Discussion Logic Diagnosis
Theory basis
Science Research Writing Unit 4.1.1 (forward-moving narrative wrap = logical thread) + 4.2.2 Q&A "What if I'm not confident about what my results mean?" (managing the data → interpretation → speculation chain) + 4.2.2 (mapping studies to literature is a logical act — placing your study in the research landscape).
Three-layer epistemic chain
| Layer | What it is | Hedging required? |
|---|---|---|
| Data | What was directly observed | No (just describe) |
| Interpretation | What the data suggest | Some (the data "suggest", "indicate", "point to") |
| Speculation | What might be true beyond the data | Strong (it is "conceivable", "plausible", "possible") |
A common error: collapsing layers — interpreting data with the same confidence as the data, or speculating as if interpreting.
What this skill diagnoses
- Argument chain integrity — does each claim have visible support (premise → evidence → conclusion)?
- Causal vs correlational claims — is "cause / lead to / result in" warranted by the design (experimental = OK; correlational = usually too strong)?
- Data–interpretation–speculation layering — are these three levels kept distinct, with appropriate hedging at each?
- Counter-argument handling — are limitations or alternative explanations acknowledged and addressed (not just listed)?
- Generalisation scope — does the conclusion go beyond the sample/population the study actually used?
- Internal consistency — does the conclusion follow from the premises, or does it introduce a new claim?
Diagnostic signals
| Signal | Means |
|---|---|
| "Stress causes depression" (from a correlational study) | Causal overreach — "is associated with", "predicts" |
| "Therefore, .." (without a clear warrant from the prior sentence) | Missing premise — "therefore" without support |
| "Our results prove that..." | Data/interpretation collapse — studies rarely "prove" |
| Speculation introduced with the same hedging as data | Layer collapse — speculation should hedge more |
| Limitations listed in a final paragraph but never addressed in the argument | Surface-level concession — not real counter-argument handling |
| Conclusion in the last sentence introduces a claim not derived from the body | Internal inconsistency |
Output format
## Logic Diagnosis
### Argument chain map
- [For each major claim: list premise, evidence, conclusion; flag any chain break]
### Causal claim audit
- [list all "cause / lead to / result in" with whether design supports]
### Epistemic layer audit
- [For each sentence: tag as data / interpretation / speculation; check hedging matches layer]
### Counter-argument handling
- [For each limitation: was it actually addressed in the argument?]
### Top issues (severity: critical / major / minor)
1. ...
Cross-reference
- Causal claims also affect Conventions (causal overclaim is a conventions violation).
- Take-home / forward motion is partly a logic concern but is owned by the Cohesion skill (Level 2 — global thread).
Academic integrity
Does not generate or rewrite. Only diagnoses.
References (to be filled in Phase 2)
references/rubric.mdreferences/checklist.mdreferences/examples/
