CRITICAL THINKING
REASON AND EVIDENCE
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE 2026 2027 GRADED
A+
1. PROPOSITIONS: Are statements that can be true or false
2. 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.
3. 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.)
4. 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.)
5. Words used to identify Independent Propositions: AND, OR, EITHER, BUT, IF,
THEN.
,
, D265 - WGU THINKING-
REASON AND EVIDENCE ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ( Update 2026
6. CONCLUSION INDICATORS: THEREFORE, SO, IT FOLLOWS THAT, HENCE, THUS,
ENTAILS THAT, WE MAY CONCLUDE THAT, IMPLIES THAT, WHERE- FORE, AND AS
A RESULT.
7. PREMISE INDICATORS: BECAUSE, FOR, GIVEN THAT, AS, SINCE, AS INDI- CATED
BY.
8. DEDUCTIVE ARGUMENTS: Arguments where the premises guarantee or ne-
cessitate the conclusion.
-mathematical arguments, logical arguments, arguments from definition.
9. INDUCTION ARGUMENTS: Arguments where the premises make the conclu- sion
probable.
-analogies, authority, causal inferences, extrapolations, etc.
10. INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION OR ABDUCTION: Arguments where
the best available explanation is chosen as the correct explanation.
11. FORMAL FALLACY: Concerns the structure of an argument
12. INFORMAL FALLACY: Concerns the informational content of an argument
LATEST UPDATE 2026) NEW!!
13. A FORMAL FALLACY IS A TYPE OF: Bad Argument Structure
14. 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 publica-
tion are identified
15. 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?
16. While researching a topic on the internet, a student encounters
two differ- ent websites, one of that looks more official than the
other and includes tables, charts, and statistics, while the other
does not.
1/9
,
, D265 - WGU – CRITICAL
THINKINGREASON AND EVIDENCE
ACTUAL EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ( Update 2026
LATEST UPDATE 2026) NEW!!
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.
17. 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.
18. PRINCIPLE OF CHARITY: The principle of charity suggests we should try to
understand ideas before criticizing them.
19. 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.
20. 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 disad- vantages 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?: Confirmation Bias
21. CONFIRMATION BIAS: the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of
one's existing beliefs or theories.
2/9
,