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Flaw Question problem

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 2:48 pm
by Sanehka1803
Hello everyone, I am wondering if somebody have an advise on how to get better on Flaw questions. I am getting 4-5 wrong an average in that section, most of the wrong answers are from that category.

Re: Flaw Question problem

Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 12:38 am
by TLSanders
How are you approaching these questions? Are you focusing on recognizing the repetitive Logical Reasoning flaws, or breaking the argument into evidence and conclusion and identifying the gap before looking at the answer choices?

Re: Flaw Question problem

Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:59 pm
by justdoit11
This is from Dave Hall (velocity prep):


Here's my general advice for dealing with Flaw questions:

The flaw of any argument is the fact that the argument has assumed some information. In order to succeed, an argument must move smoothly, building from one point to the next without gap or interruption. When an argument fails to provide sufficient evidence for its conclusion - when it assumes that some important piece of evidence is true rather than demonstrating that it's true - that argument has failed.

Often, an argument will indicate its flaw on the basis of a shift in language: If an argument begins by saying that Mechanical Engineering majors are astonishingly physically attractive as a group, and that therefore, they must be a successful dating population, then that argument is flawed. The flaw is that it has failed to consider that the physical attractiveness of a group may not indicate its dating prowess. One necessary assumption of this argument is the assumption that they physical attractiveness of a group has some relationship to that group's success in securing dates.

So, identify the shift in language, and you'll have found the shift in logic. That shift is where the assumption lives, and that assumed evidence is the flaw of the argument.

Hope that helps!

Re: Flaw Question problem

Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:57 pm
by UChicagoorBust
This is the key for Flaw questions, and for most of LR in general: Know what to expect out of the wrong answers, and get to the answer in two different ways. One way by identifying the answer that fits your prephrase, and another way by kicking the other four answers to the curb, with sold reasoning behind your eliminations.

Flaw questions aren't too difficult if you know what to expect. You know you're going to get some premises and a conclusion. In between those two things are going to be some big assumptions (a.k.a. Flaws). Get a grasp of the argument core and brain storm some possibilities, then start eliminating answers.