Is there a common connection between Assumption, Weaken and Flaw Q's? Forum
-
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2016 11:56 am
Is there a common connection between Assumption, Weaken and Flaw Q's?
About 1/2 of my missed L.R. questions come from these 3 categories and I'm just trying to think if there's something I'm missing that'll make these questions easier. Only thing I could think of is that all these question types require more abstract thought than the other categories, where in P.t.R., M.B.T., M.P., R.t.P., etc. you can just look at the stimulus and pull the answer from that, the sections I'm missing more closely your ability to follow the reasoning. I should mention that on occasion I'll do poorly on Method of Reasoning Q's too and I feel the same skill is required in that category.
-
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Thu May 18, 2017 10:11 pm
Re: Is there a common connection between Assumption, Weaken and Flaw Q's?
Full disclosure: I've only been studying for two months, so I'm a complete beginner too, but thought I'd try my hand at answering your question anyway...
It would probably interest you to know that the Manhattan LR book classifies all of these questions under one category, called the "Assumption" family. They do have something in common, which is that they each have an argument in the stimulus. It's your job to know, even before heading into the ACs, what the argument is, what the conclusion is, what the premises are, and how the premises support the conclusion. Knowing these things will help you answer the questions. If you don't know what the conclusion is you're essentially heading into the ACs blind. We can contrast these questions with Inference questions (like MBT or MSS) or MP questions, which do not necessarily have arguments, or at the very least do not need you to know the bond between premises and conclusions that are required for Assumption family questions.
It would probably interest you to know that the Manhattan LR book classifies all of these questions under one category, called the "Assumption" family. They do have something in common, which is that they each have an argument in the stimulus. It's your job to know, even before heading into the ACs, what the argument is, what the conclusion is, what the premises are, and how the premises support the conclusion. Knowing these things will help you answer the questions. If you don't know what the conclusion is you're essentially heading into the ACs blind. We can contrast these questions with Inference questions (like MBT or MSS) or MP questions, which do not necessarily have arguments, or at the very least do not need you to know the bond between premises and conclusions that are required for Assumption family questions.
- Platopus
- Posts: 1507
- Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 11:20 pm