Week 1, Jan 1 - Kaplan Critical Reasoning Concept & Strategy Review

The 7 basic principles of critical reasoning
1. Study the question & figure out the question type
2. Understand structure of argument/stimulus

• Evidence
• Conclusion

3. Paraphrase the argument
4. Look for potential problems in the argument (read critically)

• Shift of scope
• Confusing correlation for causation
• Plans and predictions

5. Answer the question being asked
6. Prephrase the answer
7. Keep the scope of argument in mind (match the author’s ideas? Out of context? Too extreme?)

Types of questions
1. Assumption
a. Missing link between evidence and conclusion
b. Technique
i. prephrase answer
ii. denial test (negate answer choices and if argument falls apart, means it is a necessary assumption)
2. Strengthen/Weaken

a. Find new evidence in answers (not in stimulus) to weaken the connection between evidence & conclusion

b. Technique
i. Find the assumption

ii. Weaken/Strengthen the assumption
3. Inference
a. Conclusion that must be true based on evidence, MUST be true
b. Technique
i. Denial test
ii. Eliminate wrong answers
4. Explain questions
a. Explain discrepancy in facts
b. Technique
i. Look for contradictory evidence by keywords (nonetheless)
5. Flaw questions
a. What is already wrong?
b. Reasoning errors