, and don’t waste your time digging for tips or theories. Pick the prep materials that you like most early on, and focus on these and these alone.

4) Just do it

This is likely the most important secret to studying for the LSAT: actually do it. It is amazing how often “studying” for some people means sitting in a library chatting on g-chat or looking at Facebook. Studying for the LSAT should mean actually sitting down with materials or instruction and doing the work. No one can do it for you, and there is no credit given for time spent sitting in a library without doing any work.

There is no real secret when it comes to studying for the LSAT . . . .

Do it alone so you can focus.  Pace yourself, and actually get it done!  Hopefully, these tips will help you streamline your studying for the LSAT.

The running debate on LSAT reading comprehension passages is whether or not to underline relevant sections of a given passage.  Some LSAT prep courses will dissuade you from doing so.  Others will encourage you to do the opposite.

(Make sure you read part 2 of this post: How to Approach LSAT Reading Comprehension Passages, Part 2.)

So what should you do with LSAT Reading Comprehension passages?

The position LSAT Freedom takes with its LSAT prep course  is that you should, indeed, underline LSAT reading comprehension passages when you read them. Upon first glance, this might seem like a chore, particularly when we all recall our experiences in English or literature class in high school and college, when we felt compelled to highlight important parts of a novel or poem in order to retain pertinent information.

The process of underlining LSAT reading comprehension passages, however, is quite different.

And herein lies the key to understanding why it’s important to engage in the process: You shouldn’t underline an LSAT reading comprehension passage in order to remember or retain information. Rather, you should underline in order to locate information later (i.e., when answering questions).

As a test-taker, you should have no interest in remembering as much of an LSAT reading comprehension passage as possible. Such an approach would force you to re-read certain lines and labor over understanding what the passage is about or what it means. But this isn’t a literature class, and you’re not studying for a final exam. Moreover, unless you have a photographic memory, it will be impossible to memorize 60+ lines of text and then answer questions without referring back to the passage. So why bother?

Your purpose with an LSAT reading comprehension passage is different.

Remember, you just need to answer five or six questions about an LSAT reading comprehension passage within a span of a few minutes. So you don’t need to wed yourself to the passage. You simply need to be able to locate relevant information. Underlining the most relevant words, phrases, and sections of an LSAT reading comprehension passage creates signs, or markers, that you can use later on when you need to locate certain information to answer a question.

Underlining helps you approach an LSAT reading comprehension passage and answer questions efficiently, and it saves you time on an exam where every second is crucial. It yields maximum effect without investing too much effort.

So, what should you underline? Stay tuned. In part 2 of this post, we will identify some of the key words, phrases, and sections you should underline when reading an LSAT reading comprehension passage.