Despite the best efforts of

Answer choices

1. A

   Assumed4% picked this

   Journalists do not eliminate all of the biases that enter

   If we negated this, it would say, "Journalists eliminate all the biases that enter their reporting". That would badly weaken, so we know this is being assumed. If journalists were eliminating all the biases that entered their reporting, then there's no bias problem to solve. It doesn't matter whether we have a trained editor look over the work or not. We've already got the work as objective as possible (because all bias was removed), so we don't need a trained editor to get it to max objectivity.

   4%
2. B

   Assumed3% picked this

   It is imperative that reporting be as objective

   If we said, "The faucet won't stop leaking. Thus, it's imperative that we hire a plumber", then we'd have assumptions like a plumber can stop a leaky faucet no one besides a plumber can stop a leaky faucet and it would also have this assumption: it is imperative that we fix the leaky faucet After all, if the leaky faucet isn't a problem we need to solve, then it isn't imperative that we hire anyone. Similarly, if we don't care about the existence of bias in reporting, then we don't need to hire a trained editor to remove the bias. Thus, the author must be assuming "we need to remove the bias. Reporting should be as objective as possible."

   3%
3. C

   Assumed4% picked this

   Objectivity in reporting is undermined by the presence of

   This is really functionally the same as (B). It's just saying, "the author is assuming that bias is a problem." If we negate this and say, "Objectivity is not undermined by the presence of journalists' bias", then there's no reason to think that removing bias has anything to do with making reporting as objective as possible. This answer is Linking a concept from the premise, "bias", to a New Concept in the Conclusion, "as objective as possible".

   4%
4. D

   Assumed6% picked this

   Trained editors are able to detect at least some biases

   This answer is saying, "The author assumes that her solution is capable of addressing the problem." The author wouldn't be saying, "We have a bias problem. Thus, it's imperative that we get a trained editor to look at this work" unless they thought that a trained editor would be able to detect and address that bias. If we negate this, it says, "Trained editors are unable to detect any biases of journalists." That would weaken like crazy because it would be saying that the author's solution has no chance of being able to help with the problem.

   6%
5. E

   Correct82% picked this

   Journalists' reporting that is not objective is not taken seriously by

   Why this is right

   This is not assumed because the argument doesn't care at all about whether trained editors take any reporting seriously. It only cares about whether trained editors can do the job we want them to do: find and remove bias. I might say, "My daughter's 4th grade soccer team sucks at corner kicks. Thus, it's imperative that we hire Coach Jackson to work with them." I am assuming that Coach Jackson has the potential to make a meaningful improvement in the soccer team's ability to perform corner kicks. But I'm not assuming that teams who can't do corner kicks aren't taken seriously by Coach Jackson. It really doesn't matter which teams she takes seriously or not, as long as she can coach my daughter's squad when it comes to corner kicks.

   Skill tested: Necessary Assumption · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   82%