Answer choices- loophole

comparative relationship established in the stimulus

Comparative answers are only powerful/provable when there's a... so comparative answer are neither powerful nor provable when combined with an absolute stimulus.

more, less, better, worse, -er endings

Comparative keywords

Stepladder

Powerful answer, not provable. Outlines a directly proportional relationship between two things. Super connects two things, perfect response to dangling variables.Desirable in Strengthen and SA questions. Stepladders are almost impossible to prove, implies that smallest inc/dec in first object will yield a corresponding inc/dec in second object, which is impossible to prove.

Strong answers

resides on the powerful side of the complete powerful-provable spectrum. Are powerful but not provable, make big claims.

Grouped Opposite

is about the opposite of the group discussed in the stimulus. Essentially add "not" in front of the subject and stimulus. are powerful in causal reasoning but not much else. NOT provable

Weak answers

Great answer choices for provable questions. These answers are cautious, state possibilities instead of certainties. Safe answers, don't require a lot to be true which makes them perfect provable answer.

Powerful Conditionals

Always activated by premise, never have conclusion in sufficient condition. Bridge conditional gap in stimulus. Connects premises to the conclusion or to other premises.

powerful conditionals

On powerful questions, choose ... whenever you can, no better ally

Provable conditional

Reads the conditional chain from the stimulus or states a necessary assumption. These restate what the stimulus has already given you They do this in two ways: 1) Read your chain: often follow a conditional stimulus, usually containing a chain. Once you have chain diagrammed, the correct answer is any correct reading of your chain or the contrapositive. 2) State a necessary assumption: NA is the only time you'll ever see the conclusion in the sufficient condition of a correct answer. Very provable, Inference and MSS is typically where you'll see these.

Opposite Claim

Red Flag because negates the conclusion of the stimulus and characterizes that negation. Opposite claim can be powerful on Weaken and counter, just doesn't happen often. Opposite claim is powerful when you want to prove opposite of the conclusion. IS NOT PROVABLE, very bad idea, especially on questions like principle conform.

Almost

Red Flag because one or two words will throw answer choice out but very enticing because the rest of the answer choice looks right! Impossible to prove that one word wrong so the whole answer choice becomes impossible to prove. Have to be able to prove the entire answer choice for it to be a provable option.

Dormant Conditionals

Red Flag. Never activated by premises in the stimulus.If the answer choice contains an if/then sufficient statement and brings in a sufficient condition that was never even mentioned in the stimulus, this answer choice is a ... and can be easily eliminated. Conditionals are only powerful/provable when their sufficient condition is activated by facts from the stimulus, which doesn't happen in ...

Comparatives and Absolutes

Red Flag. So Comparatives state a relative relationship between two things, (Like saying X is more than Y). Absolutes attach an adjective to a thing (saying X is great, no mention of Y). The red flag is when there is a mismatch of the comparatives and absolutes between the stimulus and answer choices. Comparatives and absolutes are like oil and water, they do not mix!

Important (primary, primarily, foremost, crucial, critical, imperative, paramount, significant, pressing, vital)

Red flag because arguments are built and destroyed by facts, and this word has nothing to do with facts, its a vague adjective. Don't choose this unless there is good reason to. Is not provable or powerful.

Grouped Extreme

Red flag because centers on the most extreme part of the group discussed in the stimulus. Very tough to prove, and not powerful. Not powerful bc usually best/worst part of a group is necessarily small part of that group and assigning a characteristic to outlier doesn't affect anything else in group, powerful answers affect stimulus, this doesn't

Best Way (most efficient way, most effective, least damaging, least harmful, etc.)

Red flag because is not provable or powerful. Very hard to prove. Always diagrammed as the [superlative] + [value judgement]. Bad because it combines superlatives and value judgements.

Crazy Nonsense

Red flag because never mentioned in stimulus, neither powerful nor provable. DONT MAKE EXCUSES FOR THESE ANSWER CHOICES. Times to make exceptions are when there are: omitted options (new factor), specific example of a category from the stimulus, could be loophole in argument, and have gotten rid of every other answer choice.

all, every (time), none, never, always, only, required

Strong keywords