LSAT Logical Reasoning / Arguments Section

What are Arguments?

The LSAT Logical Reasoning section questions your ability to understand and analyze short arguments—therefore, this section is often referred to as the “Arguments” section. An argument consists of a stimulus, a question stem, and five answer choices. You will encounter the stimulus first; this is usually the argument itself. The stimulus consists of one to five sentences comprising a brief “argument” that you must analyze. The question stem is the question you must answer; for example, “Each of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument EXCEPT (which answer choice),” or “Which of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above?” The five answer choices will follow the question stem. 

There are a few basic components of arguments that you must understand in order to be successful on this section. A “premise” is a piece of evidence in the argument that can be used to support or refute a conclusion. A “conclusion” is the summation of this evidence, the judgment that the author comes to after considering all factors involved. An “assumption” can simply be thought of as an unstated premise—something that must be true in order for the argument to be valid, but not explicitly stated. An “inference” can be thought of as an unstated conclusion—something that, when all evidence is taken into account, can be properly drawn or inferred. Whether you need top LSAT tutors in New York, LSAT tutors in Chicago, or top LSAT tutors in Los Angeles, working with a pro may take your studies to the next level.

Where does the Logical Reasoning section appear on the LSAT?

There are four scored sections on the LSAT, and Logical Reasoning makes up fifty percent of the scored multiple-choice on the official LSAT. You will have to complete two Logical Reasoning sections, one Analytical Reasoning section, one Reading Comprehension section and the Writing Sample. There is also an extra experimental section on each LSAT, which does not count towards your score; it is used by the test-makers to help create questions for future tests. The experimental section can be Logical Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, or Reading Comprehension, but you are not alerted as to which section of your LSAT is the unscored section. After taking the exam, you can guess as to which section was experimental, based on the number of each type of section you face. For example, if your test contains three Logical Reasoning sections, you can be assured that one of them was the experimental section, though you will not know which one it was.

The sections of the LSAT are organized randomly, except for the Writing Sample, which will always be the last section you complete. You could encounter both Logical Reasoning sections right away, or you could have a nice mix of sections. There is no way to know before you sit down at the test; therefore, you could do Logical Reasoning before, after, or between the other sections depending on your specific test.

How much time do you have to complete the LSAT Logical Reasoning section?

Every section on the LSAT is a timed 35-minute section. The Logical Reasoning sections will generally have 24 to 26 questions per section. This means that you have approximately one minute and thirty seconds per argument.

The questions tend to get harder as you progress through the section; i.e. question twenty-four is almost guaranteed to be more difficult than question five. Because of this fact, some students prefer to tailor their time to the difficulty of the test. Instead of rushing to get through every question, they devote two or more minutes to each question, knowing that they won’t finish the section. Working in this way gives more time to attempt the easier questions, which they are more likely to get right, than rushing through to get to difficult questions..

What are the different types of Logical Reasoning / Arguments questions?

There are many different categories of Logical Reasoning questions; different people will categorize them in different ways. A basic breakdown will include questions of the following types: t

Must Be/Cannot Be True: These types of questions require you to understand the implications of the various premises given in order to divine what further information either must or cannot be true.

Main Point: These questions will ask you to surmise what the main point of the argument was. Common wrong answers will include topics mentioned in the argument that lack the main conclusion presented.

Conditional Reasoning: These types of questions require you to use conditional reasoning to select the correct answer. The argument will include a conditional or conditionals that work together in some way.

Strengthen/Weaken: The questions ask you to pick the answer choice that if true, most strengthens or weakens the given argument.

Assumption/Inference: Assumption questions will ask you to pick out the necessary assumption, and Inference questions will ask you to pick out a possible inference.

Resolve the Paradox: These types of questions follow arguments that contain some kind of contradiction. They will ask you to choose the answer that would most effectively eliminate the argument’s illogicality.

Formal Logic: These questions rely on your ability to understand and apply Formal Logic, which can differ greatly from what you might consider “everyday” logic.

Method of Reasoning: In these questions, you are asked to choose the answer that best verbalizes the way in which the author makes his or her argument.

Flaw in the Reasoning: These questions will follow an argument that contains some kind of logical flaw. You are asked to either identify the type of flaw or identify the logical gap in the argument itself.

Parallel Reasoning: In order to correctly answer these types of questions, you must be able to identify the method of reasoning used in the argument, which may or may not contain a flaw, and choose the answer that best mirrors that method.

Principle: These questions will either ask you to choose the principle behind the argument, or to choose another argument that uses the same principle or justification.

What are some basic Logical Reasoning / Arguments strategies?

The directions preceding every Logical Reasoning section are as follows:

“The questions in this section are based on the reasoning contained in brief statements or passages. For some questions, more than one of the choices could conceivably answer the question. However, you are to choose the best answer; that is, the response that most accurately and completely answers the question. You should not make assumptions that are by commonsense standards implausible, superfluous, or incompatible with the passage. After you have chosen the best answer, blacken the corresponding space on your answer sheet.”

The test-makers are admitting right up front that there may be more than one “good” answer choice for a question, but you are expected to pick the “best” one. Because of this distinction, Logical Reasoning can be a very difficult and frustrating section for test takers. One way to deal with this obstacle is to read every single answer choice carefully. That way you won’t accidentally settle for a “good” answer when you haven’t read the “best” answer.

The best way to prepare for this section is to learn all of the different question types and the strategies associated with each. The basic skills involved in identifying premises, conclusions, assumptions and inferences are imperative to success in Logical Reasoning. A thorough and complete understanding of conditionals, including mistaken negations, mistaken reversals, and contrapositives, as well as the basics of formal logic, is also necessary.

Overall, a good way to prepare for this section is to take as many free Varsity Tutors LSAT Practice Tests as possible, focusing on the Logical Reasoning sections. Each free LSAT Logical Reasoning Practice Test consists of ten to twelve questions, and each problem includes a detailed explanation of how to arrive at the correct answer. The more familiar you are with the different types of questions and answer choices, the easier this section of the LSAT will be. Try to identify which question types are consistently tricky for you, and focus on studying those. Varsity Tutors' free LSAT Logical Reasoning Practice Tests present a variety of question types found on the LSAT Logical Reasoning section, but questions are also organized by type, so you can focus on one question type exclusively until you have mastered it. Varsity Tutors also offers resources like free LSAT Logical Reasoning Diagnostic Tests to help with your self-paced study, or you may want to consider an LSAT Logical Reasoning tutor.

You may also benefit by taking a Full-Length LSAT Logical Reasoning Practice Test. Try beginning your preparation with one of these free full-length practice tests, which give you a comprehensive overview of your proficiency on the test. These online practice tests ask you a broad range of questions that cover all of the concepts that might be covered on the real exam. The extended format also gives you an idea of how fast you are working through the questions, so you’ll know just how to pace yourself on test day. The results pages for the complete practice tests provide loads of useful feedback, including extensive explanations for each correct answer and links to more review opportunities on important topics. The free online practice tests can also help you tailor an LSAT study plan to meet your unique needs. When you feel more prepared, you can track your growth by taking another Full-Length LSAT Logical Reasoning Practice Test. In addition to the LSAT Logical Reasoning Practice Tests and LSAT Logical Reasoning tutoring, you may also want to consider using some of our LSAT Logical Reasoning Flashcards. 

By preparing well in advance and making use of Varsity Tutors' LSAT resources, you can be confident in your ability to solve LSAT Logical Reasoning problems correctly on test day!