Strengthen I: Closing the Gap From the Other Side
Strengthen I: Closing the Gap From the Other Side
Necessary and Sufficient Assumption both ask for claims the argument logically requires. Strengthen relaxes the standard: the correct answer just needs to make the argument more convincing, not prove or complete it.
1. The "Would Help" Standard
A Strengthen answer doesn't need to guarantee the conclusion — it needs to increase the likelihood that the conclusion is true, given the premises. This is a fundamentally lower bar than Sufficient Assumption's "guarantees."
2. Attacking the Gap From the Support Side
The same gap-finding skill from Day 14 applies, but instead of asking "what's missing," ask "what evidence, if added, would make this gap less concerning."
3. Strengthen a Causal Argument
Using Day 9's five supports: rule out an alternate cause, rule out reversed causation, or show a controlled comparison.
Practice items on this page are curriculum-authored in LSAT style; they are not official LSAC questions. Real drilling happens on LawHub — see the assignment below.
Q1. Argument: "The new onboarding program was introduced in March, and employee retention rose in the following quarter. So the program improved retention." Which most strengthens this?
LawHub drill-tier LR section, untimed. Scan for Strengthen stems only.
An RC maintenance day tomorrow (Inference), then Strengthen II: causal plans and the Strengthen-EXCEPT variant.