Arguments and evidence
Strategy card
Evaluate arguments by their structure, evidence and hidden assumptions.
- Step 1: Identify conclusion, premises and the gap between them.
- Step 2: Name the assumption that bridges the gap.
- Step 3: Test answers: does this strengthen, weaken, or simply restate?
- Step 4: Watch for overgeneralizing, cause-vs-correlation and sampling problems.
Tip: The best answer is the one the passage supports most directly, not the most interesting one.
Worked example
Which conclusion is best supported?
Every time Ava waters the plant on Monday, it looks healthy by Friday. This week she forgot. On Friday, its leaves were drooping.
- A: Ava never waters her plants.
- B: All plants need water only on Mondays.
- C: The plant probably needs regular water to stay healthy. (the answer)
- D: The plant will die by next week.
Why: The pattern supports a careful conclusion about water. The others go too far or contradict the story.
Your turn
Your turn 1 of 3
What is the main problem with this reasoning?
“I asked five friends, and all of them love the new game. So everyone at our school must love it.”
Your turn 2 of 3
Which unstated assumption does this rely on?
“We should replace all the library's printed books with tablets, because students prefer reading on screens.”
Your turn 3 of 3
Which best describes the flaw?
“Since our town built the new skate park, there have been fewer broken windows downtown. The skate park stopped the vandalism.”
Keep practicing
Grown-ups: Debate a topic at dinner using evidence. Parent guide
Next lesson: Checking AI answers