Necessary AssumptionDiff: Hard
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: The old way of rating professors was messy because people missed class or didn't get the forms, but the new online system will fix this and give us the real story.
Conclusion: The new computer-based evaluation system will provide an accurate picture of student opinions regarding teaching quality.
Reasoning: The current paper-based system is flawed because professors sometimes fail to distribute forms and many students are absent on the final day, whereas the new system allows students to submit evaluations online at any time.
Analysis: The argument assumes that the physical barriers of the old system were the only obstacles to accuracy. It overlooks the possibility that a voluntary online system might introduce a 'self-selection bias,' where only students with extreme opinions bother to log in. For the conclusion to be true, the argument must assume that the students who choose to use the new system will be representative of the student body as a whole. Ask yourself: if the new system only attracted the most disgruntled students, would the results still be 'accurate'?
Conclusion: The new computer-based evaluation system will provide an accurate picture of student opinions regarding teaching quality.
Reasoning: The current paper-based system is flawed because professors sometimes fail to distribute forms and many students are absent on the final day, whereas the new system allows students to submit evaluations online at any time.
Analysis: The argument assumes that the physical barriers of the old system were the only obstacles to accuracy. It overlooks the possibility that a voluntary online system might introduce a 'self-selection bias,' where only students with extreme opinions bother to log in. For the conclusion to be true, the argument must assume that the students who choose to use the new system will be representative of the student body as a whole. Ask yourself: if the new system only attracted the most disgruntled students, would the results still be 'accurate'?
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage17.Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?
Correct Answer
E
E directly addresses self-selection: if dissatisfied students are not more likely than satisfied students to submit, then the new system is less likely to be skewed, supporting the claim that it will accurately reflect the overall distribution of student opinion. Negation test: If dissatisfied students are more likely to submit, the results would overrepresent negative views, undermining the conclusion.
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