Diagramming Conditional Reasoning

[midisson]

I just completed lesson 2 of the online course and have been struggling all week on the homework. I'm close each time, but my diagramming is always off. I feel as though it wasn't covered thoroughly enough in class and I don't see anywhere in the syllabus that it will come up again. I freaking out!!

Can anyone link me to additional videos regarding this? I've gone through all the materials in lesson 2 student center as well. Also made flashcards to learn necessary and sufficient.

The biggest issue is diagramming more complex sentences and putting two concepts together into one diagram. I'm so lost and starting to fixate on this!!

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Midisson,

Thanks for the message! My first word of advice is: relax Conditional reasoning a huge concept on the LSAT and you will see it repeatedly throughout the course. So, we're not anywhere near done with it, and we know it takes time to absorb. That's why we keep coming back to it!

We also talk about conditional reasoning here and on our blog very frequently, and so there are a ton of places you can go to learn more about diagramming. It's also a topic you'll see in both LR and LG a lot, so it's good that you are asking questions now about it! Here's some articles/threads to review when you have time:

• Avoid Real World Interpretations and Follow the Language: http://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewto ... p=216#p216
  
  One More Look on what Sufficient and Necessary Means (this is key so that when indicators aren't present, we know what we're doing): http://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewto ... 6166#p6166
  
  LSAT Conditional Reasoning: When To Diagram: http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/bid/333 ... To-Diagram
  
  The PowerScore LSAT Blog, Conditional Reasoning articles - https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/catego ... reasoning/. We write often about this concept, and there are over 20 articles here discussions all sorts of interesting conditional language and arrow relationships.
  
  My posts on this Forum, all searchable: https://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/searc ... 3&sr=posts

We know it's overwhelming but at the start, just look for the language, and on our blog we've addressed many of the more complicated aspects of how this works. Sift through some of those, and then watch as these ideas come back up in Logic Games (a lot), as well as multiple question types such as Weaken, Strengthen, Flaw, etc.

And, ask us questions here as well—we're happy to help!

[midisson]

Thank you! This helps a lot. I even listened to Part I of the Conditional Reasoning Podcast, but when I got to part II, I was completely lost so that also scared me. I'll keep practicing and utilize these resources!