Reading Reflection #8: Evidence Part 2 (due 4/6)


To complete this reading reflection assignment, (1) Go to your personal blog, (2) Click on New -> Post, (3) Title the post Reading Reflection #8: Evidence Part 2, (4) Select the Category box for Reading Reflection Assignments, and (5) Add a few descriptive tags. Remember to respond to all five prompts below.

Based on your reading of ARQ chapter 8, “How Good is the Evidence: Personal Observation and Research Studies?,” respond to the following prompts:

  1. Briefly describe the scientific method (you may have to Google it). What are the main characteristics of the scientific method, as mentioned in this chapter, that contribute to the reliability and dependability of research data and results?
  1. What are some ways that surveys or questionnaires can be unreliable? What are some things to look for to verify the reliability of survey information?
  1. What are some pros and cons of research studies? Explain how some research findings can be problematic.
  1. What are three questions you can use to evaluate research studies? Where (in an article) should you look to find answers to these questions?
  1. Find a scholarly, peer-reviewed research article to use for Short Formal Assignment 4: Scholarly Article Analysis. Skim through the article to prepare for Assignment 4. Write (or copy and paste) the APA citation for the article here.

Reading Reflection #7: Evidence Part 1 (due 3/17)

To complete this reading reflection assignment, (1) Go to your personal blog, (2) Click on New -> Post, (3) Title the post Reading Reflection #7: Evidence Part 1, (4) Select the Category box for Reading Reflection Assignments, and (5) Add a few descriptive tags. Remember to respond to all three prompts below.

Based on your reading of ARQ chapter 7, “The Worth of Personal Experience, Case Examples, Testimonials, and Statements of Authority as Evidence,” respond to the following prompts:

  1. In class we have been working on identifying arguments in written material. You’ll remember that an argument must have both a conclusion and reasons. The next step in evaluating information critically is looking for the evidence that supports the reasons. Summarize, in your own words, the textbook’s definition of evidence (don’t forget to provide an in-text citation).
  1. Provide a brief definition of each of the four different types of evidence discussed in this chapter (personal experience, case examples, testimonials, and appeals to authority). What is a strength and a potential problem with the validity and/or reliability of each of the four types of evidence?
  1. Go to www.theconversation.com, www.theatlantic.com, or quillette.com and look for an article that uses one of the four types of evidence discussed in this chapter. Briefly summarize the article and describe the evidence the author provides. How reliable do you think the evidence is, given the topic of the article, and why? Include an APA citation for the article (hint, the publication/journal title is The Conversation, The Atlantic, or Quillette).