Identifying Assumptions in a Sentence Report A sentence report is a piece of writing that presents a logical argument or claim. It typically consists of...
A sentence report is a piece of writing that presents a logical argument or claim. It typically consists of a conclusion stating a truth or a fact, and then supporting claims that logically prove that conclusion. These supporting claims can be expressed in various forms, including:
Statements: These are assertions that are true by definition, like "All dogs are mammals."
Contradictions: These are statements that are logically incompatible with the conclusion, like "The sun is both a star and a planet."
Hypotheses: These are statements that propose a new truth that could explain the conclusion, like "The absence of evidence for a certain hypothesis implies its truth."
It's important to identify these supporting claims within a sentence report because they are the ones that contribute to the validity of the argument presented. These claims can be formulated as assumptions that the author is making about the world.
Identifying assumptions involves examining the wording and structure of the sentence report, considering the relationship between the conclusion and the supporting claims, and evaluating the logical consistency of the arguments presented.
Examples:
Correct: "The only way to reach the top of the hill is by taking the long path." (This is a statement, not a hypothesis.)
Incorrect: "The latest model of the car is the most reliable one on the market." (This is a contradiction.)
Incorrect: "The only way to reach the top of the hill is by taking the shortest path." (This is a misinterpretation of the conclusion.)
Key points to remember:
Assumptions are implicit in the argument, even if they are not explicitly stated.
Analyzing the relationships between the conclusion and the supporting claims is crucial for identifying the assumptions being made.
Assumptions can be both true and false, and their truth can impact the validity of the argument