Use of Evidence > Evidence Practice Test

Advocates of urban community gardens argue that transforming vacant lots into shared green spaces can reduce neighborhood crime. The suggested mechanism is straightforward: regular gardening activity puts more 'eyes on the street,' forges neighborly relationships, and signals collective care for the block. Critics counter that gardens merely appear in improving neighborhoods rather than causing improvement. To address this, supporters point to anecdotal reports of fewer break-ins and loitering around newly cultivated plots. Yet anecdotes cannot fully resolve whether gardens deter crime or simply coincide with it. If the gardens truly make blocks safer, evidence should show crime falling after gardens are installed, not just that gardens exist where crime is already trending downward.

Teachers often debate whether it is better for students to review material in one concentrated session or to spread practice over time. Cognitive scientists describe the 'spacing effect': information rehearsed across multiple shorter sessions tends to be retained longer than information crammed at once. Classroom realities complicate this claim, since students face immediate quizzes and later cumulative exams. Proponents of spacing say the key test is durability—how well material is remembered weeks later—while cramming can produce short-lived boosts. To persuade skeptics, the strongest evidence would compare students assigned to different study schedules and then measure their long-term retention, not just next-day performance.