In the prior lessons, you learned how to examine reasoning and evaluate an argument’s structure. In this lesson, you will now go one step further as you learn how to identify the principles behind an argument.

CHALLENGE: Match the Principle

Principle questions will define a “principle” and the student must match it with a similar principle among the answer choices. Principle questions will typically be phrased like:

• Which of the following illustrates the principle that the passage illustrates?
• Which one of the following judgements conforms most closely with the principle cited in the passage?
• Which one best illustrates the principles underlying the passage?

How to solve

1. Identify the reasoning in the passage. It could be a structure of conditionals.
2. Find a matching pattern in the answer choices.