Political Science Courses_CR

[Soumita Ghosh]

Taking political science courses in college will increase a student's grade point average; for, as much research has shown, college students who have taken at least one political science class tend, on average, to have much higher grade point averages than do students who have not taken such classes.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the author's argument?

A.Most students who study political science in college also study mathematics.

B.Political science courses in college are often much more demanding than other courses.

C.Students who choose to take political science courses tend to be more ambitious and motivated than students who do not.

D.Political science courses tend to grade on a steeper curve than do other courses.

E.Students who are interested in political science also tend to be interested in current affairs.


OA C

how C weaken the argument?can anyone give me good explanation.

will the explanation be like this for C : not the political science courses but the ambition and motivation help the student to to get good GPA. So it weaken the argument as the argument says college students who have taken at least one political science class tend, on average, to have much higher grade point averages than do students who have not taken such classes. Which mean Political Science courses makes the GPA good.

[Soumita Ghosh]

Can anyone explain why E is incorrect.?? Their interest in current affairs cause the GPA increase so not political Science course. As the student find interest in current affair they also find the courses Political Science course interesting. Therefore their GPA rise. This also weaken the argument.

[David@VeritasPrep]

I can help!

So this is one of these instances where we have a correlation between two things - in this case higher GPA and taking political science courses. So, the argument jumps to the conclusion that one of these things causes the other, however there are 3 possibilities when we have events A and B that are correlated.

1) A causes B

2) B causes A

3) Neither one causes the other.

Let's try a simple example. "People who own a laptop computer tend to make more money than those who do not."

1) It is possible that owning a laptop is actually the cause of earning more money. Perhaps people are able to better post their resume, to search for jobs, etc.

2) It is probably more likely that those who earn more money are the ones who can afford a laptop computer - so here the causation is reversed.

3) Maybe neither one causes the other. Maybe those in the technical or professional fields earn more money and are interested in laptops so that a third factor causes both A and B.

In this case the argument does something very classic to critical reasoning. It jumps from a correlation - higher GPA correlates with taking a political science course and it jumps straight to the conclusion that one of these factors must have caused the other. In this case Taking a political science course CAUSED the increased GPAs.

However, it could be the other way around. Perhaps only those with high GPAs are allowed to take a political science course.

Yet in this case I would suspect that each of these factors are caused by a third thing. For this question choice C points us in that direction - ambition is the cause of taking a political science course and of earning a higher GPA.

The problem with choice E is that we want something that would tend to explain a higher GPA. Answer C mentions "ambition" and "motivation" while choice E only says that they are "interested in current affairs." So E does not explain the success the way that C does.

Does that help?

[Soumita Ghosh]

Hi David

This helps but I still have one confusion.

Current affair is also third party. So students interest in third party i.e current affair cause higher grade not political science course causes higher grade.

[Tommy Wallach]

Hey Soumita,

You're right that current affairs are another possible thing, but logically, an interest in current affairs doesn't inherently explain one's higher GPA. On the other hand, being ambitious and motivated DOES explain a higher GPA.

Does that help?

-t

[David@VeritasPrep]

Soumita -

I am happy to answer your question!

As I said above,

The problem with choice E is that we want something that would tend to explain a higher GPA. Answer C mentions "ambition" and "motivation" while choice E only says that they are "interested in current affairs." So E does not explain the success the way that C does.

Being interested in current affairs does not necessarily mean that one is likely to be a better student, whereas "ambition" and "motivation" do tend to explain a higher GPA.

[rajatvmittal]

Hi David,

Goin by your analogy, does not A fit in?

As MOST students who take Political science courses also take Mathematics.

So, instead of political science, Mathematics causes increase in GPA.

What say?

Rajat

[David@VeritasPrep]

Rajat -

Did you know that in the United States something like 50% of people who fail to earn their bachelor's degree and drop out of college do so, at least in part, because they cannot pass the required math courses?

What I am saying is that taking math courses does not necessarily increase your GPA!!!

It is similar to what I said about choice E -- Does taking courses in mathematics point to an increased GPA? Remember that choice C mentions "ambition" and "motivation" which logically do seem to result usually in higher GPA, right? But taking math classes does not necessarily point to a higher GPA.

Does that make sense???

David

[Tommy Wallach]

Hey Rajat,

Just remember, on the GMAT, you really aren't allowed to make any assumptions. Ambition and motivation, by definition, make people more successful. Math classes/current affairs do NOT make people more successful. In fact, even if you think those classes are harder (and thus somehow emblematic of a person with a higher GPA), often difficult classes will bring someone's GPA down, because the curve is steeper.

Also, notice that A and E are a little too similar. Yes, one of them is about taking classes and the other is about interest, but if we're assuming that having general interest in other subject is somehow helpful for GPA, why would one be better than the other?

Hope that helps!

-t[/i]

[rajatvmittal]

Thanks David and T.

Rajat

[nisagl750]

Did you know that in the United States something like 50% of people who fail to earn their bachelor's degree and drop out of college do so, at least in part, because they cannot pass the required math courses?

Hi David,
I understood the question and why C is the correct answer choice but I have a doubt.
In India, most people do not fail in Math. So, If a student is good at Math, He or she is likely to have a good GPA.
Also, as you told, in US, 50% of people fail in required math courses, then those who are good at Math and perform well in Math courses, aren't these students going to get good GPA?
How can we rule out option A?
My reasoning is that apart from Political science and Math, a student needs to study and score well in other subjects too, to get a good GPA. But this is just an assumption. Isn't it?

Am I missing any point?