Which term is used for a statement about what should be done or valued?

• A. Normative statement
• B. Nonnormative statement
• C. General
• D. Explanatory

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is normative statements. These express what ought to be done or what should be valued, conveying value judgments or prescriptions. For example, saying “the government should provide universal healthcare” or “people ought to vote” signals how things should be, not just how they are.

That’s what sets normative apart from descriptive or positive statements, which simply describe facts or explain relationships without judgments about what should be done. The other terms don’t capture the prescriptive, value-laden aspect: nonnormative isn’t the standard label for value judgments, general is too broad, and explanatory focuses on why or how something happens rather than what ought to be done or valued.