Evaluating Conflicting Viewpoints - ACT Science

To compare and evaluate different explanations or hypotheses.

Each scientist’s main claim and the evidence they use to support it.

A statement or belief a scientist makes about how or why something happens.

Facts or data that support a scientist’s claim.

The logical explanation that connects the evidence to the claim.

Something a scientist believes to be true without direct proof.

A preference or viewpoint that can unfairly influence interpretation of data.

Look for statements where both scientists express the same idea or result.

Identify statements where scientists draw opposite conclusions or explain data differently.

They interpret the data differently or have different assumptions.

When two variables change together but one does not necessarily cause the other.

When one variable directly causes a change in another.

Because scientists may agree data is related but disagree about what causes what.

What does each scientist think is the main cause or explanation?

Identify how many scientists or theories are being compared.

The claim, the reasoning, and the evidence

Words like “however," "in contrast," or "unlike"

The data or observations agree with the claim or prediction.

The data or observations disagree with the claim.