ASET Critical Thinking 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student claims: 'All top students study at least 4 hours daily; Maria studies 4 hours daily, so Maria must be a top student.' What logical error is present?
- Affirming the consequent (Correct answer)
- Denying the antecedent
- Circular reasoning
- Ad hominem
Correct answer: Affirming the consequent
Affirming the consequent incorrectly concludes that because a result is true, the cause must also be true.
Question 2: Which of the following best strengthens the argument that daily reading improves academic performance?
- Students who read daily score higher on standardized tests than those who do not (Correct answer)
- Some top students do not read daily
- Reading is enjoyable for most students
- Libraries are available in most schools
Correct answer: Students who read daily score higher on standardized tests than those who do not
Direct evidence showing a correlation between daily reading and higher test scores strengthens the argument most effectively.
Question 3: If the statement 'No passing students failed the essay' is true, which conclusion is valid?
- Students who failed the essay did not pass (Correct answer)
- All students who passed wrote excellent essays
- Failing the essay guarantees overall failure
- Essays are the hardest part of the test
Correct answer: Students who failed the essay did not pass
If no passing student failed the essay, then by contrapositive, anyone who failed the essay did not pass.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a hasty generalization?
- Two classmates cheated, so all students in the school cheat (Correct answer)
- Most students who practice do better on exams
- Evidence shows tutoring improves scores on average
- A sample of 1,000 students showed improved results
Correct answer: Two classmates cheated, so all students in the school cheat
Concluding that all students cheat based on only two cases is a hasty generalization from insufficient evidence.
Question 5: An argument's conclusion is supported by premises that assume the conclusion is already true. This is called:
- Circular reasoning (Correct answer)
- Straw man
- False dilemma
- Slippery slope
Correct answer: Circular reasoning
Circular reasoning (begging the question) occurs when the conclusion is used as a premise to support itself.
Question 6: Which question best evaluates the reliability of a source used in an academic argument?
- Is the author an expert in the relevant field? (Correct answer)
- Is the source longer than other sources?
- Does the source agree with the student's opinion?
- Was the source published in color?
Correct answer: Is the author an expert in the relevant field?
Author expertise is a primary indicator of source reliability in academic contexts.
ASET Critical Thinking 1
A student claims: 'All top students study at least 4 hours daily; Maria studies 4 hours daily, so Maria must be a top student.' What logical error is present?