Cameron Staley, Ph.D.

Counseling and Testing Services

The easy way…

“Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, or evaluating

information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.”

National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking Instruction

What is it?

Steve is very shy and withdrawn, invariably helpful but with very little interest in people or in the world of

reality. A meek and tidy soul, he has a need for order and structure, and a passion for detail.”

Is Steve more likely to be a librarian or a farmer and why?

Let’s test your CT!

Most people believe Steve is more likely to be a

librarian

Steve resembles a librarian more than a farmer Associative memory quickly constructs this picture

What elements do we neglect? Five times as many farmers as librarians in the US

Ratio of male farmers to male librarians is even higher

These base rates often do not come to mind

Heuristics (decisional making short cuts) typically overpower critical thinking

Thinking Through

American Philosophical Association (1987)

Delphi Method: interactive panel of experts

46 experts in CT (philosophy, education, social sciences, physical sciences)

6 rounds of dialogue working toward consensus

Answering the following questions: What are the skills and dispositions which characterize CT

at a collegiate level?

What are some effective ways to teach CT?

How can CT, particularly if it becomes a campus-wide requirement be assessed?

Delphi Report

Consensus list of 6 Cognitive Skills& Sub-skills

Interpretation CategorizationDecoding SignificanceClarifying Meaning

Analysis Examining IdeasIdentifying ArgumentsAnalyzing Arguments

Evaluation Assessing ClaimsAssessing Arguments

Inference Querying EvidenceConjecturing AlternativesDrawing Conclusions

Explanation Stating ResultsJustifying ProceduresPresenting Arguments

Self-Regulation Self-examinationSelf-correction

Self Assessment

Affective Dispositions of

Critical Thinking

Inquisitiveness with regard to a wide range of issues

Concern to become and remain generally well-informed

Alertness to opportunities to use CT

Trust in the processes of reasoned inquiry

Self-confidence in one's own ability to reason

Open-mindedness regarding divergent world views

Flexibility in considering alternatives and opinions

Understanding of the opinions of other people

Fair-mindedness in appraising reasoning

Honesty in facing one's own biases, prejudices, stereotypes, egocentric or sociocentric tendencies

Prudence in suspending, making or altering judgments

Willingness to reconsider and revise views where honest

Reflection suggests that change is warranted

Affective Dispositions of Critical Thinking

One More Area…

Clarity in stating the question or concern

Orderliness in working with complexity

Diligence in seeking relevant information

Reasonableness in selecting and applying criteria

Care in focusing attention on the concern at hand

Persistence though difficulties are encountered

Precision to the degree permitted by

the subject and the circumstance

Approaches to Specific Issues

How do you Measure CT?

California Critical Thinking Skills Test (1991) Cornell Class Reasoning Test, Form X (1964) Cornell Conditional Reasoning Test, Form X (1964) Cornell Critical Thinking Test, Level X (1985) Cornell Critical Thinking Test, Level Z (1985) The Ennis–Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test (1985) Judgment: Deductive Logic and Assumption Recognition (1971) Logical Reasoning (1955) New Jersey Test of Reasoning Skills (1983) Ross Test of Higher Cognitive Processes (1976) Test on Appraising Observations (1983) Test of Enquiry Skills (1979) Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (1980) Watson-Glaser II Critical Thinking Appraisal II (2010)

Standardized Assessments

Which do you Pick?

CCTST

California Critical Thinking Skills Test Items: scenarios requiring test-taker to make accurate

interpretation of the question.

The test items range in difficulty and complexity. Analyze information presented in text, charts, or images,

draw accurate inferences, & evaluate inferences

45-50 minutes administration

6 Subscales (related to Delphi report) Analysis, Evaluation, Inference, Deduction, Induction, &

Overall Reasoning Skills

University & Health Sciences (Undergrad & Graduate) Norms

Psychometric Properties = Limited

Watson-Glaser II Critical Thinking Appraisal II

2010 Pearson (Initially developed in 1925) 40-item (plus alternate form)

Reading scenarios: problems, statements, arguments, & interpretations of data similar to daily, classroom, or news articles

Neutral or controversial content: designed to provoke emotional responses that may influence CT

20 minute completion Computer or paper-based College norms

Reliability Test-Restest (4 to 26 days) r = .81 - .89 Internal Consistency TS Cronbach’s alpha = .83

.55 to .83 for subscales

Watson-Glaser II

Informal Assessment of Domains of CT

Elements of Thought note, in an evaluative essay, the presence, or the

absence, of evidence in an excerpt

identify the main concepts in a passage

distinguish central from peripheral concepts

identify the assumption underlying a given inference

distinguish between inferences and assumptions

rank different formulations of assumptions with respect to which is the most reasonable

identify crucial implications of a passage

discriminate between consequences that are necessary, probable, and improbable

evaluate an author’s inferences

make, in an evaluative essay, justified inferences

choose the most accurate version of an author’s inferences

draw reasonable inferences from positions they disagree with

recognize conclusions that go beyond the evidence

identify a plausible statement of a writer’s purpose

rank formulations of an author’s objectives

distinguish clearly between purposes, consequences, assumptions, and inferences

choose the most reasonable statement of the problem an author is addressing

discuss reasonably the merits of different versions of the question at issue

recognize key common elements in formulations of different problems

recognize bias, narrowness, and contradictions in the point of view behind an excerpt

identify assumptions and implications of a writer’s point of view

distinguish evidence from conclusions based on that evidence;

give evidence to back up their position in an essay

recognize data that would support, data that would oppose, and data that would be neutral with respect to, an author’s position

Thinking independently Exercising fair-mindedness Insight into egocentricity and socio-centricity Intellectual humility

suspending judgment courage integrity perseverance

Confidence in reason Exploring thoughts underlying feelings

and feelings underlying thoughts Developing intellectual curiosity Identify personal reactions

Biases Judgments Prior beliefs

Affective Dimension

Handout

Example questions for assessing elements of thought & affective dimension of CT.

Tell us about your success stories involving assessment

or development of critical thinking with students?

Sharing Time

To what extent are we assessing critical thinking

abilities with our students?

Should we be assessing critical thinking? Feasibility?

Appropriate?

Necessary?

What is the utility of using standardized assessments for measuring critical thinking?

How challenging is it to structure activities, assignments, or tests to develop aspects of critical thinking?

The Tough Questions…

http://www.criticalthinking.org//

“The Delphi Report”

Critical Thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction, is published by The California Academic Press, 217 La Cruz Ave., Millbrae, CA 94030

Resources