To determine if evidence is relevant to a claim, which question should you ask?

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Multiple Choice

To determine if evidence is relevant to a claim, which question should you ask?

Relevance is about whether the evidence actually helps answer the claim by being directly connected to it. The best question to ask is whether the evidence is important or connected to the claim. If it clearly ties to the claim and helps explain or support it, that evidence is relevant. If it doesn’t relate to what’s being claimed, it’s not relevant, even if it’s interesting for other reasons. Note that a piece of evidence can be credible or recent but still not support the claim directly. For example, a study might be well-designed or new, but unless it shows a direct connection to the claim, it won’t help the argument. Conversely, something that is clearly connected to the claim strengthens the argument, even if it’s not definitive proof.

Relevance is about whether the evidence actually helps answer the claim by being directly connected to it. The best question to ask is whether the evidence is important or connected to the claim. If it clearly ties to the claim and helps explain or support it, that evidence is relevant. If it doesn’t relate to what’s being claimed, it’s not relevant, even if it’s interesting for other reasons.

Note that a piece of evidence can be credible or recent but still not support the claim directly. For example, a study might be well-designed or new, but unless it shows a direct connection to the claim, it won’t help the argument. Conversely, something that is clearly connected to the claim strengthens the argument, even if it’s not definitive proof.

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