AWA Argument Deconstruction 5

Question 1

An argument says: 'Our competitor's profits fell after they switched suppliers, so we should not switch suppliers.' This reasoning primarily assumes:

Accepted Answer

The competitor and our company are similar enough that the same outcome would occur

Answer

The argument assumes the two companies are comparable, but differences could invalidate the analogy.

Question 2

When an AWA argument moves from a specific case to a broad generalization without sufficient evidence, it commits:

Accepted Answer

Hasty generalization

Answer

Hasty generalization draws a broad conclusion from too few or unrepresentative examples.

Question 3

Which of the following would most effectively address the assumption in this argument: 'Employees who work remotely are less productive, as shown by their fewer hours logged in our system'?

Accepted Answer

Hours logged may not accurately measure productivity output

Answer

If logged hours are a poor proxy for productivity, the evidence does not support the conclusion.

Question 4

An argument claims: 'Violent video games must cause aggression because teens who play them report feeling more aggressive.' The main flaw is:

Accepted Answer

Correlation is mistaken for causation; aggressive teens may prefer violent games

Answer

The direction of causality is unclear; pre-existing aggression may lead to game choice rather than the reverse.

Question 5

What does it mean to 'steelman' an argument before deconstructing it in an AWA context?

Accepted Answer

Present the strongest possible version of the argument before critiquing it

Answer

Steelmanning means charitably reconstructing the argument at its strongest before identifying its flaws.

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

AWA Argument Deconstruction 5