Assessing Critical Thinking Skills

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Assessing Critical Thinking Skills

• Psychometric Measurement
• Liam OHare
• Queens University Belfast
• l.ohare_at_qub.ac.uk

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Types of Measurement

• Domain Specific Measurement
• Essays and Exams.
• Coursework.
• Psychometric Tests
• True/False, Yes/No
• Multiple Choice
• Short Answer
• Essay response

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Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal

• 5 Subscales, Statement - Proposal
• Inference
• True, Probably True, Insufficient Data,
  Probably False, False.
• Recognition of Assumptions
• Assumption made Yes/No
• Deduction
• Conclusion Follows Yes/No
• Interpretation
• Conclusion Follows Yes/No
• Evaluation of Arguments
• Argument Strong/Weak

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The California Critical Thinking Skills Test
(CCTST)

• Test of CT Ability. Multiple Choice . Delphi
  Technique.
• Two Headings. 5 Subscales.
• 1. Delphi Conceptualization
• Analysis, Evaluation, Inference.
• 2. Traditional Categories
• Deductive and Inductive Reasoning

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CCTST Example 1

• Passage Terry, dont worry about it. Youll
  graduate someday. Youre a college student.
  Right? And all college students graduate sooner
  or later. Assuming all the support statements
  are true, the conclusion
• A Could not be false.
• B is probably true, but may be false.
• C is probably false, but may be true.
• D could not be true.
• EVALUATION, INDUCTIVE

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CCTST Example 2

• In a study of high school students at Mumford
  High, it was found that 75 of those students who
  drank two or more beers each day for a period of
  60 days experienced measurable liver function
  deterioration. That these results could have
  occurred by chance was ruled out experimentally
  with high levels of confidence.
• If true, the Mumford High Information would
  confirm that
• A Drinking is statistically correlated with
  liver deterioration in adolescents.
• B Drinking causes liver deterioration in
  adolescents.
• C Sex is not a factor in the relationship
  between alcohol and liver deterioration.
• D The researcher had a personal reason to want
  to
• prove young people should not drink.
• E The drinking age laws are out of date and
  should be
• changed. Inductive Reasoning

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Advanced Subsidiary GCE Critical Thinking

• Assessment objectives.
• AO1 Identify the elements in a reasoned case
• AO2 Evaluate reasoning of different kinds
• AO3 Recognise and evaluate assumptions
• AO4 Clarify expressions and ideas
• AO5 Present a reasoned case in a clear,
• logical and coherent way

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Advanced Subsidiary GCE Critical Thinking

• 16 Multiple Choice Questions.
• Structured Questions.
• Write a reasoned case using evidence provided.
  Weighing up evidence and
• drawing conclusions.
• Critically evaluate an argument and
• identify assumptions.

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The California Critical Thinking Dispositions
Inventory (CCTDI).

• Behavioural or Attitudinal Measurement.
• 6 point Lickert Scale. Delphi Technique.
• 7 subscales
• Truth-Seeking, Maturity, Inquisitiveness,,
  Analyticity, Systematicity,
• CT Self-Confidence, Open Mindedness.
• Factor Analysis to produce the NICTDI
• Flexible Mindedness, Standards in Evaluation.

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CCTDI Examples

• Studying new things all my life would be
  wonderful. Inquisitiveness
• It is impossible to know what standards to apply
  to most questions. Standards in Evaluation.
• I believe what I want to believe. Flexibly
  Minded.

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References

• Ennis RH Weir E. (1985) The Ennis-Weir CT Essay
  Test An Instrument for Testing and Teaching.
  Pacific Grove, CA Midwest Publications.
• Facione P., Facione N. (1998) The California
  Critical Thinking Skills Test. California
  Academic Press California.
• Facione P., Facione N., Giancarlo C. (2000) The
  California Critical Thinking Disposition
  Inventory. California Academic Press California.
• OCR (2000) Advanced Subsidiary GCE Critical
  Thinking.
• Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Cambridge.
  www.ocr.org.uk
• Watson G., Glaser E. (1990) Watson-Glaser
  Critical
• Thinking Appraisal. The Psychological
  Corporation Kent.