Q22

[stephen.dewart]

I labored over choosing (A) and (D) for way too much time!

Initially, I leaned more toward (D) since (A) indicated "...clear-cut policies" whereas the first paragraph seems to suggest greater flexibility, not "clear-cut" anything, is what's needed.

What really turned me off from (D), however, is when it said "...regarding faculty as the owners of their intellectual products." I'm pretty sure the policy (D) is describing is the "faculty-oriented" one specified in paragraph 4, but I felt that remark in the answer was too limited -- since the paragraph clearly indicates that faculty ownership isn't in every case (the rule doesn't apply to development of public-health inventions or previously specified "substantial university involvement").

Can someone help?!

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

Here's the short cut you should take next time you're in this situation. Answer choice (A) draws from information in paragraph 1 only. Answer choice (D) draws from information in paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 only.

Since answer choice (D) draws from a larger proportion of the passage, answer choice (D) will be correct.

However, a more informed explanation should included the fact that answer choice (A) also misrepresents the claim in the first paragraph. It's not the institutions need more clear-cut policies, but rather that the faculty need more compensation or they will be tempted to follow the money. It's a bit different, and makes answer choice (A) wrong.

Does that clear this one up?

[stephen.dewart]

It does -- very helpful -- thanks much!!

[georgepstern]

Your explanation that D covers paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 is exactly why I did not pick it. I thought it was strange that the correct answer would completely ignore paragraph 1. I chose C because the first part seemed to align with the thesis statement in paragraph 1: "There is therefore a need to consider the different intellectual property policies that govern the commercial exploitation of faculty inventions in order to determine which would provide the appropriate level of flexibility"; and the second part draws a conclusion that comes from having considered paragraphs 2, 3 and 4. So why not C? And additionally, why can a correct main idea answer omit the longest paragraph in the text? Thanks!

[charles.dj.kim]

I had the same problem. Can someone explain this? I was thinking that paragraph 2, 3, and 4 were merely explaining a main idea in paragraph 1. So can we assume that whenever we do a main idea question, choose the answer that covers the most of the passage?

[LSAT on Brain]

I too picked C and got it wrong. I had a problem with C because it talks about "institutions . . . adopting the common law presumption that faculty alone own their inventions"

Even FOI retain ownership in some case which I assume is inconstant with common law.

I was bother that D does not cover P1 so that is why I chose C.

However, the gist of C is different than D

C is coming from the perspective of a school wanting to retain faculty
D is coming from the a more neutral perspective of presenting differant policies.

I am not sure why the athour is assumed to be neutral, it strikes me they have a position. But I think this is a clue.

[deedubbew]

Why are B and E wrong?

[lsat2016]

Any explanations for why C is a wrong answer choice?

[maryadkins]

(C) has two major problems:

1. "To prevent the loss of faculty to commercial firms..." is not necessarily the author's sole concern. It's one concern mentioned. But is it his main point? Unknown.

2. The "common law presumption" is not what the author advocates for. Read carefully. It's mentioned, but the "fourth classification" (the policy mentioned in (D)) is actually what the author is arguing for. This may overlap with the common law presumption but it is not presented as the same thing. In fact, if it were the same thing, the last paragraph would probably say so since the common law presumption was already brought up!

As for (B) and (E):

(B) is not the point. The MAIN POINT means: What is the author trying to say? The author likes the fourth way, not all four ways. And the author's point in writing this is not that the fourfold classification system is sufficient even if it happens to be.

(E) doesn't even mention that there is a fourth way that the author endorses in lines 59-60.