This set practises the skills from the reasoned explanation module: linking to the question, treating a counterargument fairly, stating limits and writing a qualified conclusion. All sources and figures are invented for practice and are not real data.
Try each question on paper first. Then open the answer and compare your reasoning, not just your final line. The questions run from easier to harder.
Questions
Q1 (easy). The question is “Should Sekolah Contoh start a homework club after school?” Name the topic, the judgement word and the scope.
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Topic: a homework club. Judgement word: "should" (a decision about what ought to happen). Scope: this school, after school hours.Q2 (easy). For the question in Q1, which reason is tied to it: (a) “Education is important worldwide” or (b) “In an invented survey, 18 of 30 students said they had nowhere quiet to study at home”?
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(b). It concerns this school's students and a need a homework club could meet. (a) is true but does not help decide the question.Q3 (easy). In the invented survey, 18 of 30 students said they lack a quiet place to study. What percentage is that?
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18 ÷ 30 = 0.6, so 60%.Q4 (medium). Classify each as a fact, a viewpoint or an interpretation: (i) “The club would run for 2 hours.” (ii) “The club is a waste of time.” (iii) “The survey suggests demand is high.”
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(i) A fact within the invented scenario. (ii) A viewpoint. (iii) An interpretation of the evidence, which can be tested against the numbers.Q5 (medium). A committee note says: “A homework club needs a teacher supervising for 2 hours, 4 days a week, and the staff are already busy.” Write this concern in a fair form.
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For example: "The committee is concerned that supervising the club would need 8 hours of teacher time a week (2 × 4) from staff who already have full schedules." It states the claim and reason without mocking it.Q6 (medium). A student writes: “People against the club just do not care about students.” Explain the problem and rewrite the sentence.
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It is a straw man: it replaces the staffing concern with a character judgement. Rewrite: "Some staff worry that supervision would add to already full workloads, which is a reasonable concern to weigh."Q7 (medium). The survey asked 30 students in Year 11 on one Friday. Give two limits of the conclusion “Students at Sekolah Contoh need a homework club.”
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It covers one year group only, one day, and 30 students, so it does not show the views of other years or whether the need is constant. The wording "students at Sekolah Contoh" is wider than the sample.Q8 (harder). Rewrite with the right strength: “The survey proves everyone needs a club.”
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For example: "In this survey, 60% of 30 Year 11 students reported no quiet place to study, which suggests some demand for a club among that year group."Q9 (harder). No source gives the cost of supervision. Say what this means for a conclusion about cost.
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The conclusion should not claim the club is affordable or unaffordable. It should state that cost evidence is missing, and that this limits how firmly any decision can be recommended.Q10 (harder). Write a qualified conclusion (3-5 sentences) for the Q1 question using the facts above: 60% of 30 Year 11 students lack a quiet place; the committee worries about 8 hours of weekly supervision; no cost data.
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Sample: "On the evidence provided, a short trial of a homework club looks reasonable for Sekolah Contoh. In the survey, 60% of 30 Year 11 students said they lack a quiet place to study. The committee's concern about 8 hours of weekly supervision is fair, but a trial could test whether the workload is manageable. Because the survey covers one year group on one day and no cost data is given, the evidence supports a trial, not a permanent commitment."If you got these wrong
- Reasons that drift away from the question (Q1, Q2): revisit connecting an explanation to a stated question.
- Caricatured or unfair views of the other side (Q5, Q6): revisit addressing a counterargument without caricaturing it.
- Wording too strong, or missing boundaries (Q7, Q8, Q9): revisit stating the limits of a conclusion.
- Conclusions missing a move (Q10): revisit developing a qualified conclusion.
- Percentages (Q3): divide the part by the whole, then multiply by 100.
Mixing up fact, viewpoint and interpretation (Q4) goes back to claims, reasons and evidence.
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