Logical ReasoningDifficulty: Easy

PT123 S3 Q14 Explanation

Commentator: In academic scholarship sources

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Logical Reasoning question.

TopicsPrinciple-Conform

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Stimulus

Commentator: In academic scholarship, sources are always cited, and methodology and theoretical assumptions are set out, so as to allow critical study, replication, and expansion of scholarship. In open-source software, the code in which the program is written can be viewed and modified by individual users for their purposes without getting permission and since scholarship is central to the mission of universities, universities should use only open-source software.

What this question is testing

Principle-Conform

Your task

Break the argument into its conclusion and evidence, then do exactly what the question stem asks with that structure.

Common trap

Answers that sound relevant to the topic but don't connect to the argument's actual reasoning.

Winning move

Predict what a right answer must do, then test each choice against the conclusion-evidence gap.

Reading along? Open the full official question in LawHub — we show a fragment here and keep the reasoning in our own words.

The question
14.

The commentator’s reasoning most closely conforms to which one of the

Answer choices

  1. Out of Scope2% picked this

    Whatever software tools are most advanced and can achieve the goals of academic scholarship are the ones that should

    The argument does not address which software tools are most advanced.

  2. Out of Scope2% picked this

    Universities should use the type of software technology that is least expensive, as long as that type of software technology is adequate

    The argument does not address software technology that is less expensive.

  3. Correct83% picked this

    Universities should choose the type of software technology that best matches the values embodied in the activities that are central

    Why this is right

    This provides the assumption underlying the argument that links the type of software universities should use with the type of software that best matches the values embodied in the work central to the mission of universities.

    Skill tested: Principle-Conform · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

  4. Out of Scope10% picked this

    The form of software technology that best matches the values embodied in the activities that are central to the mission of universities is the

    The type of software that is the most efficient for universities to use is not addressed in the argument.

  5. Out of Scope3% picked this

    A university should not pursue any activity that would block the achievement of the goals of academic

    The argument does not address activities that would block the achievement of the goals of academic scholarship.

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