LSAT Tip of the Week: Understanding the Author's Premise

The Argument Section on the LSAT requires a brain in critical thinking mode. This article by Magoosh outlines why it is such an important section. You must be able to identify the author’s conclusion, or the point they are trying to make, as well as the evidence used to support that argument. In this article we will focus on the evidence, also called the author’s premise. Let’s consider this example:

Miley has to transfer to UCLA. She lost her spot at Harvard and her wife is moving to Los Angeles.

We have to understand two things: The point the author is making (the conclusion) and the evidence the author gives to support his argument (the author’s premise). Why does the author think Miley has to transfer to UCLA? First, she lost her spot at Harvard. Second, her wife is moving to Los Angeles. Both of these support the idea that Miley has to transfer to UCLA. We identified the reasons the author is using to support the point they are making. As you tackle the Argument Section, you have to remain aware of both the author’s conclusion and premises so that you can correctly identify any gaps in logic happening between the two.