| Let's look at this example:
| Stimulus |
Toads cause warts. I touched a toad last week and now I have a wart, therefore the toad was responsible. |
| Question Stem |
How would you rate the accuracy of the above statement? Support your position with reasons and examples. |
The Stimulus
In the first part of the Analysis of Issue topic, the writer tries to persuade you of their conclusion by referring to evidence. When you read the "arguments" in these questions, be on the lookout for assumptions and poor logical reasoning used to make a conclusion.
The Question Stem
Question stems will ask you to decide how convincing you find the argument. You will be asked to explain why an argument is not convincing, and discuss what might improve the argument. For this task, you'll need to: first, analyze the argument itself and evaluate its use of evidence; second, explain how a different approach or more information would make the argument itself better (or possibly worse).
They say: Explain what,
if anything, would make the argument more valid and convincing or
help you to better evaluate its conclusion.
Translation: Spot
weak links in the argument and offer changes that would strengthen
them.
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Chapter 3 - Section 3a: Dissecting
Arguments
