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Sample Response to Real GRE Argument Questions
Topic # 9: In a study of
reading habits of Leeville citizens conducted by the University of
Leeville, most respondents said they preferred literary classics as
reading material. However, a follow-up study conducted by the same
researchers found that the type of book most frequently checked out of
each of the public libraries in Leeville was the mystery novel. Therefore,
it can be concluded that the respondents in the first study had
misrepresented their reading habits.
This argument is based on two separate surveys of the citizens of Leeville,
conducted by the University of Leeville. In the first survey, most
respondents said that their preferred reading material was literary
classics. A follow-up study by the same researchers found that mystery
novels were the most frequently checked out books from each of the public
libraries in Leeville. The arguer concludes that the respondents in the
first study therefore misrepresented their own reading habits. This
argument does not follow the facts and is therefore unconvincing due to
several flaws in logic.
First of all, it is possible that none of the citizens who responded to
the first survey were participants in the second survey. Statistically
speaking, it is entirely possible that the first survey contained a
greater majority of literary classics readers than are present in the
general population of Leeville. The difference in the first study and the
study of the books that were actually checked out from the library may
purely be that the respondents had different interests in literature,
therefore disallowing the arguer's conclusion that the first group
misrepresented its preferred reading material.
Secondly, it is possible that the difference in the survey results could
be attributed to the lack of availability of literary classics in the
Leeville public libraries. Simply put, the library may have thousands of
mystery novels available for checkout but very few literary classics in
their collections. Leeville citizens may actually prefer to read literary
classics - the public libraries simply may not have them for the citizens
to check out and read. Another possibility is that the Leeville public
libraries restrict the checkout of literary classics - perhaps treating
the books as a type of "reference" material that must be read inside the
library and cannot be checked out. Furthermore, it is possible that no
matter how many literary classics the Leeville public libraries have, the
citizens have read them all in the past, perhaps many times over, and they
are therefore not checked out. These possibilities further weaken the
argument that the first respondents misrepresented their reading habits.
Thirdly, literary classics are the type of book that people tend to buy
for personal collections rather than checking them out of a library. It is
a distinct possibility that the citizens of Leeville purchase literary
classics to read and then keep in home libraries rather than checking them
out of the library. Leeville citizens may prefer to read literary classics
and therefore buy them for their own personal collections, thus checking
other types of reading materials out of the library rather than buying
them to own forever. The arguer's conclusion that the first set of
respondents misrepresented their reading habits is critically weakened by
this possibility.
Finally, this argument does not account for the possibility that the
survey samples themselves were flawed. There is no indication given about
how many people were surveyed, the demographics involved, or the specific
locations involved. For example, richer people would tend not to visit
public libraries but they are possibly more predisposed to reading
literary classics. Similarly, people who visit public libraries may be
more predisposed to reading mystery novels than literary classics. Without
knowing the relationship between those first surveyed and those who visit
the public libraries, it is not possible to draw a proper conclusion about
the accuracy of the first group's statements.
In summary, the arguer fails to convince by jumping to a conclusion that
fails to hold up to analysis. To strengthen the argument, the arguer needs
to find further research that eliminates these other possibilities that
preclude the judgment that the first group of respondents misrepresented
their reading habits.
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