TARA Guides
The Definitive Guide to TARA Module 1: Critical Thinking
Written by: Nick Morfidis
If you’re preparing to sit the TARA, you may already know the exam consists of three modules. In this guide, we’ll dive into TARA’s Critical Thinking module to help you understand what it covers and walk into the test centre with confidence.
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THE BASICS OF THE TARA
If you’re still unsure what the TARA is all about, don’t worry – we’ll recap all the basics for you below.
What is the TARA?
The Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions (TARA) is a computer-based, non-subject-specific test lasting 120 minutes. It was developed by UAT UK in collaboration with Pearson VUE.
TARA is a new Admissions Test introduced by University College London (UCL) for 2025/26 Entry, as a requirement for a range of academic disciplines, including:
- BSc Computer Science (G400)
- MEng Computer Science (G402)
- BA European Social and Political Studies (R990)
- BA European Social and Political Studies: Dual Degree (R992)
- BA International Social and Political Studies (LV01)
- MEng Computer Science and Mathematics (G430)
- BSc Management Science (N991)
- MSci Management Science (N990)
- MEng Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (H700)
- BSc Sociology (L301)
- BSc Social Sciences (L300)
- BSc Social Sciences with Data Science (LG33)
If you are applying to UCL, it’s always a good idea to double-check whether the TARA is required through the official course page for your chosen programme.
TARA Format
The test is divided into three compulsory modules: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Writing Task, each lasting 40 minutes.
Module 1 – Critical Thinking: This section assesses your critical thinking skills through 22 multiple-choice questions, each offering five answer choices.
Module 2 – Problem Solving: This section evaluates your skills in solving unfamiliar problems. You will need a grasp of basic mathematics to succeed. Like the Critical Thinking module, it includes 22 multiple-choice questions.
Module 3 – Writing Task: You’ll be presented with three essay prompts but you’ll only need to choose one to answer. Your response should be strategic, structured, and concise, as there’s a 750-word limit.
TARA Structure
How is the TARA scored?
When it comes to scoring, Modules 1 and 2 of the TARA exam – Critical Thinking and Problem Solving – are marked on a scale from 1 to 9, with 1 being the lowest and 9 the highest possible score. Your score is reported to one decimal place, giving a more precise reflection of your performance.
There’s no penalty for incorrect answers, so it’s always in your best interest to attempt every question.
Unlike the first two modules, the Writing Task is not scored. Instead, your written response is sent directly to the university (or universities) you’re applying to. Each university can then use this piece at their own discretion to assess your application.
When is the TARA sat?
Applicants taking the TARA will sit the exam on either 15th/16th October (Test Sitting 1), or 12th/13th January (Test Sitting 2), at a Pearson VUE test centre. You can only sit the TARA once per admissions cycle.
To sit the TARA, you’ll need to register online between 31st July and 29th September for Test Sitting 1 and between 27th October and 19th December for Test Sitting 2.
For some countries, UAT UK has confirmed that only one testing day will be available per test window, so if you’re an international applicant, it’s important to check your available options during registration to avoid any issues.
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WHAT TO EXPECT FROM TARA’S CRITICAL THINKING MODULE
This module is designed to assess your ability to understand, evaluate, and identify logical patterns within arguments. It does not test subject-specific knowledge, so be prepared to encounter topics you’re unfamiliar with.
The module features 22 multiple-choice questions, each with five answer options. You earn a mark for every correct response, and there are no penalties for incorrect answers, so it’s best to attempt all questions, even if you’re not completely confident.
Dictionaries and calculators are not allowed during the test but you will be provided with an erasable booklet in case you need to take any notes or work out.
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THE CRITICAL THINKING PROCESS
Critical thinking is a broad term, but it’s important to keep a clear head when preparing for the exam. Let’s take a quick look at what critical thinking is actually all about.
What is Critical Thinking?
According to The Foundation For Critical thinking, critical thinking refers to a disciplined and reflective mental process where you actively and skillfully break down, interpret, and apply information drawn from observation, experience, reasoning, or discussion. It involves analysing and synthesising this information to guide beliefs and decisions. High-quality critical thinking is rooted in universal intellectual standards – including clarity, accuracy, logical consistency, relevance, and fairness – which go beyond specific subject areas.
Essentially, critical thinking is the ability to objectively analyse and evaluate information in order to form a well-reasoned judgment. Rather than accepting arguments and conclusions at face value, critical thinkers carefully question assumptions, weigh evidence, and consider alternative perspectives.
In the context of TARA, the Critical Thinking module is designed to assess how well you can interpret arguments, spot logical flaws, and determine the strength or weakness of reasoning across a range of topics.
Understanding how to approach a TARA critical thinking question can help you work more efficiently during the test. Here’s a simplified breakdown of the process:
Read Carefully
Begin by reading the passage thoroughly. Identify the main conclusion and the supporting reasons. Look for keywords like “therefore,” “because,” or “however” to track the flow of logic.
Identify the Structure
Ask yourself: What is the argument trying to prove? What evidence or assumptions are being used to support it? Are there any hidden premises?
Evaluate the Argument
Consider whether the conclusion logically follows from the evidence. Are there any gaps in reasoning? Is anything being assumed without justification?
Spot Logical Flaws or Strengths
Look out for common reasoning errors – like overgeneralisation, false cause, or irrelevant comparisons – that weaken the argument. Conversely, identify any elements that add clarity or support.
Eliminate Irrelevant Options
In multiple-choice questions, rule out answers that don’t directly affect the argument’s validity. Focus on what either strengthens, weakens, or closely mirrors the logic presented.
Make a Reasoned Judgment
Choose the option that best meets the question’s demand – whether it’s to weaken, strengthen, or parallel the argument.
Practising these steps regularly will help you move more quickly and confidently through the Critical Thinking module, especially under time pressure.
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THE QUESTION TYPES OF THE TARA CRITICAL THINKING
TARA critical thinking questions require you to break down the elements of arguments and evaluate their reasoning. An argument is considered valid if its conclusion logically follows from its supporting reasons. In other words, if you accept the reasons as true, you must also accept the conclusion. For the TARA, you should treat any reasons presented within an argument as true. The questions will normally fit into one of these five concepts:
- Strengthening and Weakening Arguments
- Matching Arguments
- Identifying an Assumption or a Flaw
- Identifying Principles
- Identifying or Drawing A Conclusion
Strengthening or Weakening Arguments
BEL
BEL is the holy trifecta that will strengthen or weaken an argument.
B – Balance
A good argument will always have two sides of the story (beliefs, views, counter-argument) – however the key is to delicately dismantle these ideas and also understand why they are wrong.
E – Evidence
An argument that is based on facts, statistical backing and the further available evidence is a lot stronger than one which is based on emotions, value judgements and subjective statements. You simply can’t argue with data on paper.
L – Logic
All parts of the argument should fit well into an overriding view or belief.
If you are required to strengthen an argument, you ideally want to look for evidence to back it. This could be statistics, facts and evidence which addresses the counterarguments. Similarly, when asked to weaken an argument you would do the opposite.
Exams.Ninja Tip
In order to use the BEL Methodology, it is often best to read the question before reading the passage. You will have a much better idea of what you’re looking for and are more likely to find it quicker after cementing it in your mind.
Matching Arguments
There will be questions that assess your ability to identify similarities between two arguments on different topics. Essentially, you are looking for similarities in the structure or pattern of the arguments. Keep in mind that these similarities might not appear in the same order, and in some cases, the arguments themselves may not even be valid – this question type focuses on argument structure rather than validity.
To put this in context, here is an example:
“Rob’s grades have improved a lot recently. Either he is putting more effort into his homework, or he has been less distracted in lessons. I know for a fact that Rob hasn’t been doing his homework, so it must be that he’s paying more attention in class”
Which of the following most closely parallels the reasoning used in the above argument?
The first step will be to identify the structure of the example argument. You may be able to do this by identifying key points and how they are arranged within the passage.
In this case, the structure of the argument is:
X = Rob is putting more effort into homework.
Y = Rob is paying more attention in class.
Therefore, Y must be true.
Either X is true or Y is true.
- X cannot be true.
- Therefore Y must be true.
The next step will be identifying which of the answers offers an argument that accurately represents the structure of the example reasoning. Some of the answer may follow similar structures however contain tiny discrepancies which make the answer incorrect.
Exams.Ninja Tip
These questions will not be centred around the same topic as the argument in the text, but instead, will ask you to match an argument that follows the same structure. You could approach this by replacing names or subjects in the original texts with algebraic letters (X or A, B, C) as the subject is irrelevant and is a distraction from what the question is asking you.
Identifying an Assumption
An assumption is a statement that is accepted without proof in order to support a conclusion. To tackle these types of questions, start by identifying the argument’s conclusion. Consider what the argument is ultimately trying to convince you of, then examine the supporting reasons provided. Finally, think about any key ideas that the argument relies on but does not explicitly mention.
Flaws are a part of the piece which is inconsistent with the rest of the piece. It basically undermines the crucial components of the overall argument being made.
Consider this example: My dad is clever because all lawyers are clever.
Premise 1: Lawyers are clever.
Assumption: My dad is a lawyer.
Conclusion: My dad is clever.
The conclusion flows naturally even though there is only one premise because of the assumption. The argument relies on the assumption to work. Bear in mind that the assumption could also be a flaw. If you consider the statement above, what if the father was not a lawyer? This would result in a flaw.
You might be asked to identify flaws within an argument. It is vital to understand the types of flaws to look out for. These are similar to the ones discussed before (over-generalising, being too specific, confusing cause and effect, confusing correlation and causation). Assumptions may also be a flaw.
Exams.Ninja Tip
Try not to confuse premises and assumptions. A premise is a statement that is explicitly stated in the passage. An assumption is an inference that is made from the passage.
Identifying Principles
In this question type, you will be asked to identify the general principle that underpins an argument. A principle is essentially a broad recommendation or rule that can apply to many different situations, though it is usually demonstrated in the passage with just one specific case.
Your first step is to understand the argument thoroughly – identify its conclusion and the reasons supporting it. From there, work out what wider principle the argument depends on to reach that conclusion. This principle will not be stated outright, so you’ll need to extract it by thinking about the logic behind the argument.
Once you have identified the principle, look through the answer options to see which one correctly applies the same general principle to another scenario. Remember, these questions focus on recognising consistent reasoning, rather than the details of any single case.
Exams.Ninja Tip
Restate the argument or situation in your own words. If the passage is an argument, it’s good to identify the conclusion and support. If the passage is situational instead of argumentative, restate the situation in your own words. What’s happening, and how do the pieces of action affect each other?
Identifying or Drawing Conclusions
Identifying the Main Conclusion
In these questions, you will be asked to spot the main conclusion of an argument. The conclusion is the key claim that the rest of the reasoning supports. It is usually either clearly stated or strongly implied within the passage. To identify it, look for the statement that the premises are intended to prove or justify. Watch for common signpost words such as “therefore” or “so” which often introduce the main conclusion. Distinguish this from supporting statements (premises), which provide evidence for the conclusion.
Drawing a Conclusion
Here, you will be required to decide which of several answer options can reasonably be drawn from the information given in the passage. Unlike identifying a stated conclusion, this type of question asks you to infer a conclusion using the evidence provided. Start by examining the premises, then consider whether any answer choices logically follow from them. Be careful to avoid answers that make assumptions beyond what the premises support, overgeneralise, or confuse correlation with causation. Your goal is to select the conclusion that is fully supported by the passage’s evidence.
Consider this statement: My mom, being a woman, is clever as all women are clever.
Premise 1: My mom is a woman. Premise 2: Women are clever. Conclusion: My mom is clever.
This example is clear and the conclusion is explicitly stated, sometimes it might not be stated.
Consider this statement: My mom is a woman and all women are clever. The same conclusion can be drawn from the statement.
You may be asked whether any of the alternatives “cannot be reliably concluded” on occasion. This basically asks you to explain why one choice cannot be chosen as the final option. The following are some frequent reasons:
Over-generalising: My mom is clever therefore all women are clever.
Being too specific: All kids like sweets so my son also likes sweets.
Confusing correlation with causation: Lung cancer is much more likely in patients who drink water. Hence, water causes lung cancer.
Confusing cause and effect: Lung cancer patients tend to smoke so it follows that having lung cancer must make people want to smoke.
Exams.Ninja Tip
Keep these bits in mind when identifying conclusions:
- Conjunctions such as “Hence”, “Thus”, “Therefore” and “It follows” give you a clue as to when a conclusion is being stated.
- Other words such as “Because” “as indicated by”. “in that”, “given that” and also “due to the fact that” will usually be identified as premises.
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HOW CAN I IMPROVE MY CRITICAL THINKING?
Critical thinking is not about what you know – it’s about how you think. Here are some extra Exams Ninja tips to sharpen your performance:
1. Practice Breaking Down Arguments
Get into the habit of identifying the conclusion, premises, and any assumptions in everyday arguments – whether you’re reading an article or listening to a podcast. Ask yourself:
- What is the author/speaker trying to prove?
- What evidence are they using?
- What are they taking for granted?
2. Familiarise Yourself with Question Types
As we saw earlier, TARA Module 1 features different kinds of critical reasoning questions. Practice sample questions for each type to recognise their patterns quickly.
3. Learn Common Logical Flaws
Arguments often break down in predictable ways – like false cause, circular reasoning, or false dilemmas. The more familiar you are with these, the easier it is to spot weak reasoning quickly.
4. Keep an Eye on the Clock
With 22 questions in 40 minutes, you’ll need to keep a brisk pace. Practice working within the time limit so you build speed and accuracy under pressure.
5. Build a Daily Routine
Set aside a small chunk of time each day to practice 3–5 questions. Regular short sessions are far more effective than cramming right before the test.
6. Review your Mistakes
Always check your incorrect answers. Understanding why you got something wrong is key to avoiding similar traps next time.
Make the most of your preparation time and take advantage of the many resources available online – including strategy guides, and mock tests. UAT UK has released a set of sample questions to help you get a feel for the test format and prepare effectively, so make sure you take some time to practice those as soon as possible.
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CRITICAL THINKING PRACTICE QUESTIONS
As the TARA is a newly introduced admissions test, there are currently no TARA past papers available. However, we have selected a set of past BMAT questions that match the same question types expected to appear in TARA. Let’s explore what you should expect.
Try to answer each question and then check the correct answers to see if your reasoning was on the right track. Remember to identify the type of question for each one.
Question 1: Matching Argument
Yana only works in the restaurant in the evening if Saffiya is ill. Saffiya is not ill today, so Yana will not be working in the restaurant this evening.
Which one of the following most closely parallels the reasoning above?
A. Zak only works hard when his exams are less than a month away. As the exams are due to be held in two weeks’ time, Zak will be studying hard every day.
B. Zara only stays at the Imperial when the Regency is closed. She is not staying at the Imperial now, so the Regency must be open.
C. Maya will only take a flight if her mother can go with her. Maya’s mother is fit to travel, so Maya will fly.
D. Birds that migrate south in the winter return only when the weather in the north is warmer. This winter has been very mild so the birds will return sooner.
E. James will not be travelling to England this year. He only travels to England when he has a wedding to attend and none of his friends are getting married this year.
The correct answer is E.
Option E matches the original argument’s structure where a condition is set for an action (only travels if there’s a wedding), and the absence of that condition leads to the negation of the action. This mirrors the logic of Yana working only if Saffiya is ill, and since Saffiya is not ill, Yana will not work. Other options either affirm conditions or have different logical structures.
Question 2: Strengthening an Argument
The case for veganism as a solution to the world’s environmental concerns is problematic. The synergy between livestock and crop production farming fosters biologically rich, fertile soils through grazing and application of farmyard manure, and reduces the need for agrichemicals to be used on croplands. Globally, soils have been depleted of organic matter, biological life and carbon stores by intensive agrichemical-dependent agriculture. Much plant-based food is produced this way. Additionally, in ‘Veganuary’ last year – an annual worldwide challenge in which meat-eaters try a vegan diet for a month – imports of many of the key vegan sources of protein, fats and oils increased, adding to environmentally damaging emissions.
Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the above argument?
A. The key vegan sources of protein, fats and oils can only be grown in large quantities in a few countries.
B. Nutrients found in red meats are vital for children’s development.
C. New methods are being developed to allow the production of plant-based foods which do not deplete soils in the ways described.
D. Livestock farming will become more environmentally damaging per unit of food produced if overall demand diminishes.
E. It would take many years to reverse the depletion of the soils that has already taken place.
The correct answer is A.
The argument highlights environmental concerns related to vegan food production due to increased imports. Option A strengthens this by showing that key vegan foods can only be grown in limited locations, implying reliance on imports and supporting the argument that veganism has environmental drawbacks. Other options do not directly strengthen the central point about environmental impact related to vegan food sourcing.
Question 3 : Identifying the Flaw in an Argument
These days, it is hard to escape the message that getting enough sleep is critical for the maintenance of mental and physical health. Too much of a good thing can be bad, however. When one examines the medical histories of people with chronic health conditions, a striking trend emerges. Those patients who sleep the most over a period of several weeks are also the most likely to die during that time. This finding holds true even when comparing patients in different age groups and with different diagnoses. Clearly, people – especially those in poor health – should be more aware of the real dangers of getting too much sleep.
Which one of the following is the best statement of the flaw in the above argument?
A. It treats adequate sleep as the only thing needed to keep someone alive.
B. It assumes that just because we all need adequate sleep, every person needs to sleep for the same number of hours.
C. It assumes that just because people have a chronic health condition, they are more likely to die than people without a health condition.
D. It ignores the fact that people’s sleep patterns vary over their lifetime.
E. It assumes that just because patients die following periods of more sleep, their deaths are caused by that amount of sleep.
The correct answer is E.
The argument assumes a causal relationship between sleeping more and increased mortality, but correlation does not imply causation. Option E correctly identifies this flaw: just because patients who sleep more tend to die more often does not mean sleeping more causes death. This is the key logical error.
Question 4: Drawing a Conclusion
In many places, it is becoming increasingly popular to keep a hive of honey bees at home. This growth in hobby beekeeping is due in large part to public awareness of the environmental threats facing honey bees. The equally serious threats facing other species of bees and other insect pollinators are less widely appreciated. These species of wild pollinators are in decline due largely to the loss of flowering plants caused by urbanisation and intensive farming practices. When people introduce honey bees into their home gardens, they risk further impacting local wild pollinators by introducing additional competition for food sources. Moreover, honey bees are given an unfair advantage as beekeepers tend to supplement their food over winter when there are no flowers to provide nectar.
Which one of the following can be drawn as a conclusion from the above passage?
A. Public information campaigns tend to focus more on the threats facing honey bees than on those facing wild pollinators.
B. The hobby of keeping honey bees at home is not always ecologically beneficial.
C. Only people with some expertise related to bees and other insects should be allowed to keep honey bee hives at home.
D. Increasing the number of honey bee hives in people’s home gardens is not likely to help reduce the threats faced by the honey bee.
E. The flowers people plant in their gardens at home have little to no effect on the wellbeing of local populations of pollinating insects.
The correct answer is B.
The passage presents information about hobby beekeeping and its potential negative ecological impact on wild pollinators. Option B directly summarizes this conclusion: that keeping honey bees at home may not always be beneficial ecologically. Other options are either too narrow or focus on details rather than the overall conclusion.
Question 5: Identifying the Principle of an Argument
‘End-to-end encryption’ of online messaging services is here to stay, and should be welcomed with enthusiasm, not resisted. Its adoption by services such as WhatsApp has admittedly caused some alarm in government circles because of the protection it gives to criminals and terrorist groups, and the restrictions it places on the state’s legitimate and important powers of surveillance. But the fact is that WhatsApp is just one of many services offering encryption – there are now hundreds of similar applications on the market, and millions of customers happily using them. And the technology is even used by government websites, despite the anxieties of a handful of politicians and law enforcement agencies.
Which one of the following best illustrates the principle used in the above argument?
A. Since lots of people are confidently skating on the lake, we must assume that it is safe to do so.
B. Since there is nothing illegal about owning and flying a drone, there is no reason why I shouldn’t fly one.
C. Since measures to stop athletes taking them have failed, performance-enhancing drugs should be permitted.
D. Since high-speed broadband gives businesses a competitive edge, it should be available to all.
E. Since electric scooters have obvious environmental benefits, they should not be banned on public roads.
The correct answer is A.
The argument relies on the idea that widespread, confident use of a technology (like WhatsApp’s encryption) suggests it is safe or acceptable, despite concerns. This matches the principle in A about many people confidently skating implying safety.
Question 6: Weakening an Argument
Sports stars should not be dropped from their teams because of their behaviour off the pitch. The task of selectors is to select the best players, based solely on their potential for helping their team to win matches. The most talented sportspeople are rewarded very generously for their ability and achievements at a time of life when they are young enough to be able to enjoy partying and clubbing until the early hours of the morning. It is therefore unreasonable to blame them for enjoying those rewards and that lifestyle. Team selectors should not allow envy or nostalgia to bias them against young people who work hard and play hard.
Which one of the following, if true, would most weaken the above argument?
A. Most team selectors are former players themselves.
B. Sportspeople will not play at their best if they spend their nights at clubs and parties.
C. Stories about sports stars behaving badly often appear in magazines aimed at young people.
D. Sponsors are likely to withdraw their support from a team if players are the subject of adverse publicity.
E. Top sportspeople are now paid far more than they were one or two generations ago.
The correct answer is B.
The argument is that players shouldn’t be judged for partying since it doesn’t affect their performance. B weakens this by stating that partying negatively affects performance, which undermines the argument’s main point.
That was a lot to work through, but the work doesn’t stop there! There are loads more questions to try out, so get as many done as you can to perfect your TARA technique!
We’ll have even more TARA practice questions on Exams.Ninja soon, so keep an eye out!
We’ve covered a lot of ground, and there’s still more to go. You’ve still got the Problem Solving and the Writing Task to worry about, as well as maintaining your critical thinking skills! That’s why it’s so important to make the most of your preparation time and the resources you have available to you.
The TARA is intended to be a difficult test in order to separate a group of very talented people. That thought may put a lot of pressure on you, but remember that you’ve already come this far, so you deserve to be ranked amongst these talented people (because you are one)!
It’s time to start thinking about your university application, including your revision for the TARA!
Exams.Ninja’s TARA Preparation Platform will help you prepare for the big day. You’ll have access to tons of amazing resources, including:
Training Temple- Access expert tutorials alongside our tips, tricks and revision guides to build up you thinking abilities.
Practice Dojo- Hundreds practice questions, complete with expertly crafted worked solutions, all available for you to attempt at any time.
Exam Arena- Try out our collection of TARA papers in realistic exam conditions. Boost your confidence in time for the real thing!
Start your TARA prep today and maximise your chances of success.
