Researchers examined 100 people

Answer choices

1. A

   Weakens, if Anything0% picked this

   The researchers also examined a group of 100 people who did not have the defective gene; 80 were found to have

   This answer is offering what seems to be Effect w/o Cause, because it's talking about data points that have the supposed effect (herniated disk) but don't have the supposed cause (genetic defect). But we already had 95 examples in the argument of people who have a herniated disk but don't have a defective gene. So getting 80 more with that profile doesn't change anything.

   0%
2. B

   Unclear Impact1% picked this

   When the researchers examined a group of 100 people with the defective gene, they found that 2 of them had

   This certainly doesn't seem like impressive evidence for the author's conclusion. If he thinks that this defective gene increases the odds of a herniated disk, then it's not very compelling to say that 2% of people with the gene have herniated disks. But this answer could potentially still strengthen. We would need to know what percent of the general population ends up with herniated disks. If only 1% of the general population gets a herniated disk, but 2% of the population with this defective gene gets a herniated disk, then that would strengthen the idea that this gene increases the likelihood of getting a herniated disk.

   1%
3. C

   Correct98% picked this

   When the researchers examined the families of the 5 subjects who had the defective gene, they found that 30 family members also had the

   Why this is right

   This adds more data points in which the supposed cause (defective gene) and supposed effect (higher likelihood of herniated disk) go hand in hand. This one is 30 for 30. All 30 of the family members that had the defective gene suffered from herniated disks. That's strong evidence that this defective gene is influencing risk of herniated disks.

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

   98%
4. D

   Weakens0% picked this

   Another team of researchers examined a different group of 100 people who suffered from herniated disks, and they found that none of

   This is giving us Cause w/o Effect weakening data points. These 100 people have the supposed cause (defective gene) but don't have the supposed effect (herniated disk).

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5. E

   Weakens, if Anything0% picked this

   When the researchers examined the family of one of the subjects who did not suffer from herniated disks, they found 30 family members who

   This only provides us with 20 Effect w/o Cause data points, which weaken the argument. These 20 people had the supposed effect (herniated disks) but didn't have the supposed cause (defective gene).

   0%