Logical Reasoning

PT135 · S1 · Q24 Editorial: One of our local television

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Editorial: One of our local television stations has been criticized for its recent coverage of the personal problems of a local politician's nephew, but the coverage was in fact good journalism.

Conclusion

The recent coverage of the personal problems of a local politician's nephew was good journalism.

Evidence

The information was accurate. The newscast had higher than average viewership on that story, since many people were very curious about the nephew's problems.

Evaluate

Strengthen + Principle questions aren't really about trying to come up with objections or new ideas. They're just about picking an answer that helps to connect the evidence to the conclusion.

If we say, , then we would want an answer to say,

Goal

In this case, our Premise to Conclusion connector would sound something like this:

24.

Which one of the following principles, if valid, would most help to justify the reasoning in the editorial?

  1. Journalism deserves to be criticized

    Bad Conclusion Match Opposite Logic

    This gives a rule that says, "If a story does not provide information that people want, then we should criticize that journalism." We want something resembling the "flipped light switch" version of this: "If a story does provide information that people want, then we should praise that journalism". If we want an answer that says "if X, then Y", you can't pick an answer that says "if not X, then not Y". Those mean two very different things.

    1% picked this

  2. Any journalism that intentionally misrepresents

    Bad Conclusion Match

    Just like (A), this gives us a rule that would allow us to conclude that some journalism deserves to be criticized. if intentionally misrepresents ? that journalism the facts of a case deserves to be criticized We're looking for a rule that would allow us to conclude that some journalism was good.

    1% picked this

  3. Correct

    Any journalism that provides accurate

    Why this is right

    This gives us a rule that is triggered by the evidence and delivers us the verdict in our conclusion. if provides accurate info on a subject about which ? good journalism there is considerable interest Did the coverage of the nephew's problems provide accurate information? Yes. Was it a subject about which there is considerable interest? Yes, many people are curious about this and the coverage had higher than average viewership. Since the rule applies to this situation and instructs us to regard this situation as "good journalism", then this principle has strengthened the author's argument.

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

    91% picked this

  4. Good journalism will always provide

    Reversed Logic

    We need a rule that says, "If evidence, then conclusion". This answer is more like saying, "If conclusion, then evidence". It says, provides people with info if good journalism ? they need or desire This rule is functionally useless to us. We're trying to pick a rule that would help us to conclude that something is good journalism. This is a rule that is saying, "If you already know that it's good journalism, then you can conclude that it will provide people with info they want or need".

    2% picked this

  5. Journalism that neither satisfies the

    Opposite Logic

    This is doing the same "illegal light switch" that (A) was doing. We wanted an answer to say if it provides accurate info ? good journalism that satisfies public's curiosity And this answer is saying if it doesn't provide accurate not good info and doesn't satisfy the ? journalism public's curiosity

    5% picked this

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