Ph.D. programs are valuable only if they inculcate good scholarship

Question

Ph.D. programs are valuable only if they inculcate good scholarship and expedite the student’s full participation in the field. Hence, doctoral dissertations should not be required in the humanities. Undertaking a quality book-length dissertation demands an accumulation of knowledge virtually impossible for those relatively new to their disciplines. The student consequently either seeks to compensate for poor quality with quantity or ends up spending years producing a work of quality. Either way, the dissertation is counterproductive and frustrates the appropriate goals of the doctoral program.

The claim that doctoral dissertations should not be required in the humanities play which one of the following roles in the argument?

(A) It provides essential support for the conclusion.

(B) It is an example illustrative of a general principle concerning the goals of Ph.D. programs.

(C) It is what the argument is attempting to establish.

(D) It provides evidence for the assumption that requirements for degrees in the humanities differ from requirements for degrees in other disciplines.

(E) It confirms the observation that the requirement for a dissertation can frustrate the goals of a doctoral program.

Ekland · Answer

the question asks the roles "  Hence, doctoral dissertations should not be required in the humanities.  " plays in the argument. 
It is a conclusion because it follows from the premise.
If you are not sure, you could   Hence, doctoral dissertations should not be required in the humanities.   therefore THE PREMISE, and check if it makes sense. It rather makes sense to say "THE PREMISE", therefore the doctoral dissertations should ...
C
___________________________________________
Give Kudos if that helps

UJs · Answer

This one is straightforward

(A) It  provides essential support  for the conclusion.
  no its not providing support is the conclusion

(B) It is an  example  illustrative of a general principle concerning the goals of Ph.D. programs.
  no its not example

(C) It is what the argument is attempting to establish.
    correct

(D) It  provides evidence  for the assumption that requirements for degrees in the humanities differ from requirements for degrees in other disciplines.
  no its not evidence

(E) It  confirms the observation  that the requirement for a dissertation can frustrate the goals of a doctoral program.
  not confirming anything

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

This is a Method of Reasoning question that asks us to identify the role played by one of the statements in an argument.

The question stem gives us a clue by referring to it as a claim. The words ‘hence’ and ‘should’ give further clues. The sentence “Hence, doctoral dissertations should not be required in the humanities.” is the conclusion in the passage. All the other statements are pieces of information to support the claim that doctoral dissertations should not be required in humanities. A conclusion is the opinion or claim that the argument tries to establish. So, Option C is the most appropriate answer.

The statement mentioned is not an example. The words ‘hence’ and ‘should’ are used to draw a conclusion and to convey an opinion. So, the statement is not evidence or support for the conclusion.

Option E only rephrases the last sentence of the passage, which explains why doctoral dissertations should not be required in humanities. So, it provides support for the conclusion.

For all the above reasons, Options A, B, D and E can be eliminated.

C is the best option.

Jayanthi Kumar.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Ph.D. programs are valuable only if they inculcate good scholarship

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