If in my explanation of a question I resort to the Poe technique, then somewhere there is some thing that I don't yet get about that question. Poe is a result of a process of analysis, usually one that leads to a contradiction. It is not the analysis itself.
Furthermore, it is hardly possible to eliminate an answer by labeling it irrelevant. How do we establish the relevance of an answer? If we do not disclose the basis for our judgment, then others cannot possibly evaluate our argument, save by saying it rests upon certain assumptions.
If I consider option A, then I can weigh its relevance by considering whether its meaning-content is damaging to the conclusion. If option A is a weakener, then its meaning-content would have to dispel a key assumption of the argument. Therefore we can reverse the content and ask, If Kravonian double-degree graduates earned significant more or significantly less, or as much as - would the conclusion be more plausible? If so, then option A is likely a weakener.
In this particular case, few perhaps were the people to go for option A. But still, it is technique that counts. My own naive intuition also says to instantly dismiss A, but in a real exam environment, option A would have been pitched right at my then-maximum difficulty tolerance. When facing an adaptive opponent, it becomes necessary to apply solid technical skill, or the analysis will suffer.
As they say in Amsterdam,
SUCCESS!
In Kravonia, the average salary for jobs requiring a college degree has always been higher than the average salary for jobs that do not require a degree. Over the last few years, the number of Kravonians enrolled in college has been growing steadily. Therefore, the number of Kravonians entering the job market who have at least the qualification of a college degree will eventually be significantly higher than it has been over the last few years.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
(A) Kravonians with more than one college degree earn little more, on average, than do Kravonians with only one college degree
(B) The average number of years Kravonian college students remain enrolled before completing a degree has been increasing over the past several years.
(C) Despite the increase in the number of Kravonians attending college, the percentage of the population attending college is lower in Kravonia than in most other countries.
(D) In recent years, employers have been requiring college degrees for workers in jobs that were previously performed successfully by Kravonians who did not have college degrees.
(E) For many years, employers in Kravonia have had difficulty finding enough college graduates to fill the high-paying jobs that were available.
aknine wrote:
By POE, I am left with option 'B'.
Conclusion is that the no. of Kravonians entering the job market with a college degree, would be higher than it was over the last years. We need to find a statement that weakens it.
A. Kravonians with more than one college degree earn little more, on average, than do Kravonians with only one college degree. Irrelevant.
B. The average number of years Kravonian college students remain enrolled before completing a degree has been increasing over the past several of years.
C. Despite the increase in the number of Kravonians attending college, the percentage of the population attending college is lower in Kravonia than in most other countries. Comparison with other countries is irrelevant .
D. In recent years, employers have been requiring college degrees for workers in jobs that were previously performed successfully by Kravonians who did not have college degrees. It supports the conclusion.
E. For many years, employers in Kravonia have had difficulty finding enough college graduates to fill the high-paying jobs that were available. Irrelevant