AWA Evaluating Evidence and Assumptions 2

Question 1

An argument states: 'Our competitor's sales dropped after they raised prices, so we should not raise our prices.' What assumption does this argument make?

Accepted Answer

Price is the only factor that caused the competitor's sales drop

Answer

The argument assumes price alone caused the competitor's decline, ignoring other factors like product quality changes, marketing shifts, or economic conditions.

Question 2

Which type of evidence most effectively undermines a causal claim in an AWA argument?

Accepted Answer

Evidence showing the effect occurred without the proposed cause

Answer

Showing the effect can occur without the proposed cause directly breaks the causal link the argument depends on.

Question 3

A study shows that cities with more libraries have higher literacy rates. An argument concludes that building libraries causes literacy to rise. What is the primary flaw?

Accepted Answer

Correlation is mistaken for causation

Answer

Correlation between libraries and literacy does not establish that libraries caused the literacy increase; a third factor like wealth could explain both.

Question 4

An AWA argument claims: 'Employee satisfaction surveys at Company X showed 80% satisfaction, so Company X is a great place to work.' Which assumption weakens this most?

Accepted Answer

Dissatisfied employees may have left before the survey was given

Answer

If unhappy employees already left, the survey only captures the remaining satisfied workers, creating survivorship bias.

Question 5

What does 'cherry-picking evidence' mean in the context of an AWA argument evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Selecting only evidence that supports the conclusion while ignoring contradictory data

Answer

Cherry-picking means selectively presenting favorable evidence and omitting contradictory data, which distorts the full picture.

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

AWA Evaluating Evidence and Assumptions 2