September 2016 LSAT Section 4 Question 10

Journalist: Some critics argue that as the entertainment value of news reporting increases, the caliber of that repor...

nikkim on May 12, 2020

The news reporting of the great journalists has been of the highest caliber

I have read the other explanations given as to why this was the best answer choice. However, when I diagrammed it, it seems incorrect. It says. When the entertainment value of news reporting increases --> caliber of reporting decreases. Conclusion: great journalists --> most entertaining I blended it together: great journalists --> most entertaining --> caliber of reporting decreases. wouldn't this disprove the "correct" answer choice that: The news reporting the great journalists has been of the highest caliber?

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Victoria on May 12, 2020

Hi @nikkim,

You have diagrammed the first sentence correctly but there are two errors in your reasoning here.

First, we are not looking to prove or disprove any of the answer choices here. We are looking for an answer choice which, if assumed, allows the journalist to properly draw their conclusion.

Second, the journalist's conclusion is that the critics are mistaken in their claims, not that the greatest journalists are the most entertaining. The fact that the greatest journalists are the most entertaining is used by the journalist to conclude that the critics are mistaken in their claim that the caliber of reporting decreases as entertainment increases.

Answer choice (A) is correct because it fills in the gap in the journalist's reasoning as articulated by the earlier responses. Why are the most entertaining journalists the greatest? Because their reporting is of the highest caliber as outlined in answer choice (A)

Hope this is helpful! Please let us know if you have any further questions.

nikkim on May 16, 2020

Thank you for the response!