Evidence Evaluation & Support Flashcards

An AWA argument states: 'Our city's crime rate dropped 15% after installing surveillance cameras, so cameras prevent crime.' What is the primary flaw in using this statistic as evidence?

Answer: Correlation is presented as causation without ruling out other factors

Presenting a correlation (cameras were installed, crime dropped) as proof of causation ignores other variables that could explain the decline.

Which type of evidence would most strengthen an AWA argument claiming that a new training program improves employee productivity?

Answer: Controlled study comparing productivity metrics before and after training across multiple departments

A controlled before-and-after study with measurable metrics across multiple groups provides the most direct and reliable support for the productivity claim.

An argument concludes that Brand X coffee is superior because it outsells all competitors. What logical gap exists in this evidence?

Answer: Popularity does not necessarily indicate quality or superiority

Sales volume reflects consumer purchasing behavior driven by price, availability, and marketing—not necessarily product quality.

In evaluating AWA evidence, what does 'cherry-picking' refer to?

Answer: Citing only evidence that supports the conclusion while ignoring contradictory data

Cherry-picking is the selective presentation of favorable evidence while omitting data that contradicts or complicates the argument.

An AWA prompt argues: 'Studies show people who eat breakfast perform better at work, so the company should provide free breakfast.' Which assumption most needs support?

Answer: That providing free breakfast will cause employees to eat it and replicate study conditions

The argument assumes employees will eat the provided breakfast and that doing so will produce the same effect observed in the studies, both of which require justification.

Which approach best demonstrates strong evidence evaluation in an AWA essay critique?

Answer: Identifying specific alternative explanations that the evidence fails to eliminate

Strong AWA critiques pinpoint concrete alternative explanations or missing data that undermine the argument's logical chain.

An argument uses a survey of 50 employees at one company to conclude that all workers nationwide prefer remote work. What is the central evidential weakness?

Answer: The sample is too small and unrepresentative to support a nationwide generalization

A sample of 50 employees from a single company cannot validly represent the diverse preferences of all workers across the country.