Argument Parts and Indicators

To understand LSAT Logical Reasoning questions, you must understand how an argument functions.

This article discusses the key components of logical arguments, including premises, conclusions, and opinions. You'll learn to identify different types of arguments and recognize common indicators used to signal these elements. Putting in the effort to master these foundational concepts will greatly improve your ability to analyze and evaluate arguments presented in LSAT questions.

Here’s what you need to know about arguments and how to evaluate them.

LSAT Logical Reasoning Argument Basics

An argument consists of one or more premises and a conclusion. A premise is a fact, or piece of evidence, that the author uses to support a conclusion. A conclusion is a claim or statement that the author supports with at least one premise. Without both these parts, all you’ve got is a claim or a set of facts.
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The Passage Isn’t Always an Argument

Some LSAT logical reasoning passages aren’t arguments at all. They may instead consist of a set of facts or principles with no conclusion. If the author isn’t trying to prove or convince you of anything, it’s not an argument.

To determine whether or not a passage is an argument, look for argument indicators. These are words or phrases that signal a claim or reason. Conclusion indicators (which we've covered in more detail later) point to the main idea. Premise indicators like "because" and "since" introduce supporting evidence. Other words like "however" and "although" can also signal an argument.

Looking for argument indicators is a practical way to determine whether or not an argument is being presented, but you should also use your logical judgment when reading the text. Being able to recognize when a Logical Reasoning passage is purely descriptive is essential for you to accurately answer the accompanying questions in your LSAT.

Premises

A premise is a fact, or piece of evidence, that the author uses to support a conclusion.
Premise Indicators

Premise Indicators

An indicator word such as because, since, or for often comes before a premise. In the examples below, the premise is italicized and the indicator emboldened:

1) The world is getting warmer because atmospheric CO₂ is increasing.
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2) Because atmospheric CO₂ is increasing, the world is getting warmer.

In both cases, the conclusion is nearby. Whether the conclusion comes before or after the word “because” is just a matter of style. The order doesn’t change the fact that “because” comes right before the premise.

Conclusions

There are two types of conclusions: main conclusions and intermediate conclusions.

Although you must accept premises as true on the LSAT, conclusions are open to debate. If an argument asserts as a premise that the world is flat, you must assume that’s true for the sake of argument. If it’s asserted as an intermediate conclusion or as the main conclusion, however, you can disagree.

Let's look at main conclusions and intermediate conclusions in more detail:

Main Conclusions

The main conclusion is the point that the author is ultimately trying to prove. If an argument has only one conclusion, then that’s the main conclusion. If it has two or more conclusions, then the main conclusion is the one that is supported by any other conclusions in the argument. The main conclusion doesn’t have to be last; it can appear anywhere in the argument.

For example, consider an argument in a debate about climate change:

"If we continue to burn fossil fuels at the current rate, the planet will warm significantly. Significant warming will lead to severe weather events, which will have devastating impacts on agriculture and human life. Therefore, we must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels to mitigate these catastrophic effects."

In this case, the main conclusion is that "we must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels," supported by the intermediate conclusion that significant warming and severe weather events will have devastating impacts. See more on intermediate conclusions below.

Intermediate Conclusions

An intermediate conclusion is a conclusion that supports the main conclusion. Think of it as a stepping stone on the way to the author’s main conclusion. It’s a conclusion because it’s supported by at least one premise. It also acts as a premise, because it supports the main conclusion. When a statement serves both these functions, the LSAT calls it an “intermediate conclusion.”

Consider the following example:

Obama is smart (premise), so he will make good book recommendations (intermediate conclusion). Therefore, you should follow him on Instagram (main conclusion).

Although you have to accept Obama’s smartness as a fact, you can object to the argument in at least two ways: (1) Who says that being smart is all it takes to make good book recommendations? (2) Who says that you should follow on Instagram everyone who makes good book recommendations?
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Conclusion Indicators

How can you identify a conclusion within an article? The best method is to look for conclusion indicators.

An indicator word such as therefore, thus, or so often comes before a conclusion. In these two examples, the premises are italicized and the conclusions are emboldened:

George is always late, so he’ll probably be fired.

Frogs are dying all around the world. Thus, we must act now.

The words therefore, thus, and so by themselves don’t necessarily introduce the main conclusion. You must look to other clues in the argument to decide whether the conclusion they introduce is the main conclusion or an intermediate conclusion. Ask yourself: Is this the main, overarching point the author is trying to argue, or is the author trying to convince me of this in order to prove something else?

What if There Are No Indicators?

Indicator words are a good starting point for understanding how arguments work. Once you get comfortable, however, you should know how to identify argument parts based solely on the information in the argument. Some difficult Logical Reasoning questions have no indicator words.

Consider the following argument:

Evidently, we should care about climate change; frogs keep dying everywhere.

Can you figure out what the author’s conclusion is? Ask yourself: What is the author trying to convince me of? What is the author trying to sell me?

In this case, the author is trying to convince you that “we should care about climate change.” The reason is that “frogs keep dying everywhere.” Once you understand how the argument functions, you can start spotting gaps in it: How do we know that frogs dying is evidence of climate change? Why should we care about frogs dying? Remember, don’t argue with the premises, but attack the conclusion.

Other Argument Parts

Sometimes the author will introduce information into the passage that is neither a premise nor a conclusion. These “other” parts are often background information that provides context for the argument while not contributing directly to its logic.

For example:

"The world's population is increasing at an alarming rate. This growth puts immense pressure on resources like water and food. Additionally, the global climate is changing, leading to more extreme weather events. It's clear that urgent action is needed to address these challenges."

In this example, the statement about the increasing global population and its impact on resources is essential background information. It sets the stage for the argument but is not a direct premise leading to the conclusion.

The main argument is that "urgent action is needed to address these challenges," and the evidence supporting this conclusion lies in the statement about the pressure on resources and the changing climate.

Opinions and How to Spot Them

The phrases “many scientists argue that,” “most scholars agree that,” and “it is assumed that” (and other formulations of the same idea) all introduce the opinions of other people. In most arguments on the LSAT, when the author cites an opinion of others, it’s a prelude to an argument for why that opinion is wrong in some way.

In this example, the opinion is italicized: 

Dr. Gingrich claims that we should create a colony on the moon. But this is a bad idea because, in this economy, we don’t have the resources to fund it.

The opinion, which belongs to Dr. Gingrich, is that we should create a colony on the moon. The author disagrees with this opinion. Test yourself: Can you spot the premise and the conclusion in the argument above?

Concessions and How to Spot Them

Indicators such as although, even though, and despite almost always introduce concessions.

In this example, the concession is italicized:

Although a few senators like Newt’s plan, his plan won’t be adopted by NASA. It’s already planning to go to Mars, and it doesn’t have the funding to do both.

The author is conceding that some senators like the plan that the author believes will ultimately not be adopted. Test yourself: What is/are the author’s premise(s), and what is the author’s conclusion?
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Expand Your Knowledge of Argument Parts and Indicators with LSAT Demon

Knowing how to identify argument parts and indicators is key to your success on the LSAT Logical Reasoning section. When you understand the building blocks of arguments, you’ll be better equipped to analyze complex reasoning, spot weaknesses, and strengthen your critical thinking skills.

For expert support and guidance during your LSAT preparation, sign up for an LSAT Demon account today. We've compiled a growing selection of comprehensive resources to help you develop your skills and take your LSAT with confidence.

More on Argument Parts & Indicators in Logical Reasoning

What are argument indicators?

Argument indicators are words or phrases that signal the presence of key elements within a logical argument, helping to identify whether a statement is a premise, conclusion, or other argument part. Conclusion indicators include "therefore," "thus," and "so," which often precede the main or intermediate conclusions. Premise indicators, like "because," "since," and "for," introduce evidence or reasons supporting a conclusion. Words like "however," "although," and "despite" indicate concessions, highlighting points that the author acknowledges but ultimately disagrees with.

What are the parts of a logical argument called?

The parts of a logical argument include premises, conclusions (both main and intermediate), and potentially other elements like opinions or background information. Premises are statements of fact or evidence that support a conclusion. A main conclusion is the central point the author is trying to prove, while intermediate conclusions support the main conclusion and are often being supported by premises themselves.

Does every argument use indicator words?

Not every argument uses indicator words, although they’re common and useful for identifying the structure of an argument. Some arguments are constructed without explicit indicators, so you’ll need to infer the relationship between premises and conclusions based on the content and logical flow. In these cases, it’s essential to use critical thinking to determine what the author is trying to convince the reader of and which statements serve as support, even in the absence of clear indicator words.