People often ask about the differences between our various self-study books. Here’s a short guide! The LSAT Bibles: These books explain the concepts that underlie the section, and detailed techniques for solving each question. They are the foundation for learning how to approach each section. The LSAT Bible Workbooks: These books provide more drills and questions, and are based on the material in the LSAT Bibles. They help cement the ideas … [Read more...]
Beware of Keywords in Logical Reasoning Questions
Bad advice appears well-justified and initially quite useful in solving a good number of questions. Unfortunately, shortcuts are easy to circumvent. What's worse, they can be used as traps—especially if you tend to use them blindly (as people often do). Let’s take a look at a common belief about Flaw in the Reasoning questions: If you come across a Flaw question where the stimulus contains conditional reasoning, the flaw has something to do with … [Read more...]
Main Point Questions on the LSAT
If you've ever taken a practice LSAT, you've seen at least a few Main Point questions. They often accompany Reading Comprehension passages, and they appear in the Logical Reasoning sections of the test as well. Regardless of the context, the ability to recognize an author's main point is a crucial part of understanding any stimulus or passage. The right approach is vital if you want to attack Main Point questions effectively and … [Read more...]
Correlations and Causal Reasoning on the LSAT Part I
The makers of the LSAT frequently create arguments that conflate correlation with causation, and thus you must understand the distinction between the two. This is the first in a 3 part series that discusses Correlations and Causal Reasoning on the LSAT. Let's get into it! Correlation & Causal Relationships In statistics, "correlation" refers to a statistical relationship between two interdependent variables (e.g. height and weight, studying … [Read more...]
Practice and Over-Practicing for the LSAT
In a Time article on over-practicing, there are several good pieces of advice for LSAT test-takers. From that advice, we can draw some guidelines on how you should prepare for the LSAT. Let's take a look at what they said and what it means for you. The Article The article references a study published by the Journal of Neuroscience. In this study, researchers observed subjects performing tasks repeatedly and measured energy expenditure as they … [Read more...]
Logical Reasoning Cause and Effect
The latest PowerScore LSAT Forum Post of the Day (found here), features one of our students who asked an interesting, and common, question about cause and effect relationships in LR.PowerScore Senior Developer Jon Denning weighed in to explain in a bit more detail exactly what we mean when we tell students that “causal relationships on the LSAT exist in a vacuum”. This is a great example of not only how the information and scenarios you’ll … [Read more...]
How to Increase Your LSAT Score Simply by Using Your Nose
As I've mentioned on a number of prior occasions, some of the most important weapons you have in your battle with the LSAT are your mental strength, confidence, and overall outlook. Of course, your processing speed and reasoning powers are critical, but I look at them as only half of the equation. If you process quickly and understand argumentation, that will take you a long way, but if you are also afraid of the exam and don't fully trust … [Read more...]
Taking the LSAT in China
Are you taking the LSAT in China? Students take the LSAT if they plan to attend law schools in the US and Canada. However, the test administers across the globe. Check out this post about taking the LSAT abroad.In China, four separate locations offer the LSAT:Beijing, Beijing Foreign Studies University Guangzhou, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies Kowloon, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority San Po Kong Office … [Read more...]
How is Everyone Else Preparing for the LSAT?
Do you ever wonder? Almost everyone does, but shouldn't, and here's why. First of all, how others prepare for the LSAT isn't a big deal because it doesn't directly impact you. Second, it really doesn't matter because no one else will be taking the exam for you. That is, unless you bribed someone to take your exam, in which case you've got way bigger problems heading your way than choosing a prep method! How to Study for the LSAT Fortunately, … [Read more...]
LSAT Tip! Beware of Tips…
It goes without saying that some advice is better than other. But when it comes to the LSAT, unfortunately, bad advice is quite common. This is largely due to the complexity of the exam itself, which does not lend itself easily to quick tips or easy shortcuts. More importantly, you can circumvent shortcuts. And test-makers often do just that. Guess what? They have access to the same test-prep materials as you do. If there is a shortcut they can … [Read more...]
6-Week Study Plan for the LSAT
Did you realize that there are less than six weeks left until the next LSAT? If you are planning to take this test, you should definitely start thinking about a study plan if you haven't done so already. Six weeks is a bit on the shorter side as far as study plans go, but it’s doable provided you can devote at least 15-20 hours/week towards LSAT prep. Be realistic – if you are a full-time student or work full time, chances are you cannot spend … [Read more...]
Personal Statement Advice from our LSAT Discussion Forum
This PowerScore LSAT Forum Post of the Day comes from this past weekend (found here). One of our students posted a second draft of her personal statement, and PowerScore LSAT Bible author Dave Killoran weighed in on that draft in detail (and lots of it!). The link above leads to her second draft, and Dave’s extended comments immediately follow her post. If you are working on your personal statement or your applications in general, his post gives … [Read more...]
How to Guess Like a Pro on the LSAT Part II: Logical Reasoning
As you know, there is no penalty for guessing on the LSAT. So, it goes without saying that you shouldn't leave any questions blank. If you are running out of time, make sure to guess on any unanswered question. Because some answer choices are more likely to occur than others, you should not guess randomly. Precisely how you guess, however, depends on how strong of a test-taker you are, and which questions you need to guess on. Let's … [Read more...]
Should I Study Formal Logic in College to Prep for the LSAT?
Given the emphasis on Logical Reasoning on the LSAT, students often wonder if they are missing out by not taking formal (or deductive) logic in college. Deductive Logic in Courses Granted, some exposure to deductive logic doesn't hurt. At their best, such courses will:Teach you the fundamental concepts of symbolic logic. Help you understand the difference between valid and invalid arguments. Train you to use symbolic language to … [Read more...]