Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Distinguishing Facts from Inferences Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A company report states that employee turnover increased by 15% last quarter. A manager concludes that employees are unhappy with their compensation. Which of the following best describes the manager's conclusion?
- It is a fact supported by the report
- It is an inference that goes beyond the data presented (Correct answer)
- It is a fact because turnover always relates to compensation
- It is neither a fact nor an inference
Correct answer: It is an inference that goes beyond the data presented
The manager's conclusion is an inference because the report only states turnover increased, not the reason behind it.
Question 2: During a city council meeting, a council member presents census data showing that the population grew by 8% over five years. Another member states that this growth will strain the current water supply infrastructure. The second member's statement is best classified as:
- A verifiable fact based on census data
- An inference drawn from the population data (Correct answer)
- A direct restatement of the census findings
- An opinion with no factual basis
Correct answer: An inference drawn from the population data
The statement about water supply strain is an inference because it draws a conclusion about future impact that is not contained in the census data itself.
Question 3: A newspaper reports: 'The unemployment rate fell to 3.5% in March, the lowest in two decades.' A reader says, 'The economy must be in excellent shape.' Which statement is true about distinguishing facts from inferences here?
- Both the report and the reader's statement are facts
- The report is a fact; the reader's statement is an inference (Correct answer)
- Both statements are inferences
- The report is an inference; the reader's statement is a fact
Correct answer: The report is a fact; the reader's statement is an inference
The unemployment figure is a verifiable fact, while claiming the economy is in excellent shape is an inference that extends beyond the single data point.
Question 4: A study finds that students who eat breakfast score 10% higher on standardized tests than those who skip it. A school principal announces that skipping breakfast causes lower test performance. The principal's announcement is:
- A fact directly supported by the study
- An inference that assumes causation from correlation (Correct answer)
- A logical restatement of the study's findings
- A verified conclusion requiring no further evidence
Correct answer: An inference that assumes causation from correlation
The study shows a correlation between breakfast and scores, but the principal infers causation, which the data does not directly establish.
Question 5: An environmental report states that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached 420 parts per million in 2024. A commentator writes that humanity has failed to address climate change. The commentator's claim is best described as:
- A factual observation identical to the report
- An inference that interprets the CO2 data in a broader context (Correct answer)
- A scientific fact established by the measurement
- A baseless opinion unrelated to the data
Correct answer: An inference that interprets the CO2 data in a broader context
While the CO2 measurement is a fact, the claim about humanity failing to address climate change is an inference that interprets the data within a larger narrative.
Question 6: A hospital's quarterly data shows that patient wait times averaged 45 minutes, up from 30 minutes the previous quarter. A board member states the hospital needs to hire more emergency room physicians. Which best applies?
- The board member stated a fact proven by the wait time data
- The board member made an inference about the cause and solution for increased wait times (Correct answer)
- The wait time data is an inference and the board member stated a fact
- Both statements are unverifiable opinions
Correct answer: The board member made an inference about the cause and solution for increased wait times
The wait time increase is a fact from the data, but concluding that hiring more ER physicians is the needed solution is an inference that assumes a specific cause.
Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Distinguishing Facts from Inferences Questions and Answers 2
A company report states that employee turnover increased by 15% last quarter.
A manager concludes that employees are unhappy with their compensation.
Which of the following best describes the manager's conclusion?