WGU D265 CRITICAL THINKING REASON AND EVIDENCE
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT EXAM
ACCURATE QUESTIONS AND ANSWER
PROPOSITIONS - answerAre statements that can be true or false
NON-PROPOSITONS - answerAre sentences that are not statements about matters of fact or fiction.
They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS - answerHave no internal logic structure, meaning whether they are true or false
does not depend on whether a part of them is true or false. They are simply true or false on their own.
(Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is blue.)
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - answerHave internal logic structure, meaning they are composed of simple
propositions. Whether they are true or false depends on whether their parts are true or false. (Example:
The sky is blue, but it does not look blue to me right now. The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The
GDP of Canada is either $3 trillion or $12 trillion.)
Words used to identify Independent Propositions - answerAND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF, THEN.
CONCLUSION INDICATORS - answerTHEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT,
WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
PREMISE INDICATORS - answerBECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE, AS INDICATED BY.
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS - answerArguments where the premises guarantee or necessitate the
conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
, INDUCTION ARGUMENTS - answerArguments where the premises make the conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION - answerArguments where the best available
explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
FORMAL FALLACY - answerConcerns the structure of an argument
INFORMAL FALLACY - answerConcerns the informational content of an argument
A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF - answerBad Argument Structure
Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in assessing the credibility of a news
story? - answerWhether the name of the author and the publication are identified
Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of an information source? -
answerWho funded it? & Does it try to get you to distrust other sources?
While researching a topic on the internet, a student encounters two different websites, one of that
looks more official than the other and includes tables, charts, and statistics, while the other does not.
What is the line of reasoning this student should employ to determine which site is more credible? -
answerIt is not feasible to determine which site is more credible from the information provided.
In which way should an information source be approached if it is stating that it is the only source of real
information and that other sources cannot be trusted? - answerSkeptically, because the source may lack
credibility.
PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY - answerThe principle of charity suggests we should try to understand ideas
before criticizing them.
Which of the following are reasons for applying the principle of charity? - answerIt is morally right to
give others the benefit of the doubt.
OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT EXAM
ACCURATE QUESTIONS AND ANSWER
PROPOSITIONS - answerAre statements that can be true or false
NON-PROPOSITONS - answerAre sentences that are not statements about matters of fact or fiction.
They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS - answerHave no internal logic structure, meaning whether they are true or false
does not depend on whether a part of them is true or false. They are simply true or false on their own.
(Example: Harry Potter wears glasses. The sky is blue.)
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - answerHave internal logic structure, meaning they are composed of simple
propositions. Whether they are true or false depends on whether their parts are true or false. (Example:
The sky is blue, but it does not look blue to me right now. The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The
GDP of Canada is either $3 trillion or $12 trillion.)
Words used to identify Independent Propositions - answerAND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF, THEN.
CONCLUSION INDICATORS - answerTHEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT,
WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
PREMISE INDICATORS - answerBECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE, AS INDICATED BY.
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS - answerArguments where the premises guarantee or necessitate the
conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
, INDUCTION ARGUMENTS - answerArguments where the premises make the conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION - answerArguments where the best available
explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
FORMAL FALLACY - answerConcerns the structure of an argument
INFORMAL FALLACY - answerConcerns the informational content of an argument
A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF - answerBad Argument Structure
Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in assessing the credibility of a news
story? - answerWhether the name of the author and the publication are identified
Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of an information source? -
answerWho funded it? & Does it try to get you to distrust other sources?
While researching a topic on the internet, a student encounters two different websites, one of that
looks more official than the other and includes tables, charts, and statistics, while the other does not.
What is the line of reasoning this student should employ to determine which site is more credible? -
answerIt is not feasible to determine which site is more credible from the information provided.
In which way should an information source be approached if it is stating that it is the only source of real
information and that other sources cannot be trusted? - answerSkeptically, because the source may lack
credibility.
PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY - answerThe principle of charity suggests we should try to understand ideas
before criticizing them.
Which of the following are reasons for applying the principle of charity? - answerIt is morally right to
give others the benefit of the doubt.
