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Strong/Weak Arguments - Expert Level: evidence support EXPERT

Strategic basic drills ★ for strong/weak arguments: 20 expert-level problems. Worksheet 29 of 30 - Focus: evidence support. Develop expertise in argument strength, critical analysis, argument evaluation with step-by-step solutions. Ideal for expert-level learners targeting challenging problems and time-bound practice.

📝 Worksheet 29 of 30 • 20 questions • ⏱️ Estimated time: 20 minutes • 🎯 Expert level

What you'll learn in this worksheet:
Your progress through Strong/Weak Arguments
Worksheet 29 of 30 (96% complete)

Question 1

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 2

Proposal: Implementing a four-day work week nationwide Argument: Reducing work hours could harm economic competitiveness against countries with longer work weeks What is the MOST significant weakness or missing element in this argument?
Key weakness: Assumes all countries compete on hours worked. This limits the argument's strength despite other merits.
arguments, multi-criteria, comprehensive

Question 3

Argument: College should be free because education benefits society. Which unstated assumption (missing premise) is necessary for this argument to be logically valid?
The missing premise is: Society should collectively fund services that provide broad public benefits.. Without this assumption, the conclusion doesn't necessarily follow from the given evidence.
arguments, strength, basic

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: 'Ice cream sales and drowning deaths both rise together. Therefore, ice cream causes drowning.' What is the logical problem with this argument?
This is a classic 'correlation does not imply causation' fallacy. Hot weather causes both increased ice cream sales and more swimming/drowning.
causation, fallacy, correlation

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

Topic: Should artificial intelligence be regulated more strictly? Argument: No, because technology is always good for humanity Which new piece of evidence would most strengthens this argument?
This strengthenss the argument because: Adds robust, longitudinal evidence
arguments, evidence, evaluation

Question 8

What missing counterfactual would best test this claim?
The key counterfactual is the 'no-policy' baseline. If jobs would have grown by 50,000 anyway due to economic recovery, the tax cut had no effect.
counterfactual, causation, evaluation

Question 9

Proposal: Universal basic income of $1000/month for all citizens Argument: We cannot afford UBI without massive tax increases What is the MOST significant weakness or missing element in this argument?
Key weakness: Doesn't account for economic stimulus effects. This limits the argument's strength despite other merits.
arguments, multi-criteria, comprehensive

Question 10

Is this argument deductive or inductive?
Deductive arguments aim for logical necessity. If premises are true, conclusion must be true. This is a classic syllogism.
induction, deduction, reasoning type

Question 11

Proposal: Universal basic income of $1000/month for all citizens Argument: Pilot studies in Finland and Kenya show UBI reduces poverty and improves mental health without reducing employment Evaluate this argument across multiple criteria (evidence quality, relevance, comprehensiveness):
Evidence: Strong, Relevance: Strong, Comprehensiveness: Strong. Overall: Strong
arguments, multi-criteria, comprehensive

Question 12

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 13

Argument: 'After we started the job training program, unemployment went down. So the program caused the decrease.' What important alternative explanation is ignored?
This commits the 'post hoc' fallacy (after this, therefore because of this). Without a control group or considering national trends, we can't establish causation.
causation, fallacy, correlation

Question 14

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 15

Is this argument deductive or inductive?
Deductive arguments aim for logical necessity. If premises are true, conclusion must be true. This is a classic syllogism.
induction, deduction, reasoning type

Question 16

Issue: Should the minimum wage be increased to $15/hour? Argument A: Yes, because workers earning minimum wage cannot afford basic living costs in most cities, and consumer spending will increase when workers have more money Argument B: Yes, because it's been too long since the last minimum wage increase Argument C: No, because minimum wage jobs are meant for teenagers, not adults Rank these arguments from strongest to weakest. Which is the STRONGEST?
Ranking analysis:
A: Addresses both social justice and economic stimulation with clear causal reasoning
B: Time passage alone doesn't justify policy change without addressing underlying conditions
C: Based on outdated assumption; data shows many adults work minimum wage jobs
arguments, comparative, analysis

Question 17

Proposal: Implementing a four-day work week nationwide Argument: Reducing work hours could harm economic competitiveness against countries with longer work weeks Evaluate this argument across multiple criteria (evidence quality, relevance, comprehensiveness):
Evidence: Moderate, Relevance: Strong, Comprehensiveness: Moderate. Overall: Moderate to Strong
arguments, multi-criteria, comprehensive

Question 18

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 19

Is this argument deductive or inductive?
Deductive arguments aim for logical necessity. If premises are true, conclusion must be true. This is a classic syllogism.
induction, deduction, reasoning type

Question 20

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
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