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Claim Testing: Introduction

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WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 1.2ACTIVITY CLAIM TESTING: INTRODUCTION1Unless otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: “Claim Testing: Introduction”, OER Project, https://www.oerproject.com/PurposeClaims are statements that people make about something they believe to be true or that they want you to believe to be true. So, what is claim testing and what are claim testers? You’ll figure that out, and then you’ll decide if you agree or disagree with aseries of claims. Process1.Read this description of claim testers and then answer the questions that follow: There arefour different ways we test claims in the World History Projectcourse. We call these four methods claim testers. Claimsare statements that people make about something they believe to be true or that they want you to believe to be true.Key informationClaim testers include:•Intuition—Having a gut feeling, such as when the support for a claim just “seems” right.•Logic—Carefully thinking about a claim to see if it makes sense.•Authority—Accepting a claim from a credible (believable) and trustworthy source.•Evidence—Gathering verified information, such as data, examples, or expert testimony, that supports the claim (for example, when we test a hypothesis in science class).
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 1.2ACTIVITY CLAIM TESTING: INTRODUCTION 2•Which of the claim testers do you think you use the most in your life? Why?•Which of the claim testers do you think is the most important to use when you’re trying to decide if a claim is true or false? Why?
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 1.2ACTIVITY CLAIM TESTING: INTRODUCTION 32.Review each claim in the table below and decide if you agree or disagree. Then, write a one-sentence explanation for why you either agreed or disagreed with the claim,and state which claim tester you used to make your decision.ClaimCircle oneWhy? Which claim tester did you use?The study of history relies on analyzing primary and secondary sources to understand past events and perspectives.AgreeDisagreeHistory is a fixed and unchanging record of what happened in the past.AgreeDisagreeHistorical events always have a single cause and a clear effect.AgreeDisagree
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT / LESSON 1.2ACTIVITY CLAIM TESTING: INTRODUCTION 4ClaimCircle oneWhy? Which claim tester did you use?Historians often reinterpret past events as new evidence is discovered or as societal values change.AgreeDisagreeThe study of history is purely about memorizing dates and facts rather than understanding broader themes and connections.AgreeDisagree3.If you can, share your responses with a partner, friend, or the class. Choose one claim you disagreedabout. What would make you change your mind about your answer? Why?