Critical Reasoning

Statistician:A financial magazine claimed that its survey of its subscribers showed that North Americans are more concerned about their personal finances that about politics. One question was:"Which do you think about more: politics or the joy of earning money?" This question is clearly biased. Also, the readers of the magazine are self-selecting sample. Thus there is reason to be skeptical about the conclusion drawn in the magazine's survey.

Each of the following, if true, would strengthen the statistician's argument EXCEPT:

A) The credibility of the magazine has been called into question on a number of occasions.
B)The conclusions drawn in most magazine surveys have eventually been disproved.
C)Other surveys suggests that North Americans are just as concerned about politics as they are about finances.
D)There is reason to be skeptical about the results of surveys that are biased and unrepresentative.
E) Other surveys suggest that North Americans are concerned not only with politics and finances, but also with social issues.


Correct Answer (E), But why option (B) is discarded??? Pls help

amar66 wrote:Statistician:A financial magazine claimed that its survey of its subscribers showed that North Americans are more concerned about their personal finances that about politics. One question was:"Which do you think about more: politics or the joy of earning money?" This question is clearly biased. Also, the readers of the magazine are self-selecting sample. Thus there is reason to be skeptical about the conclusion drawn in the magazine's survey.

Each of the following, if true, would strengthen the statistician's argument EXCEPT:

A) The credibility of the magazine has been called into question on a number of occasions.
B)The conclusions drawn in most magazine surveys have eventually been disproved.
C)Other surveys suggests that North Americans are just as concerned about politics as they are about finances.
D)There is reason to be skeptical about the results of surveys that are biased and unrepresentative.
E) Other surveys suggest that North Americans are concerned not only with politics and finances, but also with social issues.


Correct Answer (E), But why option (B) is discarded??? Pls help

B in a way (may not be strong)strengthens the argument. By saying the surveys by magazines are disproved , hence u cannot say people prefer personal finances to politics. So the Statistician conclusion is strengthened.

amar66 wrote:Statistician:A financial magazine claimed that its survey of its subscribers showed that North Americans are more concerned about their personal finances that about politics. One question was:"Which do you think about more: politics or the joy of earning money?" This question is clearly biased. Also, the readers of the magazine are self-selecting sample. Thus there is reason to be skeptical about the conclusion drawn in the magazine's survey.

Each of the following, if true, would strengthen the statistician's argument EXCEPT:

A) The credibility of the magazine has been called into question on a number of occasions.
B)The conclusions drawn in most magazine surveys have eventually been disproved.
C)Other surveys suggests that North Americans are just as concerned about politics as they are about finances.
D)There is reason to be skeptical about the results of surveys that are biased and unrepresentative.
E) Other surveys suggest that North Americans are concerned not only with politics and finances, but also with social issues.


Correct Answer (E), But why option (B) is discarded??? Pls help

according to statement B "most magazines" is the word which is far fetched conclusion , since main argument dosen't talk about any other magazine .
hence can be discarded

B can be comfortably removed as such questioning of other magazines also puts our own magazine's credibility into question( this is a variation of the STRENGTHEN question in which outside info further supports the conclusion)...in "strengthen EXCEPT question" the correct answer choice may either weaken the whole prospect or bear no influence on the question at all....

E----> social issues don't bear any effect on the main scope of the argument at all

According to me (b) says most of surveys in the magazine, which we are talking about, have been discarded. So, Strengthen Statistician claims.

rahul_tgsp wrote:B can be comfortably removed as such questioning of other magazines also puts our own magazine's credibility into question( this is a variation of the STRENGTHEN question in which outside info further supports the conclusion)...in "strengthen EXCEPT question" the correct answer choice may either weaken the whole prospect or bear no influence on the question at all....

E----> social issues don't bear any effect on the main scope of the argument at all

While solving I thought the other way .....B) is weak because conclusions drawn in "most magazine" does not necessarily include this magazine's survey conclusion. So B) is a good choice.
And E, as you say out of scope, so it can be second good choice not first.

Let me know where my reasoning is wrong??

amar66 wrote:

rahul_tgsp wrote:B can be comfortably removed as such questioning of other magazines also puts our own magazine's credibility into question( this is a variation of the STRENGTHEN question in which outside info further supports the conclusion)...in "strengthen EXCEPT question" the correct answer choice may either weaken the whole prospect or bear no influence on the question at all....

E----> social issues don't bear any effect on the main scope of the argument at all

While solving I thought the other way .....B) is weak because conclusions drawn in "most magazine" does not necessarily include this magazine's survey conclusion. So B) is a good choice.
And E, as you say out of scope, so it can be second good choice not first.

Let me know where my reasoning is wrong??

remember this is a strengthen except question so outside info can be brought to the context ....in terms of B though it says that most magazines ...... it gives a possibility that our magazine in question doesn't fall in the category ,however, an equally feasible possibility is that the magazine may...so this doesn't exactly weaken our concept neither does fully support it...so Since E doesn't ve any relationship to the concept , it appears the best ans

rahul_tgsp wrote:

amar66 wrote:

rahul_tgsp wrote:B can be comfortably removed as such questioning of other magazines also puts our own magazine's credibility into question( this is a variation of the STRENGTHEN question in which outside info further supports the conclusion)...in "strengthen EXCEPT question" the correct answer choice may either weaken the whole prospect or bear no influence on the question at all....

E----> social issues don't bear any effect on the main scope of the argument at all

While solving I thought the other way .....B) is weak because conclusions drawn in "most magazine" does not necessarily include this magazine's survey conclusion. So B) is a good choice.
And E, as you say out of scope, so it can be second good choice not first.

Let me know where my reasoning is wrong??

remember this is a strengthen except question so outside info can be brought to the context ....in terms of B though it says that most magazines ...... it gives a possibility that our magazine in question doesn't fall in the category ,however, an equally feasible possibility is that the magazine may...so this doesn't exactly weaken our concept neither does fully support it...so Since E doesn't ve any relationship to the concept , it appears the best ans

You are right. I got it. Thanks Rahul.