How do you tell whether you are seeking an answer or only support?

Define a possible counterexample

A belief that an activity suits only outgoing people needs a defined activity, group and outcome. A vague impression is difficult to examine, and it need not become a personality label for others.

Check for moving standards

Do you accept one story for a favored conclusion but demand extensive research against it? Record inclusion and exclusion reasons. Evidence can deserve different weight because of quality and relevance, not because it agrees with you.

A worksheet you can use

Current view: __. Confidence-changing observation: __. Evidence standard: __. Supporting and opposing material: __. Unequal standard: __.

What if nothing could change my view?

Narrow the claim or recognize a value preference. Preferences and checkable facts are different questions.

Evidence and scope

These are reflection prompts, not a validated intervention eliminating confirmation bias.

Project Zero discusses evidence and reasoning. WKND prompts are original, not endorsed. Harvard Project Zero — Claim, Support, Question

Sources and further reading

Harvard Project Zero — Claim, Support, Question

• Read plenty but struggle to explain it? Try this five-step learning check
• How to widen your information diet without collecting more noise
• How do you keep interview notes from turning interpretation into quotation?
• How do you avoid turning imagination about an old photograph into history?