unit 5&6 Using Evidence to Support Your Argument

How can common knowledge lead to other kinds of support?a-d wrong-Common knowledge can be researched by the reader to verify its accuracy. An assertion of common knowledge will be followed by a citation that the reader can review. Common knowledge will lead to errors in logic. Common knowledge will lead the writer to make sweeping generalizations about a group to support claims.

Common knowledge can be the basis for logical reasoning, which can then be supported with data from text-based sources./Logical reasoning can follow common knowledge to support claims.

Which of the following is an example of common knowledge?d-a wrong-During sleep, your brain's electrical activity goes through a five-phase cycle On May 21, 1927, the aviator Charles A. Lindbergh landed his Spirit of St. Louis near Paris, completing the first solo airplane flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Most birds have little use for the sense of smell. The Olympic rings symbol was originally designed in 1912 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, cofounder of the modern Olympic Games.

Fruits and vegetables are nutritious./Smoking is harmful to your health./Michael Jackson was a musician.

Which of the following best describes common knowledge?a-b wrong-Any information that can be found on a Web site An opinion related to the topic A paraphrase from an unreliable source A quotation from a text-based source

Information that will not require a citation/Information that the average fifth grader would know/Information that the average reader would accept as reliable

Why would it be a bad idea to cite every sentence that has information in it?d-d wrong-The writer might undermine his or her argument. It is best to provide opinions without support for them. The writer might be considered guilty of plagiarism. The instructor will think that the writer is insulting his or her intelligence.

It would be distracting for the reader./It would require a lot of work for the writer./Not every piece of information in a paper needs a citation.

Which of the following is a valid way to evaluate an Internet source?d-d wrong-Look to see if the subject is interesting. Make sure that the site makes vague or general claims. Examine the article to ensure that it has language that is not too detailed. Ask your instructor.

Look at the author's credentials./Look at the publication information./Check the date that the source was published.

How can personal experience influence a writer's topic?c-b wrong-Personal experience will allow a writer to clearly see both sides of the argument. Personal experience will give a writer an open mind about the topic. Personal experience might cause a writer to plagiarize.

Personal experience may influence the topic that the writer chooses./Personal experience may compel the writer to write about a particular issue because it is based on his or her personal interests.

Which of the following should writers do if they are not sure if their information is common knowledge?b-b wrong-Just keep writing. Writers should not worry about citations. Assume that the information is common knowledge. Follow the sentence with the phrase "common knowledge" in parentheses. Cite it in the text but not in the references list.

Play it safe and cite the source./Try to remember how they came upon the information in the first place./Attempt to find a reliable source that verifies the information.

Which of the following best defines cyberplagiarism?c-c wrong-Providing unfair descriptions of opponents A practice much more difficult than regular plagiarism Using sources to back up assertions Using evidence to support claims

Taking ideas from Internet sites and incorporating them into one's work without citing the source/Taking words from Internet sites and incorporating them into one's work without citing the source/A practice no different from typing up an idea from a printed book and including it in a paper as original material

How can the assignment description help students?c-a wrong-The descriptionalways provides links for research. The descriptiongives students a position to take on a topic so that they do not have to form their own argument. The descriptionprovides students with sources that they can use in their paper. The descriptionprovides students with lecture notes and resources.

The description provides specifics about the assignment./The description specifies the kinds of sources that students are required to use in their writing.-/The description lets students know whether or not they are required to write a response based entirely on personal experience.

Which of the following is an example of personal experience that could be used in an essay as evidence?d wrong-Statistics from Planned Parenthood Web site Quotations from an interview that the writer conducted with a neighbor who is a pharmacy technician Quotations from a well-known and respected leader

The writer's experiences as a worker

Which of the following should students do when they are considering whether or not to use personal experience to support their claims?d-a wrong-Make unclear claims to keep the reader guessing. Write the paper using just personal experience because that is easier for beginning writers. Provide assertions without reasoning to back them up. Only use researched sources, just to be safe.

Use the assignment list to determine whether or not they can rely on personal experiences alone to support their claims./Review what they are being asked to do.