Question

The director of a secondary school where many students were having severe academic problems impaneled a committee to study the matter. The committee reported that these students were having academic problems because they spent large amounts of time on school sports and too little time studying. The director then prohibited all students who were having academic problems from taking part in sports in which they were active. He stated that this would ensure that such students would do well academically. The reasoning on which the director bases his statement is not sound because he fails to establish that (A) some students who spend time on sports do not have academic problems (B) all students who do well academically do so because of time saved by not participating in sports (C) at least some of the time the students will save by not participating in sports will be spent on solving their academic problems (D) no students who do well academically spend time on sports (E) the quality of the school's sports program would not suffer as a result of the ban

Short answer

C

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Argument

The director claims that prohibiting students with academic problems from sports will help them perform better academically because they will have more time to study.

Analyze the Premises and Conclusion

The assumption is that the time not spent on sports will automatically be redirected towards solving academic problems by studying more.

Understand the Reasoning Gap

There is a reasoning gap because the director assumes that students will use the extra time for studies but does not establish that this will actually happen.

Evaluate Answer Choices

Go through each option to find the reasoning gap that needs to be established for the director's argument to be sound.

Select the Correct Option

Choice (C) addresses the gap: "at least some of the time the students will save by not participating in sports will be spent on solving their academic problems." This is the missing link in the director's reasoning.

Key concepts

Argument Analysis

Analyzing an argument involves understanding the underlying logic and evidence presented to support a claim. In the scenario from the original exercise, the director of the school makes an argument that removing students from sports will improve their academic performance. To effectively analyze this argument, we should:

• Identify the main claim being made. Here, it's that not participating in sports will lead to better academic results.
• Examine the evidence provided. The committee's report suggests students are spending too much time on sports, implying the time could be better spent on studies.

Next, consider potential counterarguments and reasoning gaps. The gap here is the assumption that students will use the newly available time to address academic issues, which isn't substantiated by the director's statement.

Logical Reasoning

Logical reasoning involves following a coherent path of thought from premises to conclusion. In the director's statement, there is an implied logical flow that if students with academic problems spend less time on sports, they will improve academically. However, effective logical reasoning requires:

• Checking whether the premises actually lead to the conclusion. The missing premise is that students will redirect their time towards studying.
• Ensuring all assumptions are clear and supported. The assumption that students will study more is not certain.

Critical examination reveals that unless the school puts measures in place to ensure students use their time effectively, the director's reasoning remains incomplete.

Academic Performance

Academic performance can be influenced by many factors, including time management, support systems, and personal motivation. In the context of the exercise, the director aims to improve academic performance by changing students' extracurricular activities. To address this:

• Consider other factors affecting performance, like teaching quality and student motivation.
• Recognize that simply adding more study time does not guarantee improved performance. Study methods and student engagement are crucial, too.

For effective enhancement of academic results, a holistic approach is needed, tackling both time management and study skills, alongside other potential academic hurdles.

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is about identifying practical and effective solutions to challenges. The school's academic problem requires thoughtful consideration of strategies to boost student performance. Effective problem-solving involves:

• Gathering and analyzing relevant data. The committee’s report is a good start, but more detailed analysis is needed.
• Developing actionable steps that directly address the problem. Simply prohibiting sports isn't enough unless there is a plan for the freed-up time.

Ultimately, the director could benefit from a multifaceted approach that includes study programs and counseling to ensure students actually improve their academic standing.