AWA Critical Thinking & Argument Analysis 2

Question 1

An argument concludes that a new city ordinance reduced crime because crime rates dropped 15% in the year after it passed. What assumption does this argument rely on?

Accepted Answer

The ordinance was the only significant change during that year

Answer

The argument assumes no other factor (e.g., economic changes, policing strategies) caused the crime drop, committing a post hoc reasoning error.

Question 2

Which of the following would most WEAKEN an argument claiming that students who eat breakfast perform better academically?

Accepted Answer

A study showing high-performing students tend to wake up earlier

Answer

If high performers simply wake earlier and thus have time for breakfast, the causal direction is reversed—academic habits cause breakfast, not vice versa.

Question 3

An editorial argues: 'Our city should ban fast food restaurants because obesity rates are high.' What logical flaw does this argument contain?

Accepted Answer

It oversimplifies the cause of obesity by ignoring other contributing factors

Answer

Obesity has multiple causes (genetics, sedentary lifestyle, overall diet), so targeting fast food alone oversimplifies the problem.

Question 4

In AWA argument analysis, what does it mean to identify an argument's 'conclusion'?

Accepted Answer

Pinpointing the main claim the author wants you to accept

Answer

The conclusion is the central claim the argument is designed to support, not merely the final sentence.

Question 5

A manager argues that remote work should be eliminated because productivity dropped last quarter. Which additional piece of evidence would most STRENGTHEN this argument?

Accepted Answer

Data showing productivity dropped only after the remote work policy began and in no other periods

Answer

Showing the drop correlates exclusively with the onset of remote work strengthens the causal link between remote work and reduced productivity.

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

AWA Critical Thinking & Argument Analysis 2