关于论证错误的方法论
论证，是指能够用论据来证明论点的逻辑过程和方式。这个过程和方式通过推理形式进行，因此推理必须遵守一定的规则。推理的形式多种多样，但如果使用不当，就会出现各种逻辑错误。GMAT考试中AWA部分，正是通过各种论证错误的设置，考查考生的逻辑思维能力。为了帮助大家掌握GAMT AWA的出题思路，本文总结了七类常见的论证过程中的错误：时间轴论证错误、大数谬误、数字与比例不等价、实验与调查研究中的有效性、集体与个体/普遍和特殊之间的推导、因果关系错误、错误类比。当然，还有其他的论证错误，因为不常见，在此不作讨论。
在进入论证错误讨论之前，首先需要明确一个问题：事实和结论不值得反驳。分清楚事实和结论是本书的一个非常重要的观点，因为在AWA部分这两个部分本身的真实性是不值得反驳的，反驳的重点在于得出结论的过程。例如，题目文章给出一项民意调查预测某人会当选总统。民调得出这一结果是事实，这件事情本身不值得质疑，但是该民调的有效性与其结果的准确性是可以质疑的。再例如，题目文章给出去年某人是市长、在职期间有公司倒闭的信息，这些信息是事实，本身的真伪也不值得质疑，但是公司倒闭和某人当市长之间是否存有因果联系是可以质疑的。而结论不值得反驳，并非指结论的真实性不可质疑，而是指不应反驳结论本身，应质疑是否有充足的论据能让结论成立。例如，结论是选择某人当市长是明智的选择。单独来看，该结论是可能成立的，所以不能也不值得针对这个结论去反驳，但文章中给出的论据是否能够让这一结论成立，这才是应该关注的问题。
另外，事实和结论都并非全是完整的句子，可能是半句，甚至是句中的一部分。对于结论的判定，有以下几类情况：一类是A推出B，B推出C，C推出D，该情况下，本书将D判定为最终结论，但是，如若C是方案，D是方案的结果，本书就把C判定为最终结论；另一类是A推出B和C，B和C属于平行关系，该情况下，本书将B、C判定为最终结论。
具体结合如下例题：
最终推论为结论的情况（Day 108）
The following appeared as an editorial in a magazine concerned with educational issues：
“In our country，the real earnings of men who have only a high-school degree havedecreased significantly over the past 15 years，but those of male college graduates have remained about the same.Therefore，the key to improving the earnings of the next generation of workers is to send all students to college.Our country’s most important educational goal，then，should be to establish enough colleges and universities to accommodate all high school graduates.”
问：本题中，事实是什么？结论是什么？“In our country，the real earnings of men who have only a high-school degree have decreased significantly over the past 15 years，but those of male college graduates have remained about the same.”是事实，“Our country’s most important educational goal，then，should be to establish enough colleges and universities to accommodate all high school graduates.”是结论。
方案为结论的情况（Day 2）
The following appeared in a memorandum from the business department of the Apogee Company：
“When the Apogee Company had all its operations in one location，it was more profitable than it is today.Therefore，the Apogee Company should close down itsfield offices and conduct all its operations from a single location.Such centralization would improve profitability by cutting costs and helping the company maintain better supervision of all employees.”
本题中，事实是什么？结论是什么？“When the Apogee Company had all its operations in one location，it was more profitable than it is today.”是事实，“Therefore，the Apogee Company should close down itsfield offices and conduct all its operations from a single location.”是结论。
平行推论为结论的情况（Day 40）
The following appeared in the editorial section of a campus newspaper：
“Because occupancy rates for campus housing fell during the last academic year，so did housing revenues.To solve the problem，campus housing officials should reduce the number of available housing units，thereby increasing the occupancy rates.Also，to keep students from choosing to live off-campus，housing of？cials should lower the rents，thereby increasing demand.”
本题中，事实是什么？结论是什么？“Because occupancy rates for campus housing fell during the last academic year，so did housing revenues.”是事实，“To solve the problem，campus housing officials should reduce the number of available housing units，thereby increasing the occupancy rates.Also，to keep students from choosing to live off-campus，housing officials should lower the rents，thereby increasing demand.”是结论。