KS POST 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 is written to support. Every paragraph contributes to it, unlike a supporting detail confined to one section.

Scope error

An answer choice that is true in the real world but broader or narrower than what the passage actually states, making it incorrect for that question.

Valid inference

A conclusion necessarily supported by stated evidence. If several explanations fit the text equally well, the proposed inference is not justified.

Author's tone

The writer's attitude toward the subject, such as critical, neutral, or approving. It is signaled by word choice rather than by the subject's own qualities.

Subject-verb agreement

The verb matches the true subject, ignoring interrupting phrases. In 'the list of names is long', the singular subject 'list' controls the verb.

Comma splice

Two independent clauses joined only by a comma. Repair with a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a coordinating conjunction.

Dangling modifier

An introductory phrase whose implied actor is not the noun that follows it, producing an illogical statement such as 'Walking home, the rain started'.

Restrictive clause

A clause essential to identifying the noun it modifies, introduced by 'that' and written without commas because removing it changes the meaning.

Parallel structure

Items joined by 'and' or in a series share the same grammatical form, such as all gerunds or all infinitives, so the sentence reads evenly.

Fewer versus less

'Fewer' modifies countable items such as citations or vehicles; 'less' modifies mass quantities such as time, water, or traffic.

Percent change

The difference between new and old values divided by the original value, times one hundred. The denominator is always the starting amount.

Combined work rate

Add individual rates expressed as jobs per unit time, then invert the total to find the time required when workers act together.

Distance formula

Distance equals rate multiplied by time. Rearranged, time equals distance divided by rate and rate equals distance divided by time.

Mean from total

If n items have mean m, their total is n times m. This recovers a missing value when the average and other items are known.

Pythagorean theorem

In a right triangle, the squares of the two legs sum to the square of the hypotenuse: a squared plus b squared equals c squared.

Probability of none

The chance that an event happens at least once equals one minus the probability that it never happens across the trials.

Unit cancellation

Multiply by conversion fractions equal to one, arranged so unwanted units appear in opposite positions and cancel, leaving the target unit.

Encoding specificity

Recall improves when the setting, mood, or cues at retrieval match those present during learning, so context reinstatement aids memory.

Serial position effect

Items at the beginning and end of a list are recalled better than middle items, reflecting primacy and recency advantages in memory.

Weapon focus

Attention narrows onto a threatening object such as a weapon, reducing later recall of the person's face, clothing, and other details.

Change blindness

Failure to notice a substantial change in a scene when attention is diverted or a brief interruption masks the alteration.

Cross-race effect

Faces of a person's own racial group tend to be recognized more accurately than faces of other groups, affecting identification reliability.

Confidence-accuracy gap

An eyewitness's certainty does not reliably predict correctness, so confidence alone cannot validate an identification.

De-escalation sequence

Reduce stimulation, create distance, use a calm tone, offer limited choices, and act only if the person refuses compliance.

Least intrusive action

The mildest intervention that resolves the situation. Stronger measures follow only when the milder step fails or safety demands it.

Active listening

Restating the speaker's content and naming the feeling behind it before responding, which lowers defensiveness and confirms understanding.

Mandatory notification

Incidents involving force, injury, arrest, or likely complaints must be reported to a supervisor promptly, then documented in writing.

Need-to-know sharing

Confidential information is disclosed only to people who require it to perform their duties, not to curious or unrelated colleagues.

Chronological narrative

A report ordered by time of occurrence, covering who, what, when, where, how, and the action taken, so a stranger can reconstruct events.

Verbatim quotation

Speech reproduced exactly inside quotation marks. Paraphrased statements appear without quotes and are attributed to the speaker.

Supplemental report

A separate, dated, signed document used to add or correct information. The original submitted report is never edited after filing.

Objective wording

Descriptive language reporting observed conduct and facts, avoiding conclusions about guilt, motive, or character that the writer cannot directly verify.