Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Applying Deductive Reasoning 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: All managers at the firm must complete ethics training. Sandra is a manager at the firm. What follows necessarily?
- Sandra must complete ethics training. (Correct answer)
- Sandra may choose to skip ethics training.
- Only senior managers must complete ethics training.
- Sandra has already completed ethics training.
Correct answer: Sandra must complete ethics training.
Because Sandra is a manager and all managers must complete ethics training, it necessarily follows that Sandra must complete it.
Question 2: No contracts signed before 2020 include the new liability clause. This contract was signed in 2018. What conclusion is deductively valid?
- This contract does not include the new liability clause. (Correct answer)
- This contract may or may not include the new liability clause.
- This contract includes a different liability clause.
- All 2018 contracts were later amended.
Correct answer: This contract does not include the new liability clause.
Since no pre-2020 contracts include the clause and this contract is from 2018, it deductively follows that it lacks the clause.
Question 3: Some employees who pass the aptitude test are offered promotions. James passed the aptitude test. What can be deduced?
- James may or may not be offered a promotion. (Correct answer)
- James will definitely be offered a promotion.
- James will not be offered a promotion.
- All employees who pass the test are promoted.
Correct answer: James may or may not be offered a promotion.
Because 'some' employees who pass are promoted, passing the test does not guarantee a promotion for any specific individual.
Question 4: Every report submitted after the deadline is rejected. This report was submitted on time. What follows?
- Nothing definitive can be concluded about this report's acceptance. (Correct answer)
- This report will be accepted.
- This report will be rejected.
- Late reports are sometimes accepted.
Correct answer: Nothing definitive can be concluded about this report's acceptance.
The rule only tells us about late reports; being on time does not guarantee acceptance since other rejection criteria may exist.
Question 5: All Watson-Glaser test takers who score above 75 are considered high performers. No high performer failed the interview. Maria scored 80 on the Watson-Glaser. What must be true?
- Maria did not fail the interview. (Correct answer)
- Maria passed the interview with distinction.
- Maria is the top scorer in her cohort.
- Maria's score guarantees a job offer.
Correct answer: Maria did not fail the interview.
Maria's score of 80 makes her a high performer, and no high performer failed the interview, so Maria did not fail.
Question 6: If a company is publicly traded, it must publish quarterly earnings. XYZ Corp does not publish quarterly earnings. What deductive conclusion follows?
- XYZ Corp is not publicly traded. (Correct answer)
- XYZ Corp is privately held by a single owner.
- XYZ Corp is exempt from SEC regulations.
- XYZ Corp recently went private.
Correct answer: XYZ Corp is not publicly traded.
Using modus tollens: if public → quarterly reports, and no quarterly reports, then not public.
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Applying Deductive Reasoning 1
All managers at the firm must complete ethics training.
Sandra is a manager at the firm.
What follows necessarily?