A university study reported that

Answer choices

1. A

   Doesn't Fail To Distinguish10% picked this

   distinguish between a study produced for the purposes of the operation of government and a study produced as

   The author isn't blurring the lines between these two studies or failing to distinguish between them. She is clear that they are distinct, given that she's arguing they had different methods and thus different results.

   10%
2. B

   Out Of Scope: Purpose12% picked this

   distinguish between a method of investigation and the purpose of

   The author talks about different methods of investigation, but we never talk about the purpose of either investigation (we'd implicitly assume that the average length of a workweek has changed). The distinction between method and purpose doesn't have anything to do with our objection. This author thinks that two studies with the same purpose (has the length of the average workweek changed?) used different methods and measured different results. And we're saying, "Yo, that could be the reason the results are different, but you're being way too hasty to say there's no need to look further."

   12%
3. C

   Unclear Objection6% picked this

   recognize that only one of the studies has been

   When we're doing Flaw and see answers start with Fails to Consider / Overlooks the Possibility, we want to ask ourselves whether the idea that follows would be an objection. Could we say, "Hey, author --- the reason the results were different isn't because they used different methods of investigation; it's because only one of them was properly conducted"? Hmm, it's not great. First of all, it's not clear that this would actually be an Alternate Explanation. If one study used scientifically suspect methods and the other study used good methods, then the author's explanation (the different methods caused the different results) and this answer choice's explanation (the fact that only one of them was properly conducted caused the different results) could both be in agreement. Also, when we object that the author has failed to consider an Alternate Explanation, we're only allowed to object that this alternate explanation may be the cause. We can't say the alternate explanation is the cause. for example, this answer is always wrong (A) mistakes cause for effect this answer could be correct (A) author fails to consider the purported cause may be the effect

   6%
4. D

   Correct69% picked this

   recognize that two different methods of investigation can yield

   Why this is right

   Does it hurt the author to say, 'Yo -- different methods can achieve identical results"? Yes! The author is arguing, "These two studies have different results. Why? Well, it turns out they have different methods. Thus, there's no need to look for any other explanation." The author is acting there like different methods guarantees different results And so this answer is punching back at that assumption and saying, "No they don't".

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

   69%
5. E

   Irrelevant Objection3% picked this

   recognize that varying economic conditions result in the average workweek changing

   This doesn't pose an Alternate Explanation for why the two studies have opposite results., nor does it hurt the plausibility that "different methods of investigation caused the results to be different". So it has no power to weaken this argument.

   3%