GRE General TestAnalytical WritingMedium
A company recently launched a new mobile application designed to help users manage their finances. Despite positive reviews from early adopters, the number of active users has been declining steadily after an initial surge. The marketing department claims this decline is due to a lack of awareness among the general public. Which of the following, if true, would most undermine the marketing department's claim?
- AThe application's interface is complex, requiring significant time for new users to learn its features.
- BThe company's advertising budget for the application was significantly lower than initially planned.
- CA major competitor launched a similar, highly publicized application shortly after the company's app.
- DSurveys indicate that a high percentage of the target demographic is already aware of the application.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Surveys indicate that a high percentage of the target demographic is already aware of the application.
The marketing department claims the decline is due to a lack of awareness. If surveys show high awareness among the target demographic, this directly refutes the claim that lack of awareness is the problem, thus undermining their argument.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This offers an alternative reason for declining users (complexity), but doesn't directly address or undermine the 'lack of awareness' claim.
- B. A lower advertising budget would support the idea of low awareness, thus strengthening, not undermining, the marketing department's claim.
- C. This provides an alternative reason for the decline (competition), which would weaken the marketing department's claim, but not as directly as refuting the awareness premise itself.
Undermining a Claim
To undermine a claim means to present information that directly contradicts its central assertion or significantly weakens the evidence supporting it.
- Directly attacks the claim's validity.
- Often involves showing the premise is false or insufficient.
- Makes the claim less believable or outright disproven.
Memory trick: Undermining is digging away the foundation until the claim collapses.