LESSON ONE -- Critical Reasoning and Creative Thinking
Questions: 22
INSTRUCTIONS: The following items will test your grasp of the material in this lesson. There is only one correct answer for each item. When you complete the exercise, check your answers with the asnwer key that follows. If you answer any item incorrectly, study that part of the lesson again before continuing. Answer the following 22 multiple-choice questions. Choose the BEST answer for each question, and select the corresponding letter.
1.
How do critical reasoning and creative thinking principles enhance your communicative skills?
a. The principles assist us to cope with the Army's changing environment.
c. The principles help us to clarify the true problem and arrive at the best solution(s).
d. The principles assist us to analyze problem symptoms and develop achievable solutions.
2.
What does the Desert Shield/Desert Storm strategy used by the United States against Iraq illustrate?
a. An example of a clear purpose.
b. An example of sound reasoning.
c. An example of how the United States won the war.
d. An example of a point of view directing United States efforts.
3.
When we reason, what are we are attempting to identify?
a. The right questions to ask.
b. Why we can't resolve the issue.
c. Subvert the efforts of other agencies.
d. How we can divert attention to other problems.
4.
Why must we solicit "others' points of view"?
a. Your point of view will clarify the solution.
b. Others' points of view are more objective.
c. Your point of view reflects your educational development and military experiences.
d. Others' points of view help to analyze and identify hidden ideas underlying our assumptions.
5.
Data provides us with evidence that we use to support or reject a particular position. Why is it important to examine data for relevancy and accuracy?
a. Because it provides us with a statistical analysis of a particular position.
b. Because unexamined data may become a possible source of problems.
c. Because the statistical data gives a clear analysis of the problem we are analyzing.
d. Because it consists of information, facts, observations, and experiences that support or reject a particular position.
6.
All reasoning takes some things for granted. We call these our assumptions. Assumptions are essential conditions that must exist for a course of action to occur. When reasoning we must clearly identify whether our assumptions are essential or unessential. When is an assumption essential?
a. A change in the assumption affects the data.
b. A change in the assumption affects the conclusion.
c. A change in the assumption has no affect on the data.
d. A change in the assumption does not affect the conclusion.
7.
Reasoning proceeds by steps: "Because this is so, that also is so," or "Since this, therefore, that." We call these conclusions "inferences." Which one of the following statements is an inference?
a. Aunt Jane will arrive on a later flight.
b. Aunt Jane does not want to fly in stormy weather.
c. United's flight #728 will arrive at KCI at about 2100.
d. We have a severe storm warning in affect until 2200.
8.
Which of the following best describes the function of implications?
a. Implications clarify consequences.
b. Implications grow out of consequences.
c. Implications suggest possible consequences.
d. Implications and consequences are the same.
9.
Which is the best definition of initiative and versatility?
a. Is more a science than an art.
b. Narrows the focus of research.
c. Incorporates change into an existing situation.
d. Attempts a deeper understanding of why we do what we do.
10.
Which principles enhance creative thinking?
a. Initiative, brain storming, versatility, and idea generation.
b. Validation, initiative, mindmapping, and idea generation.
c. Idea generation, initiative and versatility, and mental preparation.
d. Initiative and versatility, mental preparation, idea generation, and validation.
11.
What are the four principles that creative thinkers follow when producing creative ideas?
a. Develop new ideas, clarify the problem at hand, test ideas to determine their validity, and develop their initiative and versatility.
b. Test ideas to determine their validity, generate ideas to resolve problems at hand, develop their initiative and versatility, and validate ideas.
c. Develop their initiative and versatility, focus on the source of ideas, generate ideas to resolve problems at hand, and test ideas to determine their validity.
d. Develop their initiative and versatility, prepare their minds to receive ideas from all sources, generate ideas that may resolve problems at hand, and test ideas to determine their validity.
12.
What three techniques can you use to prepare your mind to receive new ideas?
a. Setting the stage, determination, saturation.
b. Setting the stage, fill your mind with data, and draw on experience.
c. Focus on the objective, set the stage, and be committed to the task.
d. Setting the stage, saturate the mind with data, and be committed to the task.
13.
Generation is the actual production of a new idea. What is the key to generating new ideas?
a. Curiosity, incubation, and illumination.
b. Divergent thinking, incubation, illumination, and visualization.
c. Drawing on your experiences, being critical, and divergent thinking.
d. Divergent thinking, drawing on other's experiences, illumination, and visualization.
14.
When should validation of new ideas occur?
a. As each new idea emerges.
b. After preparation and generation.
c. At the end of the creative process.
d. During preparation and generation.
15.
What are the most common biases that may inhibit creativity?
a. Physical biases, mental biases, and cultural biases.
b. Emotional biases, traditional biases, and visual biases.
c. Mental biases, cultural biases, and perceptual biases.
d. Perceptual biases, emotional biases, and mental biases.
16.
Which of the following statements defines clarity?
a. Requires that our ideas be accurate.
b. Calls for precise statement of our ideas.
c. Requires that we express our thoughts clearly.
d. Calls for us to judge the relevance of our ideas.
17.
What is the best definition for the term "accuracy"?
a. Denotes that there are few errors.
b. Implies that any distortions are minimal.
c. Implies that we conform to some standard.
d. Denotes that we have corrected our errors.
18.
What does "precision" describe?
a. The quality of detail.
b. The quantity of details we provide.
c. The quantity of data we have collected.
d. The quality of accuracy and exactness.
19.
What does the term "relevance" suggest?
a. That the association between the subject and the data is close.
b. That the association between the subject and the data is limited.
c. That there is some association between the subject and the data.
d. That there is limited association between the subject and the data.
20.
What does the term "significance" suggest?
a. We are ascribing clarity to the subject.
b. We are ascribing breadth to the subject.
c. We are ascribing relevance to the subject.
d. We are ascribing importance to the subject.
21.
What does the term "logic" describe?
a. The depth of your research.
b. The relationship between ideas.
c. The assumptions that underlie your research.
d. The relationship between significance and breadth.
22.
Name the elements of Generation which is the actual production of new ideas?
