Logical reasoning PrepTest 131 · Section 3 · Question 2

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Weaken

Stimulus Summary:
A psych department received a donation from a textbook company and decided to use a book from that company. But the department's textbook committee gave that book its highest rating, so the book was chosen for legit reasons and not because of the donation.

Answer Anticipation:
There's reason to believe that a psych department chose a book for non-academic reasons—it was done after the textbook company made a large donation to the department. However, the psych department opposes that conclusion—they claim it was done for purely academic reasons. The support they offer for that? The book was given the highest rating by the textbook committee.

Well, there's no criteria given for how that committee made their decision! Was it based on purely academic considerations, or were they influenced by the donation? If it's the former, the argument is stronger; if the latter, weaker. Let's find an answer that suggests the textbook committee was influenced by the donation (or, really, any non-academic factor).

Answer Explanation:
If the textbook committee was influenced favorably by the donation, then they gave the book their highest rating not for academic reasons, undermining the department's argument.

Key Takeaway:
Motives are important on the LSAT. The conclusion here is about the motives behind an action, so motives have to be established instead of assumed. Since the premise here doesn't address what drove the textbook committee's decision, the correct answer was likely to address it.

Incorrect. First, this answer choice doesn't establish the criteria that the committee uses to judge the books, and without that, we can't tell what impact this answer has on the argument. Second, ignoring that, the policy being long-standing and being around before the donation was made, if anything, provides evidence that proper protocol was followed.

Incorrect. Without knowing why that textbook was used, it's hard to see how this affects the argument. If anything, it might suggest that the department had a high regard for the company before the donation was made.

Incorrect. How the committee made their decision would impact the argument; who's on the committee (outside of it being members of the textbook company) doesn't.

Incorrect. This answer may call into question the motives behind the textbook company's action, but the relevant motive is that behind the psych department and textbook committee's actions.