1. CSI Detectives: Gathering Evidence
Catherine Foley
Based on AP Conference

2. The Crimes
Grand Theft Confidence: Students are afraid to think for themselves. They choose to “research” the Internet to plagiarize ideas that they value more than they trust their own capacity for critical thinking
Homicide: This lack of confidence and need for immediate gratification (grades v learning) has led to the death of creative thinking, evaluating and synthesizing information, and critical analysis
Involuntary Manslaughter: Lack of interest due to failure to relate school to real world situations

3. Purpose
To serve as introduction to an accessible process of understanding and writing argument through the study and analysis of crime scenes.

4. Results
Students collect, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize data (evidence) in order to form a logical and evidence- based hypothesis.
Students collaborate in the assimilation of either new or contradictory evidence.
Students apply this evidence to further support or invalidate their hypothesis.
Students form a theory based on their hypotheses

5. Deductive versus Inductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning is Top Down
It starts with a premise that is a generalization
 It moves to a premise that is specific
 These lead to a certain conclusion
Example: All men are mortal
Socrates is a man
Therefore, Socrates is mortal
Monty Python excerpt “She’s a Witch”

6. Inductive Reasoning
A repeated set of observations or clues are generalized into a probable conclusion. The more data, the closer it is to certainty. In other words, a number of observations lead to a generalization.
A logical process moving from particulars to universals, using specific cases in order to draw a conclusion (generalization)
Regular exercise promotes weight loss
Exercise lowers stress levels
Exercise improves mood and outlook

7. Therefore
Exercise leads to better health.

8. Logical Fallacies
Logical Fallacy – Potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses in argument
Red Herring – something, especially a clue, that is -- or is intended to be -- misleading or distracting. It can be either a logical fallacy or a literary device that leads the audience toward a false conclusion
Hasty Generalization– A conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. So, it is a rush to judgment before all relevant facts are known
Ad Hominem – An attack on the character of a person rather than the issue
Moral Equivalence – This fallacy compares minor misdeeds to major atrocities

9. Traditional v CSI
Traditional or Toulmin: Make a claim and support that claim with evidence (I should bring my umbrella)
Based on Evidence: It is raining
With a Warrant: Umbrellas keep you dry
Backing: Umbrellas are waterproof
Qualifier: Usually, or Unless it has a hole in it

10. CSI Method Gather and evaluate evidence
Generate rules (warrants) that support the evidence
Develop a claim (in support of evidence and warrants)
Create backing and extended examples supporting warrants
Acknowledge counter arguments and qualifications in anticipation of rebuttals

11. ??Slip or Trip?? Murder Mystery
Students are presented with visual and textual evidence and work in pairs to compare and contrast the evidence
Students determine whether the testimony of the witness is credible
This brings a real world connection to the exercise, as students play the role of crime scene detectives. Students evaluate the evidence and come up with a probable theory as to how and why the crime was committed

12. The Process - Formative
Students will use a graphic organizer to construct a chart that extends the evidence into the context of a warrant (rule)
Students then apply the warrant to the evidence to form a conclusion of the validity of their evidence. Eventually an accumulation of valid evidence leads to their thesis or claim.

13. Summative Assignments
English class: Write a police report or a newspaper article
Math class:
Science class:
Health class:

14. Differentiation
Give examples of evidence and warrants to initiate the process
Pick groups and have a recorder in each group to generate documents
Assign different roles with different degrees of complexity: for example: write a letter to the editor, write an editorial; write a society column about the country club event; write a narrative about the “accident” or the “crime”

15. Common Core Standards
Write for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences
Synthesize multiple sources on a subject
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources in different media or formats as well as in words to address a question or solve a problem

16. Elementary
Evidence: concrete, observable information personal testimony, written documents, and material objects
Procedure: As you watch the pilot episode of Elementary, write down what you think are clues or pieces of evidence
Collaboration: Working with a partner, compare you pieces of evidence to create entries for an evidence board. Share out with another pair and start to formulate an evidence board with Post It Notes
Revision: As new evidence is gleaned, be willing to revise