Question 1

"Parking at our university is not as big a problem as students make it out to be. A survey of 200 students living in the dorms on campus revealed that 73% experienced few parking problems." The main problem with this evidence is:

Accepted Answer

The evidence suffers from a nonrepresentative sample as it only surveyed 200 students living in the dorms on campus, which may not accurately reflect the entire student population's parking situation.

Question 2

A polling firm conducts a random, national sample of 4,200 Americans. The poll reveals that 51% of the respondents believe mothers with young children should stay at home to raise them, whereas 49% say mothers should continue to work and place their children in day care. The reported sampling error for the poll is +/- 5%. On a TV talk show, Senator Boswell refers to the poll's results, stating "I'm glad to see the country is starting to embrace family values once again." The primary problem with the senator's argument is:

Accepted Answer

The primary problem with the Senator's argument is that the difference between the percentage of respondents who believe mothers should stay at home and those who say mothers should work and use day care is within the margin of error. Therefore, the poll's results are not statistically significant enough to make conclusions about the entire population's views on family values.

Question 3

While opposing physician-assisted suicide, Darrel quotes doctors, lawyers, and clergy who oppose the practice. Darrel is using which type of proof?

Accepted Answer

The answer of While opposing physician-assisted suicide, Darrel quotes doctors,...

Question 4

All of the following are useful tests for evaluating the credibility of websites except:

Accepted Answer

While the presence of images and multimedia may enhance the overall presentation of a website, they do not necessarily contribute to the credibility of the information presented. The other choices (A-C and E) all directly relate to evaluating the reliability of the sources and content on a website.

Question 5

Robert Cialdini warns that deference to authority figures often leads to a "tyranny of authorities." How can people appreciate the need for qualified experts without giving in to blind obedience?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Robert Cialdini warns that deference to authority...

Question 6

Choose a specific field or discipline and identify a rule or requirement for presenting and/or evaluating evidence in that field or discipline. In other words, what standard is relied upon when proving something or challenging another's evidence?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Choose a specific field or discipline and...

Question 7

Consider the following claim: "Drinking too much water is bad for you because it weakens your bladder over time. Have you seen what water does to pipes?" How might you go about evaluating this claim? What are some specific questions you might ask the person who is making the claim?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Consider the following claim: "Drinking too much...

Question 8

Years ago, a popular slogan for sugarless gum claimed, "Four out of five dentists recommend Trident (a sugarless gum) to their patients who chew gum." As a critical thinker, what are your thoughts about the statistics presented in this slogan? What questions might you want answered before you agreed with the claim? Be sure to talk about how statistics might be used to misrepresent the truth.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Years ago, a popular slogan for sugarless...

Question 9

List and explain two tests of source credibility. Provide an example of a person you know, or know of, who passes the tests, and one person who does not. Be sure to explain why those people pass or fail the tests of credibility.

Accepted Answer

The answer of List and explain two tests of source...

Quiz 6: Evidence and Proof