Critical Reasoning

Medical researcher: As expected, records covering the last four years often major hospitals indicate that babies born prematurely were more likely to have low birth weights and to suffer from health problems than were babies not born prematurely. These records also indicate that mothers who had received adequate prenatal care were less likely to have low birth weight babies than were mothers who had received inadequate prenatal care. Adequate prenatal care, therefore, Significantly decreases the risk of low birth weight babies.

Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the medical researcher's argument'?

(A) The hospital records indicate that many babies that are born with normal birth weights are born to mothers who had inadequate prenatal care.
(B) Mothers giving birth prematurely are routinely classified by hospitals as having received inadequate prenatal care when the record of that care is not available.
(C) The hospital records indicate that low birth weight babies were routinely classified as having been born prematurely.
(D) Some babies not born prematurely whose mothers received adequate prenatal care, have low birth weights.
(E) Women who receive adequate prenatal care are less likely to give birth prematurely than are women who do not receive adequate prenatal care.

OA: Later

beat_gmat_09 wrote:Medical researcher: As expected, records covering the last four years often major hospitals indicate that babies born prematurely were more likely to have low birth weights and to suffer from health problems than were babies not born prematurely. These records also indicate that mothers who had received adequate prenatal care were less likely to have low birth weight babies than were mothers who had received inadequate prenatal care. Adequate prenatal care, therefore, Significantly decreases the risk of low birth weight babies.

Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the medical researcher's argument'?

(A) The hospital records indicate that many babies that are born with normal birth weights are born to mothers who had inadequate prenatal care.
(B) Mothers giving birth prematurely are routinely classified by hospitals as having received inadequate prenatal care when the record of that care is not available.
(C) The hospital records indicate that low birth weight babies were routinely classified as having been born prematurely.
(D) Some babies not born prematurely whose mothers received adequate prenatal care, have low birth weights.
(E) Women who receive adequate prenatal care are less likely to give birth prematurely than are women who do not receive adequate prenatal care.

OA: Later

https://www.beatthegmat.com/adequate-pre ... 32863.html

A. What's the OA?

IMO B.

(B) Mothers giving birth prematurely are routinely classified by hospitals as having received inadequate prenatal care when the record of that care is not available.

So in fact, many cases where Mother might have got proper prenatal care has been recorded as improper prenatal care. Thus undermines the argument "Adequate prenatal care, therefore, Significantly decreases the risk of low birth weight babies. ".

Thanks for your explanation:)

Again I would totally disagree since B only talks of classifying mothers and talks nothing of the baby weight. It is very much likely that the babies delivered prematurely are healthy and normal weight or also may be that they died immediatly because of some serious health issues...we cannot be sure!

Futher the main argument says that babies born prematurely were more likely to have low birth weights and to suffer from health problems and not that they will under weight.

I would rather go with A which clearly weakens the argument.

My money is on B. It shows that there is a problem with the DATA (Records) being used as a basis for the claim. Hence weakens.

I go with D.

As it says mothers who received adequate prenatal care also gave birth to low weight babies. Which strongly opposes the authors conclusion of Adequate prenatal care decreases the risk of low birth weight babies.

Please correct me if i'm wrong

hrkrishna wrote:I go with D.

As it says mothers who received adequate prenatal care also gave birth to low weight babies. Which strongly opposes the authors conclusion of Adequate prenatal care decreases the risk of low birth weight babies.

Please correct me if i'm wrong

hrkrishna,

I think u should consider that Medical researcher (author) is concluding based on records covering the last four years often major hospitals. It seems like this is a cause and effect issue. And showing Cause does not exist but the effect exist is not a good weakening strategy. I would rather show that the cause exists but the effect doesn't for weakening question. Just food for thought.

I'm going to say D too. Please confirm or give insight with OA. THanks

A for me

IMO B

Please OA

beat_gmat_09 wrote:Medical researcher: As expected, records covering the last four years often major hospitals indicate that babies born prematurely were more likely to have low birth weights and to suffer from health problems than were babies not born prematurely. These records also indicate that mothers who had received adequate prenatal care were less likely to have low birth weight babies than were mothers who had received inadequate prenatal care. Adequate prenatal care, therefore, Significantly decreases the risk of low birth weight babies.

Which one of the following, if true, most weakens the medical researcher's argument'?

(A) The hospital records indicate that many babies that are born with normal birth weights are born to mothers who had inadequate prenatal care.
(B) Mothers giving birth prematurely are routinely classified by hospitals as having received inadequate prenatal care when the record of that care is not available.
(C) The hospital records indicate that low birth weight babies were routinely classified as having been born prematurely.
(D) Some babies not born prematurely whose mothers received adequate prenatal care, have low birth weights.
(E) Women who receive adequate prenatal care are less likely to give birth prematurely than are women who do not receive adequate prenatal care.

OA: Later

IMO C

A - we are not concerned with normal birth weight babies.

B - is a good option but the clause "when the record of that care is not available" makes it incorrect because argument is talking about what records indicate. Hence out of scope

C - is reversal of evidence. Evidence - Babies born prematurely are likely to have low birth weights. C is saying that low birthweights are classified as premature. This weakens the argument's evidence and hence the argument

D - We are not talking about "Some babies". Scope issue here

E. lowbirth weight from argument is replaced with premature babies. Misplaced information.

Please help on this one.

Also, what is the OA?

Thanks.

Two Things to Consider Here
1. Author's Conclusion : "Adequate prenatal care, therefore, Significantly decreases the risk of low birth weight babies."
2. Evidence On Which the Author's conclusion depends on :"Records of last 4 years"

(A) Trap---Completely out of scope as Hospital already have showed the low birth wt-premature babies-Inadequate Prenatal Care
(B)"Care is not available"--Not in the context "What if the adequate prenatal care is available and still low birth weight?"
(C)CORRECT-Routine Classification is wrong without examining the truthfulness of whether the baby has born premature or not
(D)Some babies--This can just be exception to the Rule..Doesn't break the conclusion.
(E)INCORRECT