WGU D265 CRITICAL THINKING
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy (Weak induction).
Answer: from the Latin for "after this, because of this;" assumes that
because one event happened after another, then the preceding event caused
the event that followed
◍ Deductive Arguments.
Answer: premises guarantee or necessitate the conclusion. Valid & Strong
◍ Denying the antecedent.
Answer: If X, then YNot XTherefore, not Y
◍ INDUCTION ARGUMENTS.
Answer: Arguments where the premises make the conclusion
probable.-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
◍ cogent argument.
Answer: A cogent argument is an inductive argument that is both strong and
all of its premises are true.
◍ Is the argument intending to prove that the conclusion is likely or probably
true? If so, it would be an.
Answer: Inductive argument
◍ Irrelevant Appeal.
Answer: any kind of appeal to factor, consideration, or reason that isn't
relevant to the argument at hand
◍ Map conclusion.
Answer: final conclusion of the argument
, ◍ straw man fallacy (Fallacy of Relevance).
Answer: misinterprets someone else's argument or position.
◍ Anchoring / Adjustment bias.
Answer: Anchoring bias is a cognitive bias that causes us to rely too heavily
on the first piece of information we are given about a topic. When we are
setting plans or making estimates about something, we interpret newer
information from the reference point of our anchor, instead of seeing it
objectively.
◍ PROPOSITIONS.
Answer: Are statements that can be true or false
◍ Red Herring Fallacy.
Answer: changing topic in an argument
◍ selection bias.
Answer: A polling error in which the sample is not representative of the
population being studied, so that some opinions are over- or
underrepresented
◍ Credibility of an Information Source.
Answer: one that is written by someone who is an expert in their discipline
and is free of errors and bias.
◍ Irrelevant Appeals.
Answer: attemptterm-46 to sway the listener with information that, though
persuasive, is irrelevant to the matter at hand
◍ SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS.
Answer: Have 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.)
◍ If an argument is invalid, then it is also _________..
Answer: Unsound
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy (Weak induction).
Answer: from the Latin for "after this, because of this;" assumes that
because one event happened after another, then the preceding event caused
the event that followed
◍ Deductive Arguments.
Answer: premises guarantee or necessitate the conclusion. Valid & Strong
◍ Denying the antecedent.
Answer: If X, then YNot XTherefore, not Y
◍ INDUCTION ARGUMENTS.
Answer: Arguments where the premises make the conclusion
probable.-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
◍ cogent argument.
Answer: A cogent argument is an inductive argument that is both strong and
all of its premises are true.
◍ Is the argument intending to prove that the conclusion is likely or probably
true? If so, it would be an.
Answer: Inductive argument
◍ Irrelevant Appeal.
Answer: any kind of appeal to factor, consideration, or reason that isn't
relevant to the argument at hand
◍ Map conclusion.
Answer: final conclusion of the argument
, ◍ straw man fallacy (Fallacy of Relevance).
Answer: misinterprets someone else's argument or position.
◍ Anchoring / Adjustment bias.
Answer: Anchoring bias is a cognitive bias that causes us to rely too heavily
on the first piece of information we are given about a topic. When we are
setting plans or making estimates about something, we interpret newer
information from the reference point of our anchor, instead of seeing it
objectively.
◍ PROPOSITIONS.
Answer: Are statements that can be true or false
◍ Red Herring Fallacy.
Answer: changing topic in an argument
◍ selection bias.
Answer: A polling error in which the sample is not representative of the
population being studied, so that some opinions are over- or
underrepresented
◍ Credibility of an Information Source.
Answer: one that is written by someone who is an expert in their discipline
and is free of errors and bias.
◍ Irrelevant Appeals.
Answer: attemptterm-46 to sway the listener with information that, though
persuasive, is irrelevant to the matter at hand
◍ SIMPLE PROPOSITIONS.
Answer: Have 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.)
◍ If an argument is invalid, then it is also _________..
Answer: Unsound
