Question Types - Powerful

Question 1

Weaken

Answer 1

Question Stem Keywords

• Which of the following, if true
• Weaken
• Most undermines the conclusion
• Most vulnerable
• Count as evidence against
• Calls into question

What are you looking for?
The most powerful thing you can find to destroy the argument’s conclusion

Back Up Plan
Does this make the conclusion less likely to be true?

Question 2

Strengthen

Answer 2

Question Stem Keywords
- which of the following, if true
- strengthen
Most helps to + justify/strengthen/support

What are you looking for?
The most powerful thing you can find to help the argument’s conclusion.

Back Up Plan
Does this make the conclusion more likely to be true?

Question 3

Sufficient Assumption (SA)

Answer 3

Question Stem Keywords

• which of the following if true/assumed
• enable the conclusion to be properly drawn/justify the conclusion
• the conclusion follows logically if

What are you looking for?
The most powerful thing you can find to prove the conclusion 100% valid
Build an ironclad bridge between the premise and the conclusion

Back Up Plan
If this is true, is the argument 100% valid?

Question 4

Counter

Answer 4

Question Stem Keywords

• which one of the following, if true
• counter
• in response to

What you are looking for:
The most powerful thing the first speaker could say to destroy the second speaker’s argument

Back Up Plan
Is this something the first speaker would say and does it hurt the second speaker’s argument?

Question 5

Contradiction

Answer 5

Question Stem Keywords

• if the statements above are true
• cannot be true
• violate the principle
• could be true EXCEPT

What are you looking for?
The thing that contradicts literal words from the stimulus

Back Up Plan
Does this contradict the stimulus?

Question 6

Evaluate

Answer 6

Question Stem Keywords

• the answer to which of the following questions
• which of the following, if true
• evaluate + the argument/the conclusion
• most helpful to know/relevant to evaluating

What are you looking for?
A powerful pop quiz for the argument’s validity

Back Up Plan
Is this crucial for the argument’s validity?

Question 7

Resolution

Answer 7

Question Stem Keywords

• which one of the following, if true
• most helps to + explain/resolve/account for
• discrepancy/paradox/conflict/surprising result

What you are looking for
The most powerful thing you can find to make the paradox make sense

Back Up Plan
Does this make the paradox make sense?