Claims and Evidence | Answer Keys

Student Concept Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	C. "Schools should shorten summer vacation to prevent learning loss." A is an opinion (personal preference), B is a fact (can be verified), D is a fact. Only C is an arguable claim that can be supported with evidence.
2 (Type)	Anecdote (personal story)
2 (R.S.C.)	WEAK evidence. Relevant? Somewhat - it relates to homework and grades. Sufficient? No - one person's experience doesn't prove a general claim. Credible? No - "my friend" is not a verified, reliable source. One anecdote alone is not enough evidence.
3	C. "A 2023 study in the Journal of Cognitive Science found that puzzle-based games improved participants' problem-solving test scores by 20%." This has specific statistics (20%), a named source (Journal of Cognitive Science), a date (2023), and directly measures problem-solving - making it relevant, sufficient as supporting evidence, and credible.
4	The evidence is weak because: 1) "My teacher says" is not an expert citation - teachers aren't necessarily experts on cell phone policy research. 2) It's only one person's opinion, not data or research. 3) There are no statistics, studies, or named experts. Better evidence would include research on cell phone distractions or expert opinions from education researchers.

Practice Worksheet Answers

Question	Answer
1	Every middle school should have a school garden because it improves students' health, learning, and environmental awareness.
2	Evidence: Students who participated in gardening ate 20% more fruits and vegetables OR students who learned through gardening scored 15% higher on biology assessments OR discipline referrals dropped 30%. Supports claim about: health benefits OR learning benefits OR behavioral benefits
3	Expert testimony. The author includes it to add credibility - Dr. Adams is a professor of environmental education, making her a qualified expert whose opinion carries weight on this topic.
4	STRONG evidence. Relevant: Yes - all evidence connects to claims about gardens improving health, learning, and behavior. Sufficient: Yes - multiple pieces including statistics, expert quote, and example. Credible: Yes - University of Florida, 2022 study, named expert (Dr. Adams), and specific school (Roosevelt) are all verifiable sources.
5	Counterclaim: Schools lack space and funding for gardens. Response: Container gardens and raised beds work in small spaces, and community garden grants are available. The author argues benefits outweigh initial investment.
6	B. Modern zoos play a vital role in wildlife conservation and should be supported.
7	Any two: Zoos save species through breeding programs / Zoos fund conservation research / Modern zoos prioritize animal welfare / Zoo visits inspire conservation action
8	The California condor example OR the San Diego Zoo $10 million contribution. Strong because: Relevant - directly shows conservation impact. Credible - specific numbers and named sources that can be verified. Sufficient when combined with other evidence.
9	C. Specific example with statistics
10	Social media is harmful to teenagers and parents should limit access.
11	Relevant? Somewhat - the examples relate to social media's effects. Sufficient? No - only provides one anecdote about a cousin, no research or statistics. Credible? No - uses vague sources ("I read somewhere," "Everyone knows") and personal stories without verification.
12	"Everyone knows" is an appeal to common belief, not evidence - it can't be verified and assumes agreement. "I read somewhere" is vague and unverifiable - we don't know the source, when it was published, or if it's reliable. Strong evidence names specific sources.
13	Any two: Research studies with statistics ("A 2023 study found that teens who spent X hours on social media reported Y% higher rates of anxiety"); Expert testimony from psychologists or researchers; Specific data from credible organizations (American Academy of Pediatrics); Named examples of schools or programs addressing the issue
14	Passage 1 has stronger evidence. It includes: specific statistics (20% more vegetables, 15% higher scores, 30% fewer referrals), named research sources (University of Florida), an expert with credentials (Dr. Jennifer Adams, professor), and a specific example (Roosevelt Middle School). Passage 3 uses vague references ("Everyone knows," "I read somewhere"), a single personal anecdote (cousin), and unsupported generalizations. Passage 1's evidence is relevant, sufficient, and credible; Passage 3's evidence fails all three R.S.C. criteria.
15	Ranking: B (1-strongest), D (2), A (3), C (4-weakest) B is strongest because: It's from a named, credible source (Stanford), has a specific date (2023), provides precise statistics (12% improvement), describes a controlled experiment, and directly measures the claim (test scores = learning). This passes all R.S.C. criteria.

FAST Format Quiz Answers

Question	Answer
1	B. Schools should adopt year-round calendars with shorter, more frequent breaks.
2	B. The Johns Hopkins research showing students lose two months of math skills
3	B. Expert testimony
4	C. The evidence is relevant, sufficient (multiple sources), and credible (named universities and experts).
5	C. Coding should be a required subject in all middle schools.
6	C. Anecdote (personal story)
7	B. The source is vague and unverifiable ("I read online")
8	B. Passage 1 is stronger because it cites specific studies, named experts, and statistics from credible sources.
9	See rubric and sample response below.
10	See rubric and sample response below.

Question 9 Scoring Rubric

Score	Criteria
2	Correctly identifies whether evidence is relevant, explains the connection between evidence and claim, and provides clear reasoning.
1	Identifies relevance but provides incomplete or unclear reasoning for the connection.
0	Does not correctly identify relevance or provides no reasoning.

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 9:
Yes, this evidence IS relevant to the claim. The claim argues that schools should provide free breakfast, and the evidence shows that eating breakfast improves test scores by 17%. This connects because it demonstrates a benefit of breakfast for students - if eating breakfast helps students perform better academically, then providing free breakfast would help all students access that benefit, especially those who might not otherwise eat breakfast. The evidence gives a reason WHY schools should provide breakfast (improved academic outcomes), which directly supports the claim.

Question 10 Scoring Rubric

Score	Criteria
2	Correctly identifies the central claim, describes TWO pieces of evidence with specific details, and accurately evaluates evidence quality using R.S.C. criteria with specific reasoning.
1	Identifies claim and evidence but provides incomplete R.S.C. evaluation, OR only describes one piece of evidence thoroughly.
0	Does not correctly identify claim, does not describe evidence, or does not apply R.S.C. criteria.

Sample 2-Point Response for Question 10 (Passage 1):
Central Claim: Schools should adopt year-round calendars with shorter, more frequent breaks instead of traditional summer vacation.

Evidence 1: The Johns Hopkins University research showing students lose an average of two months of math skills during summer vacation. This is statistical evidence from a named, credible university.

Evidence 2: The quote from Dr. Maria Santos, an education researcher at UCLA, stating that shorter breaks allow students to stay mentally engaged. This is expert testimony from a qualified authority.

R.S.C. Evaluation: The evidence is STRONG. Relevant - both pieces directly relate to the benefits of year-round schooling vs. summer vacation. Sufficient - multiple types of evidence from different sources (research + expert). Credible - both sources are named universities (Johns Hopkins, UCLA) and a named expert with credentials (Dr. Santos, education researcher).

Quick Reference: Evidence Quality