Basic Argumentation (GMAT Focus Edition – Verbal Reasoning Content and Tactics)
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Identifying Argument Tasks
Approximately 85% Argumentation Tasks | 15% Inference Task
Argument Tasks Apply New Information from Choices to Prompt
Note “Argument”, “Conclusion”, or Synonyms to Indicate Argument Task
Numerous Possible Tasks Affecting or Addressing Conclusion
Strategic Implications
Note Clues in Question Stem to Help Identify both Task and Possibly Main Conclusion
Limit to Single Reread of Question Stem and / or Argument Prompt
If Cannot Readily Identify Question Task or Main Conclusion 🡪 Immediately Move to Elimination and Guessing in less than :30
Top Four Argument Tasks
Strengthen
Weaken
Identify Assumption
Identify Flaw
Ancillary Argument Tasks
Explain (Paradox)
Evaluate (Helpful Information)
Identify Boldfaced Roles
Point(s) at Issue
Method of Argument(s)
Identifying Conclusions
First Eliminate Any Clear Statements of Fact as Potential Conclusions
Presented as Objective without Requiring Interpretation
No Specific Outside Knowledge Ever Needed to Evaluate Facts
Only Universal Knowledge and Explicit Statements Can be Applied
At Most Two Statements Should be Possibly Subjective and not Facts
Then Consider Two Remaining Statements A & B
Evaluate Relationship as Providing or Requiring Support
Statement Requiring Support is the Main Conclusion
If Statement A Supports Statement B; Statement B is the Conclusion
If Statement B Supports Statement A; Statement A is the Conclusion
