2 Evaluating Evidence and Reasoning Online Quiz Questions

True or false: A credible source can provide evidence that is irrelevant to a particular claim.

True or false: If an argument does not provide adequate evidence for a claim, that alone proves the claim is false.

A shop's sales rose after it changed its sign. The owner concludes that the new sign caused the increase without checking for other explanations. What reasoning error is illustrated?

An accurate report gives average rainfall for a town. Someone cites it to argue that the town's bus fares are affordable. Which evidence-quality dimension is lacking because the report does not directly bear on the fare claim?

A bar chart compares two groups, but its vertical axis begins well above zero. What is the most appropriate interpretation of this design choice?

A survey of 20 students in one class finds that 16 prefer later school start times. Which conclusion is best supported by this evidence alone?

A town council member argues that a new traffic plan will reduce congestion. A critic replies, “You have never been good at managing your own schedule, so your argument is worthless,” without addressing the plan or its evidence. Which reasoning error is this?

Which practices help you interpret a chart responsibly? Select all that apply.

Two credible sources reach different conclusions about a public-health issue. Which checks can help explain the disagreement and assess the evidence? Select all that apply.

A report based on 12 volunteers at one community center claims that all city residents support a proposed service change. What would most strengthen the evidence for that broad claim?

A resident proposes adding one protected bike lane to a busy street. An opponent responds, “My neighbor wants to ban all cars from town,” and attacks that position. Which reasoning error is the opponent using?

A city council is deciding whether to add more bus routes. A reliable report describes the average age of the city's buses but provides no information about routes, ridership, or service needs. Which evaluation is most appropriate?

A survey of 20 students in one class finds that 16 prefer later school start times. What conclusion is best supported by this evidence?

A bar chart compares two groups, but its vertical axis begins well above zero. The bars appear dramatically different in height. What should you do before judging the size of the difference?

If an argument does not provide adequate evidence for a claim, the claim should be treated as unproven by that argument, not automatically as false.

A town installs new streetlights, and burglaries decline soon afterward. Without checking for other explanations, a resident claims the lights caused the decline. Enter the name of the reasoning error.

An analyst cites only the studies that support a policy and leaves out relevant studies that found contrary results. Enter the name of this reasoning error.

A manager argues that adopting a four-day workweek will reduce employee burnout because employees report having more free time. Identify one unstated assumption in this argument and suggest one kind of evidence that could help test it.