LSAT 17, Logical Reasoning I, Q12, LSATHacks

LR Question 12 Explanation, by LSATHacks

QUESTION TEXT: Public health will improve more quickly in the wake of…

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: Public health will improve if researchers inform the press of their findings without waiting for the peer review process.

REASONING: The public can use the information to improve their health once it is released. Yet the peer review process is slow.

ANALYSIS: The key factor here is speed. The main advantage to the proposal is that we’re getting useful scientific information to the public quickly.

It’s necessary that the information actually is good and that the speed advantage is real.

___________

1. This just tells us a little fact about how peer review works. It doesn’t affect whether or not it is a good idea to release results before peer review.
2. The argument would still work even if all reviewers were medical researchers.
3. CORRECT. If people don’t use new information until it has been published in a peer reviewed journal then there won’t be any speed advantage to releasing it early. Nobody will look at it until the peer review process finishes.
4. If true this would weaken the argument. It isn’t necessary.
5. Even if newly published information did receive attention it might still be worthwhile to inform the press early.

Recap: The question begins with “Public health will improve more quickly in the wake of”. It is a Necessary Assumption question. Learn more about LSAT Necessary questions in our guide to LSAT Logical Reasoning question types.

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