TMU Critical Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A researcher claims that since violent crime rates dropped after a new policing strategy was introduced, the strategy caused the reduction. What logical flaw does this argument contain?
- Hasty generalization
- Post hoc ergo propter hoc (Correct answer)
- Ad hominem
- False dichotomy
Correct answer: Post hoc ergo propter hoc
Post hoc ergo propter hoc assumes causation from temporal sequence alone, ignoring other possible explanations.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes an 'inference' in critical reasoning?
- A statement directly observed and reported
- A conclusion drawn from evidence beyond what is explicitly stated (Correct answer)
- A definition provided by an authority
- A hypothesis that has been experimentally proven
Correct answer: A conclusion drawn from evidence beyond what is explicitly stated
An inference goes beyond stated facts to reach a conclusion supported by but not contained in the evidence.
Question 3: An author argues that either we ban social media entirely or our democracy will collapse. Which fallacy is illustrated?
- Slippery slope
- Straw man
- False dilemma (Correct answer)
- Appeal to authority
Correct answer: False dilemma
A false dilemma presents only two options when other alternatives exist.
Question 4: When evaluating a study, a critical reader notices the sample consisted only of university students. This is a concern about:
- Internal validity
- Representativeness of the sample (Correct answer)
- The hypothesis formation
- Statistical significance
Correct answer: Representativeness of the sample
A non-representative sample limits the ability to generalize findings to broader populations.
Question 5: Which statement about correlation and causation is most accurate?
- All correlations imply some degree of causation
- Causation always produces a measurable correlation
- Correlation is necessary but not sufficient to establish causation (Correct answer)
- Causation can be established without any correlation
Correct answer: Correlation is necessary but not sufficient to establish causation
While causation typically produces correlation, correlation alone cannot confirm that one variable causes the other.
Question 6: A student dismisses a peer's argument about climate policy by saying the peer failed a chemistry exam last year. This is an example of:
- Appeal to ignorance
- Ad hominem (Correct answer)
- Red herring
- Bandwagon fallacy
Correct answer: Ad hominem
Ad hominem attacks the person making the argument rather than addressing the argument itself.
Question 7: In a passage, the author presents supporting evidence followed by a concluding claim. The concluding claim is best described as the:
- Premise
- Assumption
- Conclusion (Correct answer)
- Counter-argument
Correct answer: Conclusion
The conclusion is the main claim the author is trying to establish using the supporting premises.
TMU Critical Analysis 2
A researcher claims that since violent crime rates dropped after a new policing strategy was introduced, the strategy caused the reduction.
What logical flaw does this argument contain?