PT48, S1, Q13 Psychology professor: Applied statistics

[aileenann]

13. (C)
Question Type: Identify the Flaw
The psychology professor offers two reasons that individual social science departments are better positioned to teach their students applied statistics: department professors will know which aspects of statistics will be most relevant to students of that department and those professors will know best how to instruct students in proper interpretation vis-à-vis a specific discipline. The mathematics professor argues against the other professor’s conclusion by saying that her course uses the same textbook to cover topics that include those covered in the social science departments’ courses. However, the mathematics professor is ignoring one crucial part of the psychology professor’s argument: that the social science departments can tailor their courses to the needs of their students. While broadly stated, (C) essentially articulates this very problem. The mathematics professor does not address the core reasoning of the psychology professor’s argument.

(A) is out of scope ,citing a presumption that is not in the mathematics professor’s response, namely regarding student choice.
(B) is incorrect because it also cites a presumption that is not necessary to the mathematics professor’s response, namely regarding required competence.
(D) is incorrect because there is no personal attack in the mathematic professor’s argument.
(E) reverses the reasoning. The mathematics professor actually argues that the course content is the same, citing use of the same textbook in all the courses.