Question

Affirmative claim: Standardized test scores should no longer be required for college admission because they are weaker indicators of future success than analyses of high school performance are.

Negative counterclaim: High school performance is a good indicator of a student’s future success, but it would be just as reckless to consider only this factor as it would be to consider only standardized test scores.

What rhetorical appeal is the negative using in the counterclaim to refute the affirmative claim?



What key word from the negative’s counterclaim indicates the rhetorical appeal being used?

Answer 1

Rhetorical appeal: Logos (an appeal to logic/reason) — the negative uses a logical analogy to show that relying solely on high‑school performance would be no better than relying solely on test scores.

Key word/phrase indicating the appeal: "just as ... as" (in the phrase "just as reckless to consider only this factor as it would be to consider only standardized test scores").