What is needed to back up a claim?
To effectively back up a claim, the following elements are needed:
- Evidence: This can include statistics, facts, examples, anecdotes, or research findings that support the claim.
- Reasoning: An explanation of how the evidence connects to the claim and supports it logically.
- Credible Sources: Information from reliable, knowledgeable sources that lend authority to the argument.
- Counterarguments: Acknowledging and addressing opposing views can strengthen a claim by showing an understanding of the broader context.
What two questions (criteria) should writers ask themselves when evaluating the strength of their argument?
- Is the evidence relevant and sufficient?: Does it directly support the claim, and is there enough of it to convincingly back it up?
- Is the reasoning sound?: Are the inferences made from the evidence logical, and does the claim follow from the evidence without fallacies?
What are the potential flaws that might come up when a writer attempts to support a claim or refute a counterclaim?
- Lack of Evidence: Not providing enough evidence to support the claim.
- Overgeneralization: Making broad claims based on limited examples which may not represent the whole picture.
- Irrelevant Evidence: Using evidence that does not relate to the claim, resulting in a distraction rather than support.
- Logical Fallacies: Making errors in reasoning, such as straw man arguments, slippery slope reasoning, or begging the question.
- Biased Sources: Relying on sources that have an agenda or bias that undermines their credibility.
What are some good questions to use to identify limitations of evidence? (List at least three.)
- What is the source of the evidence, and is it reputable?: Are the authors or organizations behind the evidence credible and trustworthy?
- When was the evidence collected or published, and is it still relevant?: Is the information up-to-date and applicable to the current context?
- What methodologies were used in gathering the evidence?: Were sound research methods applied, or could there be flaws in the way data was collected or interpreted?
What are three good questions to use when checking for bias?
- What are the motivations of the source presenting the evidence?: Does the source have a particular agenda that could influence their perspective?
- Are opposing viewpoints represented?: Does the argument acknowledge and engage with counterarguments fairly, or does it ignore them?
- Is the language used in the evidence emotionally charged or loaded?: Does the wording indicate a bias toward a particular stance instead of presenting the information objectively?