WGU D265 Critical Thinking Reason and Evidence
Exam Updated Actual Question and Answer
(2026/2027) | Final Review
• Propositions -✓✓ statements that can be either true and false.
• Non- propositions -✓✓ statements about matter of fact; they do not make a claim that
can be true or false.
• Complex Propositions -✓✓ Simple Propositions: have no internal logical 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.
Complex Proposition: have internal logical structure, meaning they are composed of
simple propositions. Whether complex propositions are true or false depends on
whether their parts are true or false and how those parts are connected.
• Premise -✓✓ an assumption; the basis for a conclusion
• Bad inferential structure -✓✓ In arguments with a bad form or structure, 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 logically compelled to accept the
conclusion.
• False Premise -✓✓ In arguments with false premise(s), there is something wrong with
their particular content.
• Conclusion Indicators -✓✓ Therefore ,
So
It follows that
Hence
Thus
Entails that
We may conclude that
Implies that
Wherefore
As a result
• Premise Indicators -✓✓ Because
For
Given that
In that
As
Since
, As indicated by
• Inductive Inference -✓✓ the support the premises intend to provide for the conclusion
is less than certain—if the premises do not guarantee the conclusion.
• Deductive inference -✓✓ if the premises intend to provide conclusive support for the
conclusion—if they intend to guarantee the conclusion or make the conclusion certain.
• Abduction inference -✓✓ arguments where the best available explanation is chosen as
the correct explanation
• Sound Argument -✓✓ a valid argument in which all of the premises are true
• Truth argument -✓✓ If the world is as the proposition claims it is, then the proposition
is true.
• Validity -✓✓ if the premises of any argument with this structure are true, then the
conclusion of that argument must be true.
• Inductive argument -✓✓ "Strong" : the premises would indicate that the conclusion is
likely to be true.
"Weak" : even if the premise is true the conclusion isn't true.
• cogent argument -✓✓ an inductive argument that is strong and has all true premises
• Fallacy -✓✓ flawed argument with bad structure
• Formal fallacy -✓✓ Argument with bad structure
• Antecedent -✓✓ The simple proposition that immediately follows the word "if"
• Consequent -✓✓ the simple proposition that immediately follows the word "then"
• Affirming the Consequent Example -✓✓ If I am in New York, then I am in the United
States.I am in the United States.Therefore, I am in New York.
• Denying the antecedent, -✓✓ If I am in New York, then I am in the United States.
I am not in New York.
Therefore, I am not in the United States.
• Bias -✓✓ if the evidence does not fully support a particular conclusion, a person may
be inclined to believe a particular conclusion over the others.
Exam Updated Actual Question and Answer
(2026/2027) | Final Review
• Propositions -✓✓ statements that can be either true and false.
• Non- propositions -✓✓ statements about matter of fact; they do not make a claim that
can be true or false.
• Complex Propositions -✓✓ Simple Propositions: have no internal logical 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.
Complex Proposition: have internal logical structure, meaning they are composed of
simple propositions. Whether complex propositions are true or false depends on
whether their parts are true or false and how those parts are connected.
• Premise -✓✓ an assumption; the basis for a conclusion
• Bad inferential structure -✓✓ In arguments with a bad form or structure, 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 logically compelled to accept the
conclusion.
• False Premise -✓✓ In arguments with false premise(s), there is something wrong with
their particular content.
• Conclusion Indicators -✓✓ Therefore ,
So
It follows that
Hence
Thus
Entails that
We may conclude that
Implies that
Wherefore
As a result
• Premise Indicators -✓✓ Because
For
Given that
In that
As
Since
, As indicated by
• Inductive Inference -✓✓ the support the premises intend to provide for the conclusion
is less than certain—if the premises do not guarantee the conclusion.
• Deductive inference -✓✓ if the premises intend to provide conclusive support for the
conclusion—if they intend to guarantee the conclusion or make the conclusion certain.
• Abduction inference -✓✓ arguments where the best available explanation is chosen as
the correct explanation
• Sound Argument -✓✓ a valid argument in which all of the premises are true
• Truth argument -✓✓ If the world is as the proposition claims it is, then the proposition
is true.
• Validity -✓✓ if the premises of any argument with this structure are true, then the
conclusion of that argument must be true.
• Inductive argument -✓✓ "Strong" : the premises would indicate that the conclusion is
likely to be true.
"Weak" : even if the premise is true the conclusion isn't true.
• cogent argument -✓✓ an inductive argument that is strong and has all true premises
• Fallacy -✓✓ flawed argument with bad structure
• Formal fallacy -✓✓ Argument with bad structure
• Antecedent -✓✓ The simple proposition that immediately follows the word "if"
• Consequent -✓✓ the simple proposition that immediately follows the word "then"
• Affirming the Consequent Example -✓✓ If I am in New York, then I am in the United
States.I am in the United States.Therefore, I am in New York.
• Denying the antecedent, -✓✓ If I am in New York, then I am in the United States.
I am not in New York.
Therefore, I am not in the United States.
• Bias -✓✓ if the evidence does not fully support a particular conclusion, a person may
be inclined to believe a particular conclusion over the others.
