Recipe

Find the conclusion of a short passage

Use when: a passage gives reasons for something and you need to say which claim is being supported

Goal: the conclusion, its premises, and any sentences that play no part

Taught in Indicator words

1. 1

   Write each claim on its own line. Set aside questions, commands, and exclamations. The exception is a command offered as the point: read it as a "you should" claim and keep it.

   Why: premises and conclusions have to be claims, things that are true or false.

2. 2

   Circle each premise indicator (because, since, given that, after all) and each conclusion indicator (so, therefore, thus, which means that).

   Why: each indicator usually labels the claim that comes right after it.

3. 3

   Try swapping it. A premise "since" can become "because"; a "since" that means "from the time that" can't. A conclusion "so" can become "therefore"; a "so" that means "very" can't.

   Why: since, so, for, and as all have other jobs in English.

4. 4

   Test your candidate conclusion. If there are no indicator words, this step is the whole method.

   Example

   "The trail is muddy after last night's storm. You'll want boots." There are no indicator words. The mud is a reason to want boots; wanting boots is no reason for mud. So "You'll want boots" is the conclusion.

   Why: the roles are set by what supports what, not by word choice or position.

5. 5

   Say it as "This, and this, so that." If it reads naturally, the roles are right. Anything that fits nowhere is an aside.

   Why: a correct reading makes the premises read like reasons for the conclusion.