IL State Trooper flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Main idea

The central claim that the entire passage supports. If removing a statement would not damage the passage's overall point, that statement is a supporting detail, not the main idea.

Inference in reading

A conclusion the text forces but does not state outright. An answer choice that is merely plausible in real life but not logically entailed by the passage is incorrect.

Scope error

An answer choice that is broader or narrower than the passage supports, such as saying 'all officers' when the text refers only to one unit or one incident.

Vocabulary in context

Determining a word's meaning from its sentence rather than its most common dictionary sense. Substitute each option into the original sentence and keep the one preserving the logic.

Subject-verb agreement

The verb matches the head noun, not the nearest noun. In 'the box of reports is missing', the singular 'box' controls the verb despite the plural 'reports' in the prepositional phrase.

Dangling modifier

An introductory phrase that fails to describe the subject of the main clause, as in 'Walking to the car, the radio was loud', since the radio was not walking.

Comma splice

Joining two independent clauses with only a comma. Correct it with a period, a semicolon, or a coordinating conjunction such as 'and' or 'but'.

Affect versus effect

'Affect' is usually a verb meaning to influence. 'Effect' is usually a noun meaning a result. Similarly, 'principal' means main or school head, while 'principle' means a rule.

Percent change formula

Percent change equals (new value minus old value) divided by old value, times 100. A 20% decrease followed by a 20% increase yields a net change of negative 4%.

Distance formula

Distance equals rate multiplied by time, written d = r × t. Convert minutes to hours before multiplying, so 45 minutes becomes 0.75 hours.

Combined work rate

Combined rate equals 1/a plus 1/b for two workers finishing alone in a and b units of time. Time together equals 1 divided by that combined rate.

Mean and missing value

The mean equals the sum divided by the count. To find a missing value, multiply the mean by the count and subtract the known values from that total.

Modus tollens

From 'if P then Q' and 'not Q', one validly concludes 'not P'. This is the contrapositive inference and is logically equivalent to the original conditional statement.

Denying the antecedent

The invalid inference from 'if P then Q' and 'not P' to 'not Q'. The consequent may still occur for other reasons, so the conclusion does not follow.

Deductive versus inductive reasoning

Deduction moves from a general rule to a specific case and yields certainty. Induction moves from specific observations to a general rule and yields only probability.

Necessary versus sufficient condition

A necessary condition must be present but may not be enough to guarantee the result. A sufficient condition guarantees the result whenever it is present.

Weapon focus effect

Attention narrows onto a visible threat, degrading memory for faces and peripheral detail. Witness confidence is a weak predictor of identification accuracy.

Sequential lineup advantage

Presenting lineup members one at a time reduces false identifications by forcing an absolute judgment, whereas simultaneous presentation encourages relative comparison among members.

Change blindness

Failure to notice changes in a scene when attention is elsewhere. Systematic scanning and comparison of landmarks reduce missed details during observation.

Post-event contamination

New information encountered after an event can alter memory of it. Record the witness's first account before asking questions that suggest details.

Use-of-force standard

Force must be objectively reasonable, necessary, and proportional to the threat. De-escalation, time, and distance are preferred whenever feasible and safe.

Priority in critical incidents

Officer and public safety come first, then preservation of life, then enforcement and evidence, then administrative reporting and documentation.

Lawful order rule

Officers follow lawful policy and orders. When an order conflicts with law or policy, they decline the unlawful portion and report the conflict through the chain of command.

Report supplement

A separate document added after a report is submitted. Original reports are never altered; corrections and new information go into a dated supplement.

Active listening

Paraphrasing the speaker's content and reflecting emotion before responding. This reduces defensiveness and improves the accuracy of information gathered during interviews.

Gratuity rule

Accepting even small gifts creates a sense of reciprocity and is generally prohibited. Integrity means acting correctly when no one is observing the officer.

Duty to intervene

The obligation to stop a colleague's excessive force or misconduct when possible and to report it through the chain of command, regardless of rank or friendship.

Observation versus opinion

Reports state what the officer perceived, such as swaying and the smell of alcohol, rather than conclusory labels like 'intoxicated', which the reader cannot verify.

Report elements

A complete report answers who, what, when, where, why, and how, states the disposition, and includes facts supporting each element of the offense charged.

Verbatim quotation

Statements reproduced exactly are placed in quotation marks. Paraphrased statements omit quotation marks but remain attributed to the speaker who made them.

Progressive overload

Increasing training volume or intensity by roughly 5 to 10 percent per week. This builds fitness while limiting injury risk and avoiding performance plateaus.

Test taper

Reducing training volume while keeping intensity for 5 to 7 days before a fitness test, prioritizing sleep and hydration so performance peaks on test day.