AWA Evidence Evaluation & Support 4

Question 1

An AWA argument uses the phrase 'many experts agree' without naming sources. Why is this evidence weak?

Accepted Answer

Vague attribution prevents verification and assessment of the experts' qualifications or consensus size

Answer

Without identifying who the experts are or how many, readers cannot verify the claim or assess whether it reflects genuine consensus.

Question 2

Which scenario best illustrates the 'false equivalence' flaw in using evidence?

Accepted Answer

Treating a blog post and a peer-reviewed journal article as equally credible evidence

Answer

False equivalence occurs when sources with vastly different levels of rigor or credibility are treated as if they carry equal evidentiary weight.

Question 3

An argument presents data showing test scores rose after a new curriculum was adopted and concludes the curriculum caused the improvement. What alternative explanation should be explored?

Accepted Answer

Whether other changes—such as new teachers, increased funding, or a different student cohort—occurred simultaneously

Answer

Post hoc reasoning assumes the curriculum caused score improvements, but concurrent changes could be the actual cause.

Question 4

In AWA evidence evaluation, what is a 'confounding variable'?

Accepted Answer

An unmeasured factor that influences both the studied cause and the outcome, distorting the apparent relationship

Answer

A confounding variable creates a spurious association between two factors by independently affecting both, making causation impossible to establish without controlling for it.

Question 5

An AWA argument states that since violent crime fell in cities that adopted a specific policing strategy, the strategy reduced crime. A strong critique would ask:

Accepted Answer

Whether crime was already declining nationally, making the local drop unremarkable

Answer

A national downward trend in violent crime would mean the local decline is expected regardless of the strategy, undermining the causal claim.

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

(AWA) Analytical Writing Assessment Practice Test

AWA Evidence Evaluation & Support 4