Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Recognizing Unstated Assumptions 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Statement: 'We advertise on social media because that is where young consumers spend most of their time.' Proposed assumption: 'Young consumers are the target audience for this product.' Is this assumption made?
- Assumption made (Correct answer)
- Assumption not made
- Social media use is the assumption, not the audience
- The target audience is stated explicitly
Correct answer: Assumption made
Choosing social media because young people use it only makes strategic sense if young consumers are the intended audience.
Question 2: Statement: 'This restaurant has a long wait list, so the food must be excellent.' Proposed assumption: 'People wait only for restaurants with excellent food.' Is this assumption made?
- Assumption not made
- Assumption made (Correct answer)
- The long wait list is evidence enough without assumptions
- The statement explicitly defines restaurant quality
Correct answer: Assumption made
The argument assumes that popularity (wait list) directly reflects food quality rather than factors like location, price, or novelty.
Question 3: Statement: 'Switching to LED lighting will save the company money.' Proposed assumption: 'The company currently uses a less energy-efficient lighting system.' Is this assumption made?
- Assumption made (Correct answer)
- Assumption not made
- The savings are calculated in the statement
- LED efficiency is a known fact, not an assumption
Correct answer: Assumption made
Savings from switching to LEDs presupposes the company is currently using a more costly alternative.
Question 4: Statement: 'If you want to succeed in business, you must learn to network.' Proposed assumption: 'Networking is a learnable skill.' Is this assumption made?
- Assumption not made
- Assumption made (Correct answer)
- The statement assumes success is desirable, not that networking is learnable
- Networking is mentioned, so no assumption exists
Correct answer: Assumption made
Advising someone to 'learn to network' presupposes that networking is a skill that can be acquired, not an innate talent.
Question 5: Statement: 'Our survey shows 80% satisfaction, so customers are happy with our service.' Proposed assumption: 'The survey sample accurately represents all customers.' Is this assumption made?
- Assumption made (Correct answer)
- Assumption not made
- Surveys always represent the population
- The assumption is that 80% is a high score
Correct answer: Assumption made
Generalizing from survey results to all customers requires assuming the sample is representative of the full customer base.
Question 6: Statement: 'Do not run the dishwasher during peak hours to keep your electricity bill low.' Proposed assumption: 'Electricity costs more during peak hours.' Is this assumption made?
- Assumption not made
- Assumption made (Correct answer)
- The advice concerns water use, not electricity
- Peak hours are defined in the statement
Correct answer: Assumption made
The advice to avoid peak hours to lower costs only makes sense if electricity rates are higher during those periods.
Question 7: Statement: 'More students pass the exam when a tutor is provided, proving tutoring is the cause.' Proposed assumption: 'No other factors differ between tutored and non-tutored students.' Is this assumption made?
- Assumption made (Correct answer)
- Assumption not made
- The pass rate difference is self-explanatory
- Tutoring is proven by definition to cause improvement
Correct answer: Assumption made
Attributing higher pass rates solely to tutoring assumes that tutored students are otherwise identical to non-tutored students.
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Recognizing Unstated Assumptions 3
Statement: 'We advertise on social media because that is where young consumers spend most of their time.' Proposed assumption: 'Young consumers are the target audience for this product.' Is this assumption made?