LSAT PrepTest 43 Section 2 Question 10 Explanation | Logical Reasoning

I didn't write the following blog post. It was already on the blog when I took over the URL. The following blog post may contain mistakes. -Steve

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This Logical Reasoning question is from the June 2004 LSAT.

First, let's make a chain of short phrases (this can be done by underlining key words or just mentally once you get more experience) that shows how the argument progresses:

Respond better to human than computer criticism --> acceptance of criticism is key --> more likely to learn from human criticism

Since this is an assumption question, we need to find the jump in the logic, as we've done on past assumption questions. This is just the place where the argument breaks down unless we add something, namely, the assumption. We see from our chain of phrases that the argument goes from acceptance of criticism to learning from criticism, as if they were one and the same thing. That's the jump.

Let's pre-phrase an answer. The assumption needed is something like "that acceptance of criticism is necessary to learn from criticism." Right away, we see that choice A fits this very well, saying students are more likely to learn from criticism if they accept it. Let's scan through the other answer choices quickly:

A) Correct.

B) Beyond the argument's scope. The argument says nothing about who can and cannot show compassion. It just talks about students accepting human criticism more readily than computer criticism. Compassion isn't a factor here, so no assumption that computers lack compassion is needed.

C) Beyond the scope of the argument. This answer choice says to assume that students know "always" whether the critic is a human or computer, but the argument only talks about students being "less likely" to accept criticism from computers. This leaves open the possibility that, occasionally, students can't tell if it's a computer or a person. There's still the tendency, the "likely."

D) Beyond the scope, again. The argument is about students accepting criticism, not about the criticism being more or less favorable. Criticism might be accepted regardless of how favorable it is. So, no assumption that computers' criticsm is less favorable is needed.

E) Wrong for the exact same reason as D.

Remember:

1) Make a chain of phrases, find the jump in the logic if it's an assumption question (or a "flaw" in the argument question, for that matter), and pre-phrase an answer (when there's a definite one, as there was here...there's just one needed assumption) to save time weeding out wrong answer choices.

2) Watch out for choices beyond the scope of the argument. Looking out for what the argument (or passage, in RC) is and isn't talking about is very, very important.