What is the mental process of drawing conclusions from factual information called?

The mental process of drawing conclusions from factual information is referred to as reasoning. Reasoning involves using logic and critical thinking to analyze information, identify relationships between concepts, and arrive at conclusions based on evidence. This is an essential skill in any type of public speaking, as it allows speakers to construct well-founded arguments and provide their audience with convincing justifications.

Persuading, while related to attempting to influence an audience's beliefs or actions, does not specifically refer to the process of concluding from facts. Visualizing pertains to creating mental images or representations, which is not directly linked to the logical analysis of information. Transitioning usually relates to moving from one point to another in a speech and does not encompass the reasoning process. Thus, reasoning is the most appropriate term for the mental activity in question.