Critical Reasoning: Conclusion Weakening Questions

Every year, May Seas employees are required to attend seminars that focus on improving the quality of customer service. The budget allocated to these annual seminars is $500,000. Last year, less than 1% percent of May Seas Department Store customers filed a complaint about the quality of service they received from the store's employees. Therefore, May Seas should reallocate $400,000 of the seminar budget to advertising. Which of the following most weakens the above conclusion?

Very good!

[[snippet]]

This answer choice weakens the argument's assumption. It does so by providing evidence that shows that even when the advertising budget is increased, the number of customers does not grow. This fact undermines the conclusion that the seminar money should be transferred to the advertising budget since it would just be wasted and have no effect.

Incorrect.

[[snippet]]

This answer choice strengthens the argument's conclusion, but you're required to weaken it. By stating that increasing the advertising budget is likely to increase May Seas' revenues, this answer choice directly supports transferring more money to the advertising budget.

Incorrect.

[[snippet]]

This answer choice neither weakens nor strengthens the conclusion. Because it does not favor the importance of the seminar's budget over that of advertising, or vice versa, it is irrelevant to the argument of where the funds should be allocated.

Incorrect.

[[snippet]]

This answer choice strengthens the argument's conclusion, but you're required to weaken it. By stating how accessible complaints forms and boxes are, this answer choice simply shows that the low percentage of complaints truly reflects a low percentage of unsatisfied customers.

Incorrect.

[[snippet]]

This answer choice strengthens the argument's conclusion, but you're required to weaken it. This data supports the premise about the low percentage of customer complaints and, therefore, just gives us another reason to believe that the $400,000 is not really needed to improve customer service.

Last year, May Seas was voted Customer Service Provider of The Year.

There is a strong positive correlation between May Seas' advertising budget and its revenues.

May Seas investigated every complaint received last year, and customers whose complaint was found to be justified received compensation.

Complaint forms and boxes are positioned at every entrance to the store, and on the May Seas website.

May Seas' advertising budget has grown steadily over the past five years, but the number of customers has not increased.