Weaken Concept 30% questions
a) cast doubt on the validity of the conclusion. Remember that this answer choice needednt break the conclusion.
b) Shatter the conclusion. This happens if an answer choice negates a cpnclusion.
These questions tests 2 things: How well you understand the argument made by the author?
How well you incorportate new information that refuts this argument..
Step By Step way to approach weakener questions.Identify premise and conclusion
create logical structture
ask what will weaken this
evaluate answer choices
Characteristics of correct and incorrect answer choices
Characteristics of correct answer choicesa) MUST weaken the conclusion
may shatter it by negating the assumption
may cast enough doubt
b) MUST provide new information
correct weakener cannot re state information in the passage.
Weakeners may
attack premise-premise relationship
attack premise conclusion relationship
Characteristics of incorrect answer choices
OFS : New info unrelated that may not have any impact on the conclusion.
Opposite Effect : Strengthens the conclusion
iSWAT : uses similar terminology to provide irrelevant information.
Restating old info.
Weakener Verbage
attack
argue against
call into question
cast doubt
challenge
counter
damage
flaw
What is a weaker
provide new information to make the conclusion less believablea) cast doubt on the validity of the conclusion. Remember that this answer choice needednt break the conclusion.
b) Shatter the conclusion. This happens if an answer choice negates a cpnclusion.
These questions tests 2 things: How well you understand the argument made by the author?
How well you incorportate new information that refuts this argument..
Step By Step way to approach weakener questions.Identify premise and conclusion
create logical structture
ask what will weaken this
evaluate answer choices
Characteristics of correct and incorrect answer choices
Characteristics of correct answer choicesa) MUST weaken the conclusion
may shatter it by negating the assumption
may cast enough doubt
b) MUST provide new information
correct weakener cannot re state information in the passage.
Weakeners may
attack premise-premise relationship
attack premise conclusion relationship
Characteristics of incorrect answer choices
OFS : New info unrelated that may not have any impact on the conclusion.
Opposite Effect : Strengthens the conclusion
iSWAT : uses similar terminology to provide irrelevant information.
Restating old info.
Weakener Verbage
attack
argue against
call into question
cast doubt
challenge
counter
damage
flaw
What is a weakener?
ReplyDeleteWeakener provides new information to make an argument less believable.
-----> By casting doubt on the conclusion/Premise
-----> By Shattering an assumption
What is Tested?
-----> Ability to understand how argument is constructed.
-----> Ability to incorporate new info to make the argument less believable.
Role
-----> Casts doubts on the validity of conclusion
-----> Shatters Assumption
Characterisics of CORRECT weakener AN
-----> Doesnt support conclusion
------------> Casting doubt
------------> Shattering Assumption
-----> New Info
Correct Weakener may attack
-----> Premise - Premise relation
-----> Premise - Conclusion relation
Characterisics of INCORRECT weakener AN
-----> OFS
-----> iSWAT
-----> Opposite (By Supporting Conclusion )
-----> Restating Old Info
Steps
-----> Read/Understand argument
-----> Form Logical Structure
-----> Pre think
----------> Prething A for each P-P/P-R link
----------> Come up with W for each assumption
-----> Evaluate Answer Choices
----------> Now consider Opposite of C and see which AC supports it.
Misc
-----> Dont bring info from other AC