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GMAT Critical Reasoning

GMAT Critical Reasoning. Mrs. Sedillo Fall 2013. Conclusion = Main Idea. Conclusion can be referred to as the argument Argument is what the author wants you to believe. Conclusion is what the author wants you to believe is true. Evidence = Supporting Details.

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GMAT Critical Reasoning

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  1. GMAT Critical Reasoning Mrs. Sedillo Fall 2013

  2. Conclusion = Main Idea Conclusion can be referred to as the argument Argument is what the author wants you to believe. Conclusion is what the author wants you to believe is true.

  3. Evidence = Supporting Details Evidence supports the argument and conclusion. Without enough evidence, the argument will not work.

  4. Assumptions = What the author does NOT say about how he/she came to his/her conclusion Can be correct or incorrect. Assumption MUST BE TRUE in order for the conclusion to be valid.

  5. Attacking a Question Read the Question and identify the type of question Identify the Conclusion. C=Main Idea Identify the Evidence. E= Evidence Identify the Assumption A= Assumption Process of Elimination (POE): Cross out any answers you can tell right away are not correct.

  6. Assumption Questions What is the author’s assumption? Identify Conclusion and Evidence Look for answers that: • Go beyond the scope of the argument (they don’t make sense) • Use language that is too extreme • Do not support the argument—the assumption MUST BE TRUE in order for the conclusion to be valid!

  7. Types of Assumption Questions Which of the following is assumed by the author? Which of the following, if added to the passage, would make the conclusion valid? The validity of the argument depends on which of the following? The argument presupposes which of the following?

  8. Strengthen and Weaken Questions Answer makes the argument STRONGER or WEAKER Look for the answer that either supports a key assumption, or makes it invalid.

  9. Common Strengthen Questions Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the argument above? Which of the following, if true, would provide the most support for the argument? The argument would be more persuasive if which one of the following were found to be true?

  10. Types of Weaken Questions Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the argument? Which of the following, if true, would most seriously damage the argument? Which of the following, if true, would cast the most doubt on the argument?

  11. Flaw Questions Flaw (n): a defect, something WRONG with the argument. The argument above is flawed if it ignores the possibility that… Which of the following points to the most serious logical flaw in the argument? Which of the following would reveal most the absurdity of the conclusion drawn above.

  12. Inference Questions Text contains no conclusion Answer will be the conclusion, so you must find the best answer. Follow author’s argument to the most logical next step.

  13. Inference Questions The facts above best support which of the following conclusions? Which of the following conclusions can be properly drawn from the information above? If the statements above are all true, which of the following can be properly inferred on the basis of them? If the statements above are true, which of the following must be true?

  14. Inference questions cont… It’s ALL evidence! Treat the entire passage as evidence. No need to find conclusion; the answer is the conclusion No need to find an assumption

  15. Inference Questions: BEWARE! Watch out for answers that go beyond the scope of the passage Look for wording that is too extreme (always, never, must, etc). FOCUS JUST ON THE PASSAGE! Don’t let your own knowledge confuse you!

  16. Explain questions Passage contains no argument, but describes a situation with apparent contradictions. You must choose the answer that EXPLAINS the seeming contradictions.

  17. Explain questions continued Which of the following, if true, would explain the discrepancy described above? Which of the following, if true, contributes most to an explanation for the apparent contradiction above? Which of the following, if true, best helps to resolve the paradox outlined above?

  18. Bolded Statement Question Often contain multiple arguments and multiple conclusions—identify these to follow the author’s logic. Choose the answer that best expresses your understanding of the author’s logic. Why did he choose the words he did? How does he use the evidence to reach his conclusions?

  19. Explain question wrong answers: Touch only on one of the facts in dispute Deepen the mystery Make an irrelevant comparison Misrepresent the scope of the situation

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