Editorial: It is clear that what is called “health education” is usual

EXPLANATION FROM POWER SCORE

The conclusion drawn by the editorial is, “It is clear that what is called ‘health education’ is usually propaganda rather than education.” Ironically, this conclusion is not at all clear from the remainder of the editorial, since “health education” is not mentioned again. The stimulus states that education and propaganda are mutually exclusive, as propaganda influences behavior through the repetition of simplistic slogans, and education never involves this method of influence via slogan repetition. Because this is a Justify the Conclusion question, the correct answer choice, when combined with the remainder of the stimulus, must prove that the conclusion is true (the Justify Formula). Thus, the correct answer choice must prove that health education is indeed propaganda and not education. Since propaganda always attempts to influence behavior by repeating simplistic slogans and education never uses this method, and the conclusion states that health education is propaganda, the correct answer choice must show that health education attempts to influence behavior by repeating simplistic slogans.

Answer choice (A): If health education usually “does not leave it up to the individual to decide how to act on information,” then it is clearly unlike education. However, this does not conclusively prove that health education is propaganda, since it is entirely possible that health education could be neither education nor propaganda.

Answer choice (B): As discussed previously, proving that health education is unlike education is not sufficient for the conclusion to be logically drawn. The answer choice does not prove that health education must be propaganda.

Answer choice (C): This is an Opposite Answer. If health education does not involve the repetition of simplistic slogans, then it is clearly not propaganda. It may be education or it may be something else altogether.

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. If health education attempts to influence behavior solely by repeating simplistic slogans, then the conclusion that health education is propaganda can be logically drawn.

Answer choice (E): This answer choice could be appealing since it seems to agree with one of the premises in the stimulus (“propaganda is much more successful than education”). However, just because propaganda is much more successful than education, it cannot be logically concluded that propaganda is very successful. Do not confuse relative and absolute statements. Further, this answer choice does nothing to prove that health education is propaganda, which is the ultimate goal in a Justify the Conclusion question.