PrepTest 65, Section 2, Question 20
Journalist: Newspapers generally report on only those scientific studies whose findings sound dramatic. Furthermore, newspaper stories about small observational studies, which are somewhat unreliable, are more frequent than newspaper stories about large randomized trials, which generate stronger scientific evidence. Therefore, a small observational study must be more likely to have dramatic findings than a large randomized trial.
Journalist: Newspapers generally report on only those scientific studies whose findings sound dramatic. Furthermore, newspaper stories about small observational studies, which are somewhat unreliable, are more frequent than newspaper stories about large randomized trials, which generate stronger scientific evidence. Therefore, a small observational study must be more likely to have dramatic findings than a large randomized trial.
Journalist: Newspapers generally report on only those scientific studies whose findings sound dramatic. Furthermore, newspaper stories about small observational studies, which are somewhat unreliable, are more frequent than newspaper stories about large randomized trials, which generate stronger scientific evidence. Therefore, a small observational study must be more likely to have dramatic findings than a large randomized trial.
Journalist: Newspapers generally report on only those scientific studies whose findings sound dramatic. Furthermore, newspaper stories about small observational studies, which are somewhat unreliable, are more frequent than newspaper stories about large randomized trials, which generate stronger scientific evidence. Therefore, a small observational study must be more likely to have dramatic findings than a large randomized trial.
Which one of the following most accurately expresses a flaw in the journalist's reasoning?
It casts doubt on the reliability of a study by questioning the motives of those reporting it.
It fails to consider that even if a study's findings sound dramatic, the scientific evidence for those findings may be strong.
It confuses a claim about scientific studies whose findings sound dramatic with a similar claim about small observational studies.
It overlooks the possibility that small observational studies are far more common than large randomized trials.
It fails to rule out the possibility that a study's having findings that sound dramatic is an effect rather than a cause of the study's being reported on.
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