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LSAT Syllabus

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106 views

LSAT Syllabus

1

Uploaded by

Alia Lauder
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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==========

SYLLABUS
==========
The Yoho LSAT
Preparation Course
February, 2012

James Yoho, J.D., Ph.D.


6 Redcoat Lane
Mountaintop, PA 18707
[email protected]

© 1996-2012 James Yoho. All rights reserved.

Introduction
The LSAT is a test of general reasoning ability. Luckily, the types of reasoning tasks on
the LSAT are limited in number and so the test is highly predictable. In essence, the questions
with which a test-taker will be greeted on test day simply are modified versions of the same
LSAT questions that are available on practice tests.

Proper preparation, then, has the following components:

* Coming to understand why the right answers are right and the wrong answers are wrong.
* Applying a sensible procedural approach to the test that will maximize one’s score.
And,
* Practicing applying these procedures after the course to real LSAT questions until one’s
practice scores peak.

A good preparation course supplies information about the first two of these. A good test-
taker handles the third.

About the Instructor


Dr. James Yoho has been teaching well-regarded test preparation since 1996 at the
request of such institutions as Penn State, La Salle, Lehigh, Widener Law School, St. Joseph’s,
Centre d’Études Franco-Américain de Management (Lyon, Fr.), Drew, Rutgers, Emory, Marist,
Binghamton, and Temple. He has coached some 10,700 students on standardized tests of general
2

reasoning ability (like the LSAT). He also has more than 13 years of experience teaching at
colleges and universities, including two law schools, and served as a university pre-law adviser
for several years. He holds a law degree from the University of Illinois and a doctorate in
government from the University of Virginia. Well-published in law, political science, and test
preparation, his principal research interests are in the areas of American constitutional law,
interest groups, and the strategic dynamics of standardized tests.

Course Outline
First Quarter

* An introduction to the LSAT and how it fits into the larger picture of law school
admissions
* The three basic component of effective LSAT preparation
* Other factors in doing well on the LSAT
* Upcoming LSAT administration dates
* How to register
* A short history of the LSAT
* A few web sites of interest (all free) to law school wannabes
* Law school application trends
* Some numbers on the “success rate” and matriculation
* Factors in law school admissions
* The basic structure of the LSAT
* The meaning of the scaled score
* The relationship between the raw score, the scaled score, and the percentile
* The number of correct answers that one needs to average on a given type of
section in order to reach a particular percentile
* Grade inflation over the years
* How LSDAS calculates your cumulative undergraduate grade point average
* Suggestions for your personal statement
* A suggested procedure for obtaining letters of recommendation

* How to approach test questions in general


* General strategies for the LSAT
* Some norming data
* The components of an LSAT question
* The four most common mistakes on the LSAT
* Suggestions for managing the text
* Suggestions for managing the question directions
* Suggestions for managing the answer options
* A summary of how to handle pacing
* How to control anxiety
* How to practice and improve
* Where to get practice tests
3

* Start on the Logical Reasoning question type


* The basics of Logical Reasoning
* The categorization of Logical Reasoning questions
* The most useful Logical Reasoning typology (in the questions’ approximate
order of significance)
* The nature and structure of arguments
* Review of sample questions

Second Quarter

* Finish the Logical Reasoning question type


* Timed practice
* When you’re doing the timed practice
* Once we’re done reviewing the timed practice

* Start on the Reading Comprehension question type


* The basics of Reading Comprehension
* Yet another diatribe about pacing
* The categorization of Reading Comprehension passages
* The categorization of Reading Comprehension questions
* The most useful Reading Comprehension typology (in the questions’
approximate order of significance)
* The “most thorough” approach to a Reading Comprehension passage
* Start review of sample section

Third Quarter

* The writing sample


* The keys to a good writing sample
* Concerning writing mechanics

* Finish the Reading Comprehension question type


* Finish review of sample section
* The “medium thorough” approach to a Reading Comprehension passage
* The “really quick” approach to a Reading Comprehension passage

* Start on the Analytical Reasoning question type


* The basics of Analytical Reasoning
* Difficulty patterns
* A final diatribe about pacing
* Suggestions for the Analytical Reasoning question type
* Review of sample questions
4

Fourth Quarter

* Finish the Analytical Reasoning question type:


* Categorizing Analytical Reasoning problems
* The most useful Analytical Reasoning typology, in approximate order of
significance
* Review of entire Analytical Reasoning sample section

* Conclusion: What should happen from now until test day

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