Logical Reasoning

PT111 · S1 · Q15 Statistician: A financial magazine claimed

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Statistician: A financial magazine claimed that its survey of its subscribers showed that North Americans are more concerned about their personal finances than about politics.

Conclusion (thus)

There is reason to be skeptical about the conclusion drawn in the magazine's survey.

Evidence

The survey question was biased:

The readers of the magazine are a self-selecting sample.

Evaluate

The statistician is making a case that the results of the magazine's survey are not reliable because the survey question is biased, and the sample is self-selecting, making it unrepresentative. The argument is about questioning the validity and accuracy of the magazine’s conclusion that North Americans care more about finances than politics.

Goal

Let's get rid of four answers that strengthen the argument. We might see evidence that supports the idea that the survey results are not credible due to these issues. This could include evidence about the bias or unreliability of such surveys or additional data suggesting the survey's conclusion is incorrect.

15.

Each of the following, if true, would strengthen the statistician's argument EXCEPT:

  1. The credibility of the magazine

    Strengthens

    The credibility of the magazine being questionable helps us to argue that we should be skeptical of this most recent survey they're publishing.

    2% picked this

  2. The conclusions drawn in most

    Strengthens

    If most magazine surveys' conclusions have been disproved, this casts doubt on the reliability of this survey's conclusion too, thereby strengthening skepticism.

    5% picked this

  3. Other surveys suggest that North

    Strengthens

    This answer contradicts the magazine’s claim by suggesting counter-evidence from other surveys, thereby supporting skepticism about the magazine's conclusion.

    18% picked this

  4. There is reason to be

    Strengthens

    This choice directly supports the missing link between the evidence and the conclusion, because it highlights the general unreliability of biased and unrepresentative surveys, like the magazine's survey.

    3% picked this

  5. Correct

    Other surveys suggest that North

    Why this is right

    This survey was just asking a head to head question, "are you more concerned with A or B?" That doesn't assume that A and B are the only two things the respondent is concerned with. This answer tells us, "people are also concerned about C!" Okay, so what? That doesn't have anything to do with judging whether the survey results of a poll about "A vs. B" should be trusted or not. Since this has no impact, it's the correct answer.

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

    73% picked this

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