How to Ace LSAT Weakness & Strengthen Questions (A Tutor’s Perspective)

Preparing for the LSAT requires sharpening a variety of skills, and logical reasoning remains a critical section. Strengthen and weaken questions test a candidate's ability to analyze arguments, assess evidence, and identify reasoning flaws.

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This guide provides a comprehensive approach to tackling these question types, focusing on practical strategies, key insights, and techniques to improve accuracy and confidence.

What Are Strengthen and Weaken Questions?

Strengthen and weaken questions ask test-takers to evaluate an argument's conclusion and determine how to either add support or cast doubt on it. Strengthen questions require identifying new evidence that strongly supports the argument's validity, while weaken questions focus on introducing alternative explanations or identifying flaws that undermine the argument's conclusion. Both question types require a precise understanding of the reasons used to support an author’s conclusion (premises) and the unstated assumptions that “link” premises to the conclusion.

Key Characteristics of These Questions:

1. Strengthen Questions: Look for the answer choice that adds support to the argument. This often involves explicitly stated evidence that directly reinforces the premises or conclusion.
2. Weaken Questions: Identify the answer choice that highlights unstated premises or exposes logical gaps, making the argument weaker.

Distinguishing these question types from others, like assumption questions, is crucial. Assumption questions aim to uncover necessary reasoning gaps, while strengthen/weaken questions focus on the argument's overall strength.

How to Identify Strengthen and Weaken Questions

Strengthen and weaken questions on the LSAT are often signaled by specific phrasing in the prompt. Recognizing this language is key to identifying the task at hand.

LSAT Strengthen Questions:

• Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument above?
• Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the archaeologist’s conclusion?
• Which one of the following, if true, provides the most support for the hypothesis?

LSAT Weaken Questions:

• Which one of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the argument?
• Which one of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the reasoning above?
• Which one of the following represents the strongest counter to the policy analyst’s reasoning?

Example Question

Scenario:A recent study found that people who regularly consume caffeinated beverages have a lower risk of developing a certain chronic disease. The study concludes that consuming caffeine reduces the risk of this disease.

Question Prompt:Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?

Answer Choices:(A) The study did not control for other lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, that could also affect the risk of developing the disease.(B) The study found that decaffeinated beverages do not have the same effect on disease risk as caffeinated ones.(C) Participants in the study who consumed caffeinated beverages also consumed a higher-than-average amount of antioxidants.(D) The chronic disease mentioned in the study has many known causes, including genetic factors.(E) Some participants in the study reported consuming caffeine only sporadically.

Answer Analysis

The unstated assumption in the argument’s conclusion is that caffeine itself reduces the risk of the disease. The “link” between the evidence provided - a recent study’s results - and the author’s conclusion - consuming caffeine reduces disease risk - is the assumption caffeine caused less people to develop the disease. To weaken this conclusion, we need an answer that introduces doubt about whether caffeine is the actual cause. The best answer is (A): This choice highlights that other factors, such as diet and exercise, were not accounted for, which undermines the argument's validity by introducing alternative explanations.

Common Types of Strengthen/Weaken Questions

The LSAT frequently presents these questions in diverse formats. For strengthen questions, candidates may encounter prompts to identify supporting evidence that makes the conclusion more likely or bolsters the premises. For weaken questions, typical tasks include spotting glaring assumptions, introducing opposing viewpoints, or introducing a fact disqualifying the argument's main conclusion.

Types to watch for:

• Weaken: Spot answer choices that reveal new evidence discrediting the premises.
• Strengthen: Seek choices that strongly support the argument’s claims by removing doubts or adding context.

Strategies to Ace Strengthen/Weaken Questions

1. Identify Key Elements of the Argument

The first and most critical step is dissecting the argument into its essential components:

• Conclusion - Identify what the argument aims to prove. This is often where the argument implies a definitive position.
• Premises - Pinpoint the evidence that supports the conclusion.
• Assumptions - Recognize the unstated premises that the argument depends on to hold true.

Understanding the argument's main conclusion and its assumptions will guide you to the correct answer choice efficiently. This foundational step ensures you focus on what the argument implies rather than being distracted by irrelevant details.

2. Analyze Each Answer Choice

When reviewing answer choices, it's vital to remember that not all of them are equally plausible. The correct answer word or phrase in a strengthen question will add support, while in a weaken question, it will hurt the argument by casting doubt or providing counterexamples.

Key tips for evaluating answers:

• Determine if the answer introduces new evidence that directly impacts the argument.
• Be wary of answers with extreme or vague language, as they are less likely to be potentially correct answers.
• Look for choices that remain within the argument's scope and align logically with the premises or assumptions.

Finally, eliminate answers that fail to strengthen or weaken the argument directly, leaving only the correct answer that addresses the question fully.

3. Use the Process of Elimination

The process of elimination is one of the most effective strategies for strengthen/weaken questions. Start by identifying and removing answer choices that:

• Include irrelevant information or details unrelated to the premises or conclusion (outside of scope).
• Introduce reasoning that deviates from what the argument implies.

The correct answer choice will directly engage with the argument, while the incorrect ones often miss the mark or distort the argument's scope.

Focus on answers that either fill logical gaps in strengthen questions or expose flawed reasoning in weaken questions. By systematically eliminating distractions, you increase your chances of landing on only the correct answer efficiently.

Common Traps and How to Avoid Them

When tackling LSAT strengthen and weaken questions, it’s essential to recognize common pitfalls that can lead to incorrect answers. Here are the traps to watch for and strategies to avoid them:

• Extreme wording - Be cautious of answers that include absolute terms such as "always," "never," or "must." These words often misrepresent the flexibility of the argument or exaggerate its implications, making these choices unlikely to be correct. Focus on answer choices that use balanced and reasonable language.
• Irrelevant information - Eliminate answers that introduce evidence or points beyond the argument’s scope, the specific world described by the author’s conclusion. These distractors may seem plausible but fail to engage with the argument directly. Remember, an answer choice weakens the argument only if it challenges its validity or assumptions.
• Confusing premises with conclusion - Ensure that you correctly identify the argument's conclusion before evaluating the answer choices. This is an extremely common mistake I notice students make, and it’s because they are not crystal-clear about what defines a conclusion vs. a premise. Misunderstanding the conclusion can lead you to select an answer that strengthens or weakens a premise instead of addressing the main argument.
• Misleading comparisons - Avoid answer choices that introduce comparisons to unrelated scenarios. For instance, an argument discussing five answers should not be influenced by an unrelated hypothetical scenario involving a different scope. Always evaluate choices within the argument's original framework.
• Answer choices with partial relevance - Be wary of answers that seem partially correct but do not fully strengthen or weaken the argument. These options might address some aspects of the premises but fail to engage with the argument’s main conclusion or assumptions.
• Overgeneralization - Avoid answers that rely on broad generalizations or unsupported claims. These often lack the specificity needed to strengthen or weaken the argument effectively. Choose answers that precisely target the argument's reasoning by introducing a fact that is relevant to the scope of the author’s argument.
• Ignoring alternative explanations - For weaken questions, consider whether the answer introduces opposing viewpoints that challenge the argument’s assumptions. For instance, an argument made by opposing counsel might undermine the original conclusion by providing a valid counterargument or highlighting a flaw in reasoning.
• Failure to address logical gaps - Both strengthen and weaken questions often hinge on recognizing gaps in reasoning. Ensure that the answer you select directly addresses these gaps instead of providing tangential or unrelated information.

Building Logical Reasoning Skills

Developing a strong foundation in logical reasoning skills is critical for strengthen/weaken questions. This includes mastering conditional statements, practicing with real LSAT questions, and understanding concepts like validity and soundness. Deductive reasoning is especially valuable for determining whether an argument is a valid argument or has flaws undermining its reasoning. To practice and prepare, you must:

• Engage with targeted exercises to refine your approach.
• Review incorrect answers to understand where reasoning faltered.

Practice managing time effectively to handle the logical reasoning section’s demands. To practice and prepare, you must:

• Engage with targeted exercises to refine your approach.
• Review incorrect answers to understand where reasoning faltered.
• Practice managing time effectively to handle the logical reasoning section’s demands.

How Top Law School Admission Coaches Can Help

Top law school admission coaches provide invaluable guidance to help you master the LSAT and achieve your law school goals. Here’s how they can support you in excelling at strengthen and weaken questions and beyond:

• Admission coaches analyze your strengths and weaknesses to develop personalized strategies for tackling logical reasoning questions. They can teach you how to identify flaws, assumptions, and areas for improvement in each argument, making you more adept at answering these critical questions.
• Coaches can walk you through time-tested methods like the process of elimination, analyzing new evidence, and identifying unstated premises. They help you understand how to approach complex questions with confidence and precision.
• Working with a coach gives you access to curated practice materials, including drills and mock tests tailored to strengthen your skills. They’ll provide feedback on your answers and help you refine your approach for maximum efficiency.
• Coaches are experts in teaching you how to manage the time constraints of the LSAT. They provide actionable tips for allocating time per question and strategies for skipping and revisiting tougher questions, ensuring you don’t lose points due to time pressure.
• Preparing for the LSAT can be overwhelming, but admission coaches offer structure and accountability to keep you on track. They motivate you to stay consistent, practice effectively, and focus on areas that matter most for your score.

Read next:

• How to Improve Your Logical Reasoning Skills for the LSAT
• How Long Should I Study for the Logical Reasoning Section of the LSAT?
• LSAT Logical Reasoning Strategies for Parallel Reasoning Questions
• LSAT Logical Reasoning Strategies for Paradox Questions
• How to Improve Your Logical Reasoning Score on the LSAT?

Eshaan S. is an LSAT tutor who has been helping applicants reach top scores since 2020. He himself scored a 175 and is passionate about helping students navigate the roadbumps that come with acing standardized tests. His coaching methodology is highly customized to each student’s strengths and weaknesses, ensuring that every lesson is geared toward personalized improvements. Book a free intro call with Eshaan and reach your target LSAT score.

FAQs

How to approach weaken questions?

• For weaken questions, you're looking to make the conclusion less likely to occur, and the central assumption less likely to be true. The answer will offer additional facts that make the conclusion less likely to follow.

How to quickly improve logical reasoning in LSAT?

• You should concern yourself with digesting the stimulus fully and accurately, diagramming conditional statements, prephrasing every answer, sorting answers into losers and contenders quickly, and using question techniques when necessary (like the Negation Technique for Assumptions).

How do you solve the most strongly supported questions on the LSAT?

• To approach "Most Strongly Supported" questions on the LSAT, start by getting a thorough understanding of the passage, and treating every statement as true within the context provided. Predict a possible answer before looking at the options, using the passage's information to infer what else must be true.

Is Logical Reasoning (LR) the hardest part of the LSAT?

• It truly depends on the person. The Logical Reasoning section of the LSAT proved to be the most challenging LSAT section for me, however, applying strategies and techniques in the Reading Comprehension section felt more intuitive. Although the right prep strategy really helped me tackle this difficult part of the exam, it really presented me with its own set of challenges and rewards.

How to get better at strengthen and weaken questions in LSAT?

• To excel on strengthen/weaken questions on the LSAT, it's critical to be able to identify assumptions and flaws in arguments. Assumptions are unstated premises that underlie an argument, and identifying them can be key to understanding how the argument works and how it could be strengthened or weakened.

How to weaken a causal argument in LSAT?

• The best way to weaken a causal argument is to suggest an alternative causal factor. (A) Parents stock up on cold medicine that alleviates the symptoms of a cold after a child gets sick. This choice presents another possible reason to undermine the argument, but the medicine deals with symptoms, not the cold per se.;

How to weaken a causal argument in LSAT?

• The best way to weaken a causal argument is to suggest an alternative causal factor. (A) Parents stock up on cold medicine that alleviates the symptoms of a cold after a child gets sick. This choice presents another possible reason to undermine the argument, but the medicine deals with symptoms, not the cold per se.