Evaluate the Argument Question Type Review

Evaluate the Argument questions ask you to consider the question, statistic, or
piece of information that would best help determine the logical validity of the
argument presented in the stimulus.
Evaluate the Argument questions are a combination of the Second and Third
Families, and as such you should keep the following considerations in mind:
1. In all Second and Third Family questions the information in the stimulus
is suspect, so you should search for the reasoning error present.
2. The answer choices are accepted as given, even if they include
“new” information.
Evaluate the Argument question stems almost always use the word “evaluate”
or a synonym such as “judge” or “assess.”
To determine the correct answer choice on a Evaluate the Argument question,
apply the Variance TestTM by supplying two opposite responses to the question
posed in the answer choice and then analyze how the varying responses affect
the conclusion in the stimulus. If different responses produce different effects on
the conclusion, the answer choice is correct. If different responses do not
produce different effects, the answer choice is incorrect.
The Variance Test should only be applied to Contenders (to determine which
one is correct) or to the answer choice you believe is correct (to confirm your
selection).