Evaluation Flashcards

A researcher claims that a new drug reduces anxiety because patients who took it reported feeling calmer. What is the primary flaw in this evaluation?

Answer: There is no control group to rule out placebo effects

Without a control group, there is no way to determine whether the improvement was due to the drug or the placebo effect.

Which of the following best evaluates the strength of an analogy used in an argument?

Answer: Whether the two situations share relevant similarities

A strong analogy depends on whether the compared situations share properties that are relevant to the conclusion being drawn.

An editorial argues: 'We should ban social media because teenagers who use it have higher rates of depression.' What evaluation concern does this raise?

Answer: Correlation is being treated as causation

Higher rates of depression among social media users does not establish that social media causes depression; other factors may explain the correlation.

To evaluate whether a statistic is trustworthy, which question is MOST important to ask?

Answer: Who collected the data and what was their methodology?

The credibility of a statistic depends heavily on the data collection method and the neutrality or expertise of the source.

A policy analyst evaluates two competing solutions to traffic congestion. Solution A reduces commute times by 12% with high cost; Solution B reduces commute times by 8% with low cost. The analyst recommends Solution B. Which evaluative criterion is she applying?

Answer: Cost-effectiveness

Recommending the less effective but cheaper option reflects a cost-effectiveness judgment that weighs benefit against cost.

Which of the following is a sign that an argument's conclusion is too broad relative to its evidence?

Answer: The conclusion applies universally but the evidence comes from a limited sample

Overgeneralization occurs when a conclusion makes a universal claim but the supporting evidence is drawn from a narrow or unrepresentative sample.

In evaluating an argument, what does it mean for a premise to be 'relevant'?

Answer: The premise bears a logical connection to supporting the conclusion

A premise is relevant when it logically contributes to establishing the truth or likelihood of the conclusion.