Using the CRAP Test As Your Guide, Make Your Own Sets of Evidence and Have Someone Else

The CRAP Test 1. Which evidence is better? A. “An article from the New York Times supports requiring a photo voter ID”

B. “Results of studies in Indiana and Georgia showed photo voter ID decreased voting fraud” Why?

2. Which evidence is better? A. “In my opinion, we should ban all automatic weapons in the United States because it’s the right thing to do”

B. “A survey of 12 countries that banned automatic weapons found that it decreased gun violence by 54%” Why?

3. Which evidence is better? A. “Decades of research show listening to music while studying has positive effects”

B. “A 2011 Baylor University study showed listening to music whiles studying hurt students’ grades” Why?

4. Which evidence is better? A. “Actress Jenny McCarthy believes that vaccines are harmful since her son was diagnosed with autism after being vaccinated.”

B. “Research done by scientists at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that vaccines are effective and have no link to autism.” Why?

5. Which evidence is better? A. “Early exposure to TV is bad for children since they could be doing other things to help them learn and people watch too much TV anyway.”

B. “Early exposure to TV is bad for children according to a 2007 study by the US Surgeon General” Why? 6. Which evidence is better? A. “As the CEO of a group that builds shopping malls, it makes sense for our state to provide tax incentives to businesses who locate here.”

B. “In my work as an economist at the University of Virginia, I advise states to never give businesses tax incentives to re-locate since they leave when the incentives expire.”

7. Which evidence is better? A. One writer noted, “the educational results of online learning have shown promising results.”

B. Danielle Fisherman, a Ph.D. from the Yale Graduate School of Education, said, “students in face to face classes usually outperform those in online classes.”

8. Which evidence is better? A. “Medical marijuana should be legalized because 60% of people in a recent Gallup Poll support it, politicians including Hilary Clinton favor it, and it’s the right thing to do”

B. “As a practicing doctor for 25 years, I have found that medical marijuana effectively controls cancer patients’ pain and nausea during chemotherapy” Why?

9. Which evidence is better? A. “All caring people support the Fair Housing Bill since it is the only way to get homeless people off the streets and into decent, affordable housing.”

B. “A recent study by the U.S. Government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development found that Section 8 vouchers provide the best housing support for the homeless.” Why?

10. Which evidence is better? A. “In 1998, a study from the Journal of Health Sciences found that regular computer users suffered more eye strain than those using computers less often.”

B. “A 2014 study about eye strain and computer use found that strain could be avoided by users looking away from their screens for 1 minute every half hour.” Why?

Using the CRAP test as your guide, make your own sets of evidence and have someone else decide which is better.

1. Which evidence is better? A.