Assumption

[Lawheart]

On the Assumption answer choices could we just negate all the answers to see which one fits?

[Adam Tyson]

Could you do that? Yes. Should you do that? No. That's a time-consuming process, and time is a precious commodity on this test. Start, as always, with a prephrase in mind, based on either an obvious gap in the argument (something new in the conclusion, not mentioned in the premises) or a weakness in the argument that the author must assume is not a problem. The most efficient process is to use the negation technique only when you are stuck between a couple contenders. If there is just one contender, pick it and move along!

In untimed practice, however, negating all five answer choices can be a good way to practice your use of the technique, especially on the more complex answer choices. Do it as a mental exercise to build your skills, but not as an actual test-day (or practice test) methodology.