| Question |
Answer |
| What are the 3 types of assumptions commonly made in CR questions? |
Causal-Is the cause the only reason for the effect or can there be alternate causes?, Analogy-Are these 2 situations really comparable?, Statistical-Are the statistics representative? |
| Critical Reasoning Step-by-step? |
1)Read the question first looking for clues as to which type of argument this might be 2)Read the passage carefully paying attention to keywords 3)Paraphrase the ideal choice 4)Use POE. Basically treat it like RC |
| How to attack assumption questions? |
1)Assumptions are never stated in the passage. So eliminate choices straight out of the passage 2)Assumptions support the conclusion 3)Find if any of the 3 types of assumptions have been made. |
| How to attack strengthen questions? |
1) The best answer will strengthen the argument with new information 2)The new info will support the conclusion 3)Find which of the 3 types of assumption has been made. Find the gap in logic and fix it. |
| How to attack weakening questions? |
1) The answer will weaken the conclusion. 2) Find the assumption type. For example to weaken an argument where assumption is causal, we find an alternate cause. |
| How to tackle inference questions? |
Inference questions often have little to do with the conclusion; instead they might ask you to make inferences based on the premises provided. But the key is to not go too far with the inference. |
| How to tackle parallel-the-reasoning questions? |
If A, then B. If not A, then not B. |
| How to attack Resolve/Explain questions? |
Find the answer choice that allows both of the facts from the passage to be true at the same time. |
| How to tackle Evaluate-the-argument questions? |
Find the assumption type, identify the gap in logic and fix it. |
| How to tackle Identify-the-reasoning questions? |
Mark the bolded phrases as premise, evidence, or conclusion. |
| What should you look out for in CR questions containing surveys and studies? |
The mechanism of the survey/study itself. For example, the sample chosen for the experiment is biased or flawed from the start itself. Secondly, look if the study/survey is applicable for the subject in question.Is the conclusion of survey representative? |
| What is Nietzsche's principle? |
Mistaking the consequence for the cause! What we assume to be the consequence could actually be a necessary condition for the "apparent" cause. |
| What kind of assumption does the word "enable" suggest? |
Causal |
| Scope shift? |
The author presents evidence for something but concludes something completely different. |
| How far should you infer in CR? |
Not very far. CR answer choices will rarely make far fetching inferences. |
| Use of superlatives in CR? |
Superlatives such as always, only, greatest etc are pointers that the answer choice is incorrect. |
| Stem related common mistakes in CR |
1)Not understanding the stem2)Missing keywords in the stem3)Not understanding the actual question in relation to the information provided in the stem |
| Answer choices related common mistakes in CR |
1)Not understanding a choice before eliminating it2)Over inferring with an answer choice |
| Paraphrase before looking at the options? |
Most of the times you should do it, but sometimes you just cannot-each option has to be evaluated using the information in the stem |
| How to handle 'EXCEPT' questions? |
EXCEPT occurs at the end of the question. Convert it to a NOT and move it to the front of the question. Re-read the question. |
| How to tackle boldfaced questions? |
When reading the stem, make a note of what part each boldface statement is playing. For example, evidence, conclusion, objection, support, etc.The options use these terms to refer to them,thus making POE easier.U cud even look at the options for terms. |
| Special case of STRENGTHEN questions? |
Options which rule out alternative causes of a causal argument, SUPPORT/STRENGTHEN the argument |
HHS Shrek
