Lesson 3: Writing Your Verdict

About 30 minutes — Activity-based lesson

What You Will Learn

This lesson covers:

Report structure: claim, source analysis, methodology evaluation, bias check, verdict
Supporting your verdict with specific evidence
Rating the claim: Supported, Partially Supported, Misleading, or False
Writing a clear, fair, evidence-based conclusion

Report structure: claim, source analysis, methodology evaluation, bias check, verdict

This section covers the key ideas about report structure: claim, source analysis, methodology evaluation, bias check, verdict. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Supporting your verdict with specific evidence

This section covers the key ideas about supporting your verdict with specific evidence. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Rating the claim: Supported, Partially Supported, Misleading, or False

This section covers the key ideas about rating the claim: supported, partially supported, misleading, or false. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Writing a clear, fair, evidence-based conclusion

This section covers the key ideas about writing a clear, fair, evidence-based conclusion. Discuss with your group or family and explore the concepts together.

Check Your Understanding

1. What should your report include?

Answer: (1) The original claim, (2) where it came from, (3) your source analysis, (4) methodology evaluation, (5) bias check, (6) what is missing, (7) your verdict with evidence.

2. How do you rate a claim?

Answer: Supported: the data is solid and the claim is accurate. Partially Supported: some truth but exaggerated or missing context. Misleading: technically true but presented deceptively. False: the data does not support the claim.

3. What if you cannot determine the truth?

Answer: 'Inconclusive — more data needed' is a valid verdict. Real investigations sometimes end without a clear answer.

4. How do you keep your verdict fair?

Answer: Base it only on evidence, not on what you want to be true. Consider alternative explanations. Acknowledge uncertainty. A fair verdict is an honest verdict.

Key Takeaways

Report structure: claim, source analysis, methodology evaluation, bias check, verdict
Supporting your verdict with specific evidence
Rating the claim: Supported, Partially Supported, Misleading, or False
Writing a clear, fair, evidence-based conclusion

Ready for More?

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Continue to Lesson 4: Presenting Your Case

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