Strong/Weak Arguments - Beginner-Intermediate Level: relevance check BEGINNER-INTERMEDIATE

Ready to master strong/weak arguments? This benchmark test features 20 beginner-intermediate-level challenges. Worksheet 12 of 30 sharpens your relevance check skills. Master persuasive arguments, reasoning strength, argument quality through guided practice. Perfect for developing test preparation.

📝 Worksheet 12 of 30 • 20 questions • ⏱️ Estimated time: 20 minutes • 🎯 Beginner-intermediate level

What you'll learn in this worksheet:

Complete coverage of persuasive arguments topics
In-depth practice of reasoning strength variations
Master all benchmark test question types
Thorough understanding of argument quality
Comprehensive relevance check preparation

Your progress through Strong/Weak Arguments

Worksheet 12 of 30 (40% complete)

Question 1

What is the logical form of this argument?

Form: If P then Q. Q is true. Therefore P. This is affirming the consequent, a formal fallacy. The ground could be wet from sprinklers, not rain.

structure, premises, conclusion, logic

Question 2

Argument: Studies show that countries with higher education spending have stronger economies. Therefore, increasing education spending will strengthen our economy. Evaluate the logical validity:

Based on empirical evidence with reasonable causal connection

arguments, validity, logic

Question 3

Argument by analogy: 'We ban violent movies for children. Violent video games are similar in their violent content. Therefore, we should also ban violent video games for children.' What is the STRONGEST counterargument to this analogy?

Interactive vs. passive consumption is a key difference that may make the analogy weak. Good analogical reasoning requires relevant similarities outweigh relevant differences.

analogy, comparison, reasoning

Question 4

What is the logical form of this argument?

Form: If P then Q. Q is true. Therefore P. This is affirming the consequent, a formal fallacy. The ground could be wet from sprinklers, not rain.

structure, premises, conclusion, logic

Question 5

Argument: We should require voter ID because it prevents fraud. Which is the STRONGEST counterargument?

The strongest counterargument addresses the premise (fraud prevalence) and shows the policy's harm outweighs its benefit, using evidence.

counterargument, dialectical, rebuttal

Question 6

Argument by analogy: 'Social media causes mental health problems in teens, similar to how tobacco causes physical health problems. We regulate tobacco, so we should regulate social media similarly.' What is the most important DIFFERENCE that weakens this analogy?

A critical disanalogy: tobacco has no redeeming benefits, while social media has legitimate uses. This makes the analogy weaker.

analogy, comparison, reasoning

Question 7

What is the logical form of this argument?

Form: If P then Q. Q is true. Therefore P. This is affirming the consequent, a formal fallacy. The ground could be wet from sprinklers, not rain.

structure, premises, conclusion, logic

Question 8

Issue: Should the minimum wage be increased to $15/hour? Argument A: Yes, because it's been too long since the last minimum wage increase Argument B: No, because small businesses will be forced to reduce hours or lay off workers to manage increased labor costs Which argument is stronger?

Argument A: Time passage alone doesn't justify policy change without addressing underlying conditions. Argument B: Identifies specific economic mechanism and realistic business response

arguments, comparative, analysis

Question 9

Is this argument deductive or inductive? What makes it strong or weak?

Inductive arguments generalize from specific cases. They cannot be 'valid' like deduction; instead, they are stronger with larger, more representative samples.

induction, deduction, reasoning type

Question 10

A critical disanalogy: tobacco has no redeeming benefits, while social media has legitimate uses. This makes the analogy weaker.

analogy, comparison, reasoning

Question 11

Argument: We should require voter ID because it prevents fraud. Which is the STRONGEST counterargument?

The strongest counterargument addresses the premise (fraud prevalence) and shows the policy's harm outweighs its benefit, using evidence.

counterargument, dialectical, rebuttal

Question 12

Topic: Should standardized testing be eliminated from schools? Argument: No, because competition is good for students Evaluate the strength of this argument:

Weak argument: Relies on emotion, generalizations, or lacks supporting evidence

arguments, evidence, evaluation

Question 13

Context: Debate in City Council about building a new stadium Argument: I don't like sports so this is a waste of money Which unstated assumption does this argument rely on?

Hidden assumption: Council members' personal preferences should determine policy. Without this assumption, the argument's conclusion may not follow from its premises.

arguments, context, relevance

Question 14

Context: Debate in City Council about building a new stadium Argument: I don't like sports so this is a waste of money In this context, how strong is this argument?

Weak argument in this context: Personal preference irrelevant to public policy decisions

arguments, context, relevance

Question 15

Issue: Should social media platforms be held liable for content posted by users? Argument A: Yes, because there's too much fake news online Argument B: No, because people should use common sense Which argument is stronger?

Both arguments are weak because they both identifies problem but doesn't explain why platform liability is the solution

arguments, comparative, analysis

Question 16

Context: Debate in City Council about building a new stadium Argument: Public funding should prioritize schools and infrastructure over entertainment venues In this context, how strong is this argument?

Strong argument in this context: Addresses opportunity cost and public spending priorities

arguments, context, relevance

Question 17

Context: Corporate board meeting about remote work policy Argument: This is how modern companies operate now In this context, how strong is this argument?

Weak argument in this context: Bandwagon reasoning without addressing company-specific needs

arguments, context, relevance

Question 18

Strong argument in this context: Addresses opportunity cost and public spending priorities

arguments, context, relevance

Question 19

To properly evaluate whether the diversity training CAUSED the increase in minority hiring, what counterfactual would you need to compare against?

Counterfactual reasoning asks: 'What would have happened otherwise?' Without a baseline or control, you can't isolate the training's effect from other factors (e.g., a tight labor market).

counterfactual, causation, evaluation

Question 20

You test positive for a rare disease (1 in 10,000 prevalence). The test is 99% accurate (1% false positive rate). What is the approximate probability you actually have the disease?

With 10,000 people: 1 true case, but 100 false positives (1% of 9,999). So probability = 1/(1+100) ≈ 1%. This tests base rate neglect.

statistics, probability, base rates

📈 Building expertise: Worksheet 12 of 30 in Strong/Weak Arguments.

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