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Kaptest- Experts have a shot at this please

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Kaptest- Experts have a shot at this please

by bryan88 » Fri Mar 09, 2012 10:13 am
When a polygraph test is judged inconclusive, this is not a negative reflection on the individual being examined. Rather, such an outcome means that the test has failed to show whether the examinee was truthful or untruthful. This is a primary reason why polygraph tests are not admissible as evidence in a court of law.

Which of the following conclusions can most properly be drawn from the information above?

A) Most examinees with inconclusive results are in fact untruthful.
B)Polygraph tests should not be used by law enforcement officials to evaluate possible suspects.
C An inconclusive polygraph test result is sometimes unfairly held against the examinee.
D) A polygraph test indicating that an examinee is untruthful can sometimes be mistaken.
E) Some law enforcement agencies have banned the use of polygraph tests.

I dont get how D is wrong?
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by Thiagaraj » Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:29 pm
So what is the official answer?
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by killer1387 » Fri Mar 09, 2012 8:19 pm
bryan88 wrote:When a polygraph test is judged inconclusive, this is not a negative reflection on the individual being examined. Rather, such an outcome means that the test has failed to show whether the examinee was truthful or untruthful. This is a primary reason why polygraph tests are not admissible as evidence in a court of law.

Which of the following conclusions can most properly be drawn from the information above?

B)Polygraph tests should not be used by law enforcement officials to evaluate possible suspects.

D) A polygraph test indicating that an examinee is untruthful can sometimes be mistaken.
--> NO INFO FOR UNDERLINED PART.

IMO B
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by [email protected] » Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:05 pm
When a polygraph test is judged inconclusive, this is not a negative reflection on the individual being examined. Rather, such an outcome means that the test has failed to show whether the examinee was truthful or untruthful. This is a primary reason why polygraph tests are not admissible as evidence in a court of law.

Which of the following conclusions can most properly be drawn from the information above?

A) Most examinees with inconclusive results are in fact untruthful.
B)Polygraph tests should not be used by law enforcement officials to evaluate possible suspects.
C An inconclusive polygraph test result is sometimes unfairly held against the examinee.
D) A polygraph test indicating that an examinee is untruthful can sometimes be mistaken.
E) Some law enforcement agencies have banned the use of polygraph tests.


This is an inference question so be very specific in what is given in the stimulus. Dont assume even 1% of the things. Stick to the stimulus...

I have the explanation why B is the answer... Please reply if you feel that the answer is wrong...


Option A: The stimulus in the very 1st sentence says that an inconclusive test result is not held against the examinee... So the question of the examinee's result acted against him is going against the premise...

Option C: Close but still the same thing... the stimulus very clearly says that the inconclusive test result is not held against the examinee so even if you use the word 'sometimes' it makes no sense... Hence option C is also wrong..

Option D: The stimulus very clearly says that an inconclusive test means when the test is not able to show or reciprocate that the examinee is truthful or untruthful. That means that the result is simply not possible as outcome was the confusing one. And that is why it is unreliable in court. So the question of it being untruthful and then mistaken simply does not arise. You simply cannot assume anything in an inference question...

Option E: Simply out of scope... Nothing is mentioned about the law enforcement agencies... So you cannot say anything about them...

Option B: The last sentence says that because of the inconclusive element in the stimulus, this polygraphic test result is not taken as evidence in the court of law. This also very straight forwardly given. SO option B seems to be the right answer among the 5 options given to us.


I choose B as the answer choice... Please give the reply if you find that the answer choice is wrong...
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by [email protected] » Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:18 pm
Just be a bit careful in this sum. This question is a bit different from the OG question. In the OG problem, the last sentence is completely different and that is why the answer was D in that question.

Here the last sentence is different. See once if possible and you will understand that why D is not the answer. I am talking about OG 12 sum no:26, pg no: 493...
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by bryan88 » Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:07 am
OA C
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by GMATGuruNY » Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:50 am
bryan88 wrote:When a polygraph test is judged inconclusive, this is not a negative reflection on the individual being examined. Rather, such an outcome means that the test has failed to show whether the examinee was truthful or untruthful. This is a primary reason why polygraph tests are not admissible as evidence in a court of law.

Which of the following conclusions can most properly be drawn from the information above?

A) Most examinees with inconclusive results are in fact untruthful.
B)Polygraph tests should not be used by law enforcement officials to evaluate possible suspects.
C An inconclusive polygraph test result is sometimes unfairly held against the examinee.
D) A polygraph test indicating that an examinee is untruthful can sometimes be mistaken.
E) Some law enforcement agencies have banned the use of polygraph tests.

I dont get how D is wrong?
Use process of elimination.

A) Most examinees with inconclusive results are in fact untruthful.
No. The passage states that inconclusive results DO NOT show whether the examinee was truthful or untruthful. Eliminate A.

B) Polygraph tests should not be used by law enforcement officials to evaluate possible suspects.
Too broad. Beware of answers that CHANGE THE SCOPE. The passage is only about polygraph tests whose results are INCONCLUSIVE, not about ALL polygraphs tests. Eliminate B.

D) A polygraph test indicating that an examinee is untruthful can sometimes be mistaken.
No. The passage is only about tests whose results are INCONCLUSIVE; no information is offered about a test indicating that an examinee is UNTRUTHFUL. Eliminate D.

E) Some law enforcement agencies have banned the use of polygraph tests.
Not stated. Eliminate E.

The only viable answer is C.

Answer choice C: An inconclusive polygraph test result is sometimes unfairly held against the examinee.
From the passage: this is not a negative reflection on the individual being examined.
The implication of this statement is that people sometimes view an inconclusive result as a negative reflection on the examinee.
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by killer1387 » Sat Mar 10, 2012 6:32 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:When a polygraph test is judged inconclusive, this is not a negative reflection on the individual being examined. Rather, such an outcome means that the test has failed to show whether the examinee was truthful or untruthful. This is a primary reason why polygraph tests are not admissible as evidence in a court of law.

B) Polygraph tests should not be used by law enforcement officials to evaluate possible suspects.
Too broad. Beware of answers that CHANGE THE SCOPE. The passage is only about polygraph tests whose results are INCONCLUSIVE, not about ALL polygraphs tests. Eliminate B.
Hi,

please elaborate on B.

What you mean by change in scope here and the part in bold.

IMO "polygraph test going inconclusive is just an instance that argument uses for supporting the claim that polygraph tests are not admissible in court of law" How this changes the scope?

Can we say option B would have been better option if it would state
"inconclusive polygraph should not be used by law enforcement officials to evaluate possible suspects" ?

thnx
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by chris@magoosh » Mon Mar 12, 2012 2:02 pm
Just thought I'd chime in to help dispel any lingering confusion :).


The paragraph dissected: Inconclusive polygraphs, though neutral, create a negative impression. Therefore, an inconclusive test should not be used as evidence in court.

What can we conclude? That a judge/jury will sometimes misconstrue inconclusive test results as a sign of guilt on the part of the examinee. Therefore (C) is the answer, C) An inconclusive polygraph test result is sometimes unfairly held against the examinee.

@amit.trivedi: Notice the word 'sometimes.' It is not 100% the case that all inconclusive tests are held against all examinees by all juries/judges. Indeed the use of 'sometimes' makes the conclusion easier to draw. Without 'sometimes' the conclusion would be too extreme.

As for why (B) doesn't work. The focus of the paragraph is polygraph test that yield inconclusive results. With (B) we are taking into account ALL polygraph tests. Also, we are not discussing the evaluation of suspects but the use of inconclusive results in court.

Therefore, inconclusive polygraph should not be used by law enforcement officials to evaluate possible suspects would also be wrong. In fact, it is illogical: how do you use an inconclusive result to evaluate a suspect. One would use a test to evaluate a subject.

Hope that helps :).
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by [email protected] » Tue Mar 20, 2012 4:51 am
When a polygraph test is judged inconclusive, this is not a negative reflection on the individual being examined. Rather, such an outcome means that the test has failed to show whether the examinee was truthful or untruthful. This is a primary reason why polygraph tests are not admissible as evidence in a court of law.

Which of the following conclusions can most properly be drawn from the information above?

A) Most examinees with inconclusive results are in fact untruthful.
B)Polygraph tests should not be used by law enforcement officials to evaluate possible suspects.
C An inconclusive polygraph test result is sometimes unfairly held against the examinee.
D) A polygraph test indicating that an examinee is untruthful can sometimes be mistaken.
E) Some law enforcement agencies have banned the use of polygraph tests.


Yes got it... Thanks Chris@Magoosh. Your explanation was absolutely precise to understand.

Also option B is just the reflection or copy of the conclusion being presented in the stimulus.

We need to infer something which is precise and very specific.

Ok I had one more question. Let us replace option B as:

An inconclusive polygraphic test is sometimes held in favor of the examinee.

If this was option B, would this also be correct.

According to me yes, that makes the argument air tight.

Please reply...
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by haochilandong » Tue Mar 20, 2012 9:21 am
1.We have been already told that When a polygraph test is judged inconclusive.So there is no use of the test. It can't reflect anything true.
2.If (D) is the choice, it is opposite to the 1.
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