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Inductive Reasoning

Instructions:
  • Answer 24 questions in 15 minutes.
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  • Match each statement with the correct term.
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This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. A form of inductive reasoning in which we reason from premises about a state of affairs to an explanation for that state of affairs:






2. A statement about the cause of things.






3. (or sample member) In enumerative induction - the observed members of the target group.






4. A condition for the occurrence of an event without which the event cannot occur.






5. The relevant factor present when a phenomenon occurs - and absent when the phenomenon does not occur - must be the cause.






6. If two or more occurrences of a phenomenon have only one relevant factor in common - that factor must be the cause.






7. (or target population) In enumerative induction - the whole collection of individuals under study.






8. A sample that is selected randomly from a target group in such a way as to ensure that the sample is representative. In a simple random selection - every member of the target group has an equal chance of being selected for the sample.






9. Argument intended to give probable support for its conclusion.






10. Reason that because two or more things are similar in several respects - they must be similar in some further respect. We evaluate arguments by analogy according to several criteria: (1) the number of relevant similarities between things being compar






11. When two events are correlated--when one varies in close connection w/ the other--they are probably related.






12. A comparison of two or more things alike in specific respects.






13. The variation between the values derived from a sample and the true values of the whole target group.






14. An enumerative induction can fail to be strong by having a sample that's too small or not representative. When we draw a conclusion about a target group based on an inadequate sample size






15. Enumerative - Analogical - & Causal.






16. (after that - therefore because of that). The fallacy of reasoning that just because B followed A - A must have caused B.






17. Inductive argument whose conclusion contains a causal claim. There are several inductive patterns of reasoning used to assess causal connections. These include the Method of Agreement - the Method of Difference - the Method of Agreement and Differenc






18. In enumerative induction - a sample that resembles the target group in all relevant ways.






19. (or property in question) In enumerative induction - a property - or characteristic - that is of interest in the target group.






20. A condition for the occurrence of an event that guarantees that the event occurs.






21. Argue from premises about some members of a group to a generalization about the entire group. The entire group is called the target group; the observed members of the group - the sample; and the group characteristics we're interested in - the relevan






22. In statistical theory - the probability that the sample will accurately represent the target group within the margin of error.






23. A sample that does not properly represent the target group.






24. Enumerative inductive arguments - or the basis of enumerative inductive arguments - and must be judged by the same general criteria used to judge any other enumerative induction.