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GEENRIC - HOW TO ELIMINATE CHOICES

1. Answers that are possible but not certain, or in essence, answers that cannot be directly inferred from what is given in the stimulus. Our final answer choice is something that must be CERTAIN, not POSSIBLE. 2. Answer choices that dont agree with the tone of the passage. If the wording in the stimulus is strong, then the answer choice can be strong but if the wording in the stimulus is weak, then the answer choice cannot be strong. The tone of the passage and the answer choices must go together, if not eliminate! 3. They might indicate a non-existent relationship. This is an easy trap that most engineers tend to fall for. There might be a relationship between two events mentioned in the stimulus and the answer choice would be a definite relationship thats NOT mentioned in the stimulus. Using the same stimulus stated above, a wrong answer choice would be Since theres a proportional weight increase from taking steroids, dietary restrictions must be followed. This is clearly wrong since the stimulus says nothing about a proportional relationship. Dont fall for this trap! 4. They play the shell game. This refers to an answer choice that is remarkably similar to what is given in the stimulus but slightly untrue and perhaps polished to make it sound more attractive to the test-take. Dont fall for this trap!

__________________________________________________________________ Assumptions -1 An assumption is merely an unstated (implied) premise. In logically correct arguments which contain an assumption, the premise + assumption = conclusion. If the question stem asks you what is assumed then you should identify unstated premise of passage. Look for a gap in logic.

Assumptions - 2 Ask yourself, What must be true to make the conclusion valid? (Using the premise + assumption = equation formula). Remember, since the assumption is an UNSTATED premise, any answer choice that comes from the passage to support your assumption is necessarily incorrect. The answer will be implied, not explicitly stated. Assumption -3 An assumption bridges the gap between arguments stated premises and conclusion. If having difficulty Use denial test We look at the opposite of a choice and see what impact it has on the argument.

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If denial of (X) refutes the conclusion, (X) is a necessary assumption (and the correct answer). If, on the other hand, the argument is unaffected, the choice is wrong. The opposite of the word none is some. Compare premise words against conclusion. For assumption questions, find the conclusion and determine which answer choice needs to be true for a conclusion to be valid. Negate (Counterattack)

For assumption ques, negate answer choice to see if the conclusion can survive
Statistics

When an argument is based on statistics, it is usually assumed that the people polled are representative of the whole
Statistical Assumptions Are the statistics representative? Is the question stem doing a lure and switch in terms of numbers? Is the question stem using numbers to assume something is so, when the numbers arent actually helping explain the phenomenon given? Questions Involving Surveys Consider: Does the survey accurately represent the views of the whole group surveyed? Is there a statistics bait and switch?

Strengthen the Argument Find the logical gap and fix it with additional information. This is the ONLY type of GMAT question where additional information (outside of the question) can/should be used. Correct answers to this question type will: Connect evidence with conclusion better. Make conclusion stronger. Strengthen the evidence with new information perhaps an assumption is needed to make the argument work Strengthen/Weaken Strategy

Break down piece of evidence. Attack validity of an assumption. Dont try to prove or disprove conclusion. U may increase/decrease its likelihood :) Tip the scales. - make conclusion more likely to happen Dont be careless! Wrong answer choices often have exactly opposite of desired effect. Double-check that your answer satisfies the question stem, not the opposite of the question stem.

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When you compare two items, you must be sure that the two items are indeed comparable.

WEAKEN These questions will usually have some kind of negative relationship indicator between the stimulus and the answer choices. Some of the common phrases used in these questions are given below:

Which of the following most seriously undermines the argument? Which of the following, if true, calls into question the validity of the argument? Which of the following casts doubt on the scientists conclusion?

GMAT. In this question type, we assume that the answer choices are true and take them for granted even if it introduces new information it is merely enough to cast doubt on stimulus; you dont have to ALWAYS prove it wrong. .

Correct Answers
1. Incomplete Information: Not enough information is given, but a conclusion seems to be drawn from thin air.

2. Improper Comparison: Comparing apples to oranges, so to speak

3. Should rebuke the conclusion of the stimulus 4. wrong generalization 5. improper comparison b/w two comparison b/w two scenarios that author assumed

ELIMINATING WRONG ANSWERS Out of Scope Answers Wrong Tone in Answers Irrelevant Information
Reversal of causality or incorrect causality

Reversal of causality or incorrect causality: These questions oversimplify some statements. Consider the following example: Last week Jack tried out a new restaurant on campus (E1) and the same week he got food poisoning (E2). So Jack must have had food poisoning due to the new food Here we are asked to assume that the two events take place in vacuum, that no other event could have influenced what happened. Event 1 strictly influenced Event 2, and that Event 2 couldnt have occurred without Event 1.
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How to break down causality? 1. Find an alternate cause. This is the strongest way to rebuke a causality based stimulus. For the above mentioned example, what if Jack had eaten left-over food from two days ago, and they had actually gone stale? Wouldnt that explain the food poisoning? 2. Show that the change might not occur even when cause occurs or that the effect can occur without the cause. This could mean Jack eating at the restaurant previously, without any food poisoning. Jack could have gotten food poisoning earlier when he had left-over food.

3. Show that the stated relationship is reversed. This is where

you prove that what is perceived to be the effect produces what is thought of as the cause

STRENGTHEN

Once again, we take the answer choice to be true, and consider the validity of the stimulus Stem would indicate some kind of support relationship strengthen, justify, help, support question stem is usually straightforward, except when the word support is used. Carefully observe the phrase used with that word, because it could point to an inference (i.e. Main Point/Must Be True) question as well CAUTION The word support can also be used in question stems that follow the Main Point type. In that sense, the question stem would point to something like The stimulus supports which of the following as opposed to the Strengthen question which would point to the answer choice supporting the stimulus. The difference is subtle but great. This support can be little or a lot, that is immaterial to the process. The answer doesnt have to prove the conclusion, it merely supports it. The correct answer choice could either warrant removal of an alternative cause or addition of more information.

WRONG ANSWERS

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1. Answers that actually weaken the conclusion. 2. Out-of-scope answers that have nothing to do with whats given. There will at least be one answer that falls into this category.

3. Rephrases of the premise that simply restate whats given and

not really do anything else. 4. It should strengthen the conclusion DIRECTLY. If you are making a 100 connections and it still doesnt fit, theres something wrong.

CORRECT ANSWERS Should reinforce the conclusion of the stimulus

Will validate an (unstated) assumption or rule out a discrepancy in the logic of the conclusion forming process. Helps establish causality.

bridge a gap that leads to a potentially illogical conclusion

Find a missing link between two scenarios that the author assumed ________________________________________________________________ Inference Main Point / Must be true, question is ALSO an inference question
ask yourself when you encounter a Main Point Question Can this answer choice be proven or validated by what is given in the stimulus? Is this answer choice true to the stimulus If the answer is yes, then keep the answer and move on to the next choice. If the answer is no, then eliminate the answer choice. Correct choice should be talking whole stimulus, not just premise some choices might repeat the premise of the question but it might not be the main point that the stimulus is trying to express and hence this is wrong some choices will reinforce or repeat the premise instead of the conclusion. BUT you need answer choices that restate

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the conclusion in a different way, and support the conclusion, not the premise some choices might represent true information, but not a direct inference from the stimulus, and hence its wrong!

Consider the evidence, draw a conclusion. An inference is an extension of an argument, not a necessary part of it. An inference / conclusion can also be a rephrase of the premise. A valid inference is a conclusion, but not necessarily the conclusion, of a set of statements. Inference questions are usually very basic, about one or more premises. PICK THE OBVIOUS ANSWER (even if it seems too obvious). For inference questions, determine which answer choice must absolutely, positively be true based on what youve read. Pick the obvious answer choice. Avoid extreme answers (too strong or too weak) ___________________________________________________________________ Inference vs. Assumption

An inference is a conclusion that can be drawn based on one or more of the statements in the stimulus. An inference must be true based on something that you read. An assumption is a missing but necessary piece of evidence. An assumption is something that must be true in order for the argument to be complete __________________________________________________________________
Fill in the blank 1. INFERENCE QUESTION - CONCLUSIVE WORD + BLANK 2.ASSUMPTION QUESTION - PROPER CONCLUSION + because of ______________ __________________________________________________________________ Numbers, Percentages Watch for the distinction between NUMBERS and PERCENTAGES. Percantage of barbers have reduced since 1990, does not imply that total number of barbers have reduced: ) _________________________________________________________________ Explain / Resolve the Paradox
There is no conclusion. Two contradictory facts are presented as they are. There is no inference.

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words like reconcile, but, however, yet, although, surprisingly, and paradoxically will indicate the presence of this type.

To solve this type of question, look for a logically contradictory discrepancy. Often the correct answer will take a similar format (in terms of answer length or argument structure). Approaches its futile to try and prove the given facts wrong. focus on finding an answer choice that will help us bridge the gap
Try not to disprove the concluding statement or facts presented in the stimulus. Take the stimulus as given.

Address the facts. Reasonable solution not quite meeting the facts would be incorrect. The answer choice MUST conform to the stimulus.

TRAPS

Answer explaining only one side of the paradox and ignoring the other. If the contradiction in the stimulus is about similarities, the answer choice must address this and not the differences. I.e We should choose an answer that resolves the paradox, not strengthen it.

________________________________________________________________ Mimic the Reasoning

Follow same line of reasoning from the passage in the answer. Eliminate the question stem detail to create a shorthand version of the argument structure. Question Stem: If it rains, then I will stay at home today. Shorthand: If A, then B. Answer: If A, then B.

Indicate Flaw Use the information that is present in the passage to answer Indicate the Flaw CR questions. Not about new information like Weaken CR questions.

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Irrelevant Watch for irrelevant or overly strong answer choices in CR. Stay within SCOPE and TONE of passage examples of mild tone 1. one of the methods

Scope Shifts Be wary of scope shifts. Look for tentmakers tricks: Sometimes a passage will begin with one group and draw a conclusion about another group. Similarly, a passage might have weak premises and then draw an overbroad conclusion. Other times the tone of the passage moves so far that the testtaker is left wondering, How did that conclusion come about? ____________________________________________________________________ 7 Principles of CR 1. Understand structure of argument. Identify premise (P), conclusion (C) and any unstated assumptions. Look for structural signpost words which mark P and C. 2. Preview question before reading passage. 3. Paraphrase passages point or main idea using one verb i.e., explain, criticize, compare, contrast. 4. Judge arguments persuasiveness while reading actively. 5. Answer question being asked. 6. Prephrase answer. 7. Keep SCOPE in mind. Moderate rather than strong words / qualifiers usually correct. Paraphrasing and Prephrasing Paraphrasing Actively translate passages into your own words. Pretend you are explaining the information in a passage to a 10-year-old kid. Pre phrasing Think about what form the correct answer will take. As you do more questions, you will begin to guess correctly, as you start to think as the test makers do. Strategy Identify the conclusion and find the answer that addresses the conclusion. Most questions follow this guideline. 4-Step Method

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1. Preview question stem. 2. Read stimulus and paraphrase if tricky. 3. Prephrase answer. 4. Choose an answer which answers question stem