WGU D265 CRITICAL THINKING
CERTIFICATION 2026 STUDY GUIDE WITH
TESTED ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ NON-PROPOSITONS. Answer: 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. 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.)
⩥ 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. 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. Answer: AND, OR,
EITHER, BUT, IF, THEN.
⩥ CONCLUSION INDICATORS. Answer: THEREFORE, SO, IT
FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY
,CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND AS A
RESULT.
⩥ PREMISE INDICATORS. Answer: BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT,
AS, SINCE, AS INDICATED BY.
⩥ DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS. Answer: Arguments where the
premises guarantee or necessitate the conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
⩥ INDUCTION ARGUMENTS. Answer: Arguments where the
premises make the conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
⩥ INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION.
Answer: Arguments where the best available explanation is chosen as
the correct explanation.
⩥ FORMAL FALLACY. Answer: Concerns the structure of an argument
⩥ INFORMAL FALLACY. Answer: Concerns the informational content
of an argument
, ⩥ A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF. Answer: Bad Argument
Structure
⩥ Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in
assessing the credibility of a news story?. Answer: Whether the name of
the author and the publication are identified
⩥ Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of
an information source?. Answer: 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?. Answer: 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?. Answer: Skeptically, because the source may
lack credibility.
⩥ PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY. Answer: The principle of charity
suggests we should try to understand ideas before criticizing them.
CERTIFICATION 2026 STUDY GUIDE WITH
TESTED ANSWERS GRADED A+
⩥ NON-PROPOSITONS. Answer: 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. 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.)
⩥ 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. 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. Answer: AND, OR,
EITHER, BUT, IF, THEN.
⩥ CONCLUSION INDICATORS. Answer: THEREFORE, SO, IT
FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE, THUS, ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY
,CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT, WHEREFORE, AND AS A
RESULT.
⩥ PREMISE INDICATORS. Answer: BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT,
AS, SINCE, AS INDICATED BY.
⩥ DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS. Answer: Arguments where the
premises guarantee or necessitate the conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
⩥ INDUCTION ARGUMENTS. Answer: Arguments where the
premises make the conclusion probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
⩥ INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION.
Answer: Arguments where the best available explanation is chosen as
the correct explanation.
⩥ FORMAL FALLACY. Answer: Concerns the structure of an argument
⩥ INFORMAL FALLACY. Answer: Concerns the informational content
of an argument
, ⩥ A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF. Answer: Bad Argument
Structure
⩥ Which piece of information would be the most helpful to know in
assessing the credibility of a news story?. Answer: Whether the name of
the author and the publication are identified
⩥ Which questions are most appropriate for evaluating the credibility of
an information source?. Answer: 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?. Answer: 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?. Answer: Skeptically, because the source may
lack credibility.
⩥ PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY. Answer: The principle of charity
suggests we should try to understand ideas before criticizing them.
