Infer it right
Inference-based questions need you to arrive at the most logical conclusion based on all the information at hand
We have been discussing the Critical Reasoning section over the past few weeks. Here are the types of questions that are frequently tested in this section.
1. Must be True/ Inference based questions
2. Main point based questions
3. Assumption based questions
4. Strengthen the argument
5. Weaken the argument
6. Method of reasoning
7. Resolve the paradox / contradiction
8. Flaw in reasoning and
9. Mimic the reasoning
10.Evaluation of the argument
Inference based questions
Inference is the act or process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true. These questions are typically worded as follows:
“If the statements above are true, then which of the following must also be true?”
“Which of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?”
“Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the information above?”
“Which of the following is most strongly supported by the information above?”
“The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?”
The general format of an argument in a critical reasoning question has a premise and a conclusion. It may or may not have reasoning depending on the length and complexity of the argument. Consider this example: A public meeting involving about more than 1,000 people is being planned at the beach this evening. No form of a shelter was planned, as it is a summer evening. But a cyclone was forecasted with just 5 hours to spare for the event. The sky is looking very cloudy and it has started to rain heavily.
Which of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?
A. The meeting will not happen at the originally planned location and time.
B. The meeting will happen today at a different venue.
C. The meeting will happen later at the same venue.
D. The meeting will happen later at a different venue.
B is a tempting option. However, B requires an additional assumption that there is something sacrosanct about the date and that it is not negotiable and that the meeting will happen today, come what may.
Option C is also tempting. However, C requires an additional assumption that there is something sacrosanct about the venue and that the meeting will happen only at that particular venue— whichever date it is.
If a particular answer requires additional assumptions to hold true, you definitely know that it cannot be the right inference.
In that sense, A would be the right option for this question. It has already started raining heavily. It is an openair venue without any shelter. A cyclone has also been forecasted. Given these situations, we can infer that the meeting will not happen at the originally planned location and time. Whether it is going to be held at the same place on some other day or if it is going to be held at the same time at some other place is beyond the scope of this question.
Our job is only to find the immediate possible conclusion given the premise and information.
Students often don’t pick that right answer because they think the choice is too obvious.
Their argument is that this answer is ‘almost mentioned’ in the question stem. Remember: an inference question is not a test of intelligence or of your domain knowledge on a topic. All they are trying to test is whether you are able to infer just a little more on the basis of information provided to you in the question stem.
“Which of the following is most strongly supported by the information above?”
“The statements above, if true, best support which of the following conclusions?”
The general format of an argument in a critical reasoning question has a premise and a conclusion. It may or may not have reasoning depending on the length and complexity of the argument. Consider this example: A public meeting involving about more than 1,000 people is being planned at the beach this evening. No form of a shelter was planned, as it is a summer evening. But a cyclone was forecasted with just 5 hours to spare for the event. The sky is looking very cloudy and it has started to rain heavily.
Which of the following can be properly inferred from the passage?
A. The meeting will not happen at the originally planned location and time.
B. The meeting will happen today at a different venue.
C. The meeting will happen later at the same venue.
D. The meeting will happen later at a different venue.
B is a tempting option. However, B requires an additional assumption that there is something sacrosanct about the date and that it is not negotiable and that the meeting will happen today, come what may.
Option C is also tempting. However, C requires an additional assumption that there is something sacrosanct about the venue and that the meeting will happen only at that particular venue— whichever date it is.
If a particular answer requires additional assumptions to hold true, you definitely know that it cannot be the right inference.
In that sense, A would be the right option for this question. It has already started raining heavily. It is an openair venue without any shelter. A cyclone has also been forecasted. Given these situations, we can infer that the meeting will not happen at the originally planned location and time. Whether it is going to be held at the same place on some other day or if it is going to be held at the same time at some other place is beyond the scope of this question.
Our job is only to find the immediate possible conclusion given the premise and information.
Students often don’t pick that right answer because they think the choice is too obvious.
Their argument is that this answer is ‘almost mentioned’ in the question stem. Remember: an inference question is not a test of intelligence or of your domain knowledge on a topic. All they are trying to test is whether you are able to infer just a little more on the basis of information provided to you in the question stem.
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