Term
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Definition
Stay within the scope of the argument.
• If your rationale seems farfetched, or you bring in
outside knowledge to solve a question, most likely
you are overreaching.
• The harder you have to work to justify an answer
choice, the less likely it is that the choice is correct. |
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Term
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Definition
The conclusion is often found in the first or last sentence
of the passage.
• Look for conclusion signposts: “therefore, hence, thus”, etc.
Premise clauses usually show support or offer evidence.
• Examples of premise signposts: “because, since, in
view of, given that”, etc. |
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Term
| Supply Your Own Conclusion |
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Definition
In “supply your own conclusion” questions, the conclusion
must be supported by ALL premises—not just one.
Be on the lookout for helpful keywords in the second and
last sentence. |
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Term
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Definition
Ask whether there might be an alternative cause if an
argument does not necessarily seem as straightforward as
a question stem makes it out to be.
“Could Y have caused Z instead of X?” |
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Term
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Definition
An assumption is merely an unstated (implied) premise.
In logically correct arguments which contain an assumption,
the premise + assumption = conclusion.
If the question stem asks you “what is assumed…” then
you should identify unstated premise of passage. Look for
a gap in logic. |
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Term
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Definition
Ask yourself, “What must be true to make the conclusion
valid?” (using the premise + assumption = equation formula).
• Remember, since the assumption is an UNSTATED
premise, any answer choice that comes from the
passage to support your assumption is necessarily
incorrect. The answer will be implied, not
explicitly stated. |
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Term
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Definition
Find the logical gap and fix it with additional information.
This is the ONLY type of GMAT question where additional
information (outside of the question) can/should be used.
• Correct answers to this question type will:
• Connect evidence with conclusion better.
• Make conclusion stronger.
• Strengthen the evidence with new information (perhaps
an assumption is needed to make the argument work). |
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Term
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Definition
Watch for the distinction between NUMBERS
and PERCENTAGES. |
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Term
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Definition
Inference questions are usually very basic, about one or
more premises. PICK THE OBVIOUS ANSWER (even if
it seems too obvious). |
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Term
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Definition
To solve this type of question, look for a logically
contradictory discrepancy.
• Often the correct answer will take a similar format
(in terms of answer length or argument structure). |
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Term
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Definition
Follow same line of reasoning from the passage in
the answer.
Eliminate the question stem detail to create a shorthand
version of the argument structure.
• Question Stem: If it rains, then I will stay at home today.”
• Shorthand: If A, then B.”
• Answer: “If A, then B.” |
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Term
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Definition
Always read the question first, then read the stimulus
appropriately for that type of question. |
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Term
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Definition
| Are the two situations analogous? Or is the analogy silly? |
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Term
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Definition
Strengthen/Weaken questions are the most common Critical
Reasoning (CR) question type on the GMAT.
• Break down piece of evidence.
• Attack validity of an assumption.
• Don’t try to prove or disprove conclusion.
• Tip the scales. |
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Term
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Definition
Are the statistics representative?
Is the question stem doing a bait and switch in terms
of numbers?
Is the question stem using numbers to assume something
is so, when the numbers aren’t actually helping explain the
phenomenon given? |
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Term
Number of
Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions |
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Definition
| Most people see 11 CR questions on the GMAT. |
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Term
| 7 Principles of CR, 1 of 2 |
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Definition
1. Understand structure of argument. Identify premise (P),
conclusion (C) and any unstated assumptions . Look for
structural signpost words which mark P and C.
2. Preview question before reading passage.
3. Paraphrase passage’s point or main idea using one verb
“i.e., explain, criticize, compare, contrast”. |
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Term
| 7 Principles of CR, 2 of 2 |
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Definition
4. Judge argument’s persuasiveness while reading actively.
5. Answer question being asked.
6. Prephrase answer.
7. Keep SCOPE in mind. Moderate rather than strong
words / qualifiers usually correct. |
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Term
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Definition
An assumption bridges the gap between argument’s stated
premises and conclusion.
• Use denial test.
• Compare premise words against conclusion. |
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Term
| Paraphrasing and Prephrasing |
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Definition
Paraphrasing
• Actively translate passages into your own words.
• Pretend you are explaining the information in a
passage to a 10-year-old kid.
Prephrasing
• Think about what form the correct answer will take.
• As you do more questions, you will begin to “guess”
correctly, as you start to think as the testmakers do. |
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Term
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Definition
Don’t be careless! Wrong answer choices often have
exactly opposite of desired effect.
• Double-check that your answer satisfies the question
stem, not the opposite of the question stem. |
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Term
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Definition
Identify the conclusion and find the answer that addresses
the conclusion. Most questions follow this guideline. |
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Term
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Definition
Consider the evidence, draw a conclusion.
An inference is an extension of an argument, not a necessary
part of it.
A valid inference is a conclusion, but not necessarily
the conclusion, of a set of statements. |
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Term
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Definition
1. Preview question stem.
2. Read stimulus and paraphrase if tricky.
3. Prephrase answer.
4. Choose an answer which answers question stem. |
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Term
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Definition
When you compare two items, you must be sure that the
two items are indeed comparable. |
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Term
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Definition
For inference questions, determine which answer choice
must absolutely, positively be true based on what you’ve read.
• Pick the obvious answer choice.
• Avoid extreme answers (too strong or too weak) |
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Term
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Definition
For assumption questions, find the conclusion and
determine which answer choice needs to be true for a
conclusion to be valid. |
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Term
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Definition
Use the information that is present in the passage to
answer “Indicate the Flaw” CR questions.
Not about new information like “Weaken” CR questions. |
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Term
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Definition
Watch for irrelevant or overly strong answer choices in CR.
Stay within SCOPE and TONE of passage. |
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Term
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Definition
For assumption questions, negate CR answer choice to
see if the conclusion can survive. |
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Term
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Definition
When an argument is based on statistics, it is usually assumed
that the people polled are representative of the whole. |
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Term
| Questions Involving Surveys |
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Definition
Consider: Does the survey accurately represent the views
of the whole group surveyed? Is there a statistics bait
and switch? |
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Term
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Definition
Prephrase an answer before looking at the actual
answer choices. |
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Term
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Definition
With explanation questions, reconcile the facts presented.
• Stay within scope. |
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Term
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Definition
An inference is a conclusion that can be drawn based on one
or more of the statements in the stimulus. An
inference must be true based on something that you read.
An assumption is a missing but necessary piece of
evidence. An assumption is something that must be true
in order for the argument to be complete. |
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Term
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Definition
Be wary of scope shifts. Look for testmakers’ tricks:
• Sometimes a passage will begin with one group and
draw a conclusion about another group. Similarly,
a passage might have weak premises and then draw
an overbroad conclusion.
• Other times the tone of the passage moves so far
that the testtaker is left wondering, “How did that
conclusion come about?” |
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Term
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Definition
Test relevance.
Determine which a choice helps to determine whether a
conclusion is valid. |
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Term
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Definition
2 most common ways to weaken an argument:
• Break down central assumption.
• Assert alternative possibilities relevant to the argument. |
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