PHIL 347 Critical Reasoning
Week 6 Guided Learning Activity: Evaluating Expertise and Source Reliability
Directions: Type the letter answer into Canvas. You may also include the whole line. The letter
comes before the line or sentence
Example:
[A] Paris is the biggest city in France. [B] It is a major cultural center with many famous
museums. [C] The most famous of these museums is the Louvre.
In this passage, A = Paris is the biggest city in France. B = It is a major cultural center with many
famous museums. C = The most famous of these museums is the Louvre.
Section 1: Evaluating Expertise The truth is that we cannot research everything for ourselves
and we don’t have time to critical think our way through every problem. We are in large part
dependent on what experts say about things. While we can’t research the details of every
subject, we can get a feel for who is an expert and when they are speaking to their area of
expertise. That will help to wade through information and misinformation. Read pages 354-
359.
Passage 1: Environmental Scientist
[A] Dr. Lina Morales is an environmental scientist who earned her PhD in Ecology from Oxford and has
published over 50 peer-reviewed articles on wetland conservation. [B] Her research has influenced
national policies on habitat restoration and informed global climate change reports. [C] She was awarded
the Green Earth Medal for her pioneering studies on marshland biodiversity. [D] Some critics, however,
argue that her work overemphasizes wetlands and neglects urban environmental concerns. [E] One
blogger even claimed that her recommendations are impractical because they require expensive
interventions that small towns cannot afford.
Question 1: Which line describes the expert’s formal qualifications?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 2: Which line presents an argument that challenges the researcher’s authority?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 3: Which line describes the impact of the expert’s work?
a.A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 4: Which line presents skepticism toward the expert’s conclusions?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 5: Which line provides supporting evidence for the researcher’s credibility?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Section 2: Finding Reliable Sources. Again, since we cannot research everything for
ourselves, we need to be able to find sources that we trust to give us good information most of
the time. That doesn’t mean sources that we agree with all the time. In fact, if we do agree
with our sources all the time, it might be a bad sign. Discerning reliability is a great way to
ensure you have good information at your disposal. Read pages 350-54
Passage 2: Food Journalism
[A] A popular food blog publishes an article claiming that a specific brand of energy bars can prevent
chronic fatigue. [B] The article is written by a lifestyle blogger with no nutrition certification and does not
reference any scientific studies. [C] Registered dietitians criticize the article for exaggerating the bars’
health benefits. [D] The blogger states they interviewed nutrition experts, but no direct quotes or names
are provided. [E] Readers doubt the article’s reliability and consult peer-reviewed journals and reputable
nutrition websites.
Question 6: Which line describes a weakness in the article’s credibility?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 7: Which line introduces the source being evaluated?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 8: Which line describes an unverified claim made by the blogger?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 9: Which line presents an expert critique of the article?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 10: Which line describes a reader’s reaction to the source’s reliability?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Section 3: Identifying Bias and Evaluating Arguments While it is good to rely on peer-
reviewed journals, especially if you are writing about research into healthcare or medical
topics, not all topics can be supported solely by peer-reviewed journals. Another source is
scholarly publications or websites published or sponsored by institutions that generate public
policy research, analysis, and activity. These sites are affiliated with universities, governments,
advocacy groups, foundations, and non-governmental organizations.
Government websites, which use a .gov extension, can be trusted sources. Universities, which
use the .edu extension, may or may not be authoritative, since individual employees of
universities, faculty, and others may publish on the web using the .edu extension, but they do
not necessarily speak for the university. Privately-owned pages from faculty or students might
contain inaccurate information. Read pages 350-354 before answering the questions below.
Passage 3: Tech Reviews and Bias
A tech blog claims that a new wearable fitness tracker is ineffective at accurately measuring heart rate.
[A] The blogger references studies funded by companies that manufacture competing devices. [B]
Independent exercise physiologists argue that the tracker’s readings are generally consistent with
medical-grade monitors. [C] The blog post goes viral, sparking discussions among fitness enthusiasts and
tech reviewers. [D] Fact-checkers later discover that the blogger selectively reported data to exaggerate
inaccuracies. [E] The involvement of rival tech companies raises questions about the blogger’s
impartiality.
Question 11: Which line presents a counterargument to the columnist’s claims?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 12: Which line provides evidence that weakens the columnist’s argument?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 13: Which line presents the columnist’s main argument?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 14: Which line describes public reaction to the article?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 15: Which line describes a potential source of bias?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Section 4: Citation and Avoiding Plagiarism Plagiarism is using the work of another and
passing it off as your own. This might be intentionally copying someone else’s work without
revealing the source, stealing someone’s work and passing it off as our own, or having
someone else write your work and then presenting it as your own. Even unintentional copying
will be flagged as plagiarism; this often happens when you incorrectly paraphrase or copy the
work of another. So, “I didn’t mean it” is no defense to plagiarism.
You can avoid plagiarism by using proper citations. For Chamberlain, this means APA citation
style. This workbook will give you some tips on proper citation, but learning proper citation is
your responsibility. The Chamberlain Library has excellent tutorials on this, and you can also
go to APA’s own website, which contains the 7th edition of the stylebook, which will teach
you how to cite any source properly using APA citation style.
Passage 4: Product Reviews and Ethical Concerns
A blogger at a magazine writes a review of a new electric bicycle. [A] The review includes several
paragraphs copied from marketing materials without proper citation. [B] The website editor flags these
sections as potential ethical violations in content creation. [C] The blogger insists that minor wording
changes make the material original, though large portions match the company’s text. [D] The editorial
team allows the blogger to revise the article with proper attribution. [E] The review focuses on battery
life, speed, and durability of the e-bike.
Question 16: Which line presents an integrity violation?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 17: Which line describes the subject of the article?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 18: Which line presents an opportunity for the writer to correct the mistake?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 19: Which line describes the editor’s role in addressing the issue?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
Question 20: Which line describes the defense against plagiarism accusations?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
e. E
