Reasoning about Testing.

This article argues against the sloppy logic in arguments for reconsidering standards and assessments in educational testing. Sloppy reasoning has three characteristics: It employs grandiose but vacuous rhetoric, makes careless inferences regarding cause and effect, and mistakes faith for fact. Whil...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Education Digest Vol. 56; no. 5; pp. 56 - 59
Autor principal: Cizek, Gregory J.
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Prakken Publications Jan91
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        au: Cizek, Gregory J.
        affil: Program Associate, American College Testing Program (ACT), Iowa City, Iowa
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        Education
        Logic
        Reasoning
        Rhetoric
        Causation (Philosophy)
        Abolitionists
        Educational quality
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        subj:
          Education
          Logic
          Reasoning
          Rhetoric
          Causation (Philosophy)
          Abolitionists
          Educational quality
      ab: This article argues against the sloppy logic in arguments for reconsidering standards and assessments in educational testing. Sloppy reasoning has three characteristics: It employs grandiose but vacuous rhetoric, makes careless inferences regarding cause and effect, and mistakes faith for fact. While the presence of the characteristics in this debate is worrisome, more troubling is the possibility that it could influence a reform movement. The use of rhetoric by abolitionists is most noticeable in attempts to capture the moral high ground through emotional appeal. In fairness to a movement to abolish assessment in early grades, the justification of the whining must be asked. Unfortunately, the argumentation offered in this position is mired in careless inferences about cause and effect. Moreover, the most plausible cause-and-effect interference regarding testing and educational quality has been overlooked by abolitionists: that the temperature of the patient is being taken more frequently because other data suggest that there is a problem. The public reacted negatively to the handwriting on the wall because it contains misspellings and poor grammar, which illustrates the third characteristics of sloppy reasoning.
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    language: English
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          year: 1991
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