Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Evaluating Argument Strength Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A city's transportation committee is debating a proposal to replace 20% of its public bus fleet with new, all-electric buses. Which of the following arguments is the STRONGEST in support of this proposal?
- A peer-reviewed study of five other cities that made a similar switch found an average 15% reduction in fleet maintenance costs and a 30% decrease in public complaints about noise pollution. (Correct answer)
- Several influential city residents have publicly stated that electric buses are the future of urban transportation.
- The new electric buses are manufactured in a modern, aesthetically pleasing design that would improve the city's image.
- Switching to electric buses would be a great first step toward the city's long-term, ambitious goal of becoming completely carbon-neutral in 50 years.
Correct answer: A peer-reviewed study of five other cities that made a similar switch found an average 15% reduction in fleet maintenance costs and a 30% decrease in public complaints about noise pollution.
A strong argument must be important and directly related to the question. This answer is the strongest because it provides specific, relevant, and verifiable data from comparable situations (peer-reviewed study), addressing key practical concerns like maintenance costs and noise pollution, which are important factors in managing a public fleet.
Question 2: A large corporation is considering a new policy that would require all employees, including those who work fully remotely, to be fully vaccinated against the seasonal flu. Which of the following is the WEAKEST argument in favor of this policy?
- Our company's health insurance provider offers a small premium discount for companies that achieve a 90% or higher employee vaccination rate.
- Mandating vaccines is a sign of a company that cares deeply about the health and safety of its employees and the broader community. (Correct answer)
- Company data from last year shows that teams with higher rates of sick leave, much of which was flu-related, missed their quarterly targets by an average of 8%.
- Even remote workers may occasionally need to visit an office or attend an in-person company event, posing a risk of transmission to colleagues.
Correct answer: Mandating vaccines is a sign of a company that cares deeply about the health and safety of its employees and the broader community.
This argument is the weakest because it relies on an emotional appeal and makes a subjective claim about what the policy 'is a sign of'. A weak argument often appeals to emotion rather than providing a direct, logical reason that is important to the matter at hand. The other options present practical, business-related reasons (insurance costs, productivity, and transmission risk).
Question 3: In the context of the Watson-Glaser appraisal, which of the following is a defining characteristic of a 'weak' argument?
- It presents a fact that is verifiably true but is only of minor importance to the central question. (Correct answer)
- It logically follows from the premises but leads to an unpopular conclusion.
- It is supported by data from a study that is more than ten years old.
- It directly challenges a commonly held belief about the topic.
Correct answer: It presents a fact that is verifiably true but is only of minor importance to the central question.
According to the principles of argument evaluation in critical thinking tests, an argument is considered weak if it is not directly related to the question, or if it is of minor importance, or if it is related only to trivial aspects of the question, even if it is true.
Question 4: A software company manager argues, 'We must invest in a new project management tool because our main competitor just adopted it.' This argument is weak primarily because it:
- assumes the competitor's needs and resources are identical to their own. (Correct answer)
- fails to provide the exact cost of the new tool.
- does not name a specific project that would benefit from the new tool.
- relies on past events to predict future outcomes.
Correct answer: assumes the competitor's needs and resources are identical to their own.
The argument's central flaw is the assumption that what works for or is necessary for a competitor is automatically necessary for their own company. This is a poor analogy and ignores potential differences in workflow, team size, project types, and budget. A strong argument would focus on the company's own specific needs and how the tool addresses them.
Question 5: A school board is debating a proposal to require high school students to complete 100 hours of community service to graduate. Which of the following is the STRONGEST argument AGAINST this proposal?
- Some students already have part-time jobs and adding a 100-hour requirement would be an unfair burden on their time.
- A survey of local non-profits indicates they lack the capacity and staff to effectively manage a large influx of student volunteers. (Correct answer)
- Community service should be something students choose to do out of generosity, not a mandatory requirement.
- The requirement would create significant administrative work for school staff to track all the students' hours.
Correct answer: A survey of local non-profits indicates they lack the capacity and staff to effectively manage a large influx of student volunteers.
This argument is the strongest because it points to a significant logistical failure in the proposal that could make it impossible to implement effectively. It is an important, practical consideration that is directly related to the feasibility of the plan. The other arguments, while relevant, are either based on opinion (C), affect a smaller subset of people (A), or address a manageable internal problem (D).
Question 6: A marketing director proposes discontinuing all print advertising and reallocating the funds to digital marketing. Which of the following is the WEAKEST argument to support this proposal?
- Print advertising is an old-fashioned method, and our company needs to be seen as more modern and forward-thinking. (Correct answer)
- Our website's analytics show that over 80% of our sales leads in the past year originated from digital channels.
- The cost-per-acquisition for customers through digital ads is 40% lower than the cost-per-acquisition through print ads.
- A recent market research report shows that our target demographic's consumption of print media has declined by 60% over the last five years.
Correct answer: Print advertising is an old-fashioned method, and our company needs to be seen as more modern and forward-thinking.
This is the weakest argument because it is based on a vague appeal to image ('old-fashioned,' 'modern') rather than on concrete data or measurable business outcomes. Strong arguments focus on facts, outcomes, and consequences. The other options provide specific, relevant data on sales leads, cost-effectiveness, and target audience behavior, making them much stronger.
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Evaluating Argument Strength Questions and Answers
A city's transportation committee is debating a proposal to replace 20% of its public bus fleet with new, all-electric buses.
Which of the following arguments is the STRONGEST in support of this proposal?