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What's the most important consideration for a Resolve the Paradox question? - Answer-
The correct answer choice has to be active, not passive. Even when the answer is a
fact, look for the action within the fact. Ensure the action resolves.
What's the most important consideration for a Principle Support question? - Answer-
Think of the correct answer choice as a glove; think of the conclusion as your hand. It
has to fit well.
What makes the glove too tight? Usually too much specificity and strength of language
(absoluteness).
What makes the glove too loose? Too much abstraction, too broad, straying from
conclusion.
What's the most important consideration for an Apply the Principle question? - Answer-
Conditionality.
If principle says if X happens, Y should happen but the application OR answer choice
says Y should not happen, pay attention to conditionality.
For example, an answer choice may display mistaken reversal in saying X did not
happen. That alone does not mean Y should not happen, though.
What's the most important consideration for a Weaken question? - Answer-Alternative
explanations.
The argument may say something is the case because of X. What if it is the case
because of Y instead? A correct answer choice may indicate this. Think, "If it's the case
that it is Y, does this weaken the argument?"
What's the most important consideration for a Strengthen question? - Answer-What
corroborates the argument or makes it more likely?
A correct answer choice may pose a conditional statement. This is akin to saying, "If it's
the case that..."
,What are the three most important considerations for the LR section? - Answer-
Conclusions, strength of language, and conditionality.
What's the most important consideration for Flaw questions? - Answer-Being cognizant
of all "cookie cutter" flaws (and the fact they can be mentioned in abstract language)
AND an ability to match the verb, premise, and conclusion of the answer choice with the
stimulus.
What's the most important consideration for Role in Argument questions? - Answer-
Argument structure and flow. First, you must be able to identify the conclusion. Then
you must understand relationships between premises and any potential intermediate
conclusions. Use the therefore test to determine what flows into what.
Remember that direct support means that, in a chain of A --> B --> C (with A being a
premise, B being an intermediate conclusion, and C being a main conclusion), A
provides direct support for B, but not C. A provides indirect support for C.
What's a useful way to answer Resolve the Paradox question? - Answer-Ask, "If it's the
case that..." followed by the answer choice and determine if the action within the answer
choice guarantees the truth of the argument's claim.
What's a useful way to answer a Necessary Assumption question? - Answer-Ask, "If this
isn't true, can the argument still be true?"
What's a useful way to answer a Sufficient Assumption question? - Answer-Ask, "If it's
the case that..." followed by the answer choice and determine if the truth of the answer
choice guarantees the truth of the argument's conclusion.
What's the most important consideration for a Disagree question? - Answer-Identify the
overlap. What claims are the authors making? What claims are addressed or
unaddressed by the other party?
Remember that claims can be indirectly addressed due to implication; be keen on this.
What's the most important consideration for an Agree question? - Answer-Identify the
overlap. What claims are the authors making? What claims are addressed or
unaddressed by the other party?
Eliminate the points that they disagree over.
What's the most important consideration for a Justify the Conclusion question? -
Answer-Similar to Principle Support, think of the correct answer as a glove that fits the
hand (conclusion). It cannot be too tight (strong language, overly specific) or too loose
(abstract, strays from conclusion).
, Ask, "If it's the case that..." followed by the answer choice and determine if it guarantees
the truth of the conclusion.
What's the most important consideration for a Parallel Flaw question? - Answer-First, is
the answer choice flawed?
Second, does it share the type of flaw?
For stimuli with conditional reasoning, diagram both the stimulus and the answer choice.
What's the most important consideration for a Parallel question? - Answer-Does the
answer choice share the same style of reasoning?
If the stimulus involves conditional reasoning, you have to pay close attention to make
sure structure matches exactly. It is common to an answer choice to share the structure
but to lay out the parts in a different order.
What's the most important consideration for a Main Conclusion question? - Answer-
What is the takeaway? In what direction are the pieces of the argument pointing? What
supports what?
Main conclusion questions are distillations.
What's a very important consideration for harder Necessary Assumption questions? -
Answer-Harder Necessary questions are not as formulaic. Ex. Stimulus may indicate
that X depends on Y and indicate that X will last forever. A necessary assumption would
be something like "Y would never cease to exist." This is a case in which an absolute
term actually makes sense. Look for similar structures on harder questions.
What's a very important consideration for harder Sufficient Assumption questions? -
Answer-Harder sufficient assumptions are tougher to "trigger pull." For these, usually
you have to tie pieces together.
What's a very important consideration for harder Resolve the Paradox questions? -
Answer-Look for the action within the answer choice.
Be very wary of answer choices that are merely factual; on the surface they seem to
resolve the paradox but lack action.
Necessary Assumption Questions and Conjunctions/Disjunctions - Answer-Necessary
assumption questions that involve conjunctions and disjunctions are usually incorrect.
Check each conjunction and disjunction to make sure its truth is actually required.
Necessary Assumption Questions and Condtionality - Answer-In almost all cases,
conditional language in answer choices makes for an incorrect answer.