CHAPTER 4 Copyright © 2003 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

CHAPTER 4: Evaluating Social Studies Materials Copyright © 2003 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Criteria Criteria are standards or reference points by which to judge the worth or value of something. Different people often have different criteria for the same things. Criteria affect a person’s point of view.

CHAPTER 4: Evaluating Social Studies Materials Copyright © 2003 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Values Values are the principles and beliefs that influence a person’s decision. Examples of values are Family Religion Public Service Education Money Power Success Honesty

CHAPTER 4: Evaluating Social Studies Materials Copyright © 2003 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Relevant facts are necessary to make informed decisions. Should a city buy American-made buses or less expensive foreign-made buses for its transit system? Relevant Facts The cost of each fleet of buses The city’s financial situation The level of quality of each type of bus The economic impact of the purchase of foreign goods over American goods

CHAPTER 4: Evaluating Social Studies Materials Copyright © 2003 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Irrelevant facts should not influence a decision. Are gasoline prices in the United States higher today than they were during the energy crisis in the 1970s? (Continued) Irrelevant! This graph only gives data up to 1985.

CHAPTER 4: Evaluating Social Studies Materials Copyright © 2003 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. viewpoint Different people often have different criteria for the same things, which affects their viewpoint: The space shuttle program should continue because it will allow us to make scientific advancements and discover more about our galaxy and universe. The space shuttle program should be discontinued because too many astronauts loose their lives in accidents such as the Challenger explosion and the Columbia disaster.

CHAPTER 4: Evaluating Social Studies Materials Copyright © 2003 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. logical fallacy A logical fallacy is an incorrect conclusion drawn from information. A foreign-made car costs more than an American-made car. Therefore, the foreign-made car must be a better car. This is not necessarily true! The foreign-made car could be more expensive because of import tariffs, not because it is a better car.

CHAPTER 4: Evaluating Social Studies Materials Copyright © 2003 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. THE END Chapter Review QuizGED Practice Quiz Practice the skills you learned in this chapter by taking the Chapter Review Quiz or the GED Practice Quiz.