Level 5 — Advanced · Technical & Evidence-Based Writing
Task 84: Evaluating an Argument
Write a paragraph judging whether an author has actually earned their conclusion, using a three-level evaluation and calibrated claim language — the writing mirror of Lesson 84.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this task, you should be able to:
- Separate summarizing an argument from evaluating it
- Judge evidence reliability, evidence-to-claim support, and conclusion justification as three separate questions
- Use calibrated claim language rather than a flat 'good argument / bad argument' verdict
Introduction
Lesson 84 taught you that evaluating an argument means answering three separate questions — is the evidence reliable, does it actually support the claim, and is the conclusion justified by it — not one vague verdict of "good" or "bad." This task asks you to write that three-level evaluation out, on a short made-up argument.
The Rule, for Writing
Core Concept
A real evaluation names all three levels even when the answer to one is "yes" and another is "no." A conclusion can follow from reliable evidence, or reliable evidence can still fail to support the specific conclusion drawn from it — these are different failures, and a good evaluation says which one occurred.
Example
"The survey of 40 port workers (reliable enough for a small pilot) shows 80% wanted flexible shifts. But the report concludes 'all port workers prefer flexible shifts' — the evidence is reliable and does show a real preference among the surveyed group, yet the conclusion overreaches: 40 workers at one port cannot justify a claim about all port workers everywhere."
Your Turn
Your Turn
A report surveys 25 dockworkers at one terminal and finds 70% support switching to a four-day work week. It concludes: "the shipping industry should adopt a four-day work week." Write an evaluation paragraph addressing all three levels: is the evidence reliable (for what it is), does it support the stated finding, and is the final conclusion justified by it? Use calibrated language (demonstrates / suggests / does not justify).
Vocabulary in Context
justifyverbformal
for evidence to be strong enough to reasonably support a specific conclusion (যুক্তিসঙ্গত করা)
Often with justify a conclusion, fully justify, justify the claim
“The evidence does not justify such a strong conclusion.”
overreachverbformal
to claim more than the evidence actually supports (অতিরিক্ত দাবি করা)
Often with risk overreach, overreach the evidence, avoid overreach
“The report overreaches by claiming a permanent saving from six weeks of data.”
Model Answer
Show a model answer
The survey evidence is reliable enough for what it is — a small, specific sample at one terminal, honestly reported. It does support a narrow finding: most surveyed dockworkers at that terminal favor a four-day week. But the final conclusion — that the whole shipping industry should adopt it — is not justified by this evidence. Twenty-five workers at one terminal cannot represent an entire global industry with different labor conditions, contracts, and operational needs. The report overreaches: reliable evidence, real support for a narrow claim, but an unjustified leap to a much broader one.
Self-Check
Self-Check
- Did you address all three levels (evidence reliability, support, conclusion justification) separately?
- Did you avoid a flat "good/bad argument" verdict?
- Did you use calibrated language rather than absolute claims?
- Did you identify exactly where the argument overreaches?
Next: Writing 85 — Calibrating a Claim: writing a claim that matches exactly the strength of the evidence behind it, no more and no less.