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LSAT Study Guide

By 
Greg Smith

We’ve divided our LSAT Study Guide into 4 sections for easier access when planning your study:

LSAT Logical Reasoning Part 1 (10-12 hours)

(15 mins.) Introduction to Logical Reasoning – learn the basics of this section of the LSAT

(2 hrs.) Stimulus analysis – get familiar with analyzing arguments, breaking down premises and conclusion and picking out flaws and other features of LSAT stimuli

(5 hrs.) Specific Question types – study the following LSAT question types, learn specific strategies and how the test makers structure the questions and correct answers, practice on actual LSAT questions of each type:

  • Identify the Main Conclusion
  • Strengthen the Conclusion
  • Weaken the Conclusion
  • Method of Reasoning
  • Role of the Statement

(4 x 35 mins. each) Practice timed Logical Reasoning sections – put your strategies to work on actual LSAT exam logical reasoning sections. Do 3-4 timed 35 minute sections and review any questions you get wrong. Be sure to review right and wrong answer choices for any questions you got wrong. Understanding why an answer is wrong is as important as understanding why one is correct.

LSAT Logical Reasoning Part 2 (10-12 hours)

(5 hrs.) Specific Question types – study the following LSAT question types, learn specific strategies and how the test makers structure the questions and correct answers, practice on actual LSAT questions of each type

  • Flawed Reasoning
  • Parallel Reasoning & Flawed Parallel Reasoning
  • Principle Questions
  • Evaluate the Argument
  • Must be True Questions

(6 x 35 mins. each) Practice timed Logical Reasoning sections – put your strategies to work on actual LSAT exam logical reasoning sections. Do 5-6 timed 35 minute sections and review any questions you get wrong. Be sure to review right and wrong answer choices for any questions you got wrong. Understanding why an answer is wrong is as important as understanding why one is correct.

LSAT Logical Reasoning Part 3 (10-12 hours)

(5 hrs.) Specific Question types – study the following LSAT question types, learn specific strategies and how the test makers structure the questions and correct answers, practice on actual LSAT questions of each type

  • Cannot be True
  • Sufficient Assumptions
  • Necessary Assumptions
  • Explain the Discrepancy or Paradox
  • Point of Contention (or agreement)

(6 x 35 mins. each) Practice timed Logical Reasoning sections – put your strategies to work on actual LSAT exam logical reasoning sections. Do 5-6 timed 35 minute sections and review any questions you get wrong. Be sure to review right and wrong answer choices for any questions you got wrong. Understanding why an answer is wrong is as important as understanding why one is correct.


LSAT Analytical Reasoning Part 1 (8-10 hours)

Introduction to Logic Games – learn the basics of the analytical reasoning section of the test

Diagram setups – learn the basics of setting up logic game diagrams

Diagramming rules – learn how to express game rules in short-hand notations or as aspects of your diagram

Formal Logic/Conditional Reasoning – learn about IF-THEN statements, contra-positives and the quick ways to deal with UNLESS statements and others such as IF AND ONLY IF or IF BUT ONLY IF or IF A THEN B AND C, or IF A THEN B OR C

Complete Diagrams – bring all these diagramming skills together for some complete logic game diagramming practice

Basic ordering Games – learn the strategies for diagramming and answering your basic ordering games

Ordering Game Practice – practice some basic ordering games

Question Types – study each of the different question types in the analytical reasoning section and learn how to solve for the correct answers

(2 x 35 mins. each) Practice timed Analytical Reasoning sections – put your strategies to work on actual LSAT exam analytical reasoning sections. Do two timed 35 minute sections. For this first practice set, focus on your diagrams and ensure that you are diagramming completely and correctly. Check to see if you could be more efficient with your diagrams or if you could push them farther in terms of added information.

LSAT Analytical Reasoning Part 2 (8-10 hours)

Grouping Games – learn the strategies and diagramming techniques for grouping games

Grouping Game practice – try some grouping games to test your skills and learn where you need to improve

Hybrid Games – learn how to set up hybrid games and combine skills from your ordering and grouping games into more complex games

Hybrid Practice – try some actual hybrid LSAT games

Relative ordering – learn how to set up relative ordering games quickly with one complete diagram representing all the rules – apply this diagram

Advanced grouping games – learn techniques necessary for multi-layer and other advanced ordering games

(4 x 35 mins. each) Practice timed Analytical Reasoning sections – put your strategies to work on actual LSAT exam analytical reasoning sections. Do 4-5 timed 35 minute sections. You should still be focusing on making sure your diagrams are accurate and complete but also review all of your incorrect questions including determining why you chose wrong answers. If you are having any difficulty with your diagrams review your diagramming lessons or get in touch with your instructor or tutor and straighten this out as correct diagramming is essential for this section of the LSAT.


LSAT Reading Comprehension Part 1 (10-12 hrs.)

(5 hours) Key elements – there are a number of key elements in the passages that the test makers expect you to understand and some others that will help you significantly in answering the questions.

Transition words – study the types of words used on the LSAT to represent transitions and shifts in the passage

View point – understanding the point of view of both your author’s and other characters is the second most important factor in answering your reading comprehension questions

Main point – this is the most important factor for this section, learn how to spot it and how to use it

Structure – study the common passage structures and practice picking out different structures

Notations and Diagramming – develop or learn a system for diagramming passages including marking up the items listed above – notations on passages can dramatically improve your comprehension and retention for question answering

(2 x 35 mins. each) Practice timed Reading Comprehension sections – put your strategies to work on actual LSAT exam reading comprehension sections. Initially just focus on your transitions, view points, main points, key words and structure. Practice diagramming these items.

Question Types – breakdown each of the common question types in the reading comprehension sections and understand what they are looking for and how to find it quickly in the passages.

Question features – be aware of some additional features of questions that add another level of complexity, learn what they mean and how to answer them quickly

LSAT Reading Comprehension Part 2 (6-8 hrs.)

(2 hours) Passage types – there are three basic areas for passage topics, learn the common features, pitfalls and structures of these topic areas

  • Biological and Physical Science Passages
  • Law Passages
  • Humanities Passages

(2 hours) Review the features present in each passage topic area and try some practice passages from each area.

(4 x 35 mins. each) Practice timed Reading Comprehension sections – put your strategies to work on actual LSAT exam reading comprehension sections. Focus on your notations, focused reading skills and review all incorrect answers.


LSAT Extra Practice and Improvement

Once you have completed the above steps it’s time to reevaluate your score and determine where you can make the best use of any remaining time you have left before the LSAT.

It can be very helpful to speak with a tutor or LSAT instructor and go over your strengths and weaknesses. It’s not always best to focus on your weakest areas. You can often see a greater LSAT score increase by focusing on an area that is part way between your strongest and weakest areas. This is because you have a better understanding of it than your weaker areas, allowing you to improve faster, and you have more room to improve than in your stronger areas.

For extra practice, taking official LSAT tests under actual LSAT time conditions is essential.

Another focused LSAT study technique allows you to improve on particular sections of the LSAT.

Ready to put your plan into action? Take our free trial LSAT course here.

If you’re looking for more ideas on how to improve your score or want someone to take a look at your exams and determine where you can best spend your time, feel free to send us an e-mail instructors@alphascore.com and one of our professional LSAT instructors will get back to you with answers.

P.S You can also access lessons and tutorials that will take you through all the materials in this study guide, in our complete LSAT course. Try it free here.

November 15, 2015
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Greg Smith

Greg took the LSAT in 2002 receiving a high score that got him into the law school of his choice. This led him to teach LSAT classes while attending law school at the University of British Columbia and continued teaching while practicing law with top international law firms Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and later Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP, in the area of Securities and Capital Markets. Read more


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