CR Notes

- Read the question carefully first

- Argument is made up of multiple facts and conclusion, together called premise
- Identify what is conclusion by doing a “WHY” test
- Ask a why to whatever you think is a conclusion

Types of CR Questions

1. Strengthen or Support
- Get outside but logical information
- To prove conclusion to be true
- Check “what to prove” and write it down clearly
2. Weaken or Undermine
- Get outside but logical information
- To prove conclusion to be False
- Check “what to prove” and write it down clearly
3. Assumption
- Terms used are “assumption/ assume” , “presumption/presume”,
“presupposition/presume”, “additional premise”
- An assumption is always true for an argument but it is
- An unstated information
- Within the scope of the argument
- Bridges the gap between the premise and conclusion
- Further proves the conclusion to be true
- Negation trick : Whatever you think as an assumption answer option,
negate it (make opposite) and check if conclusion turns out true or false
- For assumption questions in CR, see and state facts vis-à-vis the conclusion :
- If Fact1, Fact2, Fact3, Fact4 are followed by conclusion
- See & find assumptions connecting Fact3,Fact4 & Conclusion
- Not the ones vis-à-vis Facts1 and 2
4. Evaluate
- Terms used are evaluate, determine whether, assess –
- Answer options will be in the form of questions
- Two types of Questions : (i) Plan Questions (ii) Non Plan Question
- Yes/No Test : Whatever you think is an answer do a YES/NO test, it should prove to
be a good plan or bad plan
5. Paradox
- Terms used are : explain / justify/ best accounts for/ resolves surprising finding
- There is no conclusion in the argument
- Fact1 v/s Fact2 : logically opposite ideas in contradiction with each other
- Find out why the contradiction happened – aisa hua toh hua kyun?
- Trap : Options that support the contradiction
6. Inference
- Terms used are : infer/ imply/ support conclusion / must be true/ support
- Answer option must be true as per the given information
- Avoid extreme words in answer options like “most, always, hardly” ; rather answer
options with “some” should be considered
 - Pattern of an inference question can be in any order :
- Fact1, Fact2, Concl - given ; Fact3 asked
- Fact1, Fact2 - given ; Concl asked
- Fact1, Fact2 – given ; Fact3 asked
- Mostly question swill be mathematical/ numerical questions & high on logic
- Correct answer may have repetition of given information
7. Miscellaneous : It’ll be of the following types
- Conversation between people
- Will ask you to prove something specific
- EXCEPT/ LEAST questions : eliminate the ones that support or is logically opposite
/irrelevant
- Fill in the Blank questions : Watch out for change of tone/ read the last sentence
twice
8. Bold Face
- Least popular question on GMAT
- Read argument & identify the conclusion
- Re-read the bold parts & identify if
- The BOLD part is a fact/ evidence/ finding or an opinion/ claim/ judgement
- The BOLD part supporting or challenging the conclusion

When the argument contains the word “average” , eliminate answer options with “some/most”.
These should be avoided because an average number cannot decide for the whole sample
population

In case of strengthen & weaken question you get three types of arguments predominantly,

1. Revenue Questions :
- Sales = No. of units sold x Price per Unit
- Cost = Expenses Incurred
- Profit/Net Income = Revenue – Cost
2. Causal Flaw :
- Conclusion : X causes Y
- Assumptions are :
i. Only X cause Y
ii. Nothing else can cause Y
iii. A does not cause Y
iv. Y does not cause A – unidimensional relationship
3. Plan Questions
- Problem is given
- Goal is to solve the plan
- Say if the plan is good or bad
- How to check if the plan is good or bad ?
i. Is it implementable/ practical?
ii. Does it help to achieve the goal?
iii. What are the side effects?
iv. Is the solution short term or long term?
v. Is it applicable to other places
vi. Will people follow the plan or no?
Important :

A) In SUPPORT questions, there will be an argument given and five answer options

If the questions reads, the argument mentioned above supports which of the following (answer
options) OR Which of the following is supported by the argument mentioned above? This is an
INFERENCE Question type. Solve accordingly, no outside information

If the question reads, Which of the following supports the argument mentioned above ? then it is a
STRENGTHEN Question type. Solve accordingly, get outside information, but a logical one

B) Sampling Flaw :
1) Sample is representative
2) Sample was honest in the survey
3) People conducting the survey were right professionals