Topic Three (1.3): Assessing Claims
Introduction
When claims are made in arguments it is important that you can assess the validity of them. This topic will help you to develop the analytical skills needed to test the accuracy of claims to different levels of probability.
Read and Make Notes
Read Chapter 15, on pages 137 to 147 in your textbook, and make detailed notes.
Tasks
- Watch the following video and make notes. (Please be aware that this video uses the term ‘preponderance’ of the evidence which is a USA legal term for balance of probabilities).
WATCH – What Does Reasonable Doubt Mean (YouTube) Links to an external site.
- Watch the following videos and add to your notes:
- Now watch the following vide and add to your notes on plausibility:
WATCH – Making a Claim (YouTube) Links to an external site.
- Clearly define what is meant by justification of a claim.
- Assess the difference between a weak claim and a strong claim. Why is this important to recognise?
- Complete all the activities in Chapter 15 and question 3 in the end-of-chapter questions on page 147.
- Write a detailed paragraph for each answer to explain the answer and the processes that allowed you to work it out.
Consolidate
- Now complete the worksheet designed to accompany this chapter:
COMPLETE – Chapter 15 Worksheet Download COMPLETE – Chapter 15 Worksheet
- Answers for the worksheets can be found in General Resources.
Terminology
Make sure you understand all the key terms covered in this topic. You may like to make flashcards of key terms now, to help you with revision later on.