The Science Of Scientific Writing Set 6 Set 6-Assessing • Second page • Third page • Fourth page • Example • Exercise 1 • Exercise 2 • Exercise 3 • Exercise 4 • Exercise 5 • Exercise 6 • Final Page Set 6.
OVERVIEW: The way to well-written science
PART I: Paragraphs and Sentences...
SET 1: The Parts of Arguments
SET 2: Indicator Words
SET 3: Refining Claims
SET 4: Locating Arguments in Prose
SET 5: Rationale's Essay Planner
SET 6: Assessing
SET 7 : More on Assessing
Exercise 3
This time we'll go all the way and evaluate a whole argument.
1. Drag this map onto your workspace and evaluate the basis box first, then the reason, then the position.
Drag this image onto the workspace to proceed. You must be using the inbuilt browser in Rationale 1.3 or later.
Hints
- Start with the basis box: Is this a reliable source of information? (You already thought about this in set 6)
- Next look at
the reason: what confidence do you have in it, given your assessment
of its basis?
- If you think the basis is reliable, ask yourself: does this reason give support for the position? How good a reason is it - strong or weak?
- If you think the basis is a poor source of information ask yourself: could I still reasonably accept this claim on other grounds? If the answer is no, then the reason can't provide any support for the position.
- Now evaluate the position: what confidence do you have in this? If the reason doesn't support it, can you think of any other grounds for accepting it?
- Reflect all these decisions on your map by selecting each box in turn and using the 'evaluate' section of the ribbon to add icons to the map
2. Check your work against the model.
Content of this page drawn in whole or part from the Austhink Rationale Exercises with permission from Austhink.