CRITICAL THINKING /CRITICAL
THINKING ATI PROCTORED
EXAM LATEST VERSION 2026-2027
1. A study finds that people who drink green tea daily have lower rates of heart
disease. From this, a researcher concludes: “Green tea prevents heart disease.”
Which critical thinking error is present?
A. Circular reasoning
B. Confusing correlation with causation
C. Ad hominem
D. False dichotomy
2. Statement: “All nurses are compassionate. Jane is a nurse. Therefore, Jane is
compassionate.” This is an example of:
A. Inductive reasoning
B. Deductive reasoning
C. Analogical reasoning
D. Abductive reasoning
3. An argument says: “We should not allow hospital visitors after 8 PM because it
disturbs patients. But some argue that visitors provide emotional support.
However, those people just don’t care about patient recovery.” What flaw is
present?
A. Straw man
B. Slippery slope
C. Ad hominem
D. Hasty generalization
4. A patient refuses a blood transfusion for religious reasons. The nurse thinks, “If
I don’t transfuse, the patient may die; if I do, I violate their beliefs.” This situation
represents:
A. Confirmation bias
B. Ethical dilemma
C. Overgeneralization
D. False consensus
,5. Which of the following is an assumption in the statement: “Because the patient
did not complain of pain, she likely has no pain.”
A. Patients always complain when in pain.
B. Silence indicates absence of pain.
C. Pain is subjective.
D. The nurse asked about pain directly.
6. “If the lab result is positive, then the patient has infection. The lab result is
positive. Therefore, the patient has infection.” This is:
A. Modus ponens (valid deduction)
B. Denying the antecedent
C. Affirming the consequent
D. Modus tollens
7. A clinical instructor says: “Every time I see a fever, I order a CBC. So ordering
a CBC is the right response to fever.” This is an example of:
A. Hasty generalization
B. Appeal to authority
C. Begging the question
D. Red herring
8. Which statement is an evaluation of an argument rather than a restatement?
A. “The author says hand hygiene reduces infections.”
B. “The conclusion is based on a small, unrepresentative sample.”
C. “The first sentence lists three reasons.”
D. “The word ‘therefore’ appears in line 5.”
9. A nurse notes that a post-op patient’s heart rate is 120 bpm. The patient says,
“I’m fine.” The nurse thinks: “The patient might be in pain, or anxious, or bleeding
internally.” This thinking is called:
A. Deduction
B. Generating hypotheses (interpretation of data)
C. Confirmation bias
D. Algorithmic reasoning
10. “Either the patient takes the medication, or he will get worse. He refuses the
medication. So he will get worse.” This argument is:
A. Invalid – missing possibilities
B. Valid as a disjunctive syllogism
,C. Circular
D. Weak analogy
11. A researcher states: “Our survey of 10 post-op patients showed 80% prefer
cold water. Therefore, 80% of all post-op patients prefer cold water.” The main
problem is:
A. Sample size too small / not representative
B. Ambiguous language
C. Appeal to popularity
D. No problem – it’s correct
12. Which statement is a fact rather than an inference?
A. “The patient is angry because of the wait.”
B. “The family will likely sue.”
C. The patient’s temperature is 38.5°C.
D. “The nurse seems tired.”
13. A colleague argues: “We should use restraints because safety is paramount.
Anyone who disagrees doesn’t care about patient safety.” This commits:
A. False dilemma (or poisoning the well)
B. Slippery slope
C. Appeal to emotion
D. Begging the question
14. Given: “All critical care nurses are certified in ACLS. Some certified ACLS
providers work in the ED. Therefore, some critical care nurses work in the ED.”
This conclusion is:
A. Valid
B. Invalid (fallacy of the undistributed middle)
C. Sound
D. Cogent
15. A patient says, “Last time I took aspirin, my stomach hurt. So aspirin always
hurts my stomach.” This is:
A. Overgeneralization from one instance
B. Post hoc ergo propter hoc
C. Appeal to authority
D. Non sequitur
, 16. In critical thinking, “recognition of assumptions” means:
A. Accepting all premises as true
B. Identifying unstated beliefs that support a conclusion
C. Rejecting any conclusion that requires assumptions
D. Assuming the opposite to test validity
17. A nurse reads: “Patients who receive music therapy have lower anxiety scores
(p = 0.03). Therefore, music therapy reduces anxiety.” Which question best
evaluates this inference?
A. Was the study double-blind?
B. Could a third factor (e.g., extra attention) explain the difference?
C. How many patients listened to classical vs. rock?
D. Did patients pay for the therapy?
18. “If the IV infiltrates, then swelling will occur. No swelling is present.
Therefore, the IV has not infiltrated.” This is:
A. Affirming the consequent (invalid)
B. Modus tollens (valid)
C. Denying the antecedent (invalid)
D. Inductive generalization
19. Which of the following is a normative statement (value judgment) rather than
descriptive?
A. “The patient’s blood pressure is 90/60.”
B. “Two doses of insulin were given.”
C. “The nurse should have checked the allergy band first.”
D. “The call light was pressed at 2 AM.”
20. A hospital policy says: “All staff must wash hands before and after patient
contact.” A nurse says, “I just washed 10 minutes ago, so I don’t need to again.”
This reasoning ignores:
A. The authority of the policy
B. The rationale that contamination can occur between washes
C. Personal comfort
D. Time saved
21. In evaluating an argument, the term “sound” means:
A. The conclusion is probably true
B. The argument is persuasive
THINKING ATI PROCTORED
EXAM LATEST VERSION 2026-2027
1. A study finds that people who drink green tea daily have lower rates of heart
disease. From this, a researcher concludes: “Green tea prevents heart disease.”
Which critical thinking error is present?
A. Circular reasoning
B. Confusing correlation with causation
C. Ad hominem
D. False dichotomy
2. Statement: “All nurses are compassionate. Jane is a nurse. Therefore, Jane is
compassionate.” This is an example of:
A. Inductive reasoning
B. Deductive reasoning
C. Analogical reasoning
D. Abductive reasoning
3. An argument says: “We should not allow hospital visitors after 8 PM because it
disturbs patients. But some argue that visitors provide emotional support.
However, those people just don’t care about patient recovery.” What flaw is
present?
A. Straw man
B. Slippery slope
C. Ad hominem
D. Hasty generalization
4. A patient refuses a blood transfusion for religious reasons. The nurse thinks, “If
I don’t transfuse, the patient may die; if I do, I violate their beliefs.” This situation
represents:
A. Confirmation bias
B. Ethical dilemma
C. Overgeneralization
D. False consensus
,5. Which of the following is an assumption in the statement: “Because the patient
did not complain of pain, she likely has no pain.”
A. Patients always complain when in pain.
B. Silence indicates absence of pain.
C. Pain is subjective.
D. The nurse asked about pain directly.
6. “If the lab result is positive, then the patient has infection. The lab result is
positive. Therefore, the patient has infection.” This is:
A. Modus ponens (valid deduction)
B. Denying the antecedent
C. Affirming the consequent
D. Modus tollens
7. A clinical instructor says: “Every time I see a fever, I order a CBC. So ordering
a CBC is the right response to fever.” This is an example of:
A. Hasty generalization
B. Appeal to authority
C. Begging the question
D. Red herring
8. Which statement is an evaluation of an argument rather than a restatement?
A. “The author says hand hygiene reduces infections.”
B. “The conclusion is based on a small, unrepresentative sample.”
C. “The first sentence lists three reasons.”
D. “The word ‘therefore’ appears in line 5.”
9. A nurse notes that a post-op patient’s heart rate is 120 bpm. The patient says,
“I’m fine.” The nurse thinks: “The patient might be in pain, or anxious, or bleeding
internally.” This thinking is called:
A. Deduction
B. Generating hypotheses (interpretation of data)
C. Confirmation bias
D. Algorithmic reasoning
10. “Either the patient takes the medication, or he will get worse. He refuses the
medication. So he will get worse.” This argument is:
A. Invalid – missing possibilities
B. Valid as a disjunctive syllogism
,C. Circular
D. Weak analogy
11. A researcher states: “Our survey of 10 post-op patients showed 80% prefer
cold water. Therefore, 80% of all post-op patients prefer cold water.” The main
problem is:
A. Sample size too small / not representative
B. Ambiguous language
C. Appeal to popularity
D. No problem – it’s correct
12. Which statement is a fact rather than an inference?
A. “The patient is angry because of the wait.”
B. “The family will likely sue.”
C. The patient’s temperature is 38.5°C.
D. “The nurse seems tired.”
13. A colleague argues: “We should use restraints because safety is paramount.
Anyone who disagrees doesn’t care about patient safety.” This commits:
A. False dilemma (or poisoning the well)
B. Slippery slope
C. Appeal to emotion
D. Begging the question
14. Given: “All critical care nurses are certified in ACLS. Some certified ACLS
providers work in the ED. Therefore, some critical care nurses work in the ED.”
This conclusion is:
A. Valid
B. Invalid (fallacy of the undistributed middle)
C. Sound
D. Cogent
15. A patient says, “Last time I took aspirin, my stomach hurt. So aspirin always
hurts my stomach.” This is:
A. Overgeneralization from one instance
B. Post hoc ergo propter hoc
C. Appeal to authority
D. Non sequitur
, 16. In critical thinking, “recognition of assumptions” means:
A. Accepting all premises as true
B. Identifying unstated beliefs that support a conclusion
C. Rejecting any conclusion that requires assumptions
D. Assuming the opposite to test validity
17. A nurse reads: “Patients who receive music therapy have lower anxiety scores
(p = 0.03). Therefore, music therapy reduces anxiety.” Which question best
evaluates this inference?
A. Was the study double-blind?
B. Could a third factor (e.g., extra attention) explain the difference?
C. How many patients listened to classical vs. rock?
D. Did patients pay for the therapy?
18. “If the IV infiltrates, then swelling will occur. No swelling is present.
Therefore, the IV has not infiltrated.” This is:
A. Affirming the consequent (invalid)
B. Modus tollens (valid)
C. Denying the antecedent (invalid)
D. Inductive generalization
19. Which of the following is a normative statement (value judgment) rather than
descriptive?
A. “The patient’s blood pressure is 90/60.”
B. “Two doses of insulin were given.”
C. “The nurse should have checked the allergy band first.”
D. “The call light was pressed at 2 AM.”
20. A hospital policy says: “All staff must wash hands before and after patient
contact.” A nurse says, “I just washed 10 minutes ago, so I don’t need to again.”
This reasoning ignores:
A. The authority of the policy
B. The rationale that contamination can occur between washes
C. Personal comfort
D. Time saved
21. In evaluating an argument, the term “sound” means:
A. The conclusion is probably true
B. The argument is persuasive
