NM-MSSA Critical Analysis 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Two articles discuss school uniforms. Article 1 uses student testimonials; Article 2 uses data from a five-year study. Which source is likely more reliable for a research paper, and why?
- Article 1, because personal stories are more relatable
- Article 2, because long-term data provides more objective evidence (Correct answer)
- Article 1, because students are the most affected stakeholders
- Article 2, because studies are always correct
Correct answer: Article 2, because long-term data provides more objective evidence
Long-term studies provide objective, measurable evidence, making them more reliable than personal testimonials for research purposes.
Question 2: An author writes: 'If we allow students to use phones in class, learning will completely collapse.' This statement is an example of:
- A well-supported factual claim
- Slippery slope reasoning (Correct answer)
- An appeal to emotion through a personal story
- A valid cause-and-effect relationship
Correct answer: Slippery slope reasoning
Slippery slope reasoning assumes one action will inevitably lead to an extreme outcome without evidence for that chain of events.
Question 3: What does it mean to 'synthesize' information from multiple sources?
- To copy the most important sentences from each source
- To combine ideas from different sources into a unified understanding (Correct answer)
- To identify which source has the most pages
- To choose one source and ignore the others
Correct answer: To combine ideas from different sources into a unified understanding
Synthesis involves integrating information from multiple sources to build a new, cohesive understanding of a topic.
Question 4: A student reads a graph showing rising temperatures over 100 years and concludes, 'This proves humans are causing climate change.' What is the main weakness in this conclusion?
- The time period of 100 years is too long to be relevant
- The graph shows correlation but does not alone prove human causation (Correct answer)
- Temperature data is not a reliable measurement
- Graphs cannot be used as evidence in arguments
Correct answer: The graph shows correlation but does not alone prove human causation
Correlation shows a relationship between variables but does not by itself establish that one causes the other.
Question 5: Which of the following is the best definition of 'bias' in a written text?
- Using complex vocabulary to confuse the reader
- A preference or inclination that affects how information is presented (Correct answer)
- Including too many statistics in an argument
- Writing from a first-person point of view
Correct answer: A preference or inclination that affects how information is presented
Bias is a tendency to present information in a way that favors one perspective over others, often affecting objectivity.
Question 6: An editorial argues: 'Experts agree that sleep is important for teenagers.' Which follow-up question would best evaluate this claim?
- How many teenagers live in New Mexico?
- Which experts, and what specific evidence do they cite? (Correct answer)
- How many hours do teenagers typically sleep?
- What time do most high schools start the day?
Correct answer: Which experts, and what specific evidence do they cite?
Vague appeals to 'experts' need to be scrutinized by identifying who those experts are and what evidence they provide.
Question 7: In an argument, what is the purpose of a counterargument followed by a rebuttal?
- To confuse the reader with opposing views
- To acknowledge opposing views and then explain why the original argument is stronger (Correct answer)
- To prove the writer has not thoroughly researched the topic
- To provide additional supporting evidence for the opposing side
Correct answer: To acknowledge opposing views and then explain why the original argument is stronger
Addressing a counterargument and then rebutting it demonstrates critical thinking and strengthens the writer's original position.
NM-MSSA Critical Analysis 3
Two articles discuss school uniforms.
Article 1 uses student testimonials; Article 2 uses data from a five-year study.
Which source is likely more reliable for a research paper, and why?