STAT Evaluating Written Arguments 4

Question 1

An op-ed argues: 'If we allow assisted dying for the terminally ill, soon doctors will euthanise anyone who is inconvenient.' This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A slippery slope fallacy

Answer

The argument assumes an inevitable chain of escalating consequences without evidence that each step will follow the previous.

Question 2

A researcher concludes that a new drug is effective because patients reported feeling better after taking it. What is the most important weakness of this evidence?

Accepted Answer

The improvement could be due to the placebo effect rather than the drug

Answer

Without a control group, it is impossible to determine whether improvement resulted from the drug or from the expectation of improvement.

Question 3

Which question is MOST useful for evaluating the credibility of a source cited in an argument?

Accepted Answer

Does the author have relevant expertise and disclose potential conflicts of interest?

Answer

Expertise ensures the author can assess the evidence accurately, while disclosed conflicts of interest reveal potential bias.

Question 4

Passage: 'All politicians are corrupt. Senator White is a politician. Therefore, Senator White is corrupt.' The conclusion is logically valid. However, the argument may still be unsound because:

Accepted Answer

The first premise is a sweeping generalisation that may be false

Answer

An argument is sound only if it is both valid and has true premises; the generalisation 'all politicians are corrupt' is almost certainly false.

Question 5

A newspaper editorial claims: 'Real Americans support this policy, so those who oppose it are un-American.' Which rhetorical technique is being used?

Accepted Answer

In-group/out-group framing (no true Scotsman)

Answer

The argument defines 'real Americans' as those who agree, dismissing dissenters as not belonging to the group — a variant of the No True Scotsman fallacy.

STAT - Special Tertiary Admissions Test Practice Test

STAT - Special Tertiary Admissions Test Practice Test

STAT Evaluating Written Arguments 4