EnglishAges 16-18

Critical argument & evidence

Evaluate claims, counterarguments, empirical evidence and logical fallacies in critical writing. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Critical argument & evidence

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Name the fallacy that argues a claim is true merely because it has not yet been proven false: Appeal to ignorance or Straw man?
Name the fallacy that argu… · Critical argument & evidence
2. Name the fallacy in which the conclusion is already assumed inside one of the premises: Circular reasoning (begging the question) or Slippery slope?
Name the fallacy in which … · Critical argument & evidence
3. Name the fallacy that misrepresents or exaggerates an opponent’s position to make it easier to refute: Straw man or Circular reasoning?
Name the fallacy that misr… · Critical argument & evidence
4. Reasoning that formulates a probable general pattern from repeated systematic observations is: Inductive or Circular?
Reasoning that formulates … · Critical argument & evidence
5. In a scientific investigation, what is the purpose of a control group: to provide a baseline for comparison where the tested variable is unchanged, or to double the error?
In a scientific investigat… · Critical argument & evidence
6. Which source is stronger evidence for a medical claim: a peer-reviewed randomised controlled trial, or a single anonymous online anecdote?
Which source is stronger e… · Critical argument & evidence
7. Name the fallacy of deflecting criticism by accusing the critic of the same flaw (“you do it too”) instead of answering the point: Tu quoque or False dilemma?
“you do it too” · Critical argument & evidence
8. A deductively valid argument whose premises are also actually true in the real world is called: Sound or Circular?
A deductively valid argume… · Critical argument & evidence
9. Name the fallacy of drawing a broad general rule from a tiny or unrepresentative sample: Hasty generalisation or Appeal to ignorance?
Name the fallacy of drawin… · Critical argument & evidence
10. Name the fallacy that claims one small step will inevitably trigger a chain of extreme consequences without evidence for each link: Slippery slope or Equivocation?
Name the fallacy that clai… · Critical argument & evidence
11. In logic, an argument whose conclusion MUST be true whenever all its premises are true is called: Valid or Fallacious?
In logic, an argument whos… · Critical argument & evidence
12. Reasoning that moves from a general rule (“All mammals have lungs”) to a specific case (“Dolphins are mammals, so dolphins have lungs”) is: Deductive or Anecdotal?
Reasoning that moves from … · Critical argument & evidence

12 questions · Seed 44 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Critical argument & evidence

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Name the fallacy that argues a claim is true merely because it has not yet been proven false: Appeal to ignorance or Straw man?
Appeal to ignorance
Absence of disproof is not proof of truth.
2. Name the fallacy in which the conclusion is already assumed inside one of the premises: Circular reasoning (begging the question) or Slippery slope?
Circular reasoning (begging the question)
Circular reasoning assumes the very claim it sets out to prove.
3. Name the fallacy that misrepresents or exaggerates an opponent’s position to make it easier to refute: Straw man or Circular reasoning?
Straw man
A straw man replaces the actual argument with a distorted, weaker version.
4. Reasoning that formulates a probable general pattern from repeated systematic observations is: Inductive or Circular?
Inductive
Inductive reasoning generalises from observed instances to a broader hypothesis.
5. In a scientific investigation, what is the purpose of a control group: to provide a baseline for comparison where the tested variable is unchanged, or to double the error?
To provide a baseline for comparison where the tested variable is unchanged
A control group isolates the effect of the independent variable.
6. Which source is stronger evidence for a medical claim: a peer-reviewed randomised controlled trial, or a single anonymous online anecdote?
A peer-reviewed randomised controlled trial
Controlled trials with peer review minimise bias and random error.
7. Name the fallacy of deflecting criticism by accusing the critic of the same flaw (“you do it too”) instead of answering the point: Tu quoque or False dilemma?
Tu quoque
Tu quoque (“you also”) avoids the logical merit of the argument.
8. A deductively valid argument whose premises are also actually true in the real world is called: Sound or Circular?
Sound
Soundness requires both a valid logical form and true premises.
9. Name the fallacy of drawing a broad general rule from a tiny or unrepresentative sample: Hasty generalisation or Appeal to ignorance?
Hasty generalisation
A hasty generalisation leaps to a universal conclusion from insufficient evidence.
10. Name the fallacy that claims one small step will inevitably trigger a chain of extreme consequences without evidence for each link: Slippery slope or Equivocation?
Slippery slope
A slippery slope asserts an unproven cascade of extreme outcomes.
11. In logic, an argument whose conclusion MUST be true whenever all its premises are true is called: Valid or Fallacious?
Valid
Deductive validity means the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises.
12. Reasoning that moves from a general rule (“All mammals have lungs”) to a specific case (“Dolphins are mammals, so dolphins have lungs”) is: Deductive or Anecdotal?
Deductive
Deductive reasoning applies a general premise to reach a guaranteed specific conclusion.

12 questions · Seed 44 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Critical argument & evidence

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Name the fallacy that argues a claim is true merely because it has not yet been proven false: Appeal to ignorance or Straw man?
Name the fallacy that argu… · Critical argument & evidence
2. Name the fallacy in which the conclusion is already assumed inside one of the premises: Circular reasoning (begging the question) or Slippery slope?
Name the fallacy in which … · Critical argument & evidence
3. Name the fallacy that misrepresents or exaggerates an opponent’s position to make it easier to refute: Straw man or Circular reasoning?
Name the fallacy that misr… · Critical argument & evidence
4. Reasoning that formulates a probable general pattern from repeated systematic observations is: Inductive or Circular?
Reasoning that formulates … · Critical argument & evidence
5. In a scientific investigation, what is the purpose of a control group: to provide a baseline for comparison where the tested variable is unchanged, or to double the error?
In a scientific investigat… · Critical argument & evidence
6. Which source is stronger evidence for a medical claim: a peer-reviewed randomised controlled trial, or a single anonymous online anecdote?
Which source is stronger e… · Critical argument & evidence
7. Name the fallacy of deflecting criticism by accusing the critic of the same flaw (“you do it too”) instead of answering the point: Tu quoque or False dilemma?
“you do it too” · Critical argument & evidence
8. A deductively valid argument whose premises are also actually true in the real world is called: Sound or Circular?
A deductively valid argume… · Critical argument & evidence
9. Name the fallacy of drawing a broad general rule from a tiny or unrepresentative sample: Hasty generalisation or Appeal to ignorance?
Name the fallacy of drawin… · Critical argument & evidence
10. Name the fallacy that claims one small step will inevitably trigger a chain of extreme consequences without evidence for each link: Slippery slope or Equivocation?
Name the fallacy that clai… · Critical argument & evidence
11. In logic, an argument whose conclusion MUST be true whenever all its premises are true is called: Valid or Fallacious?
In logic, an argument whos… · Critical argument & evidence
12. Reasoning that moves from a general rule (“All mammals have lungs”) to a specific case (“Dolphins are mammals, so dolphins have lungs”) is: Deductive or Anecdotal?
Reasoning that moves from … · Critical argument & evidence

12 questions · Seed 44 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Critical argument & evidence

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Name the fallacy that argues a claim is true merely because it has not yet been proven false: Appeal to ignorance or Straw man?
Appeal to ignorance
Absence of disproof is not proof of truth.
2. Name the fallacy in which the conclusion is already assumed inside one of the premises: Circular reasoning (begging the question) or Slippery slope?
Circular reasoning (begging the question)
Circular reasoning assumes the very claim it sets out to prove.
3. Name the fallacy that misrepresents or exaggerates an opponent’s position to make it easier to refute: Straw man or Circular reasoning?
Straw man
A straw man replaces the actual argument with a distorted, weaker version.
4. Reasoning that formulates a probable general pattern from repeated systematic observations is: Inductive or Circular?
Inductive
Inductive reasoning generalises from observed instances to a broader hypothesis.
5. In a scientific investigation, what is the purpose of a control group: to provide a baseline for comparison where the tested variable is unchanged, or to double the error?
To provide a baseline for comparison where the tested variable is unchanged
A control group isolates the effect of the independent variable.
6. Which source is stronger evidence for a medical claim: a peer-reviewed randomised controlled trial, or a single anonymous online anecdote?
A peer-reviewed randomised controlled trial
Controlled trials with peer review minimise bias and random error.
7. Name the fallacy of deflecting criticism by accusing the critic of the same flaw (“you do it too”) instead of answering the point: Tu quoque or False dilemma?
Tu quoque
Tu quoque (“you also”) avoids the logical merit of the argument.
8. A deductively valid argument whose premises are also actually true in the real world is called: Sound or Circular?
Sound
Soundness requires both a valid logical form and true premises.
9. Name the fallacy of drawing a broad general rule from a tiny or unrepresentative sample: Hasty generalisation or Appeal to ignorance?
Hasty generalisation
A hasty generalisation leaps to a universal conclusion from insufficient evidence.
10. Name the fallacy that claims one small step will inevitably trigger a chain of extreme consequences without evidence for each link: Slippery slope or Equivocation?
Slippery slope
A slippery slope asserts an unproven cascade of extreme outcomes.
11. In logic, an argument whose conclusion MUST be true whenever all its premises are true is called: Valid or Fallacious?
Valid
Deductive validity means the conclusion follows necessarily from the premises.
12. Reasoning that moves from a general rule (“All mammals have lungs”) to a specific case (“Dolphins are mammals, so dolphins have lungs”) is: Deductive or Anecdotal?
Deductive
Deductive reasoning applies a general premise to reach a guaranteed specific conclusion.

12 questions · Seed 44 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification