GRE Argument Analysis Essay 2

Question 1

An argument concludes that a new policy caused a rise in sales after being implemented. Which question best challenges this reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Could other factors have caused the sales increase?

Answer

Challenging causation by identifying confounding variables is a core analytical skill for GRE Argument essays.

Question 2

If a GRE argument cites 'experts' without naming or qualifying them, you should:

Accepted Answer

Question the reliability and specificity of the unidentified sources

Answer

Vague appeals to unnamed authorities constitute weak evidence and should be flagged as an unverifiable appeal to authority.

Question 3

An argument states: 'Our city reduced crime after installing more streetlights; therefore, streetlights reduce crime.' This is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Confusing correlation with causation

Answer

The argument commits the post hoc fallacy by treating temporal sequence as proof of causation without ruling out other contributing factors.

Question 4

How many body paragraphs does a well-structured GRE Argument Analysis essay typically have?

Accepted Answer

Two to three

Answer

Most high-scoring responses contain two to three focused body paragraphs, each addressing a distinct logical flaw.

Question 5

What does it mean to 'evaluate the evidence' in a GRE Argument Analysis essay?

Accepted Answer

Assess whether the cited data actually supports the argument's conclusion

Answer

Evaluating evidence means determining whether the data logically leads to the stated conclusion or whether a gap exists between them.

GRE Practice Test