Argument Deconstruction Flashcards
7 cards from real AWA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Argument Deconstruction flashcards as text
An argument warns: 'If we allow students to use calculators on this test, next they'll want to use computers, and eventually no one will know basic math.' This is an example of:
Answer: Slippery slope
A slippery slope assumes a chain of increasingly extreme consequences without justification.
Which of the following, if true, most weakens: 'Our new training program reduced workplace accidents at Plant X, so it will reduce accidents at all our plants'?
Answer: Plant X had the fewest accidents before the program began
If Plant X already had fewer accidents, its improvement may not transfer to plants with higher baseline risks.
An argument states: 'No studies have proven that this chemical is harmful, therefore it is safe.' The flaw is:
Answer: Appeal to ignorance
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence; this is an appeal to ignorance.
To properly evaluate whether a statistical trend cited in an AWA argument is meaningful, a reader should first ask:
Answer: Whether the sample size and methodology are adequate
Statistical claims require scrutiny of sample size and methodology before accepting the trend as reliable.
An argument claims that because crime fell after a new police chief was hired, the chief deserves credit. Which additional information would most support this conclusion?
Answer: No other significant changes occurred in the city during that period
Ruling out confounding changes strengthens the case that the chief's appointment caused the decline.
When an AWA argument uses the term 'success' without defining it, the best critique is that:
Answer: The argument relies on an ambiguous term that could mean different things
Undefined key terms allow the argument to shift meaning, a form of equivocation.
Which structural element is most important to identify first when deconstructing an AWA argument?
Answer: The conclusion and the evidence offered to support it
Identifying the conclusion and its supporting evidence is the foundation of evaluating any argument.