Distinguishing Causal Reasoning in Weaken Questions

[mollyquillin]

Hi PowerScore team,

I am currently having some difficulties with distinguishing when a question contains causal reasoning vs. when a question does not, particularly in weaken questions. I have been looking for causal indicators in stimuli, but it feels like the more questions I read, the more I want them to be causal arguments, even when they are not causal. Does anyone have any recommendations for problem recognition drills or just more tips on recognizing causal arguments? I'd love some tips because this has become a bit of an unfortunate trend for me in my PTs (to miss questions with CE).

Thanks,
Molly

[Luke Haqq]

Hi mollyquillin!

If you have PowerScore's course books, I would encourage you to check out lessons 2 and 3.

Lesson 3 includes some tips and drills that seem the most directly related. In particular, the first part of that lesson is concentrated on weaken questions, cause and effect reasoning, and the interplay of causality with weaken questions. There's a table, "Causal Indicators," for example, in that chapter at 3-6 that provides a list of some of the most common words or phrases used on the LSAT to express causality. Being familiar with these is useful because they'll help make causal reasoning easier to flag when you confront it on the LSAT.

The lesson goes on to offer strategies including five ways to attack a causal conclusion: (1) find an alternate cause, (2) show the cause without the effect, (3) show the effect without the cause, (4) show that the stated causal relationship is reversed, and (5) show a problem with the data being used to make the causal claim. Memorizing those strategies similarly can be helpful for locating the correct answer on weaken questions involving causal reasoning.

Finally, lesson 2 from 2-6 to 2-10 might be worthwhile to look at as well. The LSAT is filled with causal reasoning, but the issue you raise is an important one, because causal and conditional reasoning are distinct from one another (even though they can also overlap). Those pages of lesson 2 provide a great, succinct overview of conditional reasoning, as well as a drill and several sample questions. Studying that in conjunction with lesson 3 hopefully should help you both with identifying causal reasoning and also with knowing how to attack it on weaken questions.

[mollyquillin]

Thanks for your reply, Luke! I definitely have been reviewing lessons 2 and 3 and keeping an eye out for causal indicators, but I'll re-tackle those with more intentionality. I'll look again at the differences between causal and conditional reasoning, as well... My first thought is that I have a pretty good understanding of the differences between the two, but because this is an issue area for me, perhaps I don't have the understanding I think I do!

I appreciate you getting back to me!