Critical Thinking and Research Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering research methodology, evidence evaluation, communication, and logical analysis.

Document

Record information systematically so others can access it

Verify

Confirm accuracy against a reliable source

Credible

Worthy of being trusted or believed.

Relevant

Closely connected and appropriate to the situation

Empirical

Based on direct observation and measurable data

Substantiate

Back up a claim with concrete evidence

Circumstantial

Suggestive but not directly proving; based on inference

Investigate

Examine a problem carefully and systematically

Methodology

The set of procedures and rules used to conduct a study

Objective

Free from personal bias; based on observable facts

Comprehensive

Covering all necessary aspects; thorough and complete

Hypothesis

A testable prediction not yet proven

Variable

A factor that can change and may affect results

Articulate

Put ideas into words clearly and precisely

Convey

Successfully transfer meaning or feeling to another

Clarify

Make something confusing more understandable

Comprehend

Grasp the full meaning, including its significance

Explicit

Stated directly in words; nothing left to guess

Implicit

Communicated indirectly - through tone or inference

Perceive

Become aware of something through the senses or attention

Assumption

A belief taken for granted without proof

Inference

A conclusion reasoned from available evidence

Premise

The statement an argument is built on

Synthesis

Combining multiple sources into one coherent whole

Causation

A direct relationship: one thing produces another

Correlation

Two things move together - but one may not cause the other

Fallacy

An error in reasoning that looks logical but is flawed

Bias

A systematic tendency to favor one side, distorting judgment