Studied by 48 peopleFrom PowerScore LR Bible Ch. 2 - The Basis of Logical Reasoning + LSAT Lab Videos on YouTube
Argument
A claim that is supported by at least one other claim.
A statement or judgement that follows from one or more reasons.
Argument
Premise
A fact, proposition, or statement from which a conclusion is made; does not have its own support within the argument.
A(n) _____ represents the reason(s)/evidence for why a conclusion should be accepted; this supports and/or explains a conclusion
Premise
Fact sets
A collection of statements without a conclusion.
Arguments differ from fact sets because fact sets…
Do not contain a conclusion.
Ask yourself these questions to identify conclusions:
What is the author driving at?
What does the author want me to believe?
What point follows from the others?
Premise indicator key words:
because
since
for
for example
for the reason that
in that
Premise indicator key words:
given that
as indicated by
due to
owing to
this can be seen from
we know this by
Premise indicator key words:
furthermore
moreover
besides
in addition
what’s more
after all
Conclusion
A statement or judgement that is supported by evidence (i.e. a premise).
A(n) _____ is drawn from and rests on the premise(s) in an argument.
Conclusion
Whatever statement comes after a FABS key word…
Supports the conclusion.
Premise (support/evidence) indicator key words:
for
after all
because
since
FABS
Conclusion indicator key words:
*most common.
so*
thus*
therefore*
hence*
consequently
as a result
accordingly
Conclusion indicator key words:
clearly
must be that
shows that
conclude(s) that
follows that
for this reason
Intermediate conclusion
A conclusion that supports the main conclusion, but has its own support within the argument.
Counter-premise
A premise that contains an idea that actually goes against the argument.
A(n) _____ introduces ideas that compare and contrast with the argument, or works against a preciously raised point.
Counter-premise
A(n) _____ generally weakens an argument.
Counter-premise
Counter-premise indicator key words:
but
yet
however
on the other hands
admittedly
in contrast
Counter-premise indicator key words:
although
even though
still
whereas
in spite of
despite
after all
Complex argument
An argument that contains more than one conclusion.
Subsidiary conclusion (i.e. sub-conclusion, or supported premise)
An additional conclusion in a complex argument; has its own support within the argument.
A(n) _____ at some point makes a conclusion as the premise for another conclusion, thus building a chain with several levels.
Complex argument
T/F: In complex arguments, a statement can be both a conclusion for one argument, and a premise for another.
True
Two-speaker stimuli are often used to introduce _____ argumentation.
Complex
A(n) _____ can be categorized in two ways: those containing an argument, and those containing a set of facts.
LSAT stimulus
T/F: Premises must come before conclusions in an argument; if they are wrongly ordered, the relationship between the premise and the conclusion will be reversed.
False
T/F: Premises and conclusions must appear in the same sentence, and must not be separated out into multiple sentences.
False
T/F: If a conclusion is present, you must identify it before reading the question stem.
True
The following represents what?:
Opposing conclusions
Opposing premises
Author’s concessions
Opposing ideas
Opposing conclusion
A statement made within the argument that is the opposite of the author’s conclusion.
Opposing premise (or opposing evidence)
A reason for an opposing conclusion.
Author’s concession (or disclaimer)
An argument that an author makes in favor of the opposing side of an argument.
Opinion indicator key words:
should
ought
clearly
obviously
evidently
apparently
probably
Opposing views/ideas are usually prefaced with:
attributions
concessions
Attributions indicators key phrases:
“Most people think…”
Some people propose…”
Many people believe…”
“Some argue that…”
“Some critics claim…”
“Some critics maintain…”
“Some scientists believe…”
Concessions indicators key words:
granted
while
although
naturally
though it’s true
An author’s opinion in an argument usually represents a(n) _____.
Conclusion
Note
Flashcard