Identify the role | Quick guide

This question is asking you to describe the individual role that a statement is playing in a larger argument. More important than what the statement is saying is what what the statement is doing. The role of a statement is like the role of someone in your life. If someone asked, “what role does your accountant play?”, you wouldn’t answer, “He likes the Phillies and has two dogs.” Instead, you’d describe your accountant’s function: “He does my taxes and makes sure my investments are balanced.”

Wrong choices will often describe a role in the argument that some other claim is playing, or one that doesn’t exist at all in the argument. It’s important to understand the structure of the argument and what each piece is accomplishing.

✓ Mark the statement in question before reading the passage: That way you’ll be able to refer to it easily without having to look for it each time you need it.

✓ Identify the main conclusion and support: What is the arguer’s main opinion, and what information is provided to support that argument?

✓ Categorize the statement in question: What is the claim in question doing in the argument? How does it relate to the other statements? Is it a premise, a conclusion, or both (sub-conclusion)?

✓ Match your prediction to a choice: Look for the choice that describes the role you’ve identified.