Critical Thinking for SSC and Railways Exams

Topics

Explaination

1- Assumptions

An assumption is a claim that is accepted as truth without sufficient evidence.

In the critical thinking question for SSC exams, you will be given a statement. Following this there will be two or three further claims. You will have to figure out which of the claims (if any) are assumptions that the initial statement is making or relying on.

2- Inferences

Inferences are different from assumptions because they are based on some evidence. Inductive or deductive logic is applied to the evidence to arrive at the conclusions.

However, inferences are not always correct, it is entirely possible that it is overlooking other possibilities.

An inference-based question will test your ability to decide the likelihood of an inference being true.

3- Interpretations and Deductions

Interpretations are similar to inferences. But focus on whether a conclusion logically follows from a statement, rather than what conclusions are likely to follow.

Say for example, if it is said that there are only red and violet roses in the world, we can interpret that there is no such thing as a white rose.

Deductions are similar but stricter in the logical format.

4- Evaluations of Arguments

This is a little difficult and ambiguous of all types. The aim is to figure out how strong an argument is by comparing it to the information given.

Topics

Tips to Solve Critical Thinking Questions

Assumptions

The trick to solving critical thinking questions of this type of questions is to read between the lines of the initial statement. Think about which of the claims are required to be true in order for the initial claims to also be true.

For each claim, you will have to figure out if they are assumptions made by the statement (YES), or that they are not implied by the statement (NO).

Example:

Statement: If I go to the garden today, the only flowers I will see are roses.

Claim 1: There will be no jasmine in the garden

Claim 2: All roses are red

Claim 3: There will be roses in the garden today.

Ans: claim 1 and 3 are true, whereas claim 2 is not correct.

Inferences

You will be presented with a short passage followed by two or three inferences drawn from it. For each inference, you will have to choose one of the following

1. Definitely true/always true
2. Probably true/sometimes true
3. Insufficient data to say true or false
4. Probably false/sometimes false
5. Definitely false/always false

An important point to keep in mind is that correlation is not equal to causation.

For example:

Statement: Research shows that eating chocolates correlates with heightened chances of diabetes.

Inference: Eating chocolate causes diabetes.

You might think that the inference is definitely true, but the correct answer here is that there is insufficient data to say true or false.

Interpretations and Deductions

There will be one or two statements/premises given followed by two-three interpretations. You might decide whether an interpretation is True or False.

Example 1:

Premise 1: Messi is a footballer

Premise 2: If someone is a footballer, then they cannot be a cricketer.

Conclusion: Therefore, Messi is not a cricketer.

This conclusion can only be true, only if both the premises are true.

Example 2:

Statement: Some animals with four legs are cats. All cats have a tail. Animal X has four legs but no tails.

Deduction 1: Animal X is a cat

Deduction 2: Animal X is not a cat

Deduction 3: Animal X is a frog

Here Deduction 1 is false since animal X does not meet the criteria of tail for all cats.

Hence Deduction 2 is true. And Deduction 3 is also false because not being a cat does not mean that the animal is a frog even if it meets all criteria to be a frog.

Evaluations of Arguments

You will be given a statement or question, along with two-three arguments based on it. The task is to decide whether these arguments are strong or weak.

• SSC Reasoning Topic Wise

Publisher: Disha Publications

• SSC CGL 12 Year-wise Tier I Solved Papers (2010-20) with 3 Online Practice Sets 2nd Edition

Publisher: Disha Publications