STAT Argument and Evidence Analysis 2

Question 1

A study shows that students who eat breakfast score higher on tests. A school principal concludes that serving free breakfast will raise the school's average test scores. Which assumption is the principal making?

Accepted Answer

Students who currently skip breakfast will eat the free breakfast.

Answer

The conclusion only follows if students who skip breakfast choose to eat the free option, which the principal is assuming without evidence.

Question 2

A politician argues: 'We should not ban pesticides because farmers use them to grow food.' This argument is an example of:

Accepted Answer

An irrelevant premise

Answer

The fact that farmers use pesticides does not address whether banning them is good or bad policy, making it an irrelevant premise.

Question 3

Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument that a new highway reduced traffic congestion in a city?

Accepted Answer

Several businesses relocated to areas served by the new highway, increasing vehicle trips.

Answer

Induced demand from business relocation would increase traffic, potentially offsetting or reversing any congestion reduction.

Question 4

A researcher claims that social media use causes depression in teenagers. Which study design would provide the strongest evidence for this causal claim?

Accepted Answer

A randomized controlled trial restricting social media use for one group of teenagers

Answer

A randomized controlled trial allows researchers to isolate social media as the cause by controlling all other variables.

Question 5

An argument concludes that 'since no evidence has been found against X, X must be true.' This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Appeal to ignorance

Answer

An appeal to ignorance treats the absence of evidence against a claim as evidence that the claim is true.

STAT - Special Tertiary Admissions Test Practice Test

STAT - Special Tertiary Admissions Test Practice Test

STAT Argument and Evidence Analysis 2