D265 - WGU - Critical Thinking - Reason and
Evidence Questions and Correct Answers
PROPOSITIONS
Are statements that can be true or false
NON-PROPOSITONS
Are 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
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.)
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS
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. 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
AND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF, THEN.
CONCLUSION INDICATORS
THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY
CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
,PREMISE INDICATORS
BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE, AS INDICATED BY.
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS
Arguments where the premises guarantee or necessitate the conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
INDUCTION ARGUMENTS
Arguments where the premises make the conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION
Arguments where the best available explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
FORMAL FALLACY
Concerns the structure of an argument
INFORMAL FALLACY
Concerns the informational content of an argument
A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF
Bad Argument Structure
Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in assessing the
credibility of a news story?
Whether the name of the author and the publication are identified
Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of an information
source?
, Who 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?
It 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?
Skeptically, because the source may lack credibility.
PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY
The 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?
It is morally right to give others the benefit of the doubt.
It allows for a clearer understanding of the issue.
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?
Evidence Questions and Correct Answers
PROPOSITIONS
Are statements that can be true or false
NON-PROPOSITONS
Are 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
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.)
COMPLEX PROPOSITIONS
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. 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
AND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF, THEN.
CONCLUSION INDICATORS
THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY
CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND AS A RESULT.
,PREMISE INDICATORS
BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE, AS INDICATED BY.
DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS
Arguments where the premises guarantee or necessitate the conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
INDUCTION ARGUMENTS
Arguments where the premises make the conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION
Arguments where the best available explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
FORMAL FALLACY
Concerns the structure of an argument
INFORMAL FALLACY
Concerns the informational content of an argument
A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF
Bad Argument Structure
Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in assessing the
credibility of a news story?
Whether the name of the author and the publication are identified
Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of an information
source?
, Who 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?
It 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?
Skeptically, because the source may lack credibility.
PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY
The 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?
It is morally right to give others the benefit of the doubt.
It allows for a clearer understanding of the issue.
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?
