Counterevidence — Social Studies definition
Defined in 4 courses:
- Relevant information that challenges, narrows, or complicates a proposed claim. (U.S. & New York History: Indigenous Nations to Reconstruction)
- Relevant evidence that challenges or limits a claim. (United States History & Government: Colonial Foundations to the Early 21st Century)
- Relevant evidence challenging or narrowing a claim. (Global History & Geography I: Early Societies to c. 1750)
- Relevant evidence that challenges or qualifies a proposed explanation. (Global History & Geography II: c. 1750 to the Early 21st Century)
Where it is taught
- History Capstone: Build, Test & Revise an Explanation — Emancipation, Reconstruction & Historical Inquiry, U.S. & New York History: Indigenous Nations to Reconstruction, Grade 7
- Citizenship, Public Evidence & a History Capstone — Recent History, Global Connections & Citizenship, U.S. History: Reconstruction to the Early 21st Century, Grade 8
- Global History Capstone: An Evidence-Based Comparison — Knowledge, Labor & the World Around 1750, Global History & Geography I: Early Societies to c. 1750, Grade 9
- Global History Capstone: An Evidence-Based Comparative Essay — Global Challenges & Historical Inquiry, Global History & Geography II: c. 1750 to the Early 21st Century, Grade 10
- U.S. History Capstone: Constitutional Change, Evidence & Comparison — Global Connections, Security & Historical Inquiry, United States History & Government: Colonial Foundations to the Early 21st Century, Grade 11
Questions using counterevidence
Problem 1
What makes counterevidence a serious test rather than unsupported denial?
Answer and explanation
Counterevidence should test a serious part of the explanation: uneven enforcement, an alternative mechanism, a different region, or a limit of the source. Unsupported denial of documented slavery or genocide is not a counterinterpretation with equal evidentiary standing. Explain what would change the conclusion if better evidence appeared.
Taught alongside
- context
- primary source
- interpretation
- evidence synthesis
- corroboration
- trade-off
- evidence
- causal mechanism
- thesis