TARA · Critical Thinking
TARA main conclusion questions
Pick the statement the rest of the argument is there to support.
How to spot it
- Which of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the above argument?
Try one
Original example
Many people assume that a four-day working week would reduce output, since staff would spend a fifth less time at work. But trials in several firms found that output stayed the same, because staff took fewer breaks and wasted less time in meetings. Staff also took fewer days off sick. Firms worried about output should therefore at least trial a four-day week before rejecting it.
Which of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the above argument?
The method
- Find words like "so", "therefore", "should".
- Check it: the other sentences should answer "why?".
- Reject a reason, even a strong one, and anything the argument does not say.
The trap
Watch forChoosing an intermediate conclusion that the argument then uses as a reason.
Now a harder one
Harder
Some say that cities should ban cars from their centres to cut air pollution. But most of the pollution in many centres now comes from delivery vans and buses, not private cars, and these would still be needed. A ban would therefore do less for air quality than its supporters claim. Cities would do better to require that delivery vans and buses run on electricity, which would tackle the main source directly.
Which of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the above argument?