Novex
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bigfernhead
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gmattakers
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johnbelieve
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It's the 10th question on OG11 RC part. Here's the explantion of the OG:
Argument Evaluation
Situation s. An advertisement claims that Novex is the most effective painkiller for sinus pain since three out of four hospitals use it for patients.
Reasoning What paint undermines the advertisement's claim? The argument for Novex's effectiveness as a painkiller is based upon the hospitals' usage. Consider what might be driving the hospitals' choice of medications to administer. Three out of four hospitals might be giving their patients Novex not because it is the most effective painkiller for sinus pain, but because it is inexpensive. If this is the case, the argument is seriously undermined.
A Other kinds of pain are irrelevant to the argument since the claim is only about sinus pain.
B This point does not undermine the advertisement's claim.
C Correct. This statement properly identifies a factor that could well undermine the advertisement's claim: the hospitals may be using this medication because it is the most cost effective for them.
D Novex's nonprescription formula is not relevant to the claim.
E This point strengthens, rather than weakens, the claim. The correct answer is C.
Argument Evaluation
Situation s. An advertisement claims that Novex is the most effective painkiller for sinus pain since three out of four hospitals use it for patients.
Reasoning What paint undermines the advertisement's claim? The argument for Novex's effectiveness as a painkiller is based upon the hospitals' usage. Consider what might be driving the hospitals' choice of medications to administer. Three out of four hospitals might be giving their patients Novex not because it is the most effective painkiller for sinus pain, but because it is inexpensive. If this is the case, the argument is seriously undermined.
A Other kinds of pain are irrelevant to the argument since the claim is only about sinus pain.
B This point does not undermine the advertisement's claim.
C Correct. This statement properly identifies a factor that could well undermine the advertisement's claim: the hospitals may be using this medication because it is the most cost effective for them.
D Novex's nonprescription formula is not relevant to the claim.
E This point strengthens, rather than weakens, the claim. The correct answer is C.
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Stacey Koprince
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This is a weaken question. Correct answers do not have to absolutely, without a doubt, in all circumstances weaken the conclusion. They only have to open up the possibility that the conclusion is not valid. The correct answer on a weaken question will typically accomplish this by introducing a new piece of information that calls into question an assumption made by the author.
Given -->75% of hospitals give patients Novex.
Claim --> Novex is most effective.
Assumption --> author assumes that effectiveness is the metric the hospitals use when deciding what medication to give.
Note --> the argument does not say WHY hospitals give patients Novex. We would all like to believe that they will choose based on the effectiveness of the medication, but that's not necessarily the case. We have no idea why these hospitals gave patients Novex. This is where the author's assumption comes in.
In order to weaken, the correct answer will open up the possibility that the hospitals use some other metric, not effectiveness, when deciding what medication to use.
And that's exactly what choice C does: the hospitals may be basing their decision on money, not effectiveness. That negatively affects the author's assumption that the hospitals must be deciding based upon effectiveness.
B talks about the 25% of the hospitals that don't give their patients Novex (at least to start). So, first, this is a minority (part of the author's argument was based on the behavior of the 75% majority). Second, if these 25% that don't start with Novex will then use Novex when the first medication doesn't work... if anything, that would seem to strengthen the author's assumption that Novex is the most effective. Perhaps that 25% uses some cheaper but inferior drug first and then switches to the more effective but more expensive Novex for those patients for whom the inferior drug fails.
More simply, though, B is out of scope because it's focusing on the 25% minority. The author isn't claiming that everyone uses Novex - only that it's the most effective because a majority uses it. Information about the minority doesn't affect that claim.
Given -->75% of hospitals give patients Novex.
Claim --> Novex is most effective.
Assumption --> author assumes that effectiveness is the metric the hospitals use when deciding what medication to give.
Note --> the argument does not say WHY hospitals give patients Novex. We would all like to believe that they will choose based on the effectiveness of the medication, but that's not necessarily the case. We have no idea why these hospitals gave patients Novex. This is where the author's assumption comes in.
In order to weaken, the correct answer will open up the possibility that the hospitals use some other metric, not effectiveness, when deciding what medication to use.
And that's exactly what choice C does: the hospitals may be basing their decision on money, not effectiveness. That negatively affects the author's assumption that the hospitals must be deciding based upon effectiveness.
B talks about the 25% of the hospitals that don't give their patients Novex (at least to start). So, first, this is a minority (part of the author's argument was based on the behavior of the 75% majority). Second, if these 25% that don't start with Novex will then use Novex when the first medication doesn't work... if anything, that would seem to strengthen the author's assumption that Novex is the most effective. Perhaps that 25% uses some cheaper but inferior drug first and then switches to the more effective but more expensive Novex for those patients for whom the inferior drug fails.
More simply, though, B is out of scope because it's focusing on the 25% minority. The author isn't claiming that everyone uses Novex - only that it's the most effective because a majority uses it. Information about the minority doesn't affect that claim.
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Stacey Koprince
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Learn more about me
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goelmohit2002
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Awesome explanation. Thanks Stacey !!!Stacey Koprince wrote:This is a weaken question. Correct answers do not have to absolutely, without a doubt, in all circumstances weaken the conclusion. They only have to open up the possibility that the conclusion is not valid. The correct answer on a weaken question will typically accomplish this by introducing a new piece of information that calls into question an assumption made by the author.
Given -->75% of hospitals give patients Novex.
Claim --> Novex is most effective.
Assumption --> author assumes that effectiveness is the metric the hospitals use when deciding what medication to give.
Note --> the argument does not say WHY hospitals give patients Novex. We would all like to believe that they will choose based on the effectiveness of the medication, but that's not necessarily the case. We have no idea why these hospitals gave patients Novex. This is where the author's assumption comes in.
In order to weaken, the correct answer will open up the possibility that the hospitals use some other metric, not effectiveness, when deciding what medication to use.
And that's exactly what choice C does: the hospitals may be basing their decision on money, not effectiveness. That negatively affects the author's assumption that the hospitals must be deciding based upon effectiveness.
B talks about the 25% of the hospitals that don't give their patients Novex (at least to start). So, first, this is a minority (part of the author's argument was based on the behavior of the 75% majority). Second, if these 25% that don't start with Novex will then use Novex when the first medication doesn't work... if anything, that would seem to strengthen the author's assumption that Novex is the most effective. Perhaps that 25% uses some cheaper but inferior drug first and then switches to the more effective but more expensive Novex for those patients for whom the inferior drug fails.
More simply, though, B is out of scope because it's focusing on the 25% minority. The author isn't claiming that everyone uses Novex - only that it's the most effective because a majority uses it. Information about the minority doesn't affect that claim.
I think C is incorrect also. I would have to go with B.
Just because a hospital is able to buy it cheaper does not mean it's less effective. If it said something like, "Novex sells to hospitals at a price discount that undercuts the competitor's prices" then I would buy into C. But because there is no element of relativity to other brands, nor any relativity to the concept of pain relief, I would eliminate any causal link between price and effectiveness. It suggests an alternative, but so does B, right?
Given that, I would have to say B because it gives an explicit reason of why 3 out of 4 hospitals would use it - because people aren't tolerant to hospital-grade pain killer and use novex as an ALTERNATIVE (Spiking it's usage in hospitals and contributing to the argument of why it's the best). B specifically says "Hospitals that don't usually use Novex" etc... Stacy - I don't see where your assertion that answer B applies to the 25% minority that don't use it. If a hospital doesn't "usually" use novex, but does in the case of a patient who can't take hospital grade pain killer, isn't that hospital now included in the 3 out of 4 give Novex? Where does it say in the stimulus that 3 out of 4 USUALLY offer Novex? There are no words to make any sort of exclusivity argument that parse those hospitals who "usually" give it and those that don't usually give it. Because of that, I can't see an argument that is premised on the majority / minority of hospitals being valid.
B is the only one that gives an alternative explanation for the usage of Novex. C only gives a Possible explanation for the increase in SUPPLY at hospitals - not its USAGE.
Just because a hospital is able to buy it cheaper does not mean it's less effective. If it said something like, "Novex sells to hospitals at a price discount that undercuts the competitor's prices" then I would buy into C. But because there is no element of relativity to other brands, nor any relativity to the concept of pain relief, I would eliminate any causal link between price and effectiveness. It suggests an alternative, but so does B, right?
Given that, I would have to say B because it gives an explicit reason of why 3 out of 4 hospitals would use it - because people aren't tolerant to hospital-grade pain killer and use novex as an ALTERNATIVE (Spiking it's usage in hospitals and contributing to the argument of why it's the best). B specifically says "Hospitals that don't usually use Novex" etc... Stacy - I don't see where your assertion that answer B applies to the 25% minority that don't use it. If a hospital doesn't "usually" use novex, but does in the case of a patient who can't take hospital grade pain killer, isn't that hospital now included in the 3 out of 4 give Novex? Where does it say in the stimulus that 3 out of 4 USUALLY offer Novex? There are no words to make any sort of exclusivity argument that parse those hospitals who "usually" give it and those that don't usually give it. Because of that, I can't see an argument that is premised on the majority / minority of hospitals being valid.
B is the only one that gives an alternative explanation for the usage of Novex. C only gives a Possible explanation for the increase in SUPPLY at hospitals - not its USAGE.
