Evaluating Objections, Implications, and Limitations of Different Perspectives or Arg Chapter Notes | AP Research – AP Students - Grade 11 PDF Download

Introduction

This chapter equips AP Research students with skills to critically evaluate arguments by assessing their objections, implications, and limitations. It emphasizes that not all arguments are equally valid, as some lack evidence, reasoning, or good faith. Students learn to judge arguments for both quality and relevance to their research, identifying appeals, checking validity, and determining usefulness. By mastering these evaluation techniques, students can strengthen their own arguments and ensure their research papers are robust and well-supported.

Overview: Perspective/Argument Evaluation

• Not all arguments are of equal quality; some are poorly articulated or lack evidence.
• Some arguments are made in bad faith, failing to engage with alternative perspectives or provide rigor.
• Most scholarly papers avoid bad faith, but arguments still vary in quality and relevance.
• Evaluation involves assessing an argument’s strength and its usefulness for your research paper.
• Evaluating others’ arguments improves the strength of your own paper’s argument.

What’s the Appeal?

Here are some common appeals found in arguments:

•  Core Values:  Arguments often appeal to fundamental values like freedom, democracy, morality, and equality.
•  Emotions:  Arguments may evoke strong feelings, which can complement appeals to core values.
•  Personal Biases:  Arguments might inadvertently target our personal biases, making it easier to accept if we already align with the initial premise.
•  Assumptions:  Many arguments rely on pre-existing assumptions. For example, claiming "9 out of 10 Dentists Recommend CleanTeeth Toothpaste, so you should buy it!" assumes dentists are the best authority on toothpaste efficacy.
•  Logic:  Arguments can appeal to logic, either directly (“the only logical choice is...”) or indirectly (“it would be illogical not to accept that…”). However, simply claiming something is logical does not guarantee it is.

After identifying these appeals, consider how they interact with your biases. Playing “Devil’s Advocate” can be beneficial; think about how someone with an opposing view might interpret this argument. Actively seeking out contrary opinions can also be enlightening.
This process can be emotionally challenging, which is completely normal. Many struggle with this or may refuse to do it. However, attempting to understand alternative perspectives is commendable. You aren’t required to do this for every argument or belief.

Research Tip: It’s not inherently negative for arguments to make appeals, but such appeals can complicate the evaluation of the argument's claims, evidence, and reasoning. 

Evaluation Questions

Research Tip: These questions can also be applied to evaluating objections, limitations, and conclusions since these are essentially small arguments tied to a larger one. See the specific tips below.

Validity Evaluation

• Does the evidence and reasoning logically lead to the conclusion? Is the conclusion potentially overstated or unsupported by the evidence?
• Does the field indicate a preference for one perspective over another? While this does not imply that the other perspective is incorrect, a prevailing viewpoint often has valid reasons behind it.
• Are various types of evidence presented for different perspectives? If one argument uses statistics and detailed analysis while another relies on anecdotal evidence, identifying these differences can help you assess which argument is more valid.

Usefulness Evaluation

• After assessing quality, evaluate the argument’s usefulness for your paper.
• Even a strong argument may not fit due to paper length, scope, or scale.
• Questions to Ask:
  • Where would this argument fit in my paper? Literature review, implications, or as a counterargument?
  • If two arguments are valid, can both be used? E.g., one in the literature review, another as a counterargument.

Objection, Implication and Limitation Evaluation

Objections

• Who is presenting the objection?
• Is there any possibility that the objection has an underlying agenda?

Implications

• Does the implication logically correspond with the given conclusion?
• Does the implication seem to extend beyond reasonable limits?

Limitations

• Does the limitation make sense considering the research method or resources available? Could the research have overcome this limitation without additional help?
• Are there any limitations acknowledged? Does the argument implicitly or explicitly claim to have none?

The key takeaway is to assess for reasonableness. Arguments that are overly extreme are often less reliable than those that present a more nuanced perspective.

Key Terms

Research Question: A research question is a clearly defined inquiry that directs the focus of a study. It serves as the foundation for investigation, establishing the context, purpose, and scope, and guiding the formulation of arguments and evaluation of evidence throughout the research.