Method of Reasoning and Boldface Method of Reasoning

Question 1

Method of Reasoning: Overview

Answer 1

• When solving a Method of Reasoning question, our job is to focus on how the argument is organized and analyze the argument’s structure.
• We don’t care about the strength or weakness of the argument.
• An answer choice must be completely correct → If any part of an answer is incorrect, the entire answer is incorrect.
• Question stems:
  
  • The argument proceeds by
  • The method of the argument is to
  • Which of the following best describes the argument above?
• My style: write down how the paragraph is structured as I read

Question 2

Two-Part Method of Reasoning Questions

Answer 2

• Involves 2 speakers. Our job is read through the exchange, noting any conclusions made by each speaker and getting a sense of how the speakers support those conclusions.
• The verbs used by the speakers can help us arrive at correct answers. However, as always, we must analyze questions carefully and completely.

Question 3

Method of Reasoning Incorrect Answers:

1) Presents New Components

Answer 3

The correct answer will never include any info outside the scope of the original argument.

Question 4

Method of Reasoning Incorrect Answers:

2) Partially Correct Answers

Answer 4

Every part of an answer must be correct, otherwise it is wrong. Sometimes an answer begins accurately then turns bad.

Question 5

Method of Reasoning Incorrect Answers:

3) Methods that Could be Used but Not

Answer 5

Don’t fall for incorrect answers that describe methods that the arguments could have used but didn’t.

Question 6

Method of Reasoning Incorrect Answers:

4) Method that Resembles but Isn’t

Answer 6

Perhaps the trickiest incorrect answers in Method of Reasoning questions are the ones that describe methods that somehow resemble methods used in the arguments although the methods described are not actually the methods used in the arguments.

Question 7

Boldface Method of Reasoning: Overview

Answer 7

• Present us with stimuli that include one or two sections that are in boldface type. Identify the role that any section in boldfaced type plays in the argument.
• When there are two boldfaced sections, each of the 5 answer choices provides a description of the role played by the first boldfaced section followed by a description of the role played by the second boldfaced section.
• Strategy: Identify the premises and conclusions accurately
• Question stems:
  
  • In the argument given, the two boldfaced portions play which of the following roles?

Question 8

Boldface Method of Reasoning:

Identify the Conclusion

Answer 8

• Locate the main conclusion
• Sometimes there may be intermediate conclusions

Question 9

Boldface Method of Reasoning:

Characteristics of Tricky Questions

Answer 9

• The conclusions are inconspicuous (e.g., not always preceded by conclusion signaling words like “therefore,” don’t always appear at the end)
• The bolded portions can be worded and positioned to look as if they play roles other than the roles that they play
• The passages often contain multiple conclusions, along with premises to support the conclusions
• Incorrect answer choices often say things that are partly correct or closely related to what is correct