EPSO AD5 key terms

A conclusion drawn from evidence in a text rather than stated outright; the reader supplies the link the author leaves implicit, so it must be supported by the passage but not simply repeated from it.

An unstated belief the author treats as true and relies on to make the argument work; if it fails, the reasoning collapses even though no sentence in the text states it.

A stated reason or piece of evidence offered in support of a conclusion; premises are what an argument asks you to accept before it can persuade you of its main claim.

The claim an argument is trying to establish; it is what the premises are meant to support, and it may appear at the start, middle or end of a passage.

The attitude an author conveys through word choice and sentence style, such as cautious, critical, ironic or neutral; it shapes meaning beyond the literal content of the sentences.

A quality of wording that permits more than one reasonable reading; in reasoning tests, ambiguity often explains why a statement cannot be judged true or false with confidence.

A restatement of a passage's meaning in different words; a correct paraphrase preserves the original's claims and scope without adding or dropping qualifications.

A pattern of reasoning that appears persuasive but does not actually support its conclusion, such as attacking a person instead of their argument or generalising from a tiny sample.

The difference between two values divided by the original value, expressed per hundred; always divide by the starting figure, not the later one, or the result is wrong.

A comparison of two or more quantities showing how many times one contains another; ratios can be scaled up or down without changing the relationship they describe.

A mean in which each value counts in proportion to an assigned weight, such as population size; it differs from a simple average when the groups being combined are of unequal size.

A value expressed relative to a chosen base period set at 100, used to show change over time; a reading of 120 means a 20 per cent increase since the base.

A total divided by the number of people concerned, giving an average per person; it allows fair comparison between countries or regions of very different population sizes.

Growth applied repeatedly to a value that already includes earlier increases, so the amount added rises each period; it is not the same as adding a fixed amount each time.

Replacing a number with a nearby simpler one to a stated level of precision; rounding too early in a multi-step calculation can shift the final answer beyond the offered options.

An ordered series of figures or symbols in which each item follows a rule from the one before; finding the rule means testing how position, number or shape changes step by step.

A turn of a figure about a fixed point, described by direction and angle; a rotated shape keeps its size and internal proportions but changes its orientation on the page.

A mirror image of a figure across a line, reversing left and right while preserving size and shape; it is not the same as rotation, though the results can look similar.

A grid of figures arranged in rows and columns where a rule operates along each row and down each column; the missing cell must satisfy both directions at once.

A set of items in which all but one share a common property; the task is to identify the defining feature of the majority and the single item that breaks it.

Referring a problem to a higher level of authority when it exceeds your mandate, carries serious risk, or cannot be resolved with the resources you control.

A situation where a personal, financial or other private interest could improperly influence official judgement; the standard response is to declare it and step back from the decision.

The duty to keep sensitive information within authorised channels and to share it only with those who need it for a legitimate purpose.

The obligation to answer for your decisions and their results to those with a legitimate right to ask, including explaining what you did and why you did it.

Any person, group or institution affected by or able to influence a decision; effective handling means identifying them early and understanding their interests and concerns.

The principle that the EU acts only where the objectives cannot be sufficiently achieved by member states acting alone and can, by reason of scale or effects, be better achieved at Union level.

The principle that EU action must not go beyond what is necessary to achieve the treaty objectives; the means chosen must be suitable and no more burdensome than needed.

The standard EU law-making route in which the European Parliament and the Council adopt legislation jointly, each reading the other's position, working from a Commission proposal.

An informal negotiation between representatives of Parliament, the Council and the Commission aimed at agreeing a compromise text before formal readings, thereby speeding up the legislative process.

An EU legal act binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all member states without national transposition; it contrasts with a directive, which leaves implementation choices to member states.

An EU legal act binding as to the result to be achieved while leaving member states to choose the form and methods; it must be transposed into national law by a set deadline.

The accumulated body of EU law, rights and obligations, including treaties, legislation and Court judgments, which candidate countries must adopt before joining the Union.

A structured appraisal of the likely economic, social and environmental effects of a policy proposal, used to justify the chosen option and compare alternatives before adoption.

A voting threshold in the Council requiring a defined share of member states representing a defined share of the EU population, used to decide most internal-market legislation.

A structured list of the behaviours and skills expected in a role, with descriptors of what weak, adequate and strong performance look like, used to design assessments and give feedback.

A way of structuring an answer to a behavioural question by describing the Situation, the Task, the Action you took and the Result achieved, keeping the focus on your own contribution.

Entrusting a task to someone else together with the authority and information needed to complete it, while retaining responsibility for the outcome.

Specific, timely information about someone's behaviour and its effect, offered with the aim of improving future performance rather than assigning blame for what has already happened.

The capacity to keep functioning and recover after setbacks, pressure or criticism, adapting your approach rather than giving up or becoming defensive.