Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Analyzing Conclusions Questions and Answers 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Statement: The town's only pharmacy closed six months ago. Conclusion: Residents of the town currently have no access to prescription medications. This conclusion is:
- True
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data (Correct answer)
- False
Correct answer: Insufficient Data
Residents might access medications through online pharmacies, neighboring towns, mail-order services, or a newly opened pharmacy — the statement does not address these alternatives.
Question 2: Statement: Whenever humidity exceeds 80%, the warehouse's dehumidifiers activate automatically. The humidity in the warehouse is currently 85%. Conclusion: The dehumidifiers are currently active. This conclusion is:
- True (Correct answer)
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data
- False
Correct answer: True
The trigger condition (humidity above 80%) is met, and the system is described as automatic, so activation necessarily follows.
Question 3: Statement: A survey of 200 employees found that those with flexible work schedules reported higher job satisfaction. Conclusion: Flexible work schedules cause higher job satisfaction for all employees. This conclusion is:
- True
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data
- False (Correct answer)
Correct answer: False
The survey shows correlation in a limited sample; claiming causation for ALL employees overstates both the causality and the universality of the finding.
Question 4: Statement: No applicant with a criminal record was hired by the firm last year. Marcus has a criminal record. Conclusion: Marcus was not hired by the firm last year. This conclusion is:
- True (Correct answer)
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data
- False
Correct answer: True
The universal statement ('no applicant with a criminal record was hired') directly applies to Marcus as a member of that group.
Question 5: Statement: The graph shows a steady increase in the number of coffee shops in the city over the past five years. Conclusion: People in the city are drinking more coffee than they did five years ago. This conclusion is:
- True
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data (Correct answer)
- False
Correct answer: Insufficient Data
More coffee shops could reflect tourism, specialty/boutique trends, or commercial expansion rather than increased per-capita consumption among residents.
Question 6: Statement: If the project is completed on time, the team will receive a bonus. The project was not completed on time. Conclusion: The team did not receive a bonus. This conclusion is:
- True
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data (Correct answer)
- False
Correct answer: Insufficient Data
The statement specifies a sufficient condition for receiving a bonus, not the only condition — management could award a bonus for other reasons.
Question 7: Statement: Every doctor who graduated from Westfield Medical School between 2010 and 2020 passed their board certification on the first attempt. Dr. Chen graduated from Westfield Medical School in 2015. Conclusion: Dr. Chen passed board certification on the first attempt. This conclusion is:
- True (Correct answer)
- Probably True
- Insufficient Data
- False
Correct answer: True
Dr. Chen falls within the specified graduating cohort, and the statement covers all doctors in that cohort without exception.
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Analyzing Conclusions Questions and Answers 5
Statement: The town's only pharmacy closed six months ago.
Conclusion: Residents of the town currently have no access to prescription medications.
This conclusion is: