ASVAB: Critical Thinking Skills Review

Opinions, Facts, & Fallacies
Critical thinking skills are mastered through understanding various types of writing and the different purposes that authors have for writing the way they do.   Every author writes for a purpose.  Understanding that purpose, and how they accomplish their goal, will allow you to critique the writing and determine whether or not you agree with their conclusions.
Readers must always be conscious of the distinction between fact and opinion. A fact can be subjected to analysis and can be either proved or disproved. An opinion, on the other hand, is the author's personal feeling, which may not be alterable by research, evidence, or argument. If the author writes that the distance from
New York to Boston is about two hundred miles, he is stating a fact. But if he writes that New York is too crowded, then he is giving an opinion, because there is no objective standard for overpopulation. An opinion may be indicated by words like believe, think, or feel. Also, an opinion may be supported by facts: for instance, the author might give the population density of New York as a reason for why it is overcrowded. An opinion supported by fact tends to be more convincing. When authors support their opinions with other opinions, the reader is unlikely to be moved.

Opinion
Facts should be presented to the reader from reliable sources. An opinion is what the author thinks about a given topic. An opinion is not common knowledge or proven by expert sources, but it is information that the author believes and wants the reader to consider. To distinguish between fact and opinion, a reader needs to look at the type of source that is presenting information, what information backs-up a claim, and whether or not the author may be motivated to have a certain point of view on a given topic.
For example, if a panel of scientists has conducted multiple studies on the effectiveness of taking a certain vitamin, the results are more likely to be factual than if a company selling a vitamin claims that taking the vitamin can produce positive effects. The company is motivated to sell its product, while the scientists are using the scientific method to prove a theory. If the author uses words such as 'I think…', the statement is an opinion.
In their attempt to persuade, writers often make mistakes in their thinking patterns and writing choices. 
It's important to understand these so you can make an informed decision.  Every author has a point of view, but when an author ignores reasonable counterarguments or distorts opposing viewpoints, she is demonstrating a bias.
A bias is evident whenever the author is unfair or inaccurate in his or her presentation. Bias may be intentional or unintentional, but it should always alert the reader to be skeptical of the argument being made. It should be noted that a biased author may still be correct. However, the author will be correct in spite of her bias, not because of it. A stereotype is like a bias, except that it is specifically applied to a group or place. Stereotyping is considered to be particularly abhorrent because it promotes negative generalizations about people. Many people are familiar with some of the hateful stereotypes of certain ethnic, religious, and cultural groups. Readers should be very wary of authors who stereotype. These faulty assumptions typically reveal the author's ignorance and lack of curiosity.

Sometimes, authors will appeal to the reader's emotions in an attempt to persuade or to distract the reader from the weakness of the argument. For instance, the author may try to inspire the pity of the reader by delivering a heart-rending story. An author also might use the bandwagon approach, in which he suggests that his opinion is correct because it is held by the majority. Some authors resort to name-calling, in which insults and harsh words are delivered to the opponent in an attempt to distract. In advertising, a common appeal is the testimonial, in which a famous person endorses a product. Of course, the fact that a celebrity likes something should not really mean anything to the reader. These and other emotional appeals are usually evidence of poor reasoning and a weak argument.

Certain logical fallacies are frequent in writing.  A logical fallacy is a failure of reasoning. As a reader, it is important to recognize logical fallacies, because they diminish the value of the author's message. The four most common logical fallacies in writing are the false analogy, circular reasoning, false dichotomy, and overgeneralization. In a false analogy, the author suggests that two things are similar, when in fact they are different. This fallacy is often committed when the author is attempting to convince the reader that something unknown is like something relatively familiar. The author takes advantage of the reader's ignorance to make this false comparison. One example might be the following statement: Failing to tip a waitress is like stealing money out of somebody's wallet. Of course, failing to tip is very rude, especially when the service has been good, but people are not arrested for failing to tip as they would for stealing money from a wallet. To compare stingy diners with thieves is a false analogy.

Analogy
Circular reasoning is one of the more difficult logical fallacies to identify, because it is typically hidden behind dense language and complicated sentences. Reasoning is described as circular when it offers no support for assertions other than restating them in different words. Put another way, a circular argument refers to itself as evidence of truth. A simple example of circular argument is when a person uses a word to define itself, such as saying Niceness is the state of being nice. If the reader does not know what nice means, then this definition will not be very useful. In a text, circular reasoning is usually more complex. For instance, an author might say Poverty is a problem for society because it creates trouble for people throughout the community. It is redundant to say that poverty is a problem because it creates trouble. When an author engages in circular reasoning, it is often because he or she has not fully thought out the argument, or cannot come up with any legitimate justifications.

Reasoning
One of the most common logical fallacies is the false dichotomy, in which the author creates an artificial sense that there are only two possible alternatives in a situation.
This fallacy is common when the author has an agenda and wants to give the impression that his view is the only sensible one. A false dichotomy has the effect of limiting the reader's options and imagination. An example of a false dichotomy is the statement You need to go to the party with me, otherwise you'll just be bored at home. The speaker suggests that the only other possibility besides being at the party is being bored at home. But this is not true, as it is perfectly possible to be entertained at home, or even to go somewhere other than the party. Readers should always be wary of the false dichotomy: when an author limits alternatives, it is always wise to ask whether he is being valid.

Dichotomy
Overgeneralization is a logical fallacy in which the author makes a claim that is so broad it cannot be proved or disproved. In most cases, overgeneralization occurs when the author wants to create an illusion of authority, or when he is using sensational language to sway the opinion of the reader. For instance, in the sentence Everybody knows that she is a terrible teacher, the author makes an assumption that cannot really be believed. This kind of statement is made when the author wants to create the illusion of consensus when none actually exists: it may be that most people have a negative view of the teacher, but to say that everybody feels that way is an exaggeration.
When a reader spots overgeneralization, she should become skeptical about the argument that is being made, because an author will often try to hide a weak or unsupported assertion behind authoritative language.

Two other types of logical fallacies are slippery slope arguments and hasty generalizations. In a slippery slope argument, the author says that if something happens, it automatically means that something else will happen as a result, even though this may not be true. (i.e., just because you study hard does not mean you are going to ace the test). 'Hasty generalization' is drawing a conclusion too early, without finishing analyzing the details of the argument. Writers of persuasive texts often use these techniques because they are very effective. In order to identify logical fallacies, readers need to read carefully and ask questions as they read.
Thinking critically means not taking everything at face value. Readers need to critically evaluate an author's argument to make sure that the logic used is sound.

Organization of the Text
The way a text is organized can help the reader to understand more clearly the author's intent and his conclusions. There are various ways to organize a text, and each one has its own purposes and uses.
Some nonfiction texts are organized to present a problem followed by a solution. In this type of text, it is common for the problem to be explained before the solution is offered. In some cases, as when the problem is well known, the solution may be briefly introduced at the beginning. The entire passage may focus on the solution, and the problem will be referenced only occasionally. Some texts will outline multiple solutions to a problem, leaving the reader to choose among them. If the author has an interest or an allegiance to one solution, he may fail to mention or may describe inaccurately some of the other solutions. Readers should be careful of the author's agenda when reading a problem-solution text. Only by understanding the author's point of view and interests can one develop a proper judgment of the proposed solution.
Authors need to organize information logically so the reader can follow it and locate information within the text. Two common organizational structures are cause and effect and chronological order. When using chronological order, the author presents information in the order that it happened. For example, biographies are written in chronological order; the subject's birth and childhood are presented first, followed by their adult life, and lastly by the events leading up to the person's death.
In cause and effect, an author presents one thing that makes something else happen. For example, if one were to go to bed very late, they would be tired. The cause is going to bed late, with the effect of being tired the next day.
It can be tricky to identify the cause-and-effect relationships in a text, but there are a few ways to approach this task. To begin with, these relationships are often signaled with certain terms. When an author uses words like because, since, in order, and so, she is likely describing a cause-and-effect relationship. Consider the sentence, 'He called her because he needed the homework.' This is a simple causal relationship, in which the cause was his need for the homework and the effect was his phone call. Not all cause-and-effect relationships are marked in this way, however. Consider the sentences, 'He called her. He needed the homework.' When the cause-and-effect relationship is not indicated with a keyword, it can be discovered by asking why something happened. He called her: why? The answer is in the next sentence: He needed the homework.
Persuasive essays, in which an author tries to make a convincing argument and change the reader's mind, usually include cause-and-effect relationships. However, these relationships should not always be taken at face value. An author frequently will assume a cause or take an effect for granted. To read a persuasive essay effectively, one needs to judge the cause-and-effect relationships the author is presenting. For instance, imagine an author wrote the following: 'The parking deck has been unprofitable because people would prefer to ride their bikes.' The relationship is clear: the cause is that people prefer to ride their bikes, and the effect is that the parking deck has been unprofitable. However, a reader should consider whether this argument is conclusive. Perhaps there are other reasons for the failure of the parking deck: a down economy, excessive fees, etc. Too often, authors present causal relationships as if they are fact rather than opinion. Readers should be on the alert for these dubious claims.
Thinking critically about ideas and conclusions can seem like a daunting task.  One way to make it easier is to understand the basic elements of ideas and writing techniques.  Looking at the way different ideas relate to each other can be a good way for the reader to begin his analysis. 
For instance, sometimes writers will write about two different ideas that are in opposition to each other.  The analysis of these opposing ideas is known as contrast.
Contrast is often marred by the author's obvious partiality to one of the ideas. A discerning reader will be put off by an author who does not engage in a fair fight. In an analysis of opposing ideas, both ideas should be presented in their clearest and most reasonable terms. If the author does prefer a side, he should avoid indicating this preference with pejorative language. An analysis of opposing ideas should proceed through the major differences point by point, with a full explanation of each side's view. For instance, in an analysis of capitalism and communism, it would be important to outline each side's view on labor, markets, prices, personal responsibility, etc. It would be less effective to describe the theory of communism and then explain how capitalism has thrived in the West. An analysis of opposing views should present each side in the same manner.
Many texts follow the compare-and-contrast model, in which the similarities and differences between two ideas or things are explored. Analysis of the similarities between ideas is called comparison. In order for a comparison to work, the author must place the ideas or things in an equivalent structure. That is, the author must present the ideas in the same way. Imagine an author wanted to show the similarities between cricket and baseball. The correct way to do so would be to summarize the equipment and rules for each game. It would be incorrect to summarize the equipment of cricket and then lay out the history of baseball, since this would make it impossible for the reader to see the similarities. It is perhaps too obvious to say that an analysis of similar ideas should emphasize the similarities. Of course, the author should take care to include any differences that must be mentioned. Often, these small differences will only reinforce the more general similarity.

Drawing Conclusions
Authors should have a clear purpose in mind while writing. Especially when reading informational texts, it is important to understand the logical conclusion of the author's ideas.  Identifying this logical conclusion can help the reader understand whether he agrees with the writer or not.  Identifying a logical conclusion is much like making an inference: it requires the reader to combine the information given by the text with what he already knows to make a supportable assertion. If a passage is written well, then the conclusion should be obvious even when it is unstated. If the author intends the reader to draw a certain conclusion, then all of his argumentation and detail should be leading toward it. One way to approach the task of drawing conclusions is to make brief notes of all the points made by the author. When these are arranged on paper, they may clarify the logical conclusion. Another way to approach conclusions is to consider whether the reasoning of the author raises any pertinent questions. Sometimes it will be possible to draw several conclusions from a passage, and on occasion these will be conclusions that were never imagined by the author. It is essential, however, that these conclusions be supported directly by the text.

Logical Conclusions
The term text evidence refers to information that supports a main point or points in a story, and can help lead the reader to a conclusion. Information used as text evidence is precise, descriptive, and factual. A main point is often followed by supporting details that provide evidence to back-up a claim. For example, a story may include the claim that winter occurs during opposite months in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Text evidence based on this claim may include countries where winter occurs in opposite months, along with reasons that winter occurs at different times of the year in separate hemispheres (due to the tilt of the Earth as it rotates around the sun).

Evidence
Readers interpret text and respond to it in a number of ways. Using textual support helps defend your response or interpretation because it roots your thinking in the text. You are interpreting based on information in the text and not simply your own ideas. When crafting a response, look for important quotes and details from the text to help bolster your argument. If you are writing about a character's personality trait, for example, use details from the text to show that the character acted in such a way. You can also include statistics and facts from a nonfiction text to strengthen your response. For example, instead of writing, 'A lot of people use cell phones,' use statistics to provide the exact number. This strengthens your argument because it is more precise.
The text used to support an argument can be the argument's downfall if it is not credible.  A text is credible, or believable, when the author is knowledgeable and objective, or unbiased. The author's motivations for writing the text play a critical role in determining the credibility of the text and must be evaluated when assessing that credibility. The author's motives should be for the dissemination of information. The purpose of the text should be to inform or describe, not to persuade.  When an author writes a persuasive text, he has the motivation that the reader will do what they want.  The extent of the author's knowledge of the topic and their motivation must be evaluated when assessing the credibility of a text. Reports written about the Ozone layer by an environmental scientist and a hairdresser will have a different level of credibility.

After determining your own opinion and evaluating the credibility of your supporting text, it is sometimes necessary to communicate your ideas and findings to others.  When writing a response to a text, it is important to use elements of the text to support your assertion or defend your position. Using supporting evidence from the text strengthens the argument because the reader can see how in depth the writer read the original piece and based their response on the details and facts within that text. Elements of text that can be used in a response include: facts, details, statistics, and direct quotations from the text. When writing a response, one must make sure they indicate which information comes from the original text and then base their discussion, argument, or defense around this information.
A reader should always be drawing conclusions from the text.
Sometimes conclusions are implied from written information, and other times the information is stated directly within the passage.  It is always more comfortable to draw conclusions from information stated within a passage, rather than to draw them from mere implications. At times an author may provide some information and then describe a counterargument. The reader should be alert for direct statements that are subsequently rejected or weakened by the author. The reader should always read the entire passage before drawing conclusions. Many readers are trained to expect the author's conclusions at either the beginning or the end of the passage, but many texts do not adhere to this format.
Drawing conclusions from information implied within a passage requires confidence on the part of the reader. Implications are things the author does not state directly, but which can be assumed based on what the author does say. For instance, consider the following simple passage:

'I stepped outside and opened my umbrella. By the time I got to work, the cuffs of my pants were soaked.' The author never states that it is raining, but this fact is clearly implied. Conclusions based on implication must be well supported by the text. In order to draw a solid conclusion, a reader should have multiple pieces of evidence, or, if he only has one, must be assured that there is no other possible explanation than his conclusion. A good reader will be able to draw many conclusions from information implied by the text, which enriches the reading experience considerably. As an aid to drawing conclusions, the reader should be adept at outlining the information contained in the passage; an effective outline will reveal the structure of the passage, and will lead to solid conclusions.  An effective outline will have a title that refers to the basic subject of the text, though it need not recapitulate the main idea. In most outlines, the main idea will be the first major section. It will have each major idea of the passage established as the head of a category. For instance, the most common outline format calls for the main ideas of the passage to be indicated with Roman numerals. In an effective outline of this kind, each of the main ideas will be represented by a Roman numeral and none of the Roman numerals will designate minor details or secondary ideas. Moreover, all supporting ideas and details should be placed in the appropriate place on the outline. An outline does not need to include every detail listed in the text, but it should feature all of those that are central to the argument or message. Each of these details should be listed under the appropriate main idea.

It is also helpful to summarize the information you have read in a paragraph or passage format.  This process is similar to creating an effective outline. To begin with, a summary should accurately define the main idea of the passage, though it does not need to explain this main idea in exhaustive detail. It should continue by laying out the most important supporting details or arguments from the passage. All of the significant supporting details should be included, and none of the details included should be irrelevant or insignificant. Also, the summary should accurately report all of these details. Too often, the desire for brevity in a summary leads to the sacrifice of clarity or veracity. Summaries are often difficult to read, because they omit all of graceful language, digressions, and asides that distinguish great writing. However, if the summary is effective, it should contain much the same message as the original text.

Paraphrasing is another method the reader can use to aid in comprehension. When paraphrasing, one puts what they have read into their own words, rephrasing what the author has written to make it their own, to 'translate' all of what the author says to their own words, including as many details as they can.


Testing Tips

Skimming
Your first task when you begin reading is to answer the question 'What is the topic of the selection?' This can best be answered by quickly skimming the passage for the general idea, stopping to read only the first sentence of each paragraph. A paragraph's first sentence is usually the main topic sentence, and it gives you a summary of the content of the paragraph.
Once you've skimmed the passage, stopping to read only the first sentences, you will have a general idea about what it is about, as well as what is the expected topic in each paragraph.
Each question will contain clues as to where to find the answer in the passage. Do not just randomly search through the passage for the correct answer to each question.  Search scientifically.  Find key word(s) or ideas in the question that are going to either contain or be near the correct answer.  These are typically nouns, verbs, numbers, or phrases in the question that will probably be duplicated in the passage.  Once you have identified those key word(s) or idea, skim the passage quickly to find where those key word(s) or idea appears.  The correct answer choice will be nearby.

Example: What caused Martin to suddenly return to Paris?
The key word is Paris.  Skim the passage quickly to find where this word appears.  The answer will be close by that word. However, sometimes key words in the question are not repeated in the passage.  In those cases, search for the general idea of the question.

Example:  Which of the following was the psychological impact of the author's childhood upon the remainder of his life?
Key words are 'childhood' or 'psychology'. While searching for those words, be alert for other words or phrases that have similar meaning, such as 'emotional effect' or 'mentally' which could be used in the passage, rather than the exact word 'psychology'.
Numbers or years can be particularly good key words to skim for, as they stand out from the rest of the text.

Example:  Which of the following best describes the influence of Monet's work in the 20th century?
20th contains numbers and will easily stand out from the rest of the text.  Use 20th as the key word to skim for in the passage. Other good key word(s) may be in quotation marks.  These identify a word or phrase that is copied directly from the passage.  In those cases, the word(s) in quotation marks are exactly duplicated in the passage.

Example:  In her college years, what was meant by Margaret's 'drive for excellence'?
'Drive for excellence' is a direct quote from the passage and should be easy to find.
Once you've quickly found the correct section of the passage to find the answer, focus upon the answer choices.  Sometimes a choice will repeat word for word a portion of the passage near the answer.  However, beware of such duplication – it may be a trap! More than likely, the correct choice will paraphrase or summarize the related portion of the passage, rather than being exactly the same wording.
For the answers that you think are correct, read them carefully and make sure that they answer the question.  An answer can be factually correct, but it MUST answer the question asked.  Additionally, two answers can both be seemingly correct, so be sure to read all of the answer choices, and make sure that you get the one that BEST answers the question.
Some questions will not have a key word.

Example:  Which of the following would the author of this passage likely agree with?
In these cases, look for key words in the answer choices. 
Then skim the passage to find where the answer choice occurs.  By skimming to find where to look, you can minimize the time required.
Sometimes it may be difficult to identify a good key word in the question to skim for in the passage.  In those cases, look for a key word in one of the answer choices to skim for. Often the answer choices can all be found in the same paragraph, which can quickly narrow your search.

Paragraph Focus
Focus upon the first sentence of each paragraph, which is the most important.  The main topic of the paragraph is usually there.
Once you've read the first sentence in the paragraph, you have a general idea about what each paragraph will be about. As you read the questions, try to determine which paragraph will have the answer. Paragraphs have a concise topic.  The answer should either obviously be there or obviously not.  It will save time if you can jump straight to the paragraph, so try to remember what you learned from the first sentences.
Example:  The first paragraph is about poets; the second is about poetry.  If a question asks about poetry, where will the answer be? The second paragraph.
The main idea of a passage is typically spread across all or most of its paragraphs.  Whereas the main idea of a paragraph may be completely different than the main idea of the very next paragraph, a main idea for a passage affects all of the paragraphs in one form or another.

Example:  What is the main idea of the passage?
For each answer choice, try to see how many paragraphs are related.  It can help to count how many sentences are affected by each choice, but it is best to see how many paragraphs are affected by the choice.  Typically, the answer choices will include incorrect choices that are main ideas of individual paragraphs, but not the entire passage.  That is why it is crucial to choose ideas that are supported by the most paragraphs possible.

Eliminate Choices
Some choices can quickly be eliminated.  'Andy Warhol lived there.'  Is Andy Warhol even mentioned in the article?  If not, quickly eliminate it.
When trying to answer a question such as 'the passage indicates all of the following EXCEPT' quickly skim the paragraph searching for references to each choice.  If the reference exists, scratch it off as a choice. Similar choices may be crossed off simultaneously if they are close enough.
In choices that ask you to choose 'which answer choice does
NOT describe?' or 'all of the following answer choices are identifiable characteristics, EXCEPT which?' look for answers that are similarly worded. 
Since only one answer can be correct, if there are two answers that appear to mean the same thing, they must BOTH be incorrect, and can be eliminated.

Example: A. changing values and attitudes B. large population of mobile or uprooted people
These answer choices are similar; they both describe a fluid culture.  Because of their similarity, they can be linked together.  Since the answer can have only one choice, they can also be eliminated together.

Contextual Clues
Look for contextual clues.  An answer can be right but not correct.  The contextual clues will help you find the answer that is most right and is correct.  Understand the context in which a phrase is stated.
When asked for the implied meaning of a statement made in the passage, immediately go find the statement and read the context it was made in.  Also, look for an answer choice that has a similar phrase to the statement in question.

Example:  In the passage, what is implied by the phrase
'Churches have become more or less part of the furniture'?
Find an answer choice that is similar or describes the phrase 'part of the furniture' as that is the key phrase in the question. 
'Part of the furniture' is a saying that means something is fixed, immovable, or set in their ways.  Those are all similar ways of saying 'part of the furniture.'  As such, the correct answer choice will probably include a similar rewording of the expression.

Example: Why was John described as 'morally desperate'?
The answer will probably have some sort of definition of morals in it.  'Morals' refers to a code of right and wrong behavior, so the correct answer choice will likely have words that mean something like that.

Fact/Opinion
When asked about which statement is a fact or opinion, remember that answer choices that are facts will typically have no ambiguous words. 
For example, how long is a long time?  What defines an ordinary person?  These ambiguous words of 'long' and 'ordinary' should not be in a factual statement. 
However, if all of the choices have ambiguous words, go to the context of the passage.  Often a factual statement may be set out as a research finding.
Example: 'The scientist found that the eye reacts quickly to change in light.'
Opinions may be set out in the context of words like thought, believed, understood, or wished.
Example: 'He thought the Yankees should win the World Series.'

Opposites
Answer choices that are direct opposites are usually correct.  The paragraph will often contain established relationships (when this goes up, that goes down).  The question may ask you to draw conclusions for this and will give two similar answer choices that are opposites. A. a decrease in housing starts B. an increase in housing starts

Time Management
In technical passages, do not get lost on the technical terms.  Skip them and move on. You want a general understanding of what is going on, not a mastery of the passage. When you encounter material in the selection that seems difficult to understand, it often may not be necessary and can be skipped.  Only spend time trying to understand it if it is going to be relevant for a question.  Understand difficult phrases only as a last resort.
Answer general questions before detail questions.  A reader with a good understanding of the whole passage can often answer general questions without rereading a word. Get the easier questions out of the way before tackling the more time-consuming ones.
Identify each question by type. Usually the wording of a question will tell you whether you can find the answer by referring directly to the passage or by using your reasoning powers.  You alone know which question types you customarily handle with ease and which give you trouble and will require more time.  Save the difficult questions for last.

Hedge Phrases Revisited
Once again, watch out for critical 'hedge' phrases, such as likely, may, can, will often, sometimes, etc., often, almost, mostly, usually, generally, rarely, sometimes.  Question writers insert these hedge phrases, to cover every possibility.  Often an answer will be wrong simply because it leaves no room for exception.

Example: Animals live longer in cold places than animals in warm places.
This answer choice is wrong, because there are exceptions in which certain warm climate animals live longer.  This answer choice leaves no possibility of exception.  It states that every animal species in cold places live longer than animal species in warm places.  Correct answer choices will typically have a key hedge word to leave room for exceptions.

Example: In severe cold, a polar bear cub is likely to survive longer than an adult polar bear.
This answer choice is correct, because not only does the paragraph imply that younger animals survive better in the cold, it also allows for exceptions to exist.  The use of the word 'likely' leaves room for cases in which a polar bear cub might not survive longer than the adult polar bear.

Word Usage Questions
When asked how a word is used in the paragraph, don't use your existing knowledge of the word.  The question is being asked precisely because there is some strange or unusual usage of the word in the paragraph. 
Go to the paragraph and use contextual clues to determine the answer.  Don't simply use the popular definition you already know.

Switchback Words
Stay alert for 'switchbacks'.  These are the words and phrases frequently used to alert you to shifts in thought.  The most common switchback word is 'but'.  Others include although, however, nevertheless, on the other hand, even though, while, in spite of, despite, regardless of.

Avoid 'Fact Traps'
Once you know which paragraph the answer will be in, focus on that paragraph.  However, don't get distracted by a choice that is factually true about the paragraph.  Your search is for the answer that answers the question, which may be about a tiny aspect in the paragraph.  Stay focused and don't fall for an answer that describes the larger picture of the paragraph.
Always go back to the question and make sure you're choosing an answer that actually answers the question and is not just a true statement.

Milk the Paragraph
Some of the paragraphs may throw you completely off.  They might deal with a subject you have not been exposed to, or one that you haven't reviewed in years.  While your lack of knowledge about the subject will be a hindrance, the paragraph itself can give you many clues that will help you find the correct answer.  Read the paragraph carefully, and look for clues.  Watch particularly for adjectives and nouns describing difficult terms or words that you don't recognize.  Regardless of if you understand a word or not, replacing it with the synonyms used for it in the paragraph may help you to understand what the questions are asking.

Example: A bacteriophage is a virus that infects bacteria.
While you may not know much about the characteristics of a bacteriophage, the fifth word into the paragraph told you that a bacteriophage is a virus.  Wherever you see the word 'bacteriophage,' you can mentally replace it with the word 'virus'.  Your more general knowledge of viruses may enable you to answer the question.
Look carefully for these descriptive synonyms (nouns) and adjectives and use them to help you understand the difficult terms.  Rather than wracking your mind about specific detail information concerning a difficult term in the paragraph, use the more general description or synonym provided to make it easier for you.

Make Predictions
One convenience of questions with short paragraphs full of information is that you can easily remember the few facts presented, compared to a much longer passage full of much more information. As you read and understand the paragraph and then the question, try to guess what the answer will be. Remember that three of the four answer choices are wrong, and once you begin reading them, your mind will immediately become cluttered with answer choices designed to throw you off. Your mind is typically the most focused immediately after you have read the paragraph and question and digested its contents. If you can, try to predict what the correct answer will be. You may be surprised at what you can predict.
Quickly scan the choices and see if your prediction is in the listed answer choices. If it is, then you can be quite confident that you have the right answer. It still won't hurt to check the other answer choices, but most of the time, you've got it!

Answer the Question
It may seem obvious to only pick answer choices that answer the question, but ASVAB can create some excellent answer choices that are wrong. Don't pick an answer just because it sounds right, or you believe it to be true. It MUST answer the question. Once you've made your selection, always go back and check it against the question and make sure that you didn't misread the question, and the answer choice does answer the question posed.

Benchmark
After you read the first answer choice, decide if you think it sounds correct or not.  If it doesn't, move on to the next answer choice. 
If it does, tentatively mark in your answer book beside that choice.  This doesn't mean that you've definitely selected it as your answer choice; it just means that it's the best you've seen thus far.  Go ahead and read the next choice.  If the next choice is worse than the one you've already selected, keep going to the next answer choice.  If the next choice is better than the choice you've already selected, mark the new answer choice as your best guess.
The first answer choice that you select becomes your standard.  Every other answer choice must be benchmarked against that standard.  That choice is correct until proven otherwise by another answer choice beating it out.  Once you've decided that no other answer choice seems as good, do one final check to ensure that it answers the question posed.

New Information
Correct answers will usually contain the information listed in the paragraph and question. Rarely will completely new information be inserted into a correct answer choice. Occasionally the new information may be related in a manner that ASVAB is asking for you to interpret, but seldom.
The argument above is dependent upon which of the following assumptions?

A. Charles's Law was used to interpret the relationship.
If Charles's Law is not mentioned at all in the referenced paragraph and argument, then it is unlikely that this choice is correct. All of the information needed to answer the question is provided for you, and so you should not have to make guesses that are unsupported or choose answer choices that have unknown information that cannot be reasoned.

Valid Information
Don't discount any of the information provided in short paragraphs.
They are short to begin with and every piece of information may be necessary to determine the correct answer. None of the information in the paragraph is there to throw you off (while the answer choices will certainly have information to throw you off). If two seemingly unrelated topics are discussed, don't ignore either. You can be confident there is a relationship, or it wouldn't be included in the paragraph, and you are probably going to have to determine what is that relationship for the answer.

Don't Fall for the Obvious
When in doubt of the answer, it is easy to go with what you are familiar with.  If you are familiar with one of the answer choices and know it is correct, then you may be inclined to guess at that term.  Be careful though, and don't go with familiar answers simply because they are familiar.
Example: What happened when the temperature changed to 212° F?


1.  The solution began to boil.
The reaction would become stabilized.

3.  The solution would become saturated.

4.  The reaction would be more easily controlled.

You know that 212° F is the boiling point of pure water.  Therefore, choice A is familiar, because there is a link between the temperature 212° F and the word 'boiling'.  If you are unsure of the correct answer, you may decide upon choice A simply because of its familiarity.  Don't be deceived though.  Think through the other answer choices before making your final selection.  Just because you have a mental link between the question and an answer choice, doesn't make that answer choice correct.

Random Tips
For questions that you're not clear on the answer, use the process of elimination.  Weed out the answer choices that you know are wrong before choosing an answer.
Don't fall for 'bizarre' choices, mentioning things that are not relevant to the paragraph.  Also avoid answers that sound 'smart.'  Again, if you're willing to bet $5, ignore the tips and go with your bet.