With the first LSAT of 2023 officially over, Jon and Dave are blazing into the new year with a full test recap! Tune in to hear them deconstruct the January LSAT, explaining what was scored and what was experimental, the relative difficulty of each scored section, and their 155-170 curve predictions for every content combination. They also discuss their latest Crystal Ball forecasts, examining just how accurate they were for January, and what … [Read more...]
Podcast Episode 122: November 2022 LSAT Recap
The November LSAT—and with it the 2022 testing year—has officially wrapped! And that means Jon and Dave are on the scene with everything you need to know, highlighting the exam’s scored vs experimental content, explaining difficulty section by section, and finally examining every possible combination to predict a scoring scale for each test taker. If you tested in November you won’t want to miss this! … [Read more...]
Podcast Episode 120: October 2022 LSAT Recap
The October LSAT was not only the biggest test of 2022 enrollment-wise, it also included the most scored section combinations and some of the toughest LG and RC content that we’ve seen all year! But as always, Jon and Dave are here to cut through the confusion, clarifying what was real, the standout moments of difficulty, and, above all, how it all fit together to produce a surprisingly-wide range of scoring scales. … [Read more...]
Podcast Episode 103: February 2022 LSAT Recap
The February 2022 LSAT is officially over, which means Dave and Jon are in the clear to reveal everything you need to know about it! In Episode 103 they outline the scored and experimental sections used, general impressions of difficulty, and, as always, their scoring scale predictions for every section combination. Don't miss it! … [Read more...]
Podcast Episode 96: The LSAT Logical Reasoning Knowledge Test
Join Jon and Dave as they present the ultimate Logical Reasoning Knowledge Test: 20 questions covering the entirety of the LR section, each designed to measure your grasp on key concepts and fundamental principles. They begin with the 20-question quiz, then follow it up with detailed explanations of each item, explaining precisely how you should have answered and what any missteps tell you about your current LR skills. This is one of the most … [Read more...]
3 Reasons NOT to Read the Question First
This is an issue that comes up quite commonly with students; some have a favorite question type, and prefer to attack those first in a given section. Others note the potential advantage of knowing what to look for before even beginning to read the stimulus. Below are three reasons that I suggest NOT reading the question first, but instead attacking each logical reasoning question in this order: Stimulus, Question, Answer Choices. 1. "Seeing the … [Read more...]
Does the LSAT Test Law?
According to LSAC, the Logical Reasoning portion of the LSAT is designed to "evaluate the ability to analyze, critically evaluate, and complete arguments as they occur in ordinary language. These arguments mirror legal reasoning in the types of arguments presented and in their complexity, though few of the arguments actually have law as a subject matter."I frequently echo this final disclaimer at the start of my classes. The LSAT is not a … [Read more...]
The Genesis of an LSAT Question, Part II
Continuing on with our discussion from Part I, let’s take the text from the article and turn it into a proto-LSAT Logical Reasoning stimulus: “In the country of Downlandia, over 100,000 people currently live in towns with populations of fewer than 100 residents. This is an increase of over 20,000 people from a decade ago.” With this very rough “stimulus” in hand (which at this point is just a fact set), we can examine the three question types … [Read more...]
The Genesis of an LSAT Question, Part I
The other day I was reading an article about a town in the US with just two residents. In the middle of the article, the following text caught my attention: “The 2010 Census found 13 hamlets with one or two residents, including Lotsee, Okla., Gross, Neb., and Bonanza, Utah. About 119,000 people live in towns with fewer than 100 residents, up from 79,000 a decade earlier. Mr. Cantrell suspects the increase is due largely to towns shrinking below … [Read more...]
Justify and Assumption Questions: Conceptual Similarities and Differences
Many students confuse Justify and Assumption questions. Of course, this is not news to those whose job is to confuse you (hint: they work in Newtown, PA). Consequently, you will often encounter Assumption decoys in Justify questions and vice versa. The trick is to know what you are looking for. And what you are not. Some basic concepts: In Justify questions, you need to identify a statement that is sufficient to prove the conclusion. In other … [Read more...]
Should You Work Backwards in Logical Reasoning?
Students often ask if working backwards in Logical Reasoning might be the way to go. After all, the reasoning goes, the hardest questions are typically towards the end of the section. So, if you tackle them early on, you will have more time to get them right without rushing. As you progress through the section, you will have less and less time left, but the questions will (presumably) get easier, so you have a higher chance of getting them … [Read more...]
Ignoring a Possibility vs. Making an Assumption: What’s the Difference?
If you're taking the LSAT, you'll encounter Flaw questions in the Logical Reasoning section. Students commonly struggle with determining how the author talks about a stimulus. Specifically, when reading and analyzing a stimulus, how do you determine whether the author has ignored a possibility or has made an assumption? What clues within the stimulus and/or what reading strategies help differentiate these two author approaches in … [Read more...]
Logical Negation: Identifying What to Negate in a Sentence
When negating a sentence, how do you know what specific word you need to negate if it's a long and complicated sentence?Students often ask this question, and it’s one that entails a more in-depth response than you may be expecting. We cover this topic in the Logical Reasoning Bible, Chapter 11, in the discussion of the Assumption Negation Technique™. However, even in such a comprehensive discussion, it's impossible to formulate categorical … [Read more...]
When to Read the Stem in LSAT Logical Reasoning Questions
Among LSAT experts, few issues are more hotly debated than this one: should you read the question stem before or after reading the stimulus in LSAT Logical Reasoning questions? PowerScore's position on this issue has always been clear: read the stem after reading the stimulus. On this issue, we are, shall we say, originalists. We follow the original design of the Logical Reasoning multiple choice question. Deviating from this design is largely a … [Read more...]