WGU EKO1 D256 — Critical Thinking: Reason
and Evidence — Comprehensive Practice
Exam & Study Guide 2026–2027 | Updated
Assessment Questions, Detailed Answers,
Explanations & In-Depth Rationales
1. A manager states, “Our customer complaints increased
after we changed the website, so the website redesign
caused the increase.” Which issue most directly weakens
the manager’s reasoning?
A. The conclusion is stated too clearly.
B. The website redesign is a possible explanation but does
not establish causation by itself.
C. Customer complaints are always unreliable evidence.
D. A conclusion cannot be based on observations.
B. The website redesign is a possible explanation but does
not establish causation by itself.
Rationale: Temporal sequence alone does not establish
causation. Other variables—such as seasonal demand,
staffing changes, product problems, or a change in reporting
procedures—could explain the increase. A critical thinker
distinguishes correlation or sequence from demonstrated
causal relationships.
, 2. Which statement is a proposition?
A. Please submit the report by Friday.
B. What time does the meeting begin?
C. The company increased its research budget last year.
D. Close the laboratory door.
C. The company increased its research budget last year.
Rationale: A proposition is a declarative statement that can
be evaluated as true or false. Questions, commands, and
requests do not assert something that can be assigned a truth
value.
3. Consider the argument: “If the security system is
activated, the alarm will sound. The security system is
activated. Therefore, the alarm will sound.” Which
reasoning pattern is being used?
A. Affirming the consequent
B. Denying the antecedent
C. Modus ponens
D. Circular reasoning
C. Modus ponens
Rationale: Modus ponens follows the valid structure: If P, then
Q; P; therefore Q. The argument establishes the antecedent
and appropriately derives the consequent.
4. An employee argues, “If the new software were
effective, productivity would increase. Productivity did
, not increase, so the software cannot be effective.”
Which problem is most relevant if other factors could
have prevented productivity from increasing?
A. Modus ponens
B. Denying the antecedent
C. Affirming the consequent
D. Appeal to popularity
B. Denying the antecedent
Rationale: Denying the antecedent has the form If P, then Q;
not P; therefore not Q. The absence of the expected outcome
does not necessarily prove that the proposed condition was
absent or ineffective because other variables could interfere
with the outcome.
5. A researcher concludes, “The treatment works because
everyone in my study who improved received the
treatment.” What additional information would be most
important for evaluating the conclusion?
A. Whether the researcher personally supports the treatment
B. Whether people who did not receive the treatment were
also studied
C. Whether the treatment has an appealing name
D. Whether participants enjoyed the study
B. Whether people who did not receive the treatment were
also studied
, Rationale: Without an appropriate comparison group,
improvement among treated participants does not
demonstrate that the treatment caused the improvement. A
control or comparison condition can help determine whether
improvement occurred independently of the treatment.
6. A person reads five online articles supporting a position
they already hold and ignores ten articles presenting
contrary evidence. Which cognitive bias is most clearly
demonstrated?
A. Anchoring bias
B. Selection bias
C. Confirmation bias
D. Availability heuristic
C. Confirmation bias
Rationale: Confirmation bias involves favoring information
that supports existing beliefs while discounting or overlooking
contradictory evidence. The problem is not simply having a
preference; it is selectively processing evidence in a way that
reinforces the existing belief.
7. A car buyer continues negotiating from an unusually low
price originally mentioned by the salesperson, even after
discovering that the final configuration necessarily costs
much more. Which cognitive bias is most directly
involved?
and Evidence — Comprehensive Practice
Exam & Study Guide 2026–2027 | Updated
Assessment Questions, Detailed Answers,
Explanations & In-Depth Rationales
1. A manager states, “Our customer complaints increased
after we changed the website, so the website redesign
caused the increase.” Which issue most directly weakens
the manager’s reasoning?
A. The conclusion is stated too clearly.
B. The website redesign is a possible explanation but does
not establish causation by itself.
C. Customer complaints are always unreliable evidence.
D. A conclusion cannot be based on observations.
B. The website redesign is a possible explanation but does
not establish causation by itself.
Rationale: Temporal sequence alone does not establish
causation. Other variables—such as seasonal demand,
staffing changes, product problems, or a change in reporting
procedures—could explain the increase. A critical thinker
distinguishes correlation or sequence from demonstrated
causal relationships.
, 2. Which statement is a proposition?
A. Please submit the report by Friday.
B. What time does the meeting begin?
C. The company increased its research budget last year.
D. Close the laboratory door.
C. The company increased its research budget last year.
Rationale: A proposition is a declarative statement that can
be evaluated as true or false. Questions, commands, and
requests do not assert something that can be assigned a truth
value.
3. Consider the argument: “If the security system is
activated, the alarm will sound. The security system is
activated. Therefore, the alarm will sound.” Which
reasoning pattern is being used?
A. Affirming the consequent
B. Denying the antecedent
C. Modus ponens
D. Circular reasoning
C. Modus ponens
Rationale: Modus ponens follows the valid structure: If P, then
Q; P; therefore Q. The argument establishes the antecedent
and appropriately derives the consequent.
4. An employee argues, “If the new software were
effective, productivity would increase. Productivity did
, not increase, so the software cannot be effective.”
Which problem is most relevant if other factors could
have prevented productivity from increasing?
A. Modus ponens
B. Denying the antecedent
C. Affirming the consequent
D. Appeal to popularity
B. Denying the antecedent
Rationale: Denying the antecedent has the form If P, then Q;
not P; therefore not Q. The absence of the expected outcome
does not necessarily prove that the proposed condition was
absent or ineffective because other variables could interfere
with the outcome.
5. A researcher concludes, “The treatment works because
everyone in my study who improved received the
treatment.” What additional information would be most
important for evaluating the conclusion?
A. Whether the researcher personally supports the treatment
B. Whether people who did not receive the treatment were
also studied
C. Whether the treatment has an appealing name
D. Whether participants enjoyed the study
B. Whether people who did not receive the treatment were
also studied
, Rationale: Without an appropriate comparison group,
improvement among treated participants does not
demonstrate that the treatment caused the improvement. A
control or comparison condition can help determine whether
improvement occurred independently of the treatment.
6. A person reads five online articles supporting a position
they already hold and ignores ten articles presenting
contrary evidence. Which cognitive bias is most clearly
demonstrated?
A. Anchoring bias
B. Selection bias
C. Confirmation bias
D. Availability heuristic
C. Confirmation bias
Rationale: Confirmation bias involves favoring information
that supports existing beliefs while discounting or overlooking
contradictory evidence. The problem is not simply having a
preference; it is selectively processing evidence in a way that
reinforces the existing belief.
7. A car buyer continues negotiating from an unusually low
price originally mentioned by the salesperson, even after
discovering that the final configuration necessarily costs
much more. Which cognitive bias is most directly
involved?
