Student: Before completing my research paper, I want to find the book from which I copied a passage to quote in the paper. Without the book, I will be unable to write an accurate citation, and without an accurate citation, I will be unable to include the quotation. Hence, since the completed paper will be much better with the quotation than without, _______.
Which one of the following most logically completes the student’s argument?
(A) I will have to include an inaccurate citation
(B) I will be unable to complete my research paper
(C) if I do not find the book, my research paper will suffer
(D) if I do not find the book, I will include the quotation without an accurate citation
(E) if I do not find the book, I will be unable to complete my research paper
A. This doesn’t logically follow. The student says they can’t use the quotation without an accurate citation, so there’s no reason to think an inaccurate citation would be helpful.
B. The last sentence says the paper will be worse without the quote, not impossible to complete. So the student can still write the paper, just at a lower quality. This choice also ignores the condition “if I do not find the book.”
C. Correct. This aligns well with the final sentence. Since the student needs the book to include the quote, and the paper will be worse without the quote, it follows that finding the book is necessary to avoid weakening the paper.
D. This contradicts the passage. The student clearly states they can’t include the quote without an accurate citation.
E. Like B, this incorrectly assumes the paper can’t be written without the quote. The student only says it will be worse—not unworkable—without it.
