Police Officer Selection Test (POST) Reasoning and Problem Solving Syllabus

Reasoning and Problem Solving syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Reasoning and Problem Solving in Police Officer Selection Test (POST), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Deductive Reasoning

   3 topics

   • Applying Rules to Specific Situations
     • Matching scenarios to policy provisions
     • Determining whether a rule was violated
   • Logical Sequencing of Events
     • Ordering events from evidence
     • Identifying gaps in a timeline
   • Drawing Valid Conclusions
     • Recognizing valid versus invalid arguments
     • Avoiding overgeneralization
2. 2

   Inductive Reasoning

   3 topics

   • Pattern Recognition
     • Identifying patterns in crime data
     • Number and figure series
   • Forming Generalizations from Specifics
     • Drawing probable conclusions from evidence
     • Recognizing the limits of inductive certainty
   • Identifying Suspects and Vehicles
     • Matching descriptions to candidates
     • Eliminating options by contradicting facts
3. 3

   Spatial and Directional Reasoning

   3 topics

   • Map Reading and Navigation
     • Cardinal and intercardinal directions
     • Determining shortest or legal routes
   • Following Directions
     • Tracking turns and movements
     • One-way streets and barriers
   • Visualization and Orientation
     • Mentally rotating objects and routes
     • Relating a diagram to a real location
4. 4

   Judgment and Decision Making

   3 topics

   • Prioritizing Tasks and Calls
     • Ranking incidents by severity and urgency
     • Allocating limited resources
   • Situational Problem Solving
     • Selecting the most appropriate response
     • Weighing safety, legality, and effectiveness
   • Common-Sense Reasoning
     • Practical inference in everyday scenarios
     • Identifying the most logical action

Reasoning and Problem Solving flashcards for Police Officer Selection Test (POST)

22 of 50 cards from the Reasoning and Problem Solving deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In the POST 'Applying Rules to Specific Situations' tasks, what is the correct three-step method for applying a written rule to a scenario?

   1) Read the rule and identify its exact conditions, 2) Compare each condition to the facts of the scenario, and 3) Apply the rule only if every stated condition is met.

2. When applying rules, what is the difference between a 'mandatory' rule and a 'discretionary' rule?

   A mandatory rule uses words like 'must,' 'shall,' or 'will' and requires the action; a discretionary rule uses words like 'may,' 'should,' or 'can' and permits but does not require the action.

3. In rule-application questions, why must you avoid using outside personal knowledge or assumptions?

   Because the correct answer must be based solely on the rule as written and the facts given; adding assumptions can lead to a wrong application of the rule.

4. When a situation meets the conditions of two conflicting rules on a POST test, what general principle resolves the conflict?

   The more specific rule governing that exact situation takes precedence over the more general rule.

5. What is 'logical sequencing of events' as tested on the POST?

   The skill of arranging a set of events, statements, or actions into the correct chronological or cause-and-effect order based on clues in the information given.

6. In sequencing questions, what are the most reliable types of clues used to determine order?

   Time markers (times, dates, 'before/after/then/next'), cause-and-effect relationships, and references to a prior or following event.

7. What is a good first step when ordering a series of events from a witness statement?

   Identify the fixed anchor points (the clear first event and last event), then fill in the middle events using the time and sequence clues.

8. In a logical sequencing question, what does it mean when one event is described as a 'precondition' for another?

   The precondition event must occur first because the second event cannot happen until the precondition is satisfied.

9. What is a 'valid conclusion' in POST deductive reasoning?

   A statement that must be true based only on the given facts or premises, without requiring any additional assumptions.

10. On the POST, what is the key difference between a conclusion that is 'valid/supported' and one that is 'possible but unsupported'?

    A valid conclusion necessarily follows from the stated facts; a possible/unsupported conclusion could be true but is not guaranteed by the facts given, so it is not selected as correct.

11. In a valid-conclusion question, what should you do with answer choices that contain words like 'all,' 'always,' 'never,' or 'none'?

    Scrutinize them carefully, because absolute statements are often too broad to be supported by the limited facts given and are frequently incorrect.

12. What logical error is committed when you conclude 'A causes B' simply because B happened after A?

    The post hoc fallacy (false cause) — assuming that because one event followed another, the first caused the second.

13. In deductive reasoning, if the premise is 'All burglary suspects in this case wore gloves' and 'John wore gloves,' is the conclusion 'John is the burglar' valid?

    No. Wearing gloves does not make John a suspect or the burglar; the premise only states suspects wore gloves, not that everyone wearing gloves is a suspect (affirming the consequent error).

14. What is 'pattern recognition' as assessed on the POST exam?

    The ability to identify a consistent rule, sequence, or relationship within numbers, letters, shapes, or events and use it to predict the next item or spot an anomaly.

15. In a number-series pattern question, what are the four most common operations to test for?

    Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division applied at a constant or progressively changing rate between terms.

16. What is the recommended technique for finding the rule in a letter or number series?

    Calculate the difference (or relationship) between each consecutive pair of terms to detect a repeating or progressive pattern.

17. In behavioral pattern recognition (e.g., crime locations or times), what is a 'crime pattern'?

    A series of crimes sharing common factors—such as method, time of day, location, or suspect description—that suggests they are linked or committed by the same offender.

18. What is 'forming generalizations from specifics' (inductive reasoning) on the POST?

    Drawing a broad, probable conclusion or rule from a set of specific observations or examples.

19. How does inductive reasoning differ from deductive reasoning?

    Inductive reasoning moves from specific observations to a general (probable) conclusion; deductive reasoning moves from general premises to a specific (certain) conclusion.

20. Why are generalizations formed by induction considered 'probable' rather than 'certain'?

    Because they are based on a limited sample of specific cases, a single contrary example can disprove the generalization.

21. When forming a generalization from a data set, what makes the generalization more reliable?

    A larger, more representative sample of specific observations and the absence of contradicting cases.

22. On the POST 'Identifying Suspects and Vehicles' task, what is the best method when matching a suspect to several descriptions?

    Compare each fixed, hard-to-change characteristic across all descriptions and eliminate any suspect who fails to match a permanent feature.

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