Franklin: The only clue I

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct58% picked this

   It fails to consider the possibility that there was more than

   Why this is right

   This has always irked me as an answer, just because the singular vs. plural (the joker vs. multiple jokers) seems weirdly expressed. But when we see fails to consider / overlooks the possibility, we can ask ourselves "does the idea after that seem like a potential objection to the author's argument?" If we said, "Hey, author — what if there's more than one practical joker?", would that go against his thinking? Yes, it would, because that would allow Miller to still be involved. If she has a co-conspirator, then maybe THEY are the one who wrote the note (Miller knew her handwriting would be too obvious). We can think of this answer as purely saying, "the author failed to consider a different possible interpretation of what's going on. He's sure the joker is someone besides Miller, but it's possible that "the joker" is actually two people, Miller and her accomplice.

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

   58%
2. B

   Wouldn't Ever Be Correct11% picked this

   It fails to indicate the degree to which handwriting samples should look alike in order to be considered

   First of all, there aren't multiple handwriting samples being compared to each other, so this answer is addressing something out of scope. There's one handwriting sample (the joker's note), and there's Franklin's mental image of what he thinks Miller's handwriting looks like this. Secondly, we wouldn't fault an argument's logic for failing to specify a degree, unless the argument was already using numbers and the logic hinged on that degree. Whether we toss out one random degree, "Handwriting samples have to be 88% or better in terms of similarity in order to be considered from same source" vs. any other random degree "Handwriting samples have to be 96% or better to qualify as the same" it doesn't make a difference. We don't know to what degree the note differed from Franklin's mental picture of Miller's handwriting anyway, so an exact degree wouldn't tell us anything. Flaw answer choices never ask for specific measurements or dates or names or definitions.

   11%
3. C

   Contradicted1% picked this

   It provides no explanation for why Miller should be the

   It did provide some explanation for why Miller would be a suspect: "she has always been jealous of me". The author never identifies anyone as the prime suspect, but to the extent that we'd presume it's Miller, the author did provide some explanation why.

   1%
4. D

   Not an Objection1% picked this

   It provides no explanation for why only one piece of evidence

   Yes, it's true the author provided no explanation for why there's only one clue, but that's not the author's job. It's not his fault there's only one piece and so it's not his burden to explain why.

   1%
5. E

   Opposite Logic29% picked this

   It takes for granted that if the handwriting on the note had been Miller’s, then the identity of the joker would have

   The author's argument was like this: If .... Then ... the handwriting The joker isn't didn't match Miller's Miller This answer choice presents that logic in "illegal light switch" mode. If .... Then ... the handwriting had The joker was matched Miller's Miller

   29%