318 lines
7.3 KiB
HTML
318 lines
7.3 KiB
HTML
<h1 id="lsat-logical-reasoning-cheat-sheet">🐝 LSAT Logical Reasoning
|
||
Cheat Sheet</h1>
|
||
<p><em>The Burton Method Quick Reference</em></p>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="every-lr-question-has-two-parts">📦 Every LR Question Has Two
|
||
Parts</h2>
|
||
<table>
|
||
<thead>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<th>Part</th>
|
||
<th>What It Is</th>
|
||
<th>Your Job</th>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</thead>
|
||
<tbody>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Stimulus</strong></td>
|
||
<td>The short paragraph</td>
|
||
<td>Find the conclusion + premises</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Question Stem</strong></td>
|
||
<td>The actual task</td>
|
||
<td>Know what they’re asking</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</tbody>
|
||
</table>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="question-type-quick-guide">🎯 Question Type Quick Guide</h2>
|
||
<h3 id="must-know-question-types">MUST-KNOW QUESTION TYPES</h3>
|
||
<table>
|
||
<colgroup>
|
||
<col style="width: 19%" />
|
||
<col style="width: 45%" />
|
||
<col style="width: 35%" />
|
||
</colgroup>
|
||
<thead>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<th>Type</th>
|
||
<th>What They Ask</th>
|
||
<th>Your Move</th>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</thead>
|
||
<tbody>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Main Conclusion</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“What’s the main point?”</td>
|
||
<td>Find the claim everything supports</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Weaken</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“What hurts this argument?”</td>
|
||
<td>Attack the assumption</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Strengthen</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“What helps this argument?”</td>
|
||
<td>Support the assumption</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Flaw</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“What’s wrong with this logic?”</td>
|
||
<td>Name the reasoning error</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Assumption</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“What must be true for this to work?”</td>
|
||
<td>Find the hidden link</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Inference</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“What must be true based on this?”</td>
|
||
<td>Stay close to the text</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Parallel</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“Which argument uses similar logic?”</td>
|
||
<td>Match the structure</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</tbody>
|
||
</table>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="the-just-because-doesnt-mean-test">🧠 The “Just Because… Doesn’t
|
||
Mean…” Test</h2>
|
||
<p>Use this for EVERY argument:</p>
|
||
<blockquote>
|
||
<p>“Just because [PREMISE]… doesn’t mean [CONCLUSION].”</p>
|
||
</blockquote>
|
||
<p>If that sounds like a fair criticism → you’ve found the
|
||
assumption.</p>
|
||
<p><strong>Example:</strong> - Premise: “Coffee drinkers perform better
|
||
on tests” - Conclusion: “Law students should drink more coffee” - Test:
|
||
“Just because coffee helps test performance… doesn’t mean it’ll help law
|
||
students specifically.”</p>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="conclusion-indicator-words">🔍 Conclusion Indicator Words</h2>
|
||
<p>These usually signal the main point:</p>
|
||
<table>
|
||
<thead>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<th>Word</th>
|
||
<th>Example</th>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</thead>
|
||
<tbody>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>Therefore</td>
|
||
<td>“Therefore, we should invest.”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>Thus</td>
|
||
<td>“Thus, the plan will fail.”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>So</td>
|
||
<td>“So it follows that…”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>Hence</td>
|
||
<td>“Hence the conclusion.”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>Consequently</td>
|
||
<td>“Consequently, action is needed.”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>It follows that</td>
|
||
<td>“It follows that X is true.”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</tbody>
|
||
</table>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="premise-indicator-words">🔍 Premise Indicator Words</h2>
|
||
<p>These usually signal support:</p>
|
||
<table>
|
||
<thead>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<th>Word</th>
|
||
<th>Example</th>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</thead>
|
||
<tbody>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>Because</td>
|
||
<td>“Because sales dropped…”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>Since</td>
|
||
<td>“Since the data shows…”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>Given that</td>
|
||
<td>“Given that X occurred…”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>For</td>
|
||
<td>“For the study revealed…”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>Due to</td>
|
||
<td>“Due to budget cuts…”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td>As</td>
|
||
<td>“As the evidence indicates…”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</tbody>
|
||
</table>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="common-flaw-types">⚠️ Common Flaw Types</h2>
|
||
<table>
|
||
<colgroup>
|
||
<col style="width: 30%" />
|
||
<col style="width: 70%" />
|
||
</colgroup>
|
||
<thead>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<th>Flaw</th>
|
||
<th>Plain English</th>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</thead>
|
||
<tbody>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Causation ≠ Correlation</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“They happened together, so one caused the other” (nope)</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Overgeneralization</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“It worked once, so it always will” (nope)</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Necessary vs Sufficient</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“It’s required, so it’s enough” (nope)</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Ad Hominem</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“You’re wrong because you’re biased” (attacks person, not
|
||
argument)</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Circular Reasoning</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“It’s true because it’s true” (no real support)</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Sampling Error</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“This small group did X, so everyone does” (unrepresentative)</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Equivocation</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“This word means one thing here, another there” (slippery
|
||
terms)</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</tbody>
|
||
</table>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="timing-strategy">⏱️ Timing Strategy</h2>
|
||
<table>
|
||
<thead>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<th>Phase</th>
|
||
<th>Time</th>
|
||
<th>Goal</th>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</thead>
|
||
<tbody>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Questions 1-10</strong></td>
|
||
<td>~12 min</td>
|
||
<td>Bank time (these are easier)</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Questions 11-20</strong></td>
|
||
<td>~15 min</td>
|
||
<td>Stay steady</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Questions 21-26</strong></td>
|
||
<td>~8 min</td>
|
||
<td>Don’t panic, make educated guesses</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</tbody>
|
||
</table>
|
||
<p><strong>Rule:</strong> Never spend more than 2 minutes on one
|
||
question. Flag and move.</p>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="burton-power-moves">🎯 Burton Power Moves</h2>
|
||
<h3 id="for-weaken-questions">For Weaken Questions:</h3>
|
||
<ol type="1">
|
||
<li>Find the conclusion</li>
|
||
<li>Identify the assumption</li>
|
||
<li>Predict: “What could make this less likely?”</li>
|
||
<li>Match your prediction</li>
|
||
</ol>
|
||
<h3 id="for-strengthen-questions">For Strengthen Questions:</h3>
|
||
<ol type="1">
|
||
<li>Find the conclusion</li>
|
||
<li>Identify the assumption</li>
|
||
<li>Predict: “What could make this MORE likely?”</li>
|
||
<li>Match your prediction</li>
|
||
</ol>
|
||
<h3 id="for-flaw-questions">For Flaw Questions:</h3>
|
||
<ol type="1">
|
||
<li>Find the conclusion</li>
|
||
<li>Spot the logical leap</li>
|
||
<li>Name it in plain English</li>
|
||
<li>Match your description (even if wording is abstract)</li>
|
||
</ol>
|
||
<h3 id="for-inference-questions">For Inference Questions:</h3>
|
||
<ol type="1">
|
||
<li>NO conclusion to find — just facts</li>
|
||
<li>Stay CLOSE to the text</li>
|
||
<li>Avoid extreme answers (“always”, “never”, “all”)</li>
|
||
<li>The right answer MUST be true</li>
|
||
</ol>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="wrong-answer-traps">🚫 Wrong Answer Traps</h2>
|
||
<table>
|
||
<thead>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<th>Trap</th>
|
||
<th>What It Looks Like</th>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</thead>
|
||
<tbody>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Too Extreme</strong></td>
|
||
<td>“All,” “never,” “always,” “impossible”</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Out of Scope</strong></td>
|
||
<td>Introduces new concepts not in stimulus</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Reverses Logic</strong></td>
|
||
<td>Gets the direction backwards</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Irrelevant</strong></td>
|
||
<td>True statement, but doesn’t answer the question</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
<tr>
|
||
<td><strong>Half Right</strong></td>
|
||
<td>Starts good, ends bad</td>
|
||
</tr>
|
||
</tbody>
|
||
</table>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<h2 id="when-youre-stuck">💡 When You’re Stuck</h2>
|
||
<ol type="1">
|
||
<li>Re-read the question stem — make sure you know the TASK</li>
|
||
<li>Re-identify the conclusion — are you sure?</li>
|
||
<li>Eliminate obviously wrong answers</li>
|
||
<li>Between two answers? Pick the one closer to the stimulus</li>
|
||
<li>Flag and move — don’t waste time</li>
|
||
</ol>
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<p><em>© 2026 The Burton Method | burtonmethod.com</em></p>
|