CCTST Evaluation 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A critical thinker evaluating an argument notices that a key term is used in two different senses across the premises. This is an example of:
- A non sequitur
- The fallacy of equivocation (Correct answer)
- An ad hominem attack
- An appeal to emotion
Correct answer: The fallacy of equivocation
Equivocation occurs when an argument exploits the ambiguity of a word by shifting its meaning between premises, undermining the logical connection.
Question 2: Which of the following best demonstrates a strong evaluation of competing evidence?
- Selecting only the evidence that supports your initial position
- Weighing all available evidence and adjusting conclusions based on its overall strength (Correct answer)
- Trusting the most recent study regardless of its quality
- Dismissing evidence from sources you disagree with
Correct answer: Weighing all available evidence and adjusting conclusions based on its overall strength
Strong evaluation requires considering all relevant evidence and allowing the weight of that evidence to guide the conclusion rather than cherry-picking support.
Question 3: A politician argues: 'If we allow same-sex marriage, next people will want to marry animals.' Which fallacy should a critical evaluator identify?
- Appeal to authority
- Slippery slope fallacy (Correct answer)
- Straw man fallacy
- Circular reasoning
Correct answer: Slippery slope fallacy
A slippery slope fallacy assumes that one step will inevitably lead to extreme consequences without providing evidence for why intermediate steps would occur.
Question 4: When evaluating an inductive argument, what does it mean for the argument to be 'strong'?
- The conclusion is guaranteed to be true if the premises are true
- The premises make the conclusion highly probable even if not certain (Correct answer)
- The argument uses many emotional appeals
- The conclusion is supported by expert testimony alone
Correct answer: The premises make the conclusion highly probable even if not certain
A strong inductive argument is one where true premises would make the conclusion very likely, even though absolute certainty is not possible in inductive reasoning.
Question 5: A health blog claims: 'Nine out of ten dentists recommend our toothpaste.' What is the most important evaluative question to ask?
- Whether the toothpaste is affordable
- What population of dentists was surveyed and what exactly were they asked? (Correct answer)
- Whether the toothpaste comes in multiple flavors
- How long the company has been in business
Correct answer: What population of dentists was surveyed and what exactly were they asked?
The statistic's value depends on how the sample of dentists was selected and whether the question asked was specific enough to make the claim meaningful.
Question 6: A student evaluates an essay and concludes it is well-argued because the author is a famous professor. What error in evaluation is the student making?
- Judging argument quality by the arguer's credentials rather than the argument's logical merits (Correct answer)
- Applying the wrong standard for academic writing
- Overlooking grammatical errors in the essay
- Failing to consider the essay's target audience
Correct answer: Judging argument quality by the arguer's credentials rather than the argument's logical merits
Evaluating argument quality based on who made it rather than the logical structure and evidence is an appeal to authority, not a content-based evaluation.
Question 7: Which outcome best indicates that a critical evaluation has been conducted successfully?
- The evaluator has confirmed their pre-existing belief
- The evaluator has identified the strengths, weaknesses, and assumptions of the argument with supporting reasoning (Correct answer)
- The evaluator has finished reviewing the argument quickly
- The evaluator has found a way to agree with the author
Correct answer: The evaluator has identified the strengths, weaknesses, and assumptions of the argument with supporting reasoning
A successful evaluation involves a balanced analysis of the argument's logical structure, evidence quality, and underlying assumptions — not simply affirming or rejecting it.
CCTST Evaluation 5
A critical thinker evaluating an argument notices that a key term is used in two different senses across the premises.
This is an example of: