Understanding Answer Types

What are defending answers?

• These answers neutralize an objection.

• It often includes ruling out language.

What are linking answers?

• These answers connect evidence ideas to conclusion ideas.

• They provide some assumed similarity/difference.

How can you object in an Explain Curious Fact-style question?

Is the explanation plausible? Are other explanations plausible?

How can you object in a Correlation/Causation-style question?

Could the author have it backwards? Could they both be effects of an unnamed 3rd cause?

How can you object in an AntiCausal-style question?

If the author uses comparative evidence, are these two things fair to compare? Could there be an intervening factor?

How can you object in a Rec/Goal-style question?

Could following the rec have any undesirable outcomes? Will it even achieve the goal? Is the goal really worth pursuing?

How can you object in a Plan-style question?

Could we actually do this plan? Is this the only plan? Will this plan actually help?

How can you object in a Net Effect-style question?

Are there any positives that could outweigh the negatives or vice versa?

How can you object in a Ruling Out Options-style question?

Are these really the only options? Are these options mutually exclusive?

How can you object in an Analogy/Comparison-style question?

Are these things fair to compare? Is our data set complete?

How can you object in an Sample-style question?

Is this sample representative of the group we’re concluding about? Is it big enough? Not biased? Not self-reported?

How can you object in an Apply a Principle-style question?

Does this case actually trigger the principle?

What is the acronym for the rebuttal archetypes?

AACDOO

What are the 7 main rebuttal archetypes?

Attacks an Assumption: Points out an assumption the opposing point hinges on

Alternative Interpretation: Offers an alternative interpretation of the events

Crazy Consequences: Shows the consequences of accepting the opposing reasoning are illogical or points out that the opposing point thinks a certain view will lead to crazy consequences

Defines/Distinguishes: Defines a key term or distinguishes 2 things the opposing argument conflated

Overlooked Objection: Raises an objection that the opposing point overlooked, often an alternative to the opposing conclusion

Overriding Considerations: Rejects the opposing conclusion because of an overriding consideration they believe to be more important than their opponent’s evidence