Should you diagram LSAT Logical Reasoning Questions?

And we’re back! I’m not gonna waste too much time. Let’s just get into it, shall we? A little while ago, I showed you an excerpt from an interview I did with former LSAT question-writer Dr. Stephen Harris on whether you should read the stem or stimulus first (if you missed that one, you can see the relevant article here). Today, I’ll share a bit from my discussion Dr. Harrisabout diagramming Logical Reasoning questions.

Here’s what he had to say when I asked, “how important is diagramming for Logical Reasoning questions? Is it advisable?” This is a great question. My take is that, with rare exception (maybe the odd matching structure item) diagramming on test day is not a wise investment of time. However, diagramming is important to practice while preparing because some questions will ask about structure in a way that presupposes the ability – if you couldn’t diagram the argument you wouldn’t know how to answer the question. That said, on test day you shouldn’t have to actually draw a diagram to get the question right; you should be able to just tell that, for example, the first statement in the stimulus is a subsidiary conclusion. This point applies to many of the skills tested on the LSAT, in my opinion.  There it is. You only get so many minutes on test day, and you might be wasting them if you’re taking the time to diagram these questions. There was a lot more to this interview, which you can read here. Also, I’d be making a huge mistake if I didn’t remind you to read ALL of the interviews I’ve conduced with Dr. Harris. Check them out. Next time, we’re going to get into one of my favorite subjects because of how infuriating it can be (ironic, I know). Want to know what it is? Too bad! Gonna have to read my next article to see. That’s what we call “a tease” in the biz. See you then! LSAT Steve Recommended Resources: 1. LSAT Courses The best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package. 2. Logical Reasoning Explanations The explanations that should have come with the LSAT. These don't just fall back on "out of scope," but actually tell you why the wrong answers are wrong, why the right answers are right, and the easiest way to get the correct answer. 3. Logical Reasoning Cheat Sheet Based on what I'd typically do in college: read what the professor emphasized and condense it all onto a single piece of paper. It gave me a quick reference, making things a lot less threatening and a lot more manageable.

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