DM

In decision making, the number of questions is always fixed!

Approximately and in this order:

• 5 short syllogisms

• 4 logic puzzles

• 4 arguments

• 4 syllogisms with data/long text (2 mark interpreting information)

• 8ish venn diagrams & stand alone interpreting information worth a mark each (some of these may require drawing Venn diagrams instead of giving you them)

• 4 probabilities - 2 are asking you to compare individuals (e.g. Nessi vs Meymar) and 2 are asking you to pick appropriate statements/work probabilities out

Skipping: the two question types that are time consuming are syllogisms and logic puzzles. It's much better in general to skip a logic puzzle over a syllogism if it comes to it since the syllogism is worth a potential 2 marks. 

That said, if you have absolutely no clue with a syllogism then it's better to guess all 5 than to guess 2 (since you get 1 mark for 4 correct and 2 marks for 5 correct, but no marks for zero correct)

Probabilities and arguments - this is usually an accuracy issue vs a timing one. I'd recommend doing some practice on these untimed until you're getting almost all correct (then obviously move onto timed)

- a good argument is both relevant (addresses all aspects of the question) and strong (emotionless, contains statistics + facts, free from opinion)

Logic puzzles

Start off with absolute information (e.g. blue car is in the first space) not relative information (e.g. blue car is ahead of the red one)

If there's no absolute information, start filling in your table with the most common individual

Venn diagrams

- work backwards from the answer options

- if you've ruled it down to two then only check the differences between them and not the similarities 

- when adding together values, sometimes it's possible to just add together the units column. So 39 + 49 + 53 ends in 9+9+3 so in a 1

Arguments Specificially

1. Strength:

• has any evidence been provided

• is the statement reasonable and logical 

• are there any assumptions

• is it a fact or an opinion

• does it discuss more than one aspect of the problem

• does it give a balanced view and address criticisms

In this context, a fact: 

something that can be proven right or wrong using data/evidence

It's not necessarily to do with being correct

So to give an extreme example, "killing is wrong" would be an opinion and not a fact🤣

2. Relevance

• does it address each and every aspect of the question

• is it free from anything irrelevant

• is it going too narrow/broad compared to the question

We want to pick the argument with the greatest strength AND relevance. This is relative, and it's often the case that no argument is perfect. If we find that two are equal in these metrics, then we go for the argument that applies to the broadest group of people/things/cases. 

Understanding these definitions is important when it comes to the UCAT and syllogisms:

All: An unspecified number referring to the whole of it/everything.

Always: On all occasions, without fail.

Either: Exclusively A or B (not both).

Few: A small number of, less than 50%.

Majority: A number that is more than 50% of the whole but not all.

Many: An undetermined number similar to 'some'. A part of it, not all of it.

Most: An undetermined but majority number/largest part.

None: Not even a small amount/not even one.

Nothing: Not a single thing. Of no value.

Not all: 1-99%

Only: Introduces something which must happen before something else in the sentence.  Indicates there is nothing else.

Some: An undetermined number being more than one but less than all. A part of it, not all of it.

Unless: Introduces the only circumstance which makes the statement not true or valid.