Dean: The mathematics department

Answer choices

1. A

   Unsupported / Too Strong8% picked this

   presumes, without providing justification, that expertise in a subject does not enable one to teach

   Was the author assuming that expertise does not enable you to teach something well? No. He was definitely assuming that expertise might not be necessary in order to teach something well. But he wasn’t ever assuming that expertise has little to no value in terms of teaching ability. He could think that a Social Science teacher (with enough expertise in algebra-level math) would be able to teach this well.

   8%
2. B

   Correct67% picked this

   purports to refute a view by showing that one possible reason for that

   Why this is right

   This basically describes the Famous Flaw called Absence of Evidence, when we say, “Since you didn’t convince me of X, it must be that X is false.” Our author did shoot down an argument and then conclude that the original position must be false. Can we match up “one possible reason” with the argument? Sure, the argument basically says “What, just because it has math in it, it’s got to be taught by a math instructor?” Who knows if this was even the reason why the math department wanted sole responsibility for this class? Maybe they think they should have sole responsibility because the class uses certain equipment that is typically in the Math building.

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

   67%
3. C

   Too Strong: “most students” “as knowledgeable”3% picked this

   presumes, without providing justification, that most students are as knowledgeable about mathematics as they

   The author has not committed herself to the idea that over 50% of students know an equal amount of math and history. That is way too specific.

   3%
4. D

   Too Strong12% picked this

   fails to establish that mathematics professors are not capable of teaching Statistics for the

   Too Strong: “incapable of teaching the class” The author doesn’t need to assume/establish that math professors are incapable of teaching this class. As long as she can establish that non-math professors are capable, she can make the argument that the class doesn’t need to be taught my math professors.

   12%
5. E

   Too Strong10% picked this

   presumes, without providing justification, that any policies that apply to history courses must be justified with

   Too Strong: “any policy” “must be justified” The author made a quick analogy between classes with math in them and classes with history in them. She hasn’t committed herself to assuming anything about EVERY SINGLE policy that applies to history courses.

   10%