Read for the conclusion first. Always.
Most students read LR stimuli the way they read a news article — start at the top and work down. This is the wrong approach, and it costs time and accuracy.
The right order:
- Read the question first. Know what you're being asked.
- Identify the conclusion.
- Read the argument with that question in mind.
- Predict an answer before you look at the choices.
Why read the question first?
Because the question tells you what to look for. A "Weaken" question wants you to find a flaw. An "Assumption" question wants you to find the gap. An "Inference" question wants you to find what must be true.
If you read the argument first without knowing the question, your brain tries to memorize everything. Instead, read the question, then read the argument hunting for the specific thing the question asks for.
What the question is actually asking:
Most LR question stems have a clear type:
- Must Be True / Most Strongly Supported
- Main Conclusion
- Assumption (necessary / sufficient)
- Role of Statement
- Flaw in Reasoning
- Strengthen
- Weaken
- Inference
- Point at Issue
Learn to spot the type instantly. The type tells you what part of the argument to focus on.
Predict an answer before looking at choices:
This is the most important habit on the LSAT. After reading the argument and identifying the question type, close your eyes and think: what would the right answer look like?
For a Strengthen question: the right answer would add evidence that closes the gap.
For a Weaken question: the right answer would expose the assumption.
When you predict, you're not guessing the exact wording — you're locking in the direction. Then when you read the choices, you're evaluating, not searching.
Use the gap to eliminate wrong answers:
Wrong answers usually do one of these:
- Strengthen the argument when you need to weaken
- Weaken the argument when you need to strengthen
- State something that might be true but doesn't necessarily follow
- Describe the conclusion instead of supporting it
- Add information outside the scope of the argument
If an answer doesn't fill the gap or address the question type, it's wrong.
The instinct:
The more you practice, the faster your gut will point to the right answer. Trust it. If you've done the work — found the conclusion, identified the question type, understood the gap — your first instinct is usually correct.
Overthinking is the enemy.