#23 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose

[shelly]

why choose answer D?

[Eric Ockert]

The "lack the wherewithal" phrase in Line 7 describes judges' inability to conduct "first rate research." It goes on to suggest that they may end up using more or less questionable scientific material. Author A may not use the word "questionable" explicitly, but "outlier" or "discredited" scientific materials would definitely qualify as questionable.

For that reason, the "questionable research results" mentioned in Lines 57-58 would refer to a very similar idea.

Hope that helps!

[Etsevdos]

why is a wrong? thanks.

[Adam Tyson]

I'm going to push this one back on you, Etsevdos, and ask you what you feel makes A right? Importantly, what makes it a better choice than the credited response of D? Your instructions are to pick the best answer, not merely one that might work, so put answers A and D to that test and let us know what you come up with. We'll look forward to your analysis!

[mjb514]

I picked E because I thought "outside-the-record texts" was similar to "outlier or discredited scientific material." Why is this wrong?

[Robert Carroll]

mjb,

Outlier or discredited scientific material is definitely problematic. Outside-the-record texts aren't necessarily problematic - they may be fine, but due to questions about that, passage B thinks it's best to avoid relying on them. Consider the difference. Imagine I'm a judge. I rely on outlier or discredited scientific material. Does it matter whether I do that on the record or not? Of course not! It's bad either way. The problem then is not whether it's on the record but whether I use such materials at all.

Now consider instead using a particularly well-regarded scientific publication. If I use the publication on the record, that's fine, right? If I use it off the record, that's not fine...but surely not because the publication itself is bad. Instead, it's because of the general flaws in using outside-the-record evidence mentioned in the last paragraph. Thus, the situation in answer choice (E) is a problem with the procedure, not the substance of the evidence. But the problem with "outlier or discredited" info is the substance.

Robert Carroll

[mseggio]

From the passage, we can derive the following:
- "Another fear is that judges lack the wherewithal to conduct first-rate research, and may end up using outlier or discredited scientific materials." In other words, the judges lack of "wherewithal" is simply their inability to conduct first-rate research.
- Why? Because the passage states that the judges may end up using outlier or discredited scientific materials. Therefore, using outlier or discredited scientific materials would most closely relate to Answer D.

Why is Answer A incorrect?
- Remember, the question stem asks us to identify which of the following phrases used in Passage B is most closely related to the phrase in question from Passage A. Therefore, if (from the above), the judges "lack of wherewithal" = their "inability" to conduct first-rate research, then Answer A wouldn't make any sense.
- Why? Because answer A elicits a response that states the judges would have an "inability" to conduct first-rate research because they possess some "experience beyond what is reflected." In other words, the judges would have "too much experience" leading to their "inability to conduct first-rate research."
- Simply: How could too much experience relate to such inability?

[Robert Carroll]

mseggio,

That all sounds correct. Good job!

Robert Carroll