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Difficulty: EasyStrengthen

A university study found that students who study in the library's new Silent Zone score significantly higher on exams than students who study in their own dorm rooms. Based on this correlation, the university administration concludes that the quiet environment of the Silent Zone directly improves students' academic performance. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the administration's conclusion?

  1. A
    Many other universities across the country have recently built similar quiet study areas in their main campus libraries.
  2. B
    Students who choose to study in the Silent Zone were already the highest-achieving students in their respective classes before the zone opened.
  3. Students who previously studied in their dorms saw a significant increase in their exam scores after they began studying exclusively in the Silent Zone.Answer
  4. D
    The university administration has a long history of implementing various campus policies designed to improve overall student academic performance.
  5. E
    Some students who spend several hours studying in the Silent Zone still occasionally receive failing grades on their exams.

Answer

The statement demonstrating that students who previously studied in their dorms saw a significant increase in their exam scores after they began studying exclusively in the Silent Zone.
The argument claims a causal relationship: the quiet environment causes higher scores. However, the evidence is merely a correlation. A classic way to strengthen a causal claim on the LSAT is to rule out an alternate cause. The correct answer does exactly this by showing a before-and-after scenario with the same students. If their scores went up only after moving to the Silent Zone, it rules out the alternate explanation that the library simply attracts students who are already smart, thereby heavily supporting the administration's causal conclusion.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the argument's premises and main conclusion.
Premise: Students in the Silent Zone score higher than those in dorms. Conclusion: The quiet environment of the Silent Zone causes this improvement in academic performance.
Understanding the exact causal claim is required to evaluate what evidence would strengthen it.
2
Identify the logical gap or vulnerability in the reasoning.
The argument assumes causation solely based on a correlation. It is vulnerable to alternate explanations, such as the possibility that naturally higher-achieving students simply prefer studying in the library.
Strengthening questions often require patching a specific flaw by ruling out alternate causes.
3
Evaluate the options to find one that bridges this gap.
The correct option shows a clear before-and-after change for the same individuals, isolating the environment as the likely cause and eliminating the alternate explanation of self-selection.
Ruling out alternate causes is a primary, definitive method for strengthening a causal conclusion.

Key Concept

Strengthening Causal Arguments by Ruling Out Alternate Explanations
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