chapter 15 lesson

Chapter 15:
Assessing Claims By Barbara Antunez and Dyanna Cunningham

What will you learn?

• identify and interpret claims

• evaluating claims

15.1 Separating Truth from Fiction

Trust and truth is important when making a claim. Being truthful to your readers is important since you don't want to deceive and spread misinformation; and to readers, don't believe everything right away. Always do your research and make sure claims are true.

Even if a claim is true, if it is unjustified, the claim falls flat.
Justification and claims are different: a claim that is there can still be unjustified if there is not good enough reasons to support the claim while a claim that is false can still be justified if supported enough

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15.2 Justification

Multiple Choice

Is this claim justified or unjustified?

All dinosaurs are cold blooded because

1. 1. Dinosaurs were reptiles

2. 2. modern reptiles are all cold blooded

• Justified

• Unjustified

Open Ended

Justify this claim:

Dogs make better pets than cats.

To find out if a claim is true, there is a set standards to figure out whether a claim is wrong or not.

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15.3 Levels and Standards

15.3 Levels and Standards

15.3.1 Beyond Reasonable doubt

An example of varying standards is seen in law. For example, if the jury is sure the defendant is guilty, it can't be proven if there is no evidence to back it up.

15.3 Levels and Standards

15.3.2 Balance of Probability

Basically, you figure out how true a claim is based on statistics/statistically justifying a claim

Open Ended

Explain in your own words what is meant by the phrase: 'the burden of proof'.

Multiple Select

Which of the following claims are qualified, and in what way?

• It's going to snow tomorrow

• It might snow tomorrow

• It will probably snow tomorrow

• There's a 90% chance of snow tomorrow

• It will snow tomorrow for certain

15.4 How do we judge claims?

A claim has strong justification if:

• it can be shown beyond reasonable doubt to be true

• it can be shown to have exceptionally high probability

• convincing grounds can be given to believe or accept it

A claim is plausible if it is reasonable enough to think its true. A credible claim is one that is backed by good evidence and/or comes from a reliable source.

​Note that plausibility can add credibility to a claim but on it's own, can not establish a claim itself.

• two or more simple claims

• put the multiple claims together and that creates an article

• Ex: The lake is frozen, yet it is not safe to cross

Complex Claims

• one claim

• usually on its own

• Ex: The lake is frozen.

Simple Claims

15.5 Complex Claims

​Conditional Statement: if the first clause is true, then the second clause must also be true.

15.6 Strong and Weak Claims

Strong and weak claims all depend on how justified it is and/or how much evidence it has. Strong claims can be false and weak claims can be true.

15.6 Strong and Weak Claims

15.6.1 Generalizations

Generalizations are strong claims that apply widely in every single case.
Ex: All dogs chase squirrels.

Open Ended

Which claim is stronger than the other? Why?

(a) polar bears will be extinct by the middle of the century

(b) polar bears are an endangered species

Multiple Choice

Compare these two statements from different newspapers reporting the same story

(a) Pack of wild dogs are roaming the streets of Newtown terrorizing the residents on a nightly basis

(b) Newtown has a problem with numbers of stray dogs periodically creating a public nuisance

Which is making a stronger claim?

• A

• B