Necessary AssumptionDiff: Hard
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Scientists are biased, but because other scientists check their work and point out biases they don't agree with, the final published papers end up being unbiased.
Conclusion: Biased interpretations of data are usually removed from scientific papers before they are published.
Reasoning: Peer reviewers are likely to notice and object to biases in a paper as long as they do not share those same biases themselves.
Analysis: The argument relies on a significant 'Gap' regarding the diversity of thought among scientists. It assumes that for every bias an author has, there will be a reviewer who doesn't share it. If an entire scientific community shares the same underlying bias, the peer-review process won't catch it because the reviewers won't 'object' to it. To find the necessary assumption, look for an answer that ensures the reviewers aren't all biased in the exact same way as the authors. If you negate the right answer (e.g., 'Reviewers always share the same biases as the authors'), the whole argument falls apart.
Conclusion: Biased interpretations of data are usually removed from scientific papers before they are published.
Reasoning: Peer reviewers are likely to notice and object to biases in a paper as long as they do not share those same biases themselves.
Analysis: The argument relies on a significant 'Gap' regarding the diversity of thought among scientists. It assumes that for every bias an author has, there will be a reviewer who doesn't share it. If an entire scientific community shares the same underlying bias, the peer-review process won't catch it because the reviewers won't 'object' to it. To find the necessary assumption, look for an answer that ensures the reviewers aren't all biased in the exact same way as the authors. If you negate the right answer (e.g., 'Reviewers always share the same biases as the authors'), the whole argument falls apart.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage25.Which one of the following is an assumption required by the science writer's argument?
Correct Answer
B
B is necessary because the argument’s review mechanism depends on at least some reviewers not sharing a given bias. Negation test: If, in general, such biases are shared among all scientists, then reviewers would share the author’s bias, would not notice or object, and slanted interpretations would not generally be removed—collapsing the conclusion.
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