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Reasoning Overview

Terminology note

The LSAT calls this section "Logical Reasoning," which many shorten to "LR."

In the Reasoning section you'll be given about 25 short arguments and asked one question about each.

To answer these Reasoning questions, you'll do the same 5 basic steps every time:

  1. Get a job
  2. Understand the argument
  3. Predict
  4. Eliminate, defer, or select the answers
  5. Move on or revise

Here's where those 5 steps happen in an example Reasoning question:

example of a Reasoning question

Step 1: Get a job

Your first step is to read the question, meaning the line that ends with a "?" The question gives you a job to do.

Every question fits into one of three families (DESCRIBE, ARGUE, or INFER) and has one of two styles (MECHANICAL or ORGANIC). The family tells you what to do with the argument. The style tells you how to pay attention to the argument and what level of prediction you can make.

Step 2: Understand the argument

Understanding the argument is the most important step. If you do not have a strong understanding of the argument, you will not be able to make a useful prediction and the answers will bamboozle you.

To understand the argument, break it down to separate the facts from the conclusion, and then boil it down to its essential meaning.

Step 3: Predict

Pausing to make predictions is one of the best ways to gain speed and accuracy in the Reasoning section. Predictions help you stay grounded in your understanding so you can move confidently through the answers.

At minimum, always make an anchor prediction: a summary of what the argument said.

Step 4: Eliminate, defer, or select

Once you have a prediction, you're ready for the answers. Eliminate the answers you know are bad, defer on the ones you aren't sure about, and select the one you love (or the least bad one left).

Step 5: Move on or revise

Ideally, you don't need this 5th step. But you won't always be able to make 4 confident eliminations. When that happens, flag the question, reset, and then either move on to the next question or revise your understanding of the argument.