Making Judgments

In Making Judgments questions, you are presented with a situation, a set of facts, or a particular circumstance and asked to make a logical judgment based on the information provided.

The key skill is to evaluate the given information carefully and select the answer that best satisfies the conditions of the situation. These questions test your ability to compare requirements, identify relevant facts, eliminate unsuitable choices, and reach a logical decision.

A judgment may also involve drawing a reasonable conclusion from the statements provided. The answer should be based on the information given in the question rather than on personal preference or assumptions.

What is Making Judgments?

Making Judgments is a Logical Reasoning topic in which a situation is presented along with certain requirements, conditions, or facts. You must examine the available choices and determine which option best satisfies the stated requirements.

The objective is not to select an option simply because it appears attractive. You must determine whether the option actually meets the requirements mentioned in the question.

Core Principle of Making Judgments

The most important rule is simple:

For every question, identify exactly what the person, organization, or decision-maker is looking for. Then compare each option against those requirements.

An option may satisfy one requirement but fail another. Therefore, do not stop after finding one matching feature.

How to Approach a Making Judgments Question

1. Read the situation carefully. Understand what decision needs to be made.
2. Identify the requirements. Note the conditions that the selected option must satisfy.
3. Separate important information from descriptive details.
4. Check every option against the requirements.
5. Eliminate options that clearly fail an important condition.
6. Compare the remaining options carefully.
7. Select the option that best fits the stated situation.

Identify the Requirements First

Before looking closely at the answer choices, identify the requirements or criteria given in the question.

For example, suppose someone wants to open a toy store and is looking for:

• A location in or reasonably close to the town center.
• A location likely to attract suitable customer traffic.
• A location appropriate for a toy store.

The correct judgment should consider these requirements together.

Example: Choosing a Suitable Location

Consider the following situation:

Mark plans to open a toy store. He wants a location that is either in, or not too far from, the center of town and one that is likely to attract suitable foot traffic.

Suppose the options include:

• A small shop three blocks from the main street, across from an elementary school and next to an ice cream store.
• A storefront in a strip mall on the outskirts of town.
• A storefront near the train station occupied mainly by young professionals without children.
• A stand-alone storefront on a quiet residential street ten blocks from the town center.

The first option is particularly suitable because it is close to the town center and its location near an elementary school and an ice cream store suggests potentially relevant foot traffic for a toy store.

Compare Options Against the Criteria

Making Judgments questions often contain several options that appear reasonable at first glance. The correct answer is usually determined by comparing the options against the exact criteria.

This comparison prevents you from selecting an option based on one attractive feature while ignoring other important conditions.

Use Only the Information Relevant to the Judgment

A Making Judgments question may contain several descriptive details. Not every detail has equal importance.

Focus on information that directly affects the decision.

Do not allow attractive wording, impressive descriptions, or unrelated information to influence your judgment.

Judgment Based on Given Information

The judgment should be based primarily on the information provided in the question.

Avoid introducing assumptions that are not supported by the situation.

For example, if a question says that a store should attract suitable foot traffic, you should evaluate the locations using the information provided about their surroundings. You should not invent additional facts about customer behaviour that are not mentioned.

Conclusion from Given Statements

Some Making Judgments questions require you to draw a conclusion from one or more statements.

In such cases, the conclusion should follow logically from the information given.

Do not select a conclusion merely because it is generally true in real life. The question tests whether the conclusion is supported by the specific information presented.

Example: Selecting the Best Candidate

Consider a casting situation in which a director wants an actress who closely matches the description of a character in the screenplay.

The character is described as an average-sized woman in her forties, with red hair, deep brown eyes, very fair skin, and a brilliant smile.

Suppose two candidates are being considered:

• Candidate 2: red hair, brown eyes, fair complexion, mid-forties, average height.
• Candidate 3: medium build, red hair, brown eyes, early forties, average height.

Both candidates satisfy most of the important characteristics in the description and therefore are stronger matches than candidates who differ substantially in age, complexion, eye colour, or build.

Elimination is a Powerful Technique

You do not always need to prove that one option is perfect. Often, it is faster to eliminate options that clearly violate an important requirement.

For example, if a question requires a location close to the town center, an option ten blocks away on a quiet residential street may immediately become less suitable.

Similarly, if a character must have a particular age range and appearance, candidates who clearly fail several of those requirements can be eliminated quickly.

Do Not Judge by Appearance Alone

An option may sound attractive because it contains positive or impressive language. However, wording alone does not make an option correct.

For example:

• A modern building may not necessarily have the required customer base.
• A convenient location may not necessarily be close enough to the required area.
• A highly talented candidate may not match the required characteristics.

The correct judgment depends on fit with the stated conditions.

Important Features of a Good Judgment

Common Mistakes in Making Judgments

Making Judgments: Quick Reference

Quick Exam Strategy

LearnFrenzy Golden Rule

Remember: A strong judgment is not based on guesswork or personal preference. It is the result of carefully understanding the situation, identifying the important conditions, comparing the available choices, and selecting the option that provides the best logical fit.