On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Tomorrow, you’ll barbecue and watch fireworks to commemorate the anniversary of this event. While those of you studying for the LSAT can certainly take a break for the holiday, here are some ways that LSAT test -akers can show patriotism in their LSAT studies.
1) Apply your newfound knowledge of flawed logic to coverage of the presidential campaign.
We’re in an election year, which means nonstop media coverage of the campaign battle between President Obama and Mitt Romney. Trust me, logical fallacies will abound. There will be ad hominem attacks, correlation mistaken for causation, sampling fallacies, temporal fallacies, and oh-so-many absence of evidence claims. You’ll be a more astute observer of the media, and a better-informed voter.
2) Lead your fellow test takers in “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the LSAT begins.
What better way is there for all of you to show your love for your country on test day than to kick the LSAT off with the national anthem? Singing vigorously will also help you get your juices flowing and take the edge off your LSAT test-day nerves. And at the break, repeat the exercise with “God Bless America”. If your part of the country skews more to NASCAR than to Major League Baseball, “God Bless the USA” (aka “I’m Proud to be an American”) is an acceptable substitute.
3) The first time you get everything right on an LSAT section, set off fireworks.
You’ll feel like celebrating. Let the whole world (or at least your neighbors) in on your LSAT success. Make sure the fireworks are red, white and blue. Please follow all applicable fire safety regulations.
4) On the LSAT writing sample, don’t forget about your country.
The oft-neglected LSAT writing sample gives you a fictional situation in the prompt and asks you to choose between two options based on two stated criteria. As you write your essay, don’t forget to address which option is better for your country. If you finish early, draw pictures of the flag in the remaining space.