Basic Knowledge Helpful in Critical Reasoning

1. 100%

• all
• consensus
• unanimous
• complete
• total

2. Majority

• most
• many 
• much
• high degree
• 50%-99%
• always less than all

3. Minority

• little
• few
• less
• low
• 1%-49%
• always less than 50%

4. Some = atleast 1

• 1<=some<=all

5. Only

• Solely
• exclusively
• no other

BASICS CONCEPTS OF ECONOMICS(Sometimes used in GRE)

1. Long Term Goal of any Business - Profit
2. Profit consists of 2 parts:-

• Decrease in Cost
• Increase in Sales

3. Supply(Price, Variety, Innovation) is ------> Demand
4. In case of drought, say supply is less, demand is same , then cost will increase.
5. Production

• No. of hours 
• Productivity/ hours

Critical Reasoning Rules

Different Types of Questions:-

1. ASSUMPTION

• Aim is to find the missing link.
• A---> B 
• ? }} Missing Link is assumed
• .'. C---> D

2. PARADOX

• Question consists of 2 statements that contradict each other.
• Answer will be explanation/resolve/solution

3. PARAGRAPH COMPLETION

•  It can further classified into following types of problems:-
• ____Effect______(__Cause___)
• ____Saying Theory______(__Example___)
• ____Cause______(__Effect___)
• ____Example1=logic______(__Example2=logic___) 
• Tone
• _____(+ve)_____(+ve)_____
• _____(+ve)__(but | though | etc)___(-ve)_____
• Style
• Perspective 
• ________(Company)_______(Company)______

4. INFERENCE

• Argument [Premise (stated(facts/findings/example/evidence/statements)) + Assumption (unstated(author/company)) ----> Conclusion(Author has concluded)]
• Statements are given/Premise ------> you are expected to conclude. Your conclusion should be very close to what is stated. 
• There are 3 types of questions in Inference Questions:-
• Data Based
• Data is given in %, numbers, values/amount, ratio, proportion, rates, time, average
• Some As are Bs
• Data = valid
• Sample - representation  increase in sample ----> increase in representation
• Compare only comparables
• General ---> Specific is correct
• Specific ----> General is wrong
•  Only As are Bs ----> Whatever is attached to Only is main set.
• Only Indians wear sarees.
• Answer can contain 'only' only if 'only' is there in paragraph.
• Goal Plan
• Aim/Objective/Goal ---> Plan(How can they achieve Goal) [Inference]
• Example for AWA(Argument)
• Goal: Eradicate Polio
• Argument ------> Plan : Pulse Polio
• Assumption :
• Plan can achieve the goal
• Plan - Practical, cost-effective, accessible
• People will co-operate
• Benefits > Drawbacks
• Benefits ---> Long term/ sustainable
•  These assumptions are very important in AWA
• Cause & Effect

5. STRENGTHEN & WEAKEN

• Argument in simple terms "your opinion"
• Example:- 
• Smoking is bad
• Strengthen
• Prove Smoking is bad
• Finding 
• Example
• Explanation
• Weaken
• Prove Smoking is good
• Finding 
• Example
• Explanation
• Cause & Effect
• A ------> B
• Weaken Cause & Effect
• A---/->B
• C-----> B
• B -----> A
•   Strengthen Cause & Effect(Its only A that causes B)
• yes A ----> yes B
• No A ----> No B

6. BOLD FACE

• always about structure
• role
• relationship
• always about lines in Bold
• not about meaning , only about structure
• Differentiate Between Fact and Non Fact
• Fact - 
• evidence, data, report, finding, statement of fact, quotation
• Fact is something which is measurable.
• Something that happened in past is a fact.
• Not a Fact - 
• Claim, Position, Stand, Argument, View, Judgement, Opinion, Conclusion, Consideration, Situation, Circumstance, Prediction(Claim about future)
•  If As| Because | Since | Clearly [Bold Face Line]......... In such cases, Bold face line is an explanation(not a fact)
• Example:-
• India is Great                                                       Not a Fact
• MG Said: India is a Great                                    Fact

7. EXTRA NOTES:-
1. Critical reasoning is very helpful in AWA.

AWA

• Issue
• Analysis of an Argument
• Evaluate
• Strengthen 
• Weaken