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WGU D265 OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT 2 LATEST VERSIONS 2025/2026 CRITICAL
THINKING REASON AND EVIDENCE ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE 355 QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+
An individual read a report that professional athletes spend an average of thirty hours per
week exercising at the gym. Based on this report, the individual concludes that people who
belong to a gym spend an average of thirty hours per week exercising. Which concept does
this conclusion illustrate? - ANSWER - Selection bias & Anchoring
anchoring and adjustment - ANSWER - the tendency to judge the frequency or likelihood of
an event by using a starting point (called an anchor) and then making adjustments up or
down (a cognitive heuristic where a person starts off with an initial idea and adjusts their
beliefs based on this starting point.)
Anchoring 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.
appeal to authority fallacy - ANSWER - error of accepting a claim merely because an
authority figure endorses it
appeal to consequences fallacy - ANSWER - when one appeals to the bad (or good)
consequences of accepting a claim as a reason to reject (or accept) it as true.
appeal to force (fallacy of relevance) - ANSWER - when one uses a threat to compel
agreement with one's claim
appeal to ignorance fallacy - ANSWER - This fallacy occurs when you argue that your
conclusion must be true, because there is no evidence against it.
Appeal to Popularity Fallacy - ANSWER - Arguing that a claim must be true because lots of
people believe it.
availability - ANSWER - estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in
memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we
presume such events are common EX: two girls saw a plane crash on the news and cancel
their flight presuming they will meet the same fate.
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Availability heuristic - ANSWER - A process where in the mind generalizes based on what is
available to it rather than on what is objectively true.
Bad inferential structure - ANSWER - Every argument with the same structure as this
argument is bad (invalid or weak). The premises do not, in fact, demonstrate or maybe
even support the conclusion. In other words, we can accept the premises as true without
being compelled to accept the conclusion. There is something wrong with this argument's
general structure.
Because flying cars will relieve traffic congestion, and since the research and development
of such vehicles will be expensive, it follows that the government should encourage
industry to develop flying cars and banks should help fund industry research. Which
phrases contain conclusions of this argument? Choose 2 answers.
• Flying cars will relieve traffic congestion
• The research and development of such vehicles will be expensive
• The government should encourage industry to develop flying cars
• Banks should help fund industry research - ANSWER - - The government should
encourage industry to develop flying cars
• Banks should help fund industry research
Cogency - ANSWER - Strong inductive arguments with all true premises are cogent.
cogent argument - ANSWER - A cogent argument is an inductive argument that is both
strong and all of its premises are true.
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.
Cognitive bias - ANSWER - The way we naturally categorize and make sense of the world
around us.
Complex propositions - ANSWER - Complex propositions have internal logical structure,
meaning they are composed of simple propositions. Whether they are true or false
depends on whether their parts are true or false.
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - ANSWER - Have 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.
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The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The GDP of Canada is either $3 trillion or $12
trillion.)
CONCLUSION INDICATORS - ANSWER - THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE,
THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND AS A
RESULT.
Confirmation bias - ANSWER - Confirmation bias is the tendency of people to favor
information that confirms their existing beliefs or hypotheses. Confirmation bias happens
when a person gives more weight to evidence that confirms their beliefs and undervalues
evidence that could disprove it.
CONFIRMATION BIAS - ANSWER - the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation
of one's existing beliefs or theories.
Conner and Miller are discussing the topic of intelligent life in other solar systems. Conner
asks Miller, "Do you believe that there is intelligent life in the Alpha Centauri planetary
system?" Miller replies, "I don't know that there isn't intelligent life there. There's no proof
that there isn't. So, I believe there is intelligent life in that planetary system." Which fallacy
did Miller commit?
• The false dilemma fallacy
• The fallacy of appeal to ignorance
• The fallacy of begging the question
• The fallacy of appeal to the people - ANSWER - The fallacy of appeal to ignorance
Consider the following argument: If Jones is a baseball player, then Jones is an athlete.
Jones is a baseball player. Thus, Jones is an athlete. Which kind of argument is this?
• A conditional proposition
• A valid argument
• A strong argument
• An invalid argument - ANSWER - A valid argument
Consider the following argument: Smith inspected 990 jellybeans in the jar. Each of the
beans Smith inspected is red. Therefore, all 1000 of the beans in the jar are red. Which kind
of argument is this?
• A strong argument
• Deductive argument
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• A weak argument
• A valid argument - ANSWER - A strong argument
Deduction - ANSWER - arguments where the premises guarantee or necessitate the
conclusion — mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS - ANSWER - Arguments where the premises guarantee or
necessitate the conclusion. -mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from
definition.
Denying the Antecedent - ANSWER - also known as inverse error and fallacy of the inverse,
is a logical fallacy whereby someone fallaciously makes an inverse deduction in a
conditional statement. It takes one cause as a condition for something else to occur and
then states that the latter won't occur when the condition is observed to be untrue.
Did the company really close that deal? It has had a great year. Where is the president right
now? Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.
In the above paragraph, which sentence expresses a proposition?
• Where is the president right now?
• Did the company really close that deal?
• Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.
• It has had a great year. - ANSWER - It has had a great year.
Dogs are bred for many different purposes. Poodles, for example, make good house pets,
while German shepherds and other large breeds can be used for home protection.
Therefore, because it is important to select the right breed for your needs, you should
carefully research dog breeds to make the right choice. Which statement is the conclusion
of the argument?
• German shepherds and other large breeds can be used for home protection.
• Dogs are bred for many different purposes.
• You should carefully research dog breeds to make the right choice.
• It is important to select the right breed for your needs. - ANSWER - You should
carefully research dog breeds to make the right choice.
Either everyone will devour this pecan pie, or they will choose another dessert. Which two
statements accurately describe this proposition? - ANSWER - The proposition mistakes
WGU D265 OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT 2 LATEST VERSIONS 2025/2026 CRITICAL
THINKING REASON AND EVIDENCE ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE 355 QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+
An individual read a report that professional athletes spend an average of thirty hours per
week exercising at the gym. Based on this report, the individual concludes that people who
belong to a gym spend an average of thirty hours per week exercising. Which concept does
this conclusion illustrate? - ANSWER - Selection bias & Anchoring
anchoring and adjustment - ANSWER - the tendency to judge the frequency or likelihood of
an event by using a starting point (called an anchor) and then making adjustments up or
down (a cognitive heuristic where a person starts off with an initial idea and adjusts their
beliefs based on this starting point.)
Anchoring 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.
appeal to authority fallacy - ANSWER - error of accepting a claim merely because an
authority figure endorses it
appeal to consequences fallacy - ANSWER - when one appeals to the bad (or good)
consequences of accepting a claim as a reason to reject (or accept) it as true.
appeal to force (fallacy of relevance) - ANSWER - when one uses a threat to compel
agreement with one's claim
appeal to ignorance fallacy - ANSWER - This fallacy occurs when you argue that your
conclusion must be true, because there is no evidence against it.
Appeal to Popularity Fallacy - ANSWER - Arguing that a claim must be true because lots of
people believe it.
availability - ANSWER - estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in
memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we
presume such events are common EX: two girls saw a plane crash on the news and cancel
their flight presuming they will meet the same fate.
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Availability heuristic - ANSWER - A process where in the mind generalizes based on what is
available to it rather than on what is objectively true.
Bad inferential structure - ANSWER - Every argument with the same structure as this
argument is bad (invalid or weak). The premises do not, in fact, demonstrate or maybe
even support the conclusion. In other words, we can accept the premises as true without
being compelled to accept the conclusion. There is something wrong with this argument's
general structure.
Because flying cars will relieve traffic congestion, and since the research and development
of such vehicles will be expensive, it follows that the government should encourage
industry to develop flying cars and banks should help fund industry research. Which
phrases contain conclusions of this argument? Choose 2 answers.
• Flying cars will relieve traffic congestion
• The research and development of such vehicles will be expensive
• The government should encourage industry to develop flying cars
• Banks should help fund industry research - ANSWER - - The government should
encourage industry to develop flying cars
• Banks should help fund industry research
Cogency - ANSWER - Strong inductive arguments with all true premises are cogent.
cogent argument - ANSWER - A cogent argument is an inductive argument that is both
strong and all of its premises are true.
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.
Cognitive bias - ANSWER - The way we naturally categorize and make sense of the world
around us.
Complex propositions - ANSWER - Complex propositions have internal logical structure,
meaning they are composed of simple propositions. Whether they are true or false
depends on whether their parts are true or false.
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS - ANSWER - Have 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.
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The cat ate the food, but he did not like it. The GDP of Canada is either $3 trillion or $12
trillion.)
CONCLUSION INDICATORS - ANSWER - THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE,
THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND AS A
RESULT.
Confirmation bias - ANSWER - Confirmation bias is the tendency of people to favor
information that confirms their existing beliefs or hypotheses. Confirmation bias happens
when a person gives more weight to evidence that confirms their beliefs and undervalues
evidence that could disprove it.
CONFIRMATION BIAS - ANSWER - the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation
of one's existing beliefs or theories.
Conner and Miller are discussing the topic of intelligent life in other solar systems. Conner
asks Miller, "Do you believe that there is intelligent life in the Alpha Centauri planetary
system?" Miller replies, "I don't know that there isn't intelligent life there. There's no proof
that there isn't. So, I believe there is intelligent life in that planetary system." Which fallacy
did Miller commit?
• The false dilemma fallacy
• The fallacy of appeal to ignorance
• The fallacy of begging the question
• The fallacy of appeal to the people - ANSWER - The fallacy of appeal to ignorance
Consider the following argument: If Jones is a baseball player, then Jones is an athlete.
Jones is a baseball player. Thus, Jones is an athlete. Which kind of argument is this?
• A conditional proposition
• A valid argument
• A strong argument
• An invalid argument - ANSWER - A valid argument
Consider the following argument: Smith inspected 990 jellybeans in the jar. Each of the
beans Smith inspected is red. Therefore, all 1000 of the beans in the jar are red. Which kind
of argument is this?
• A strong argument
• Deductive argument
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• A weak argument
• A valid argument - ANSWER - A strong argument
Deduction - ANSWER - arguments where the premises guarantee or necessitate the
conclusion — mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS - ANSWER - Arguments where the premises guarantee or
necessitate the conclusion. -mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from
definition.
Denying the Antecedent - ANSWER - also known as inverse error and fallacy of the inverse,
is a logical fallacy whereby someone fallaciously makes an inverse deduction in a
conditional statement. It takes one cause as a condition for something else to occur and
then states that the latter won't occur when the condition is observed to be untrue.
Did the company really close that deal? It has had a great year. Where is the president right
now? Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.
In the above paragraph, which sentence expresses a proposition?
• Where is the president right now?
• Did the company really close that deal?
• Let's go ask whether the deal was closed.
• It has had a great year. - ANSWER - It has had a great year.
Dogs are bred for many different purposes. Poodles, for example, make good house pets,
while German shepherds and other large breeds can be used for home protection.
Therefore, because it is important to select the right breed for your needs, you should
carefully research dog breeds to make the right choice. Which statement is the conclusion
of the argument?
• German shepherds and other large breeds can be used for home protection.
• Dogs are bred for many different purposes.
• You should carefully research dog breeds to make the right choice.
• It is important to select the right breed for your needs. - ANSWER - You should
carefully research dog breeds to make the right choice.
Either everyone will devour this pecan pie, or they will choose another dessert. Which two
statements accurately describe this proposition? - ANSWER - The proposition mistakes
