Asks the test-taker to identify the argumentative method or technique used by the passage's author(s). Unlike Organization of Passage (which describes the sequence/structure) or Primary Purpose (which describes the goal), Method of Reasoning asks about the specific argumentative strategy employed — not what is argued or how the argument is laid out, but the type of reasoning used. This is the RC equivalent of Logical Reasoning's Method of Reasoning question type, though vanishingly rare in RC.
Source: PT72, Q23 (Difficulty 4) > "Both passages seek to advance their arguments by means of which one of the following?"
Answer Choices: - (A) Accusing opponents of shifting their ground - (B) Citing specific historical developments as evidence - (C) Arguing on the basis of an analogy - (D) Employing rhetorical questions - (E) Correcting alleged misunderstandings
Correct Answer: (E) "Correcting alleged misunderstandings"
The question writer abstracts the reasoning method from the passage's specific content. Common methods include: - Correcting misunderstandings: Identifying and refuting common misconceptions - Arguing by analogy: Drawing parallels to make a point - Appealing to authority: Citing expert opinions - Reductio ad absurdum: Showing a position leads to absurd conclusions - Citing counterexamples: Presenting cases that contradict a generalization - Distinguishing cases: Showing two seemingly similar things are relevantly different - Historical precedent: Using past events to support predictions or evaluations - Conceptual analysis: Clarifying the meaning of key terms to resolve disputes
Each answer choice names a different argumentative method. The correct one matches what the passage actually does; wrong ones describe techniques the passage doesn't use.
Each wrong answer describes a legitimate argumentative technique that the passage does NOT employ: - (A) "Accusing opponents of shifting their ground" — The passages don't claim opponents are being inconsistent - (B) "Citing specific historical developments as evidence" — While historical content appears, the primary method isn't historical citation - (C) "Arguing on the basis of an analogy" — No central analogy drives the argument - (D) "Employing rhetorical questions" — No rhetorical questions are used as an argumentative device
The single example is 13 words. The stem asks about method shared by both passages in a comparative pair.
The single example has choices averaging 6.2 words — very short because they name abstract techniques rather than describe specific content.
Key pattern: Answer choices are technique labels, not content descriptions. Each names a method of argumentation at a level of abstraction that could apply to any topic.
With only 1 question across 2,479 in the corpus, Method of Reasoning is the rarest type alongside Point of Disagreement. Several factors explain its rarity:
1. Overlap with Organization: Most "how does the author argue?" questions are classified under Organization of Passage, which asks about structure and sequence rather than abstract technique. The line between "the passage proceeds by presenting a theory then challenging it" (Organization) and "the passage argues by correcting alleged misunderstandings" (Method) is thin.
2. More natural in LR: Method of Reasoning works better with short, standalone arguments (as in Logical Reasoning) than with full passages where multiple methods may coexist.
The sole example is on a comparative passage — the "both passages" framing is essential to the question's design.
| Compared To | How Method of Reasoning Differs | |—|—| | Organization of Passage | Organization describes the sequence/structure ("introduces a theory, then challenges it"). Method describes the technique ("correcting alleged misunderstandings," "arguing by analogy"). | | Primary Purpose | Purpose describes the goal ("to argue that X"). Method describes the means ("by correcting misunderstandings"). | | Main Point | Main Point describes what is argued. Method describes how. |
Classification note: This type is essentially a labeling outlier. Most questions testing this skill are classified under Organization of Passage. With 1 question, it represents a historical labeling choice rather than a consistently distinct category.