Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Critical Thinking Appraisal Analyzing Conclusions 1

Question 1

A regional hospital tracked readmission rates after implementing a new discharge checklist. Over 12 months, 30-day readmissions dropped from 18% to 13%. Which conclusion is most warranted?

Accepted Answer

The discharge checklist is associated with a reduction in 30-day readmissions.

Answer

The checklist completely eliminated preventable readmissions at the hospital.

Answer

All hospitals should immediately adopt this exact checklist to improve patient outcomes.

Answer

The drop in readmissions proves the checklist is more effective than any other intervention.

Question 2

A survey of 1,200 remote workers found that 68% reported higher job satisfaction than they did while working on-site. Which of the following conclusions is best supported?

Accepted Answer

A majority of surveyed remote workers reported greater job satisfaction compared to on-site work.

Answer

Remote work causes higher job satisfaction for all employees.

Answer

Companies that do not offer remote work will lose all their best employees.

Answer

On-site work is inherently worse for employee morale than remote work.

Question 3

An e-commerce retailer added live chat support to its website. Over the following quarter, cart abandonment rates fell from 72% to 61%. Which conclusion follows most logically?

Accepted Answer

The introduction of live chat support coincided with a decrease in cart abandonment.

Answer

Live chat support is the sole reason customers are completing more purchases.

Answer

The retailer will continue to see cart abandonment fall each quarter.

Answer

Customers who use live chat always complete their purchases.

Question 4

A school district adopted a new math curriculum and found that average standardized test scores rose by 8 points over two years, while a neighboring district using the old curriculum saw scores rise by 3 points. What is the most reasonable conclusion?

Accepted Answer

Students in the district with the new curriculum outperformed their starting baseline by a greater margin than the comparison district.

Answer

The new curriculum is the only factor that improved test scores in the first district.

Answer

The old curriculum actively harms student learning in math.

Answer

All school districts should replace their math curricula immediately.

Question 5

A city government installed LED streetlights citywide and reported a 20% reduction in nighttime traffic accidents over the following year. Crime reports in lit areas also dropped by 12%. Which conclusion is most justified?

Accepted Answer

Following the LED streetlight installation, nighttime traffic accidents and crime in lit areas both declined.

Answer

LED streetlights are the definitive cause of both the accident and crime reductions.

Answer

Any city that installs LED streetlights will achieve equivalent reductions in accidents and crime.

Answer

Streetlight type is the most important factor in determining urban crime rates.

Question 6

A nutritionist's study of 400 adults found that those who consumed at least 25 grams of dietary fiber daily had a 30% lower incidence of type 2 diabetes over a 10-year period compared to those consuming under 15 grams. Which conclusion is most strongly supported?

Accepted Answer

Adults with higher dietary fiber intake showed a substantially lower rate of type 2 diabetes over the study period.

Answer

Eating 25 grams of fiber per day guarantees protection against type 2 diabetes.

Answer

High dietary fiber intake directly causes the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Answer

Anyone who develops type 2 diabetes simply did not eat enough fiber.