Evaluating Argument Strength Questions and Answers Flashcards
7 cards from real Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
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Statement: 'Should the US government ban single-use plastics?' Argument: 'No, because people have always used disposable items and change is uncomfortable.' Is this argument strong or weak?
Answer: Weak, because discomfort with change is not a substantive policy reason
An argument based on discomfort with change is emotional rather than logical, making it weak by Watson-Glaser standards.
Statement: 'Should US companies be required to offer paid parental leave?' Argument: 'Yes, because studies show paid leave increases employee retention and reduces recruitment costs.' Is this argument strong or weak?
Answer: Strong, because it provides a concrete, relevant benefit tied to business outcomes
This argument is strong because it directly supports the proposal with evidence of a measurable, important benefit.
Statement: 'Should the voting age in the US be lowered to 16?' Argument: 'No, because 16-year-olds cannot yet rent a car.' Is this argument strong or weak?
Answer: Weak, because the inability to rent a car is irrelevant to civic capacity
Car rental age restrictions are a minor, unrelated point that does not address whether 16-year-olds can make informed civic decisions.
Statement: 'Should US schools be required to teach financial literacy?' Argument: 'Yes, because adults who lack financial knowledge are more likely to accumulate high-interest debt and face bankruptcy.' Is this argument strong or weak?
Answer: Strong, because it identifies a significant, direct consequence of the absence of financial education
The argument is strong because it provides a direct, important societal consequence that the proposed policy would address.
Statement: 'Should the US require all citizens to vote?' Argument: 'No, because forcing people to vote violates their freedom to abstain as a form of political expression.' Is this argument strong or weak?
Answer: Strong, because it identifies a direct conflict with a fundamental civil liberty
The argument is strong because it raises a substantive concern about civil liberties that is directly relevant to a compulsory voting law.
Statement: 'Should the US increase taxes on sugary beverages?' Argument: 'Yes, because sugary drinks taste bad anyway, so people won't miss them.' Is this argument strong or weak?
Answer: Weak, because the claim about taste is subjective and irrelevant to public health policy
Claiming that sugary drinks taste bad is a personal, irrelevant opinion that provides no substantive reason to support a tax policy.
Statement: 'Should employers be prohibited from asking about salary history during hiring?' Argument: 'Yes, because salary history perpetuates pay gaps by anchoring new offers to previously lower wages earned due to discrimination.' Is this argument strong or weak?
Answer: Strong, because it directly identifies a mechanism by which the practice causes measurable harm
The argument is strong because it explains a specific, causal mechanism linking salary history inquiries to perpetuating pay inequality.