Which scenario illustrates a hasty generalization?

• A. Concluding that all students like a new curriculum after observing only two.
• B. Evaluating evidence from multiple studies.
• C. Identifying the main cause of an event.
• D. Following a trend without examining data.

Answer: (A)

Hasty generalization happens when a broad claim is made from too little evidence. Concluding that all students will like a new curriculum after observing only two students is exactly that: drawing a universal conclusion from a tiny, unrepresentative sample. It ignores the variation in preferences and contexts across different students and classrooms, so the reasoning isn’t reliable. A more solid claim would come from data gathered from many students in diverse settings. The other scenarios fall into different patterns of thinking: evaluating evidence from multiple studies shows careful, evidence-based reasoning; identifying the main cause deals with causal explanation; following a trend without examining data reflects a different fallacy, more about assuming popularity without checking the facts.