This blog is a part of the “Approach Question Type” series and like all articles in this series will focus on step 4 of the “Analyze Stimulus” step. If you need a refresher on how to approach LR questions generally, make sure to check up on our blog "How to Approach the Logical Reasoning Section.”
Table of Contents:
A Role question type on the LSAT asks you to determine the specific function or role that a particular statement plays within an argument. These questions require you to analyze the argument's structure and identify how the targeted statement contributes to the overall reasoning.
The goal of Role questions is to understand how certain statements fit into an argument’s logical flow. Role questions are purely a Descriptive based question type. This means you are not meant to analyze or infer anything new, nor provide additional information to the stimulus in terms of content. Your goal is simply to describe and characterize what is laid out in the argument in front of you.
Role questions are the cousin of Main Conclusion (MC) questions. Whereas in an MC, you are only meant to find the conclusion, in Role questions, the answer choices may be any component of the author’s argument.
The question stem will tell you exactly what statement to hone in on (as opposed to MC, where you are meant to find the exact sentence).
After you have read the stimulus and then identified the conclusion, if the question stem directs you to that exact sentence, then it is functionally an MC question. If the statement you are asked to characterize the role of is not the conclusion, then here you are going to go through an analysis of the argument components.
Common roles include:
Argument:
Speaker A: The city should not allocate funding towards the city football team because local engagement with the team is very low compared to football teams in other cities.
Speaker B: I admit that community engagement with the football team is currently low. We need to reenergize the program. The construction of a new stadium could create jobs and renew a sense of community in our city. A renewed football team could encourage urban development and generate long term revenue streams for the city. Therefore, the city should allocate funds towards the construction of a new football stadium.
Question:
Which of the following best describes the role of Speaker B's statement that "The construction of a new stadium could create jobs and renew a sense of community in our city"?
A) It provides evidence supporting Speaker B's conclusion by presenting potential benefits of constructing the new stadium.
B) It acknowledges the validity of Speaker A’s concern about low engagement and suggests alternative methods to address it.
C) It serves as a counterexample to Speaker A's claim by showing that low community engagement does not necessarily justify withholding funds.
D) It summarizes the main point of Speaker B’s argument by highlighting the benefits of the new stadium.
Answer:
(A) — Option A is correct because Speaker B uses the statement about job creation and community renewal as evidence to support the recommendation to fund the construction of a new stadium. This evidence is intended to justify the allocation of funds despite the low current engagement.
Wrong Answers:
(B) — Option B is incorrect because Speaker B’s statement does not directly address Speaker A’s concern about engagement or propose alternative methods to address it; instead, it provides evidence for the benefits of funding a new stadium.
(C) — Option C is incorrect because the statement does not serve as a counterexample to Speaker A’s claim but rather supports the argument for building a new stadium.
(D) — Option D is incorrect because the statement does not summarize the main point but provides specific evidence to bolster the recommendation for funding.
