Evaluating Claims and Arguments

A website claims that eating chocolate every day improves memory. The article cites a study but does not provide details about the researchers or where the study was published. What is the best way to evaluate the reliability of this information?

• Trust the website because it looks professional

• Look for the original study and check the researchers’ credentials

• Believe the claim because it sounds interesting

• Ignore the information because it is about chocolate

A news article states that a new policy will reduce pollution by 50% in one year. However, it does not explain how the policy will achieve this or provide any data to support the claim. What is the most likely reason for this lack of information?

• The author wants to make the article shorter

• The author is trying to persuade readers without providing evidence

• The author forgot to include the details

• The author does not understand the policy

You find two articles about climate change. One is from a scientific journal, and the other is from a personal blog. Which source is more reliable, and why?

• The blog, because it is easier to understand

• The scientific journal, because it is based on research and evidence

• Both sources are equally reliable

• Neither source is reliable

A politician argues that building more roads will reduce traffic. However, they do not provide any evidence or examples of where this has worked before. What is the main weakness of this argument?

• It is too emotional

• It lacks evidence and logical support

• It is too long

• It is easy to understand

An advertisement claims that a new toy is 'the best in the world' but does not explain why or compare it to other toys. What is this an example of?

• A strong argument

• A logical fallacy

• A reliable source

• A balanced view

A group claims that recycling is unnecessary because it does not make a difference. However, they do not provide any data or examples to support their claim. What should you do to evaluate this argument?

• Accept their claim without question

• Look for evidence and data about the impact of recycling

• Ignore the argument

• Repeat their claim to others

After completing a group project, you realize that your team struggled to meet deadlines because of poor communication. What is the best way to improve for future projects?

• Ignore the issue and hope it doesn’t happen again

• Reflect on what went wrong and create a plan to communicate better

• Blame your teammates for the problems

• Avoid working in groups in the future

You receive feedback on your research project that your conclusions were not supported by enough evidence. What should you do next?

• Ignore the feedback

• Add more evidence and revise your conclusions

• Make your project longer without adding evidence

• Stop working on the project

You notice that your research question was too broad, making it difficult to find specific information. What is the best way to address this issue?

• Continue with the same question

• Narrow the question to focus on a specific aspect

• Make the question even broader

• Stop researching

A news article claims that a new law will improve education for all students. However, it does not explain how the law will work or provide evidence to support the claim. What should you do to evaluate this claim?

• Accept the claim because it is in the news

• Look for more information about the law and its potential impact

• Ignore the claim because it is about education

• Share the article without checking its accuracy