Verbal Flashcards
Causal reasoning
Assuming a causal relationship from correlation evidence. This reasoning has 2 assumptions- there’s no other cause of the relationship, and the relationship between the two variables is not a coincidence
Planning reasoning patterns
Outlines a plan for addressing a specific problem. The assumption with this line of reasoning is that there is no problem with the plan.
Sampling argument
The author reaches a general conclusion about a population based on evidence about some members of the population. This reasoning assumes that a smaller group is typical of the larger group and its characteristics accurately reflect those of the larger group
Interpretation of evidence patterns
What statistical information in the premises is interpreted to mean information in the conclusion. The argument generally confuses percentages with actual values. The assumption is that there is no other way to interpret the evidence other than the author’s interpretation
Analogy patterns
The argument assumes that what is appropriate in one case is appropriate in another. For example, a product that appears to cause cancer in laboratory animals must cause cancer in humans. The assumption is that one thing is similar to another
Assumption questions
Asks you to identify an unstated premise on on which an argument depends
Weaken questions
Asks you to attack the way the conclusion follows from the premises, not the conclusion itself
Strengthen questions
Asks you to strengthen one of the argument’s assumptions
Inference questions
These questions are just a test of reasoning and reading comprehension. The correct answer has to be provable based on the information provided in the passage
Resolve/explain questions
Ask how two seemingly incongruous statements can be true at the same time. You have to identify the two ideas that seem to be opposed and then select the answer that allows both ideas to be true
Evaluate questions
Identify the question that, if answered, would allow you to test the argument’s key assumption. These questions do require you to identify an unstated premise, however, you to identify the test that could help determine whether the argument is weak or strong
Identify the reasoning questions
Concerns the relationship that exists between an argument’s parts. Distinguish the argument’s conclusion from its premises, and then select the answer that accurately describes the structure of the argument
Flaw questions
Ask you to describe what went wrong in the argument. Select the answer that accurately describes a vulnerability in the argument’s reasoning
Negation test
Used for assumption questions. Negate your preferred answer, and if your belief in the argument’s conclusion isn’t affected, the answer is incorrect
