Charts and guidelines (pop-up windows)

Testing inductive reasoning

Testing inductive reasoning

Though inductive reasoning leads to probable and not absolute truth, you can assess a conclusion’s likely probability by asking three questions. This chart shows how to apply those questions to a sample conclusion based on a survey.

CONCLUSION The majority of students on our campus would subscribe to wireless Internet access if it were available.

EVIDENCE In a recent survey, 923 of 1,515 students questioned say they would subscribe to wireless Internet access.

  1. Is the evidence sufficient? That depends. On a small campus (say, 3,000 students), the pool of students surveyed would be sufficient for market research, but on a large campus (say, 30,000), 1,515 students are only 5 percent of the population. If that 5 percent were known to be truly representative of the other 95 percent, however, even such a small sample would be sufficient (see question 2).
  2. Is the evidence representative? The evidence is representative if those responding to the survey reflect the characteristics of the entire student population: age, sex, level of technical expertise, amount of disposable income, and so on. If most of those surveyed are majoring in technical fields, for example, the researchers would be wise to question the survey’s conclusion.
  3. Is the evidence relevant? The answer is yes. The results of the survey are directly linked to the conclusion. A question about the number of hours spent on the Internet, by contrast, would not be relevant, because it would not be about subscribing to wireless Internet access.

Academic English: Stereotyping in writing

ACADEMIC ENGLISH: Stereotyping in writing

Be particularly alert to stereotyping in academic contexts. Academic firestorms have raged over generalizations about women’s aptitude for science and math, about racial differences in IQ, and about social class-based differences in language. Resist writing sentences about “What they want . . .” or “How they behave . . . ,” which tend to signal stereotypes about nationalities or ethnicities. Resist, too, the impulse to introduce humor or sarcasm into discussions of gender, race, or class.

Checklist for reading and evaluating arguments

Checklist for reading and evaluating arguments

  • What
    A-supp-20
    is the writer’s thesis, or central claim?
  • Are there gaps in reasoning? Does the argument contain any logical fallacies?
  • What assumptions does the argument rest on? Are there any unstated assumptions?
  • What appeals—ethical, logical, or emotional—does the writer make? Are these appeals effective?
  • What evidence does the writer use? Could there be alternative interpretations of the evidence?
  • How does the writer handle opposing views?
  • If you are not persuaded by the writer’s argument, what counterarguments could you make to the writer?