Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Evaluating Argument Relevance Questions and Answers 3

Question 1

Question: Should public schools ban cell phones in classrooms?
Argument: Cell phones allow students to access social media, which is a major source of distraction.
Is this a strong argument?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because it directly identifies a mechanism by which cell phones harm classroom learning.

Answer

The argument is strong because it directly and relevantly links cell phones to a specific harm (distraction via social media) that pertains to the classroom context.

Question 2

Question: Should the US adopt a universal basic income (UBI)?
Argument: UBI has been successfully piloted in Finland, which has a very different economic structure from the US.
Is this a strong argument?

Accepted Answer

No, because the argument actually weakens the case for UBI by noting the structural differences.

Answer

The argument is weak because while it cites a pilot, it simultaneously undermines transferability by noting structural differences, making it irrelevant to the US context.

Question 3

Question: Should cities require developers to include affordable housing in new residential projects?
Argument: Many low-income families are currently struggling to find housing they can afford in major cities.
Is this a strong argument?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because it identifies a real problem that the policy directly aims to address.

Answer

The argument is strong because it establishes the existence of a genuine problem that the proposed policy is directly designed to address.

Question 4

Question: Should the federal government fund high-speed rail between major US cities?
Argument: Many Americans enjoy traveling by car and find road trips to be a pleasurable experience.
Is this a strong argument?

Accepted Answer

No, because personal preference for driving is irrelevant to whether high-speed rail should be funded.

Answer

The argument is weak because personal enjoyment of car travel does not address the merits or drawbacks of funding high-speed rail infrastructure.

Question 5

Question: Should employers be required to provide paid parental leave?
Argument: Countries with mandatory paid parental leave report higher rates of employee retention and workplace satisfaction.
Is this a strong argument?

Accepted Answer

Yes, because it provides relevant empirical evidence of workplace benefits tied directly to the policy.

Answer

The argument is strong because it provides direct, relevant empirical evidence of outcomes that bear on the employer's incentive to support the policy.

Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Practice Test

Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Practice Test

Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Evaluating Argument Relevance Questions and Answers 3