WGU D265 CRITICAL THINKING ACTUAL
EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ The Bright Tooth toothpaste company runs the following advertisement:
"Use Bright Tooth toothpaste. Nine out of ten dentists recommend it!" You
decide to research this claim. You discover that the Bright Tooth toothpaste
company surveyed only ten carefully selected dentists, nine of whom
expressed support for Bright Tooth toothpaste. You also learn that, as of
2019, there were 200,419 dentists in the United States alone. Which error is
committed in the advertisement?- Selection bias- Thinking Slow- Selective
attention- Unfair stereotype.
Answer: Selection bias
◍ Simple propositions.
Answer: Simple propositions have no internal logical structure, meaning
whether they are true or false does not depend on whether part of them is
true or false. They are simply true or false on their own.
◍ Straw Figure Fallacy.
Answer: is committed when one misrepresents another's argument then
attacks the misrepresented (weaker) argument rather than the actual
(stronger) argument.
◍ conjoint support mapping example.
Answer: both premises are related to each other and are both needed to
support the conclusion.
◍ uncogent argument.
Answer: An uncogent argument is an inductive argument that is either weak
or has at least one false premise.
,◍ Cognitive bias.
Answer: The way we naturally categorize and make sense of the world
around us.
◍ Which statement about how to respond to bias is correct? - Different forms
of bias are best responded to in different ways, depending on how they
impact a person.- Since humans are bound to be influenced by bias in
everything they do, there is no point in trying to respond to bias.- Humans
are not influenced by bias.- All different forms of bias can be responded to
in the same way: by putting extra weight on any conclusion that does not
seem immediately plausible..
Answer: Different forms of bias are best responded to in different ways,
depending on how they impact a person.
◍ COGNITIVE BIAS.
Answer: a systematic thought process caused by the tendency of the human
brain to simplify information processing through a filter of personal
experience and preferences.
◍ HEURISTICS.
Answer: are practical rules of thumb that manifest as mental shortcuts in
judgment and decision-making.
◍ What fallacy occurs when a person reasons that one event is likely to lead to
another event due to a chain of intermediary events, even though the
probability of that entire chain being realized is low?- The slippery slope
fallacy- The fallacy of ad hominem- The fallacy of avoiding the issue- The
bandwagon fallacy.
Answer: The slippery slope fallacy
◍ Smith is committed to the belief that technological advancement is always
beneficial and thus never detrimental to human life. Smith reads a carefully
written and sufficiently argued essay in which the author contends that the
human adoption of any new technology involves both advantages and
disadvantages to its adopters. Since Smith is a loyal technophile, Smith
, accepts the author's claims about the advantages of technology but rejects
the author's claims about the disadvantages of technology.Which cognitive
bias is Smith demonstrating?- Dunning-Kruger effect- Self-serving bias-
Optimism bias- Confirmation bias.
Answer: Confirmation bias
◍ A news outlet issues a correction and an apology for incorrect information it
published. In the absence of further information, what does this news
outlet's action suggest about its credibility?.
Answer: The source appears credible because it is concerned with accuracy.
◍ Non-propositions.
Answer: Sentences that are not statements about matters of fact (or fiction).
They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
◍ A formal fallacy concerns _______, but an informal fallacy concerns
_______..
Answer: the structure of an argumentBy definition, a formal fallacy
concerns the structure of an argument and an informal fallacy concerns the
information contained in the argument's structure.
◍ Which indicator is a premise indicator?- Hence- Because- Thus- Therefore.
Answer: Because
◍ "If magicians can pull rabbits out of hats, then magic is real. Magicians can
pull rabbits out of hats. Therefore, I know that magic is real." Which two
statements represent conjoint support when mapping this example to a body
of propositions?.
Answer: If magicians can pull rabbits out of hats, then magic is real. &
Magicians can pull rabbits out of hats.
◍ Most students in the class scored less than 70% on the exam. This means
that the exam was too difficult to accurately assess student learning.
Therefore, as exams are supposed to accurately assess student learning, the
exam must be revised and readministered.Which statement is the conclusion
of the above argument?- The exam must be revised and readministered.-
, Some students in the class scored higher than 70% on the exam.- Exams are
supposed to accurately assess student learning.- Most students in the class
scored less than 70% on the exam..
Answer: The exam must be revised and readministered.
◍ PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY.
Answer: The principle of charity suggests we should try to understand ideas
before criticizing them.
◍ CONCLUSION INDICATORS.
Answer: THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE, THUS,
ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT,
WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
◍ appeal of consquences.
Answer: attempt to motivate belief with an appeal either to the good
consequences of believing or the bad consequences of disbelieving
◍ Fallacy of Equivocation.
Answer: when one's argument mistakenly uses the same word in two
different senses.
◍ Which two statements depict the fallacy of presumption called begging the
question? Choose 2 answers.- The universe could not have been created
from nothing, so it must have been created by the big bang.- People who
lack humility have no sense of beauty, because everyone who has a sense of
beauty also has humility.- Real estate is the best investment because every
other type of investment is inferior.- Washington DC is the capital city of
the United States of America..
Answer: - People who lack humility have no sense of beauty, because
everyone who has a sense of beauty also has humility.- Real estate is the
best investment because every other type of investment is inferior.
◍ Which two sentences reflect strong critical thinking?.
Answer: My opponent's position is contrary to mine; my opponent, however,
raises some good questions. & I am unsure of the answer; I will need to
EXAM PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS GRADED A+
◍ The Bright Tooth toothpaste company runs the following advertisement:
"Use Bright Tooth toothpaste. Nine out of ten dentists recommend it!" You
decide to research this claim. You discover that the Bright Tooth toothpaste
company surveyed only ten carefully selected dentists, nine of whom
expressed support for Bright Tooth toothpaste. You also learn that, as of
2019, there were 200,419 dentists in the United States alone. Which error is
committed in the advertisement?- Selection bias- Thinking Slow- Selective
attention- Unfair stereotype.
Answer: Selection bias
◍ Simple propositions.
Answer: Simple propositions have no internal logical structure, meaning
whether they are true or false does not depend on whether part of them is
true or false. They are simply true or false on their own.
◍ Straw Figure Fallacy.
Answer: is committed when one misrepresents another's argument then
attacks the misrepresented (weaker) argument rather than the actual
(stronger) argument.
◍ conjoint support mapping example.
Answer: both premises are related to each other and are both needed to
support the conclusion.
◍ uncogent argument.
Answer: An uncogent argument is an inductive argument that is either weak
or has at least one false premise.
,◍ Cognitive bias.
Answer: The way we naturally categorize and make sense of the world
around us.
◍ Which statement about how to respond to bias is correct? - Different forms
of bias are best responded to in different ways, depending on how they
impact a person.- Since humans are bound to be influenced by bias in
everything they do, there is no point in trying to respond to bias.- Humans
are not influenced by bias.- All different forms of bias can be responded to
in the same way: by putting extra weight on any conclusion that does not
seem immediately plausible..
Answer: Different forms of bias are best responded to in different ways,
depending on how they impact a person.
◍ COGNITIVE BIAS.
Answer: a systematic thought process caused by the tendency of the human
brain to simplify information processing through a filter of personal
experience and preferences.
◍ HEURISTICS.
Answer: are practical rules of thumb that manifest as mental shortcuts in
judgment and decision-making.
◍ What fallacy occurs when a person reasons that one event is likely to lead to
another event due to a chain of intermediary events, even though the
probability of that entire chain being realized is low?- The slippery slope
fallacy- The fallacy of ad hominem- The fallacy of avoiding the issue- The
bandwagon fallacy.
Answer: The slippery slope fallacy
◍ Smith is committed to the belief that technological advancement is always
beneficial and thus never detrimental to human life. Smith reads a carefully
written and sufficiently argued essay in which the author contends that the
human adoption of any new technology involves both advantages and
disadvantages to its adopters. Since Smith is a loyal technophile, Smith
, accepts the author's claims about the advantages of technology but rejects
the author's claims about the disadvantages of technology.Which cognitive
bias is Smith demonstrating?- Dunning-Kruger effect- Self-serving bias-
Optimism bias- Confirmation bias.
Answer: Confirmation bias
◍ A news outlet issues a correction and an apology for incorrect information it
published. In the absence of further information, what does this news
outlet's action suggest about its credibility?.
Answer: The source appears credible because it is concerned with accuracy.
◍ Non-propositions.
Answer: Sentences that are not statements about matters of fact (or fiction).
They do not make a claim that can be true or false.
◍ A formal fallacy concerns _______, but an informal fallacy concerns
_______..
Answer: the structure of an argumentBy definition, a formal fallacy
concerns the structure of an argument and an informal fallacy concerns the
information contained in the argument's structure.
◍ Which indicator is a premise indicator?- Hence- Because- Thus- Therefore.
Answer: Because
◍ "If magicians can pull rabbits out of hats, then magic is real. Magicians can
pull rabbits out of hats. Therefore, I know that magic is real." Which two
statements represent conjoint support when mapping this example to a body
of propositions?.
Answer: If magicians can pull rabbits out of hats, then magic is real. &
Magicians can pull rabbits out of hats.
◍ Most students in the class scored less than 70% on the exam. This means
that the exam was too difficult to accurately assess student learning.
Therefore, as exams are supposed to accurately assess student learning, the
exam must be revised and readministered.Which statement is the conclusion
of the above argument?- The exam must be revised and readministered.-
, Some students in the class scored higher than 70% on the exam.- Exams are
supposed to accurately assess student learning.- Most students in the class
scored less than 70% on the exam..
Answer: The exam must be revised and readministered.
◍ PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY.
Answer: The principle of charity suggests we should try to understand ideas
before criticizing them.
◍ CONCLUSION INDICATORS.
Answer: THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE, THUS,
ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT,
WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
◍ appeal of consquences.
Answer: attempt to motivate belief with an appeal either to the good
consequences of believing or the bad consequences of disbelieving
◍ Fallacy of Equivocation.
Answer: when one's argument mistakenly uses the same word in two
different senses.
◍ Which two statements depict the fallacy of presumption called begging the
question? Choose 2 answers.- The universe could not have been created
from nothing, so it must have been created by the big bang.- People who
lack humility have no sense of beauty, because everyone who has a sense of
beauty also has humility.- Real estate is the best investment because every
other type of investment is inferior.- Washington DC is the capital city of
the United States of America..
Answer: - People who lack humility have no sense of beauty, because
everyone who has a sense of beauty also has humility.- Real estate is the
best investment because every other type of investment is inferior.
◍ Which two sentences reflect strong critical thinking?.
Answer: My opponent's position is contrary to mine; my opponent, however,
raises some good questions. & I am unsure of the answer; I will need to
