Critical Analysis and Evaluation
What the questions test
Critical analysis asks you to evaluate arguments, not merely understand them. You must identify a claim, its evidence, and its warrant (the assumption linking evidence to claim); detect logical fallacies; judge the strength and relevance of evidence; and assess author credibility and bias. Common fallacies include ad hominem (attacking the person), straw man (misrepresenting an opposing view), false dilemma (only two options), slippery slope (unproven chain of consequences), hasty generalization (conclusion from too little evidence), circular reasoning (conclusion assumed in the premise), and appeal to authority or popularity.
Traps to watch for
- Labeling a flaw that isn't there: an argument may be weak simply because evidence is insufficient, not because it commits a named fallacy.
- Confusing correlation with causation: sequence or coincidence does not establish cause.
- Mistaking a strong counterargument for a weakness in the passage: a passage that addresses objections may be stronger, not weaker.
- Emotional language mistaken for evidence: vivid wording is not proof.
Rule of thumb
Ask three questions of any argument: What is claimed? What supports it? What unstated assumption must be true? Then test whether the evidence actually bears on the claim and whether alternatives are considered.
Worked example
"Our new software must be excellent because thousands of companies have bought it." The claim is quality; the evidence is popularity. The hidden assumption-that widespread adoption guarantees quality-is questionable, so the argument commits an appeal to popularity.