Struggling with Logical Reasoning's Role in the Argument Questions Forum

[Cheyenne]

I really struggle with logical reasoning questions that ask "the claim that [insert sentence from stimulus] plays which one of the following roles in the argument?" or some variation of that. I have read Powerscore's approach to these questions (prephrase before looking at the answer choices) but still have a hard time with them. Anyone have recommendations on how to get better at this question type? Please help!

[mrcfa1995]

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[Platopus]

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[Mikey]

I agree with plato. You need to hit some basics again.

For now though, if you're struggling with role questions, make every LR question that has an argument a role question. Just identify the context, premise(s), conclusion(s). You need to know this for all argument questions, and just by practicing it for all question you can probably improve in the specific role questions since they ask you to just specify what a line is.

Are you missing ALL role questions or just the very difficult ones?

[Cheyenne]

Thank you, everyone! I'm not missing all Role/Argument questions just the more difficult ones (i.e. when the stimulus has multiple conclusions, a sub-conclusion also functions as an additional premise, conclusion indicators are used but that sentence isn't the conclusion, etc.). On almost all of the stimuli, I bracket the conclusion to help me figure out the argument.

[Mikey]

Thank you, everyone! I'm not missing all Role/Argument questions just the more difficult ones (i.e. when the stimulus has multiple conclusions, a sub-conclusion also functions as an additional premise, conclusion indicators are used but that sentence isn't the conclusion, etc.). On almost all of the stimuli, I bracket the conclusion to help me figure out the argument.

yeah I see.

the only tip I really have for not getting trapped by sub conclusions and the main conclusion is to use one as a premise for the other in a sentence. such as: "main conclusion, why? because 'sub conclusion' ". if it makes sense, that the why? sub conc answers the MC then you know which is which. but if it doesn't, then there's a chance you have them flipped around.

seems like a subjective way to look at it, but this is what always helps me tbh.

good luck!

[Deardevil]

Get into the habit of always locating the conclusion, just like in the RC section.
That way, answering these types of questions is a cakewalk. If there is a cock-block conclusion,
do what Mikey says and place one in front of the second to see whether or not it supports the other.

[abujabal]

Thank you, everyone! I'm not missing all Role/Argument questions just the more difficult ones (i.e. when the stimulus has multiple conclusions, a sub-conclusion also functions as an additional premise, conclusion indicators are used but that sentence isn't the conclusion, etc.). On almost all of the stimuli, I bracket the conclusion to help me figure out the argument.

yeah I see.

the only tip I really have for not getting trapped by sub conclusions and the main conclusion is to use one as a premise for the other in a sentence. such as: "main conclusion, why? because 'sub conclusion' ". if it makes sense, that the why? sub conc answers the MC then you know which is which. but if it doesn't, then there's a chance you have them flipped around.

seems like a subjective way to look at it, but this is what always helps me tbh.

good luck!

+180

The Trainer has the great tip of phrasing something you're not sure about being the premise or the conclusion with a "thus" or "because" statement.

Take whatever the phrases at hand are, and try to phrase them as "X because Y" or "Y because X". Depending on which makes sense, it helps identify which is a premise and which is a conclusion