Strengthen and Weaken questions Forum

[Fianna13]

I've seen some conflicting answers regarding the use of one group's study to strengthen/weaken another group's study findings. On some of these questions, it seems like it is ok to do this, yet on others it is not. I can't remember the exact question, but the logic is that older children's study finding can strengthen younger children's study finding. So what's the general rule for these? Do we only settle with this kind of answer when nothing else works or is it reasonable to choose this as the first choice?

[05062014]

I remember exactly what question you're talking about because I picked 3 incorrect answer choices before getting to the right one

If I rmember correctly, the conclusion was a conditional statement with the sufficient condition being if there is an effect, (necessary condition) it disappears with age. There were 3 studies and 2 of the studies found no cause effect relationship so it was concluded that the effect would disappear if there was an effect at all. To weaken this particular conclusion, you had to negate the necessary condition, thus weakening it. this was done by showing that the effect did not disappear with age.

i think you're having difficulty because you did not appreciate the conditional nature of the conclusion, like I didnt the first time around. the stimulus is leaving the effect from the younger children's study on the stretch that it must disappear with age. you eliminate the necessary condition and you kill conditional argument/conclusion presented. with other LR questions, be wary of the conditional conclusions. they require a unique approach.

[Br3v]

I've seen some conflicting answers regarding the use of one group's study to strengthen/weaken another group's study findings. On some of these questions, it seems like it is ok to do this, yet on others it is not. I can't remember the exact question, but the logic is that older children's study finding can strengthen younger children's study finding. So what's the general rule for these? Do we only settle with this kind of answer when nothing else works or is it reasonable to choose this as the first choice?

skimming your question my response is 1) only use this answer if it is the best (obvious I know but you know what I mean) and 2) the other study has to be really relevant. Judgement call it sucks. Like one allowed the fact that a magazine survey can be looked down on because other magazine surverys have been known to be looked down on or something. That was relevant enough (and also was a EXCEPT question if I recall correctly which made it easier to find the correct answer). I think the incorrect surveys are blatantly incorrect, and I would imagine are inccorect for toher reasons besides just being another survey. For example the other survey may have used a faulty method to get detail, or just plain not even seem relevant.

sorry for typos I have to leave quick but hope this helps

[Fianna13]

Thanks for the replies guys! one more question, so how do I approach these conditional conclusions? to weaken it, should i pick one that has the sufficient condition liek the conclusion suggested but take away the necessary? and to strengthen it, do I simply find another scenario where there is no necessary, and there is no sufficient?

[Oscar85]

to weaken a conditional statement simply deny the necessary condition. show that even though the sufficient condition occurs, the necessary one does not need to occur.

also, for strengthen, i assume its the opposite.... just show that the necessary condition is necessary.

[PeanutsNJam]

just curious, what's the question #? like pt, section, etc. Would like to look it up