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Everyone learns differently – There is no such thing as one and only one “correct” way of learning something like the LSAT – each individual learns best in his or her own unique way (some learn best by listening to lectures, some learn best by watching someone else do questions, some learn best by doing practice questions themselves, and so on).

» Try to figure out what works best for you, and even though everything in this guide is accurate, that does not mean you must use every strategy or technique provided – give things a try, but again, you are the best judge of what works best for you.

Common Sense is Key – The purpose of this guide is to help you do well on the LSAT, but the single greatest weapon in your LSAT arsenal is your common sense.

» The reasoning skills you have developed throughout your life have gotten you this far, and they are what will assist you on the LSAT as well and this guide is not to replace your common sense but rather to add to it.

» Reading through this guide and performing the activities and exercises provided may seem unnecessary at first, but learning how to do well on the LSAT is a gradual process that takes time and practice.

» After a while the approaches given here will become part of your own intuition and natural way of thinking and just like how you do not have to take any time thinking how to add 2+2, with enough practice, the ideas and concepts provided in this guide will become intuitive to you as well.

» So, if you feel “dragged down” trying certain strategies or techniques, then simply do not use it!

Goal #1 should be to simply approach the LSAT problems in a way that you understand it.

GENERAL ADVICE TO STUDENTS

Before discussing LSAT preparation, I have listed below some key points that I recommend you consider before getting started:

Be Confident.

» If you’re preparing for the LSAT, then it’s probably not for fun or to learn the LSAT, but rather because you plan on attending law school and becoming an attorney, or using your legal degree for something else.

» Do not lose track of the goal, the LSAT is not going to determine how good of an attorney you will be, and so you should find a balance between being determined to do well on the LSAT and being calm and clear-headed about the LSAT.

» Confidence is not arrogance – following other people’s advice and suggestions is a good idea, but trust your own instincts.

» Timing is important on the LSAT and therefore if you are not calm and confident you may end up spending too much time second-guessing yourself on each question.

» Stress and anxiety, especially come test day, can cause some people to perform worse on the LSAT than their potential. (Remember, even if it would be nice to do well on the LSAT, it is not worth a heart attack!).

» Try no to let yourself get discouraged or frustrated while studying for the LSAT, otherwise keeping up with studying will be more boring and difficult – try your best to enjoy the process and give yourself breaks.

Practice Makes Perfect.

1. Few people simply pick up the LSAT one day and ace it. Most people (myself included) who do well on the LSAT put in a lot of time and energy; in other words, you will probably have to work for a good LSAT score.

2. Development of good habits for the LSAT early on will help you do well later. Think of preparing for the LSAT like learning to play an instrument or a sport rather than memorizing facts or trying to understand a complicated concept – getting started on the right foot so you will not have to spend time later to “unlearn” any bad habits.

3. There is no “cramming” for the LSAT and getting good at the LSAT does not happen overnight – developing good habits and incorporating ideas into your intuition is a gradual process that occurs through much practice and preparation, probably without you even being aware.

4. Consistency leads to efficiency – be consistent with your preparation (without burning yourself out).

5. Without placing too much pressure on yourself, try to make time to focus on preparing for the LSAT, perhaps by creating a realistic study schedule (it does not have to be set in stone or anything, just something reasonable for you to follow).

6. Any book or course promising you a 180 without putting in time and effort is a scam (LSAT prep courses gladly take credit for students improving, but it is much more likely their improvement is due to the time and effort they put in than due to the course).....The formula for doing well on the LSAT is essentially this simple:

★More Time & Effort Preparing = Better LSAT Score ★

UNDERSTANDING THE LSAT

The Type Of Exam That Is The LSAT:

The LSAT is not an exam that tests you on your knowledge of specific facts or requires you to memorize a lot of information – everything that you need to know is contained entirely within this guide.

The LSAT is also not an exam requiring any particularly deep understanding of complex or sophisticated concepts – the basic underlying concepts of the LSAT are straightforward and easy to grasp.

The LSAT is an exam designed to evaluate your ability to apply certain fundamental concepts quickly and consistently – the LSAT does so by throwing you a lot of questions in a short amount of time.

In order to do well on a test like the LSAT, you must spend enough time preparing in the right way – your preparation should revolve around acquiring the speed and consistency necessary to do well on the LSAT.

How To Prepare For This Type Of Exam:

Considering the type of exam that is the LSAT, you do not want to spend too much time simply reading books or memorizing information – there are better ways to spend your time preparing for the LSAT.

Once you grasp the main ideas and concepts given here, you should immediately begin doing practice tests.

Meeting with tutors and study buddies will assist you.

Even simply explaining out loud to anyone a particular question and why you chose a specific answer would help you to identify any weaknesses – articulating the thoughts in your head is a great way to better understand them.

When you are taking a practice test, try your best to take it in conditions similar to actual test conditions. For example:

! Take practice tests at the same time of day as your actual LSAT;

! Take practice tests in locations where there may be some distractions (just like with the actual LSAT);

! Take practice tests using the same timepiece you will use on the actual LSAT (it needs to be an analog watch – we recommend you buy the “LSAT Watch” if you can);

! Take practice tests using a scantron;

! Take each section on practice tests without a break and without looking up any answers; and

! Try not to take long breaks between sections.

Format of the LSAT:

The Sections:

å The LSAT has six sections that are 35-minutes each:

é The first five sections are multiple-choice with answer choices A-E – each question has exactly one correct answer.

é The order of the first five sections is random, but it will always consist of:

ë Two Logical Reasoning (“LR”) sections (25-26 questions each);

ë One Analytical Reasoning A.K.A. Logic Games (“LG”) section divided into four “games” (23-24 questions); and

ë One Reading Comprehension (“RC”) section divided into four passages (27-28 questions).

ë One “Experimental” section – can be any of the types and is unscored and unpublished.

ë The final (sixth) section is the writing section, which does not count toward your score, but is published along with your test and provided to schools you apply to.

Test Day Format:

Check-in and seating.

Introduction and general directions and technical information (read out loud by proctors).

Fill in of general information on scantron.

Administration of first three multiple-choice sections, one at a time (with only a short break in between) – you are not allowed to skip ahead or go back to any section other than the one you are on.

15-20 minute break to use the restroom or eat a quick snack.

Two more multiple-choice sections, again one at a time.

Writing Section.

Dismissal.

Things To Remember:

Each of the six sections is exactly 35 minutes.

The proctors will read out a 5-minute warning before the end of each section.

You are only allowed to use analog watches (we recommend using the “LSAT watch” and syncing it to the time the proctors are using).

For a complete list of what to bring on test day, see our “Test Day Checklist” at the end of this guide.

The Scoring of the LSAT:

Four of the five multiple choice sections are graded, each question is given either 0 points for incorrect or blank answers or 1 point for correct answers and your total correct is divided by the total number of questions (either 99, 100, or 101).

This percentage is then curved against all the takers of that LSAT on a scale of 120 to 180 (each particular LSAT has its own curve, but they are usually pretty similar – you can find them at the end of each practice test).

Each multiple-choice question has five (5) answer choices to choose from (A, B, C, D, or E).

Points are not deducted from your score for putting a wrong answer (you only get 0 points for that question), so you should always in the very least guess rather than leave a question blank (pick a strategy for how you will guess before test day so you don’t waste any time).

Planning Your LSAT Preparation:

The main focus of your LSAT preparation should be to take lots of practice tests. The reason is simple: the actual LSAT is going to look exactly like the practice tests (not like a book of only one specific problem type), so, taking practice tests is the closest way to simulating taking the actual LSAT.

Another benefit of taking many practice tests is you will start picking up on the patterns of the LSAT (possibly without even realizing it), which is very useful because every LSAT question fits into one of only a few possible patterns!

However, having a variety of ways you are preparing for the LSAT is also important because it will help to solidify your grasp of the concepts by forcing you to apply them in different ways (in addition to making preparing for the LSAT less boring).

Here are a few examples of ways to mix up how you study the LSAT:

v Study alone and study with different study buddies or a personal tutor.

v Listen to explanations by people who are better than you at the LSAT and explain to people who are worse than you at the LSAT or do not know the LSAT at all (just talking through problems will help you understand concepts better).

v Re-do questions you got incorrect on one practice test and re-do questions you got correct on another practice test.

+ The whole idea here is to make the reasoning that you use on the LSAT become second nature.

LOGICAL REASONING

Logical Reasoning Sections – Format:

A full half of the LSAT, or two out of the four scored sections are Logical Reasoning (“LR”) sections, so it is considered to be the most important section.

Each LR section will consist of 25 or 26 questions.

Each Logical Reasoning section is prefaced with the following directions:

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.

+ Since these exact directions precede every Logical Reasoning section, you should familiarize yourself with them now – on the actual LSAT, never waste time reading directions for any section.

Logical Reasoning Sections – Concepts:

The LR sections are designed to test critical reasoning and logical reasoning.

Reasoning on the LSAT is specifically referring to the process of using premises to arrive at a conclusion in an argument:

+ ARGUMENTS - FORMAT:

PREMISE(S)

óREASONINGó

CONCLUSION

Logical Reasoning Sections – Question Form:

Each Logical Reasoning (LR) question consists of:

(1) A stimulus,

(2) A question stem, and

(3) Five answer choices (A-E).

+ Just to see the form of a typical LR question, here is a question from the LR section of an actual LSAT:

When pregnant lab rats are given caffeine equivalent to the amount a human would consume by drinking six cups of coffee per day, an increase in the incidence of birth defects results. When asked if the government would require warning labels on products containing caffeine, a spokesperson stated that it would not because the government would lose credibility if the finding of these studies were to be refuted in the future.

Which of the following is most strongly suggested by the government’s statement above?

(A) A warning that applies to a small population is

inappropriate.

(B) Very few people drink as many as six cups of coffee a

day.

(C) There are doubts about the conclusive nature of

studies on animals.

(D) Studies on rats provide little data about human birth

defects.

(E) The seriousness of birth defects involving caffeine is

not clear.

Logical Reasoning Sections – Question Approach:

There are two possible ways to approach the questions on the LR sections:

1) Read the stimulus first; or

2) Read the question stem first.

There are pros and cons to each method but ultimately it comes down to your own personal preference.

OwLSAT typically recommends reading the question stem first so you can read through the stimulus more focused on what you are looking for and what words/phrases are significant.

Try each way and determine which way works best for you.

Logical Reasoning Sections – The Stimulus:

Types of Stimuluses:

Ø There are just two types of stimuluses in the LR sections:

1) Arguments, and

2) Non-Arguments.

Ø You will know whether a stimulus is an argument or not based on the question stem, which we will discuss in more detail later.

v Stimulus Type #1 – Arguments:

» The vast majority of stimuluses on the LR sections are arguments.

» Remember from before when we described the format of an argument:

ARGUMENTS - FORMAT:

PREMISE(S)

óREASONINGó

CONCLUSION

Premise Statement(s) is a statement or multiple statements (usually there are multiple premise statements) given to support the argument’s conclusion, like the foundation of a building.

The Conclusion Statement is the single main point, idea, opinion, or fact that the argument is trying to prove or to get across; the conclusion is the statement that is being supported by the premise statement(s).

! Take a look at these three statements (which consist of two premise statements and a conclusion statement), that together make an argument:

® Every Tuesday I have to go to work.

® Tomorrow is Tuesday.

® Therefore, I must go to work tomorrow.

! The first two statements are premise statements (because they support the conclusion statement), and the third statement is the conclusion statement (because it is being supported by the premise statements).

+ The conclusion statement does not always come at the end of an argument; sometimes the LSAT will even make the first statement the conclusion statement.

Statements:

Distinguishing Different Statements:

Ø One of those “good habits” we discussed earlier is to divide each stimulus into separate statements so it will be easier for you to analyze the stimulus.

! A statement is simply an expression of a single fact, idea, thought, or opinion.

Ø Every sentence contains one or more statements.

Ø It is a good idea to practice placing brackets [ ] around each separate statement so it will be easier to analyze each one separately since analyzing entire sentences or paragraphs is more difficult.

B If a part of a sentence makes sense on its own, then it is probably an individual statement B

+ In other words, when you’re trying to determine if you should divide a sentence into separate parts, simply ask yourself: “If this part of the sentence was a sentence by itself, would it “make sense”? (You may have to change a word or two just for grammar).

PRACTICE EXERCISES – SEPARATING STATEMENTS:

Problem #1:

Directions: Place brackets [] one each side of every separate statement in the sentence, or if the sentence is only one statement, bracket the entire sentence:

It is raining outside.

PRACTICE EXERCISE – SEPARATING STATEMENTS

Problem #1:

Answer: [It is raining outside.]

Analysis: This is simply one single statement because “It is raining outside,” cannot be divided into multiple separate thoughts (even though the part of the sentence, “it is raining,” can stand alone, the other part of the sentence, “outside,” does not make sense on its own).

Problem #2:

Directions: Do the same for the following sentence:

It is raining outside because it is winter.

Problem #2:

Answer: [It is raining outside] AND

[it is winter].

Analysis: This sentence can be divided into two separate statements:

The word “because” is not part of either statement because it acts just as a word connector between the two statements.

Other common word connectors are: “and,” “or,” “but,” “since,” “yet,” “although,” etc.

Some punctuation connectors are: commas (,), semicolons (;), colons (:), hyphens (-), and parentheses [()].

Don’t worry about memorizing connectors or being an expert at distinguishing different statements – we are simply introducing you to the concept for now because it is useful to get used to the idea of analyzing statements independently.

A VALID CONCLUSION is a statement/conclusion, which MUST BE TRUE according to the given premise(s).

An INVALID CONCLUSION is a statement that is NOT NECESSARILY based on the given premise(s).

2. FACT SET: A fact set consists of simply a set of facts with NO

CONCLUSION.

Structural Indicators

In order to help you determine whether a given stimulus is an argument or a set of facts, the first step when reading through an LR stimulus is always to look for and underline STRUCTURAL INDICATORS. Structural indicators are words or phrases, which introduce either a conclusion or a premise. Meaning, the part of the statement which follows a structural indicator word or phrase is either the argument’s conclusion or premise. If a given stimulus has a conclusion, then it is an argument. If a given stimulus does not have a conclusion, then it is a set of facts. These structural indicator words and phrases should be memorized so they “jump out” of the page at you.

Some examples of structural indicator words and phrases that often introduce CONCLUSIONS are:

Therefore;

Thus;

Hence;

Consequently;

So;

For This Reason;

It Follows That;

As a Result;

Accordingly;

Clearly;

It Must Be That;

Shows That; or

It Can Be Concluded That.

Some examples of structural indicator words and phrases that often introduce PREMISES are:

Because;

Since;

For;

Given That;

As Indicated By;

Due To;

For Example;

In That;

Owing To;

We Know This By;

We Can See This By; or

Proven By The Fact That.

PRACTICE: All of the following statements are stating the same argument. Underline each structural indicator and write a “P” next to each statement that is a premise and a “C” next to each statement that is a conclusion.

Steve is a law student and all law students are smart. Therefore, Steve is smart.

Since all law students are smart and Steve is a law student, it follows that Steve is smart.

We can conclude that Steve is smart, because Steve is a law student and all law students are smart.

The fact that Steve is a law student establishes that Steve is smart, since all law

students are smart.

ANSWERS:

[Steve is a law student] (P) and [all law students are smart.] (P) Therefore, [Steve is

smart.] (C)

Since [all law students are smart] (P) and [Steve is a law student,] (P) it follows that

[Steve is smart.] (C)

We can conclude that [Steve is smart,] (C) because [Steve is a law student] (P) and [all

law students are smart.] (P)

The fact that [Steve is a law student] (P) establishes that [Steve is smart,] (C) since [all

law students are smart.] (P)

Conditional Statements

DIAGRAMMING

Many Logical Reasoning problems are designed to test your understanding of conditional statements. A conditional statement is a statement, which consists of sufficient and necessary conditions. A sufficient condition is what is “enough” to make something true. A necessary condition is what is “required” to make something true.

To diagram a conditional statement, place the variable representing the sufficient condition on the left of an arrow pointing toward a variable representing the necessary condition.

Example 3:

Stimulus: To become president of the United States, one must have been born in the United States. Barack Obama is president of the United States. Therefore, Barack Obama must have been born in the United States.

Analysis: Since, according to the first premise in the stimulus, becoming president of the United States requires that one must have been born in the United States, the phrase/condition “born in the United States” is the necessary condition of the statement and therefore the variable that represents that phrase/condition (I chose “B”) goes on the right of the arrow in our diagram. The other phrase/condition, “ To become president of the United States” will be the sufficient condition, because it is enough to demonstrate that one was born in the United States. I chose the variable “P” to represent this phrase/condition.

Argument Diagram:

First Premise: P ---> B

Second Premise: BO ---> P

___________________________

Conclusion: BO ---> B

Example 4: (Confusing Sufficient and Necessary Conditions):

Stimulus: To become a professional basketball player, one must practice basketball a lot. Michael practiced basketball a lot. Therefore, Michael is a professional basketball player.

Argument Diagram:

First Premise: PBP ---> PBA

Second Premise: M ---> PBA

_____________________________

Conclusion: M ---> PBP

Valid VS. Invalid ARGUMENTS

FORMAL VS. INFORMAL ARGUMENTS

Inferences/Conclusions

There are two common invalid inferences (which lead to invalid conclusions) that are important to be familiar with because they show up often on the LSAT.

Let us take the simple statement/premise “all lawyers are smart”. “Lawyers” is the sufficient condition of the statement, and “smart” is the necessary condition of the statement. (Being a lawyer is “enough” to show that someone is smart, and being smart is “required” in order to be a lawyer).

Diagram: L ---> S

Now, there are two invalid inferences or invalid conclusions that are commonly drawn from such a statement:

· Incorrect Negation (IN): L ---> S

Simply negating each condition (shown here by simply drawing a slash through the variable) will lead us to an invalid inference. This is the equivalent of saying, “if someone is not a lawyer, then they are not smart.”

· Incorrect Reversal (IR): S ---> L

Simply reversing each condition is also invalid. This is the equivalent of saying, “if someone is smart, then they are a lawyer.” This, too, is an invalid inference.

However, if we BOTH negate AND reverse each condition, we arrive at a valid inference. This is referred to as the contrapositive of a statement.

· Contrapositive (CP): S ---> L

Example:

P ---> Q

IN: Q ---> P

IR: R ---> P

CP: Q ---> P

PRACTICE:

· A ------> B

IN:

IR:

CP:

· A ------> B

IN:

IR:

CP:

· A ------> B

IN:

IR:

CP:

· P ------> Q and R

CP: Q or R ----> P

· P -------> Q or R

CP:

· P and Q ------> R

CP:

· P or Q ------> R

CP:

Example 1: (Valid Conclusion or Valid Inference Question)

Premise: Gil is an LSAT tutor.

Premise: All LSAT tutors are very cool.

_______________________________________

Conclusion:

Example 2: (Missing Premise or Assumption Question):

Premise:

Premise: All LSAT tutors are very cool.

_______________________________________

Conclusion: Gil is very cool.

ANSWERS:

Ø A ------> B

IN: A ------> B

IR: B ------> A

CP: B ------> A

Ø A ------> B

IN: A ------> B

IR: B ------> A

CP: B ------> A

Ø A ------> B

IN: A ------> B

IR: B ------> A

CP: B ------> A

Ø P ------> Q and R

CP: Q or R ----> P

Ø P -------> Q or R

CP: Q and R ------> P

Ø P and Q ------> R

CP: R ------> P or Q

Ø P or Q ------> R

CP: R ------> P and Q

Example 1: (Valid Conclusion or Valid Inference Question)

Premise: Gil is an LSAT tutor.

Premise: All LSAT tutors are very cool.

_______________________________________

Conclusion: Gil is very cool.

Example 2: (Missing Premise or Assumption Question):

Premise: Gil is an LSAT tutor.

Premise: All LSAT tutors are very cool.

_______________________________________

Conclusion: Gil is very cool.

Argument Structure

Now that we have practiced identifying the premises and conclusions of a stimulus, diagramming conditional statements, and recognizing some valid vs. invalid inferences, the next step is to learn how to diagram the entire argument of the stimulus, which will then help you determine what type of argument it is. This is simple: just diagram each premise above one another (if it is a conditional statement or not), then draw a line and diagram the conclusion. There are four basic types of argument structures.

The Positive Argument Structure:

P: X -----> Y

P: X

____________________

C: Y (Valid Conclusion)

The Contrapositive Argument Structure:

P: X -------> Y

P: Y

_______________________

C: X (Valid Conclusion)

The Incorrect Negation Argument Structure:

P: X --------> Y

P: X

_______________________

C: Y (Invalid Conclusion)

The Incorrect Reversal Argument Structure:

P: X --------> Y

P: Y

_____________________

C: X (Invalid Conclusion)

Recognizing Conditional Statements

The last step to become familiar with before you can tackle any and every LR question the LSAT will throw at you is to memorize conditional indicator words and phrases, and learn their related diagrams. Like structural indicators, these words and phrases should “jump out” of the page at you. While preparing for the LSAT, in the beginning at least, you should practice underlining these words and phrases and then diagramming the conditional statements.

The “IF” Diagram:

The word “IF” introduces the sufficient condition of a statement. Therefore, the other part of the statement will be the necessary condition.

IF Kobe plays, THEN the Lakers will win.

______________ ---------------> ________________

The student will not keep his scholarship IF his grades do not improve.

______________ ---------------> ________________

**The words “WHEN”, “WHENEVER”, “WHERE”, “WHEREVER” and AS LONG AS” are the same as “IF” (they introduce the sufficient condition of a statement).

The “ONLY IF” Diagram:

The words “ONLY IF” together introduce the necessary condition of a statement. Therefore, the other part of the statement will be the sufficient condition.

You can drive my car ONLY IF you have insurance.

______________ ---------------> ________________

ONLY IF you are strong-willed can you become a great athlete.

______________ ---------------> ________________

**The words “ONLY WHEN” and “ONLY WHERE” are the same as “ONLY IF” (they introduce the necessary condition of a statement).

The “ALL” Diagram:

The word “ALL” introduces the sufficient condition of a statement. Therefore, the other part of the statement will be the necessary condition.

ALL LSAT tutors are awesome.

______________ ---------------> ________________

**The words “EACH”, “EVERY”, and “ANY” are the same as “ALL” (they introduce the sufficient condition of a statement).

The “NO” Diagram:

The word “no” introduces the sufficient condition of a statement. The negation of the other part of the statement will be the necessary condition.

NO bodybuilders eat donuts.

______________ ---------------> ________________

**The word “NONE” is the same as “NO”.

NONE of the law students attended the make-up class.

______________ ---------------> ________________

The “UNLESS” Diagram:

The word “UNLESS” introduces the necessary condition of a statement. The negation of the other part of the statement will be the sufficient condition.

I will fail tomorrow’s exam UNLESS I cram all night.

______________ ---------------> ________________

UNLESS Congress can work together, the legislation will not go through.

______________ ---------------> ________________

The “NOT BOTH” Diagram:

One of the variables (it does not matter which one) will constitute the sufficient condition, and the negation of the other variable with constitutes the necessary condition.

James CANNOT BE IN BOTH Los Angeles and New York at the same time.

______________ ---------------> ________________

The expression “NOT BOTH” means that at least one of the variables must be absent.

1) LA & NY (Impossible)

2) LA & NY (Possible)

3) NY & LA (Possible)

4) LA & NY (Possible)

The “EITHER/OR” Diagram:

The negation of one of the variables (it does not matter which one) constitutes the sufficient condition and the other variable constitutes the necessary condition.

EITHER Bill OR Carrie will drive to the concert tonight.

______________ ---------------> ________________

The expression “EITHER….OR” implies that at least one of two given variables must be present.

1) B & C (Possible)

2) B & C (Possible)

3) B & C (Possible)

4) B & C (Impossible)

NONCONDITIONAL STATEMENTS

Quantity Statements

Words describing quantities of something, such as: many, most, a couple, a few, and some, or one, two, three, etc., require different diagramming methods because they are not dealing with all or none of something. The words many, a couple, a few, and some all mean the same thing: MORE THAN ONE. Note that more than one could mean all or it could just mean two, three, four, etc. On the other hand, the word most means: MORE THAN HALF. So, when dealing with a sufficient and necessary condition diagram involving these words, there is no contrapositive for quantity statements because you do not know if it is all of a particular thing or not. However, the reverse statement of a quantity statement is ALWAYS VALID (except that the reverse statement of a “most” statement is a “some” statement).

Examples:

® Consider the statement: “John bought some shirts.” Here is how to diagram this statement:

Original: J ­­­ ------s-----> S

Reverse Statement: S ------s-----> J

® Now consider the statement: “John bought most of the shirts.” Here is how to diagram this statement:

Original: J -----m-----> S

Reverse Statement: S ------s------> J

Transitive Property For Quantity Statements:

v Recall that the transitive property is just the ability to combine certain statements to create a new valid statement. For example:

o X à Y & Y à Z can be combined to create X à Z

v With some and most statements (or few, couple, several, etc.) you can only combine certain ones:

o You cannot combine multiple “some” statements.

o You cannot combine a “some” statement and a “most” statement.

o But you can combine a “some” statement with an “all” statement or a “most” statement with an “all” statement to create a single “some” statement:

A ----s----> B A ----m----> B

B ---------> C B ----------> C

___________ ___________

A ----s----> C; C ----s----> A A ----s----> C; C ----s----> A

SUMMARY

Let’s reiterate the steps you should when approaching an LR question:

Start by reading either the question stem or the stimulus (we recommend that you start with the question stem, but you should figure out what works best for you and stick with it).

Classify the question type (If you start with the question stem).

Approach the stimulus with the question type in mind (think about what you are looking for in particular and what key words).

Read through the stimulus trying to understand the basic points and ideas.

Underline (or circle) any structural indicator words or phrases and note which statements are premises and which statements are conclusions.

Pay particular attention to what the conclusions are (unless it’s an “inference” or “resolve” question type).

Pay attention for other key words (e.g., quantifier words, conditional statement indicators, etc.)

If you notice conditional statements, or if it is a formal question type, consider diagramming the stimulus or some of the statements (if it will help you).

Determine why the argument is valid or invalid (if you can).

Try and “pre-phrase” the answer that you are looking for.

Look through the answer choices.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

The LSAC Website:

The Law School Admission Council (“LSAC”) are the people who actually write the LSAT, so it makes sense to start your LSAT prep by reading what they have to say about the test.

So, if you haven’t done so already, take some time to visit LSAC’s website, which also includes a number of helpful resources: http://www.LSAC.org.

TEST DAY CHECKLIST

Visit the testing location before the actual test day to familiarize yourself with the parking and traffic situation. Try to find out exactly where the testing room is as well. (You do not want to have a frustrating experience on test day).

Get a good night sleep and eat a healthy breakfast.

Bring an analog watch/clock synced to testing room clock.

Bring water/snacks.

Bring plenty of sharpened #2 pencils with erasers.

Bring a hi-lighter (for Reading Comprehension sections).

Bring a valid photo ID (driver’s license and a passport photo).

Print out and bring admission Ticket.

Make sure to show up to the testing location at least a half hour early to be prepared for the test.

Wear comfortable clothes and a sweatshirt in case the room is cold.

Stay relaxed and focused – the more relaxed you are, the better you will do!

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