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What is the Critical Thinking Test?

Critical thinking practice test, take a free practice critical thinking test, practice critical thinking test.

Updated November 16, 2023

Edward Melett

The Critical Thinking Test is a comprehensive evaluation designed to assess individuals' cognitive capacities and analytical prowess.

This formal examination, often referred to as the critical thinking assessment, is a benchmark for those aiming to demonstrate their proficiency in discernment and problem-solving.

In addition, this evaluative tool meticulously gauges a range of skills, including logical reasoning, analytical thinking, and the ability to evaluate and synthesize information.

This article will embark on an exploration of the Critical Thinking Test, elucidating its intricacies and elucidating its paramount importance. We will dissect the essential skills it measures and clarify its significance in gauging one's intellectual aptitude.

We will examine examples of critical thinking questions, illuminating the challenging scenarios that candidates encounter prompting them to navigate the complexities of thought with finesse.

Before going ahead to take the critical thinking test, let's delve into the realm of preparation. This segment serves as a crucible for honing the skills assessed in the actual examination, offering candidates a chance to refine their analytical blades before facing the real challenge. Here are some skills that will help you with the critical thinking assessment: Logical Reasoning: The practice test meticulously evaluates your ability to deduce conclusions from given information, assess the validity of arguments, and recognize patterns in logic. Analytical Thinking: Prepare to dissect complex scenarios, identify key components, and synthesize information to draw insightful conclusions—a fundamental aspect of the critical thinking assessment. Problem-Solving Proficiency: Navigate through intricate problems that mirror real-world challenges, honing your capacity to approach issues systematically and derive effective solutions. What to Expect: The Critical Thinking Practice Test is crafted to mirror the format and complexity of the actual examination. Expect a series of scenarios, each accompanied by a set of questions that demand thoughtful analysis and logical deduction. These scenarios span diverse fields, from business and science to everyday scenarios, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of your critical thinking skills. Examples of Critical Thinking Questions Scenario: In a business context, analyze the potential impacts of a proposed strategy on both short-term profitability and long-term sustainability. Question: What factors would you consider in determining the viability of the proposed strategy, and how might it affect the company's overall success? Scenario: Evaluate conflicting scientific studies on a pressing environmental issue.

Question: Identify the key methodologies and data points in each study. How would you reconcile the disparities to form an informed, unbiased conclusion?

Why Practice Matters

Engaging in the Critical Thinking Practice Test familiarizes you with the test format and cultivates a mindset geared towards agile and astute reasoning. This preparatory phase allows you to refine your cognitive toolkit, ensuring you approach the assessment with confidence and finesse.

We'll navigate through specific examples as we proceed, offering insights into effective strategies for tackling critical thinking questions. Prepare to embark on a journey of intellectual sharpening, where each practice question refines your analytical prowess for the challenges ahead.

This is a practice critical thinking test.

The test consists of three questions . 

After you have answered all the questions, you will be shown the correct answers and given full explanations.

Make sure you read and fully understand each question before answering. Work quickly, but don't rush. You cannot afford to make mistakes on a real test .

If you get a question wrong, make sure you find out why and learn how to answer this type of question in the future. 

Six friends are seated in a restaurant across a rectangular table. There are three chairs on each side. Adam and Dorky do not have anyone sitting to their right and Clyde and Benjamin do not have anyone sitting to their left. Adam and Benjamin are not sitting on the same side of the table.

If Ethan is not sitting next to Dorky, who is seated immediately to the left of Felix?

Job Test Prep

You might also be interested in these other PRT articles:

15 Free Psychometric Test Questions and Answers

Critical Thinking test

By 123test team . Updated May 12, 2023

Critical Thinking test reviews

This Critical Thinking test measures your ability to think critically and draw logical conclusions based on written information. Critical Thinking tests are often used in job assessments in the legal sector to assess a candidate's  analytical critical  thinking skills. A well known example of a critical thinking test is the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal .

Need more practice?

Score higher on your critical thinking test.

The test comprises of the following five sections with a total of 10 questions:

  • Analysing Arguments
  • Assumptions
  • Interpreting Information

Instructions Critical Thinking test

Each question presents one or more paragraphs of text and a question about the information in the text. It's your job to figure out which of the options is the correct answer.

Below is a statement that is followed by an argument. You should consider this argument to be true. It is then up to you to determine whether the argument is strong or weak. Do not let your personal opinion about the statement play a role in your evaluation of the argument.

Statement: It would be good if people would eat vegetarian more often. Argument: No, because dairy also requires animals to be kept that will have to be eaten again later.

Is this a strong or weak argument?

Strong argument Weak argument

Statement: Germany should no longer use the euro as its currency Argument: No, because that means that the 10 billion Deutschmark that the introduction of the euro has cost is money thrown away.

Overfishing is the phenomenon that too much fish is caught in a certain area, which leads to the disappearance of the fish species in that area. This trend can only be reversed by means of catch reduction measures. These must therefore be introduced and enforced.

Assumption: The disappearance of fish species in areas of the oceans is undesirable.

Is the assumption made from the text?

Assumption is made Assumption is not made

As a company, we strive for satisfied customers. That's why from now on we're going to keep track of how quickly our help desk employees pick up the phone. Our goal is for that phone to ring for a maximum of 20 seconds.

Assumption: The company has tools or ways to measure how quickly help desk employees pick up the phone.

  • All reptiles lay eggs
  • All reptiles are vertebrates
  • All snakes are reptiles
  • All vertebrates have brains
  • Some reptiles hatch their eggs themselves
  • Most reptiles have two lungs
  • Many snakes only have one lung
  • Cobras are poisonous snakes
  • All reptiles are animals

Conclusion: Some snakes hatch their eggs themselves.

Does the conclusion follow the statements?

Conclusion follows Conclusion does not follow

(Continue with the statements from question 5.)

Conclusion: Some animals that lay eggs only have one lung.

In the famous 1971 Stanford experiment, 24 normal, healthy male students were randomly assigned as 'guards' (12) or 'prisoners' (12). The guards were given a uniform and instructed to keep order, but not to use force. The prisoners were given prison uniforms. Soon after the start of the experiment, the guards made up all kinds of sentences for the prisoners. Insurgents were shot down with a fire extinguisher and public undressing or solitary confinement was also a punishment. The aggression of the guards became stronger as the experiment progressed. At one point, the abuses took place at night, because the guards thought that the researchers were not watching. It turned out that some guards also had fun treating the prisoners very cruelly. For example, prisoners got a bag over their heads and were chained to their ankles. Originally, the experiment would last 14 days. However, after six days the experiment was stopped.

The students who took part in the research did not expect to react the way they did in such a situation.

To what extent is this conclusion true, based on the given text?

True Probably true More information required Probably false False

(Continue with the text from 'Stanford experiment' in question 7.)

The results of the experiment support the claim that every young man (or at least some young men) is capable of turning into a sadist fairly quickly.

  • A flag is a tribute to the nation and should therefore not be hung outside at night. Hoisting the flag therefore happens at sunrise, bringing it down at sunset. Only when a country flag is illuminated by spotlights on both sides, it may remain hanging after sunset. There is a simple rule of thumb for the time of bringing down the flag. This is the moment when there is no longer any visible difference between the individual colors of the flag.
  • A flag may not touch the ground.
  • On the Dutch flag, unless entitled to do so, no decorations or other additions should be made. Also the use of a flag purely for decoration should be avoided. However, flag cloth may be used for decoration - for example in the form of drapes.
  • The orange pennant is only used on birthdays of members of the Royal House and on King's Day. The orange pennant should be as long or slightly longer than the diagonal of the flag.

Conclusion: One can assume that no Dutch flag will fly at government buildings at night, unless it is illuminated by spotlights on both sides.

Does the conclusion follow, based on the given text?

(Continue with the text from 'Dutch flag protocol' in question 9.)

Conclusion: If the protocol is followed, the orange pennant will always be longer than the horizontal bands/stripes of the flag.

Please answer the questions below. Not all questions are required but it will help us improve this test.

My educational level is

-- please select -- primary school high school college university PhD other

Are you a critical thinker? Find out with this quiz!

Are you a critical thinker? Find out with this quiz!

Introduction

Critical thinking skills are essential for navigating our complex and rapidly changing world. Whether we’re making important decisions or evaluating information, the ability to think critically is paramount. But what exactly is critical thinking, and how do we know if we have it?

To find out, take our quiz! This quiz is designed to test your critical thinking skills and analytic reasoning. By answering these ten multiple choice questions, you’ll get a sense of where you stand in terms of critical thinking ability.

So why is critical thinking so important? In today’s world, we’re bombarded with information from a variety of sources, much of which may be misleading or false. Without the ability to think critically, we risk falling prey to misinformation and making poor decisions based on incomplete or inaccurate information. That’s why it’s more important than ever to develop our critical thinking skills.

Ready to put your critical thinking abilities to the test? Let’s get started with the quiz!

Take this quiz to find out if you have a strong foundation in critical thinking and analytic reasoning. The quiz consists of 10 multiple-choice questions, each with four answer options. Choose the option you believe is the best answer based on the information provided in the question.

Instructions:

  • Read each question carefully before selecting an answer.
  • Choose the option you believe is the best answer based on the information provided in the question.
  • Once you have answered all questions, click ‘Submit’ to receive your score and level of critical thinking.

Sample Question: What is the difference between correlation and causation? A. Correlation is when two variables are associated, while causation is when one variable directly affects another. B. Correlation and causation are the same thing. C. Correlation is when one variable directly affects another, while causation is when two variables are associated. D. Correlation and causation cannot be distinguished from one another.

Score Breakdown:

  • 0-3 correct answers: Beginner level
  • 4-6 correct answers: Intermediate level
  • 7-9 correct answers: Advanced level
  • 10 correct answers: Expert level

After completing the quiz, you can determine your level of critical thinking based on your score:

  • Score of 0-3: Novice Critical Thinker
  • Score of 4-6: Intermediate Critical Thinker
  • Score of 7-9: Advanced Critical Thinker
  • Score of 10: Expert Critical Thinker

Novice Critical Thinker

If you scored between 0-3, you may struggle with basic critical thinking and may benefit from learning more about critical thinking skills and practicing them in everyday situations. Consider taking a critical thinking course or seeking out resources to improve your analytical reasoning.

Intermediate Critical Thinker

If you scored between 4-6, you have some critical thinking skills but may need to work on fully dissecting and analyzing information. Focus on sharpening your skills by practicing challenging critical thinking exercises and discussing complex topics with others.

Advanced Critical Thinker

If you scored between 7-9, you have strong critical thinking skills and can effectively analyze and evaluate information to reach logical conclusions. Continue to hone your skills by engaging with diverse perspectives and exploring new areas of thought.

Expert Critical Thinker

If you scored 10, you have exceptional critical thinking skills and can adeptly analyze and synthesize complex information. Keep up the good work and continue to challenge yourself to push the boundaries of your thinking.

Overall, everyone can benefit from honing their critical thinking skills as it contributes to better decision-making, problem-solving, and overall success in professional and personal life. Consider continuing to practice your critical thinking skills through various means such as reading, taking courses, and engaging in intellectual discussions.

In today’s world, critical thinking is a crucial skill that plays a vital role in both personal and professional development. The ability to analyze information, identify patterns, and make decisions based on evidence-based reasoning can help individuals succeed in their careers and lead a more fulfilling life.

We hope that this quiz has helped you gain a better understanding of your critical thinking ability. Remember, critical thinking skills can be developed and improved upon over time. By consistently challenging yourself to analyze different situations and viewpoints, you can enhance your problem-solving skills and make better decisions.

We encourage you to share this quiz with your friends and family members to see how they score. Together, we can create a community that values critical thinking and encourages each other to develop this important skill.

If you’re interested in learning more about critical thinking, check out our additional resources section. We’ve compiled a list of recommended books and articles that can help you improve your critical thinking skills and take them to the next level.

Additional Resources

Further reading.

  • The Art of Reasoning: An Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking by David Kelley
  • How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Online Resources

  • The Critical Thinking Community
  • Logical Fallacies
  • The Skeptic’s Dictionary
  • TED Ed: The Art of Reasoning

Recommended Articles

  • Why Critical Thinking Is Important: Take the Next Step
  • Teaching Critical Thinking Skills through Project-Based Learning
  • How to Develop Your Critical Thinking Skills
  • Six Ways To Strengthen Your Critical Thinking Skills
“Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion. It refers to using cognitive skills such as attention, perception, analysis, inference, and evaluation, to develop possible solutions to problems and to arrive at decisions that are justified by reason and evidence.” - The Critical Thinking Community

The Art of Time Management Storytelling

Addressing current challenges with innovative problem-solving techniques, authentic thinking vs. critical thinking: a side-by-side comparison, thinking bigger: solutions for overcoming self-doubt, the power of storytelling in cultivating authentic thinking, unleash the power of your mind with these words.

Critical thinking definition

quiz critical thinking

Critical thinking, as described by Oxford Languages, is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.

Active and skillful approach, evaluation, assessment, synthesis, and/or evaluation of information obtained from, or made by, observation, knowledge, reflection, acumen or conversation, as a guide to belief and action, requires the critical thinking process, which is why it's often used in education and academics.

Some even may view it as a backbone of modern thought.

However, it's a skill, and skills must be trained and encouraged to be used at its full potential.

People turn up to various approaches in improving their critical thinking, like:

  • Developing technical and problem-solving skills
  • Engaging in more active listening
  • Actively questioning their assumptions and beliefs
  • Seeking out more diversity of thought
  • Opening up their curiosity in an intellectual way etc.

Is critical thinking useful in writing?

Critical thinking can help in planning your paper and making it more concise, but it's not obvious at first. We carefully pinpointed some the questions you should ask yourself when boosting critical thinking in writing:

  • What information should be included?
  • Which information resources should the author look to?
  • What degree of technical knowledge should the report assume its audience has?
  • What is the most effective way to show information?
  • How should the report be organized?
  • How should it be designed?
  • What tone and level of language difficulty should the document have?

Usage of critical thinking comes down not only to the outline of your paper, it also begs the question: How can we use critical thinking solving problems in our writing's topic?

Let's say, you have a Powerpoint on how critical thinking can reduce poverty in the United States. You'll primarily have to define critical thinking for the viewers, as well as use a lot of critical thinking questions and synonyms to get them to be familiar with your methods and start the thinking process behind it.

Are there any services that can help me use more critical thinking?

We understand that it's difficult to learn how to use critical thinking more effectively in just one article, but our service is here to help.

We are a team specializing in writing essays and other assignments for college students and all other types of customers who need a helping hand in its making. We cover a great range of topics, offer perfect quality work, always deliver on time and aim to leave our customers completely satisfied with what they ordered.

The ordering process is fully online, and it goes as follows:

  • Select the topic and the deadline of your essay.
  • Provide us with any details, requirements, statements that should be emphasized or particular parts of the essay writing process you struggle with.
  • Leave the email address, where your completed order will be sent to.
  • Select your prefered payment type, sit back and relax!

With lots of experience on the market, professionally degreed essay writers , online 24/7 customer support and incredibly low prices, you won't find a service offering a better deal than ours.

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Critical Thinking Test: Online Preparation & Free Practice Questions – 2024

Job Assessment

  • Information
  • Free Example Questions

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a form of decision making and reasoning using data and observations. Someone who is a strong critical thinker can find quality solutions efficiently and can evaluate issues objectively.

What Is a Critical Thinking Test?

Critical thinking tests provide companies valuable insight into the leadership, reasoning, and overall capabilities of candidates. Because strong critical thinking skills are highly sought after, the critical thinking test can be applicable to any field and discipline across multiple levels of expertise from recent graduate to executive. However, it is commonly administered to those applying for criminal justice and business-related occupations.

Job seekers with upcoming critical thinking tests will be evaluated on more than their ability to rationalize, critical thinking tests also measure the following subsets:

  • Organizing & Planning
  • Strategizing
  • Decision Making
  • Problem Solving

The format of the critical thinking uses hypothetical scenarios to assess candidates. The scenarios are typically relevant to the field you are interested in to assess your knowledge of the role. There will also be general questions concerning more basic issues or problems that commonly occur in a workplace environment.

The critical thinking test is multiple-choice with thirty minutes to complete the assessment. Candidates will receive a notification stating whether or not they passed within a week of completion.

How Is the Critical Thinking Test Scored?

The critical reasoning test is scored based on your raw score and your percentile in comparison with your norm group. It’s important to note that these will not be the same number.

A norm group is a collection of scores from individuals in your field at your level of experience. The percentile score is used to alert employers if you exceed, meet or miss the benchmark for the average expectations of candidates. You will be rated on a scale of one to one hundred with fifty consisting of the mean and median scores.

A raw score is simply the number of correct answers. The critical thinking test comprises your raw score based on the performance in the following areas:

  • Recognizing Assumptions The candidate must be able to understand when a statement is made with no supporting evidence and how this can affect a decision. Further, candidates are asked to identify these discrepancies, whether they are stated explicitly or implicitly, and assess its relevance to the given scenario.
  • Evaluating Arguments Candidates must evaluate arguments without considering inferences or being subjective. Beyond that, candidates must assess the supporting evidence, the structure of the argument and the degree of its influence. It is very important to dismiss emotions for this portion of the critical thinking test.
  • Drawing Conclusions Drawing conclusions puts a large emphasis on reasoning. In this section, it’s important to assess all of the available evidence and data to form a plausible conclusion that accurately applies to all the given information. Employers also want to see candidates that will consider all possible solutions rather than making the evidence fit a desired narrative.

Employers will receive all of this information in a performance report construed by the assessment company. Employers will also be given insight into your overall potential, job knowledge, creativity and job performance per the report.

Where Will I Take a Critical Thinking Test?

Critical thinking tests are non-proctored online assessments that are typically sent via email after an initial screening. For some occupations, the company may ask that the candidate take the critical thinking test again on-site either before their final interview or during an assessment day. The most common test candidates are asked to take is the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) created by the popular assessment company, Pearson . This assessment company is on their third edition with new scoring and subsets described above. The WGCTA gained popularity because of its ability to assess a candidate’s potential alongside their aptitude. Another established assessment is the SHL Critical Reasoning Battery that contains sixty questions with a thirty-minute time limit. Both of the aforementioned critical thinking tests are multiple choice.

How to Prepare for the Critical Thinking Test?

The critical thinking test is difficult to study for because the test is designed to assess your bare knowledge and raw skills. In order to prepare successfully, it is important to focus on the areas of the test that you can equip yourself for. One aspect of the test that demands preparation is the time limit. Many candidates’ scores are negatively impacted because they skip or guess too many of the questions in an attempt to beat the clock. If you want to optimize your chances of achieving a good score, use online practice tests to acquaint yourself with the time constraint and the general theme of the questions. By utilizing the online practice tests, you can find the pace that works best for you. Another helpful way to prepare is running through sample questions. This way, you can warm-up your brain and gain an understanding of the expectations that both the test and the company have of you.

Free Sample Questions to Practice

  • Look over her past quizzes to see what she missed.
  • Set aside more time during the week to review the material for the quiz.
  • Get to class on early Wednesday and briefly look over the chapters.
  • Get a good night’s sleep.
  • Parents should find an alternative way to get their kids to school next week.
  • The premiums must be over-priced.
  • Collective bargaining is no longer a feasible solution.
  • Their employers are being unreasonable.
  • People in Hawaii dislike living on an island.
  • Colder climates induce more happiness than warmer climates.
  • The high scores on the Alaska survey were produced by people who enjoy snow.
  • People in Hawaii should move to Alaska.
  • Jenny’s credit card was declined at the mall.
  • Jenny’s bank keeps charging her $30 overdraft fees.
  • Jenny’s check bounced when she attempted to purchase a new TV.
  • Jenny spends more money than she makes.
  • Lori has thirty cans of soda in a refrigerator in her garage and another fourteen sitting on the counter. Lori does not have anymore cans of soda. Therefore, Lori has 44 cans of soda.
  • The accounting department loves math. My friend works in the accounting department. My friend loves math.
  • Everyone southbound on the freeway yesterday was late to work. Jackie was southbound on the freeway. Jackie was late to work.
  • Adrian lives in either Springfield, California, or Springfield, Illinois. If he lives in Illinois, then he is an American.

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Critical Thinking Test: Sample Questions with Explanations (2024)

Employers value and seek candidates who demonstrate advanced critical thinking skills. They often administer critical thinking tests as part of their hiring process. Critical thinking tests can be very difficult for those who don’t prepare. A great way to start practicing is by taking our critical thinking free practice test.

What Does The Critical Thinking Test Include?

The Critical Thinking Test assesses your capacity to think critically and form logical conclusions when given written information. Critical thinking tests are generally used in job recruitment processes, in the legal sector. These tests measure the analytical critical thinking abilities of a candidate.

Why Is Critical Thinking Useful?

Critical thinking is put into action in various stages of decision-making and problem-solving tasks:

  • Identify the problem
  • Choose suitable information to find the solution
  • Identify the assumptions that are implied and written in the text
  • Form hypotheses and choose the most suitable and credible answers
  • Form well-founded conclusions and determine the soundness of inferences

What is Watson Glaser Test and what Critical Thinking Skills it Measures?

The most common type of critical thinking test is the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (W-GCTA). Typically used by legal and financial organizations, as well as management businesses, a Watson Glaser test is created to assess candidates’ critical thinking skills.

The test consists of 10 questions to be answered in 10 minutes approx (although there is no timer on the test itself). Our test is slightly harder than the real thing, to make it sufficiently challenging practice.

You need to get 70% correct to pass the test. Don’t forget to first check out the test techniques section further down this page beforehand.

Questions          25

Pass percentage          70%.

The test is broken down into five central areas:

  • Assumptions
  • Interpretation

Critical Thinking Course

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The Five Critical Thinking Skills Explained

1. recognition of assumption.

You’ll be presented with a statement. The statement is then followed by several proposed assumptions. When answering, you must work out if an assumption was made or if an assumption was not made in the statement. An assumption is a proclamation that an individual takes for granted. This section of the tests measures your ability to withhold from forming assumptions about things that are not necessarily correct.

  • 1: Assumption Made
  • 2: Assumption Not Made

Although the passage does state that Charlie’s fundraising team is doing its best so that the charity event can meet its goal, nowhere did it state that their team is leading the event.

2. Evaluation of Arguments

You will be presented with an argument. You will then be asked to decide whether the argument is strong or weak. An argument is considered strong if it directly connects to the statement provided, and is believed to be significant.

No, participation awards should not be given in every competition because studies have shown that this would cause the participants to put in less effort because they will get a prize no matter what the outcome is.

  • 1: Strong Argument
  • 2: Weak Argument

This is a strong argument as it provides evidence as to why participation awards should not be given in every competition

3. Deductions

In deduction questions, you will need to form conclusions based solely on the information provided in the question and not based on your knowledge. You will be given a small passage of information and you will need to evaluate a list of deductions made based on that passage. If the conclusion cannot be formed for the information provided, then the conclusion does not follow. The answer must be entirely founded on the statements made and not on conclusions drawn from your knowledge.

In a surprise party for Donna, Edna arrived after Felix and Gary did. Kelly arrived before Felix and Gary did.

  • 1: Conclusion Follows
  • 2: Conclusion Does not Follow

For questions like this, jot down the clues to help you out. Use initials as a quick reference.

K | F&G | E

Looking at the simple diagram, “K”, which stands for “Kelly,” arrived before Edna “E” did. The answer is A.

4. Interpretation

In these questions, you are given a passage of information followed by a list of possible conclusions. You will need to interpret the information in the paragraph and determine whether or not each conclusion follows, based solely on the information given.

A number of students were given the following advice:

“The use of powerful words is a technique, which makes you a better writer. Your choice of words is very important in molding the way people interaction with the article. You should use powerful words to spice up your article. Power words should be used liberally to enhance the flavor of what you write! ”

In the fourth sentence, it is stated, “Power words should be used liberally to enhance the flavor of what you write!”

Thus, if you were to write an essay, using powerful words can give more flavor to it.

5. Inferences

An inference is a conclusion made from observed or supposed facts and details. It is information that is not apparent in the information provided but rather is extracted from it. In this section, you will be provided with a passage of information about a specific scene or event. A list of possible inferences will then be given, and you will need to decide if they are ‘true’, ‘false’, ‘possibly true’, ‘possibly false’, or whether it is not possible to say based on the information provided.

With the advancement of technology, the need for more infrastructure has never been higher. According to the plan of the current U.S. Administration, it aims to put a $1 trillion investment on improving infrastructure, a portion of which will include priority projects and technologies that can strengthen its economic competitiveness such as transportation, 5G wireless communication technology, rural broadband technologies, advanced manufacturing technologies, and even artificial intelligence.

It stated that it expects to work with Congress to develop a comprehensive infrastructure package, which is expected to have a budget of $200 billion for certain priorities.

  • 2: Probably True
  • 3: Not Enough Information
  • 4: Probably False

Although it was mentioned in the passage that the U.S. government is to allocate $200 billion on certain priorities, it did not specify if these certain priorities were for ‘transportation, 5G wireless communication technology, rural broadband technologies, advanced manufacturing technologies, and artificial intelligence’ or if the aforementioned priorities will have a different allocation.

What we can be sure of, however, is that at least a portion of the $1 trillion infrastructure budget will be used on the mentioned priorities regardless, meaning that there is a chance that $200 billion will be used on those aforementioned areas.

Improve Your Score with Prepterminal’s Critical Thinking Course

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quiz critical thinking

Critical Thinking: Where to Begin

quiz critical thinking

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If you are new to critical thinking or wish to deepen your conception of it, we recommend you review the content below and bookmark this page for future reference.

Our Conception of Critical Thinking...

getting started with critical thinking

"Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness..."

"Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fairminded way. People who think critically attempt, with consistent and conscious effort, to live rationally, reasonably, and empathically. They are keenly aware of the inherently flawed nature of human thinking when left unchecked. They strive to diminish the power of their egocentric and sociocentric tendencies. They use the intellectual tools that critical thinking offers – concepts and principles that enable them to analyze, assess, and improve thinking. They work diligently to develop the intellectual virtues of intellectual integrity, intellectual humility, intellectual civility, intellectual empathy, intellectual sense of justice and confidence in reason. They realize that no matter how skilled they are as thinkers, they can always improve their reasoning abilities and they will at times fall prey to mistakes in reasoning, human irrationality, prejudices, biases, distortions, uncritically accepted social rules and taboos, self-interest, and vested interest.

They strive to improve the world in whatever ways they can and contribute to a more rational, civilized society. At the same time, they recognize the complexities often inherent in doing so. They strive never to think simplistically about complicated issues and always to consider the rights and needs of relevant others. They recognize the complexities in developing as thinkers, and commit themselves to life-long practice toward self-improvement. They embody the Socratic principle: The unexamined life is not worth living , because they realize that many unexamined lives together result in an uncritical, unjust, dangerous world."

Why Critical Thinking?

quiz critical thinking

The Problem:

Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed, or down-right prejudiced. Yet the quality of our lives and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated.

A Brief Definition:

Critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improving it. The Result: 

  A well-cultivated critical thinker:

  • raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely;
  • gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively;
  • comes to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards;
  • thinks openmindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and
  • communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.

Critical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. It requires rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to overcoming our native egocentrism and sociocentrism. Read more about our concept of critical thinking .

The Essential Dimensions of Critical Thinking

quiz critical thinking

Our conception of critical thinking is based on the substantive approach developed by Dr. Richard Paul and his colleagues at the Center and Foundation for Critical Thinking over multiple decades. It is relevant to every subject, discipline, and profession, and to reasoning through the problems of everyday life. It entails five essential dimensions of critical thinking:

At the left is an overview of the first three dimensions. In sum, the elements or structures of thought enable us to "take our thinking apart" and analyze it. The intellectual standards are used to assess and evaluate the elements. The intellectual traits are dispositions of mind embodied by the fairminded critical thinker. To cultivate the mind, we need command of these essential dimensions, and we need to consistently apply them as we think through the many problems and issues in our lives.

The Elements of Reasoning and Intellectual Standards

quiz critical thinking

To learn more about the elements of thought and how to apply the intellectual standards, check out our interactive model. Simply click on the link below, scroll to the bottom of the page, and explore the model with your mouse.

Why the Analysis of Thinking Is Important If you want to think well, you must understand at least the rudiments of thought, the most basic structures out of which all thinking is made. You must learn how to take thinking apart. Analyzing the Logic of a Subject When we understand the elements of reasoning, we realize that all subjects, all disciplines, have a fundamental logic defined by the structures of thought embedded within them. Therefore, to lay bare a subject’s most fundamental logic, we should begin with these questions:

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Going Deeper...

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The Critical Thinking Bookstore  

Our online bookstore houses numerous books and teacher's manuals , Thinker's Guides , videos , and other educational materials .  

Learn From Our Fellows and Scholars

Watch our Event Calendar , which provides an overview of all upcoming conferences and academies hosted by the Foundation for Critical Thinking. Clicking an entry on the Event Calendar will bring up that event's details, and the option to register. For those interested in online learning, the Foundation offers accredited online courses in critical thinking for both educators and the general public, as well as an online test for evaluating basic comprehension of critical thinking concepts . We are in the process of developing more online learning tools and tests to offer the community.  

Utilizing this Website

This website contains large amounts research and an online library of articles , both of which are freely available to the public. We also invite you to become a member of the Critical Thinking Community , where you will gain access to more tools and materials.  If you cannot locate a resource on a specific topic or concept, try searching for it using our Search Tool . The Search Tool is at the upper-right of every page on the website.

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Critical Thinking Quiz

Critical Thinking Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is critical thinking.

  • The analysis of available opinions
  • The rejection of all available evidence
  • The analysis of available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments in order to form a judgement by the application of rational, skeptical, and unbiased analyses and evaluation (correct)
  • The acceptance of all available evidence

Who is considered a critical thinker?

  • Someone who is highly skeptical
  • Anyone who has an opinion
  • Someone who has a strong personality
  • Someone who practices the skills of critical thinking or has been trained and educated in its disciplines (correct)

What is presupposed by critical thinking?

  • The rejection of all opinions
  • Assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use in effective communication and problem-solving (correct)

<p>The analysis of available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments in order to form a judgement</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A person who practices the skills of critical thinking or has been trained and educated in its disciplines</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does critical thinking presuppose?

<p>Assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use in effective communication and problem-solving, and a commitment to overcome egocentrism and sociocentrism</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of critical thinking?

<p>The analysis of available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments in order to form a judgement by the application of rational, skeptical, and unbiased analyses and evaluation</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of self-monitoring in critical thinking?

<p>To be aware of one's own thought processes and biases</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is required for effective communication and problem-solving?

<p>Rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Understanding critical thinking.

  • Critical thinking is a mental process that involves actively analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing information to form a judgment or decision.

Characteristics of a Critical Thinker

  • A critical thinker is someone who is able to think systematically, evaluate information objectively, and make informed decisions.

Critical Thinking Presuppositions

  • Critical thinking presupposes intellectual humility, willingness to revise opinions, and openness to new ideas and perspectives.

Key Aspects of Critical Thinking

  • Critical thinking involves self-monitoring, which is essential for recognizing biases and assumptions.
  • Effective communication and problem-solving require critical thinking, which involves active listening, clear articulation of thoughts, and collaboration.

Definition of Critical Thinking

  • Critical thinking can be defined as the systematic evaluation and analysis of information to form a judgment or decision.

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Test your critical thinking skills with this quiz! Challenge yourself to analyze information, evaluate arguments, and make logical judgments based on available evidence. This quiz will assess your ability to think critically and apply rational, unbiased analyses.

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What is Critical Thinking?

refer to abilities to be open-minded, mindful, and analytical, and to evaluate, question, reason, hypothesize, interpret, explain, and draw conclusions.

refer to abilities to be close-minded, mindful, and analytical, and to evaluate, question, reason, hypothesize, interpret, explain, and draw conclusions

You use critical thinking skills in everyday life

How important is critical thinking in the classroom?

Not important

Slightly important

Very important

Which one is NOT part of the 7 critical thinking skills?

Problem Solving

Close-mindedness

  • 5. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt If you have a bowl with six apples and you take four, how many do you have? 4 apples 2 apples 1 apple 6 apples
  • 6. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt If you only had a match and entered a dark room that contains an oil lamp, firewood and a newspaper, what would you light first? the match Oil firewood the newspaper
  • 7. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt If an electric train moves north at 160km / h and a 16km / h wind blows west, where does the smoke go? there is no smoke From north to south from south to north upwards
  • 8. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt What goes up and down, but always stays in the same place? the stairs your feet your fingers your back
  • 9. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt What goes up, but never goes down? age the weight the gray hair belly
  • 10. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt If there are 12 fish in a fish tank and 5 of them drown, how many fish are left? 12 5 7 any
  • 11. Multiple Choice Edit 30 seconds 1 pt Which word in the dictionary is spelled incorrectly? Dictionary Phenomenon Entrepreneur Incorrectly

Which option is NOT a quality of a Critical Thinker?

Active Thinker

Self-Confident

Good Analysts

Which option is the correct process for Critical Thinking?

Designing, Prototyping, and Testing

Analyzing, Experimenting, and Observing

Gathering Information, Analyzing, and Finding a Solution/Conclusion

Gathering Information, Analyzing, and Evaluate

Critiquing your brain

Evaluating ideas

Testing Skills

Thinking in a critical way

When do uncritical thinkers get defensive?

When someone opposes them

All the time

When someone agrees with them

Which situations can critical thinking help?

School related

All of the above

Work related

Which answer is NOT a basic guideline for critical thinking?

Evaluate your opinions

Withhold judgement

Test your brain

Critical thinking has

interprets meaning

solves problems

Core critical thinking skills are (Interpretation, analysis, evaluation, explanation, self regulation). find the missing skill

problem solving

Inference as a core critical thinking skill is to identify elements needed to draw reasonable conclusion

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15 Critical Thinking Interview Questions To Ask Candidates

Profile Image of Chandni Ahuja

Identifying critical thinking skills is crucial during the recruitment process in any organization, regardless of its size. These skills are vital for tackling problems, driving innovation, and developing long-term strategies to meet organizational goals.

creative thinking interview questions

Candidates often face scenarios where they don’t have all the information needed to solve a problem, and solutions are rarely black and white . That’s why employers must prepare a curated list of critical thinking interview questions to better understand how the employees would handle complex situations and apply critical thinking abilities in the workplace.

The critical thinking interview questions would help you understand the candidate’s approach to solving a problem and how they would handle diverse work scenarios efficiently. 

Especially, when you pair this set of interview questions with Calibr.AI ’s soft skills assessment, you will be able to easily distinguish between the candidates and proactive thinkers who adopt a more passive problem-solving approach.

But first things first–

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information objectively and make reasoned judgments. It involves evaluating evidence, considering different perspectives, and systematically solving problems. 

Rather than accepting information at face value, critical thinkers question assumptions, recognize biases , and use logical reasoning to reach well-supported conclusions . This skill is essential for effective decision-making and problem-solving in both personal and professional contexts.

Why Is It Important To Ask Critical Thinking Questions In The Interview?

Why Is It Important To Ask Critical Thinking Questions

Nowadays, the traditional methods of hiring to analyze whether the candidate is suitable for the role aren’t enough. The sudden rush in the hiring process leaves employees facing job abandonment. Due to this, employers end up going through the same hiring process again. 

Since most positions require candidates to think on their feet and quickly adapt to the situation, it can be difficult to assess the candidates, especially considering their previous job experiences, which may or may not be in favor of the position. 

This is why we have prepared a list of 15 critical thinking interview questions you must ask your candidates to find out the best-suited candidate for the role.

Top 15 Critical Thinking Interview Questions (With Answers)

creative thinking interview questions

1. Can you share an experience when a project didn’t go as expected? What steps could be taken to prevent similar issues in the future?

"In one project, our timeline was significantly delayed due to unexpected vendor issues. To avoid this in the future, I would implement more rigorous vendor vetting processes and establish contingency plans. Additionally, regular check-ins and risk assessments could help identify potential problems early and keep the project on track."

2. Can you describe a situation where you had to make a critical decision on short notice?

Yes, there was a time when a key team member unexpectedly left mid-project, and I had to quickly decide how to reassign their tasks to keep the project on schedule. I assessed the team’s strengths and redistributed the workload accordingly while communicating the changes clearly. This approach allowed us to meet our deadlines and maintain project momentum.

3. Can you provide an example of a time when you needed to persuade your manager that your solution to a problem was the best approach? How did you go about making your case?

Yes, I once proposed a new strategy for streamlining our workflow. I presented a detailed analysis showing potential efficiency gains and supported it with data from similar successful implementations. By clearly demonstrating the benefits and addressing potential concerns, I was able to gain my manager’s support.

4. Can you share an instance when you anticipated a problem before it arose? How did you address it to prevent the issue from occurring?

Yes, I noticed a potential bottleneck in our project timeline due to overlapping tasks. I proactively adjusted the schedule and communicated the changes to the team. This preemptive action helped us avoid delays and kept the project on track.

5. How would you handle a situation where a customer presents an issue while you’re in the middle of a crucial discussion with your manager?

I would politely acknowledge the customer's concern and assure them I’ll address it shortly. Then, I’d quickly wrap up my discussion with my manager and prioritize the customer’s issue to ensure it’s resolved promptly.

6. How would you describe the color green to someone who is blind?

I would describe green as a color that feels refreshing and calming, like the sensation of cool, soft grass underfoot or the smell of a fresh, leafy plant. It's often associated with growth and renewal, bringing a sense of tranquility and balance.

7. What’s your approach to assembling a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle?

I would start by sorting the pieces into groups based on color and edge pieces. Next, I’d build the border first to create a framework and then work on smaller sections of the puzzle, using the reference image to guide me. Regularly checking and adjusting pieces ensures a smoother assembly process.

8. If a co-worker proposes a solution during a meeting that you believe won’t work, how would you handle it?

I would respectfully express my concerns by offering a constructive critique and suggesting alternative solutions. I’d ensure my feedback is presented thoughtfully to foster a collaborative discussion, helping the team find the most effective approach.

9. Can you recall a time when someone proposed an idea you hadn’t thought of before? How did you respond?

Yes, there was a time when a team member suggested a new approach to a project that I hadn’t considered. I was open to their idea, took the time to understand their perspective, and ultimately integrated their suggestion, which led to an improved outcome.

10. What is your approach to tackling a problem?

I start by thoroughly understanding the problem and gathering relevant information. Then, I identify potential solutions and evaluate their pros and cons. Finally, I implement the most effective solution and monitor its impact to ensure the problem is resolved.

11. Can you provide an example of a time when you identified a problem at work and developed a solution?

I noticed that our team's project tracking was inefficient due to outdated tools. I proposed and implemented a new project management software that streamlined our workflow and improved communication. This change led to a noticeable increase in productivity and project accuracy.

12. Can you describe a time when you had to adjust your work style to align with a manager’s preferences? What changes did you make?

Yes, I had to adapt to a manager who preferred more frequent progress updates. I shifted to providing detailed weekly reports and scheduled regular check-ins to keep them informed. This adjustment improved our communication and helped ensure alignment with project goals.

13. How would you handle a situation where your manager made an error on a crucial document?

I would approach the situation tactfully by privately pointing out the mistake and suggesting a correction. I’d provide any necessary information or support to fix the error, ensuring it’s resolved discreetly and professionally.

14. Do you think it's more effective to raise prices for higher profit or lower prices to enhance customer satisfaction?

It depends on the context. Raising prices can boost profit if the value justifies it while lowering prices can attract more customers and increase volume. Ideally, finding a balance that maximizes profit while maintaining customer satisfaction is the best approach.

15. If you arrived at work to find 1,000 emails waiting and only had time to respond to 200, how would you prioritize which emails to address?

I’d prioritize emails based on urgency and importance, focusing on those from key stakeholders, critical issues, or deadlines. I’d also check for any flagged or high-priority messages and address those first to ensure I’m tackling the most pressing matters.

In Conclusion

creative thinking interview questions

These are some of the most strategic critical thinking interview questions you can ask your candidates to assess their critical and analytical thinking skills required for the job role. So next time, use this list to efficiently evaluate your candidates and choose the right person for the company.

To further enhance your recruitment process, consider investing in Calibr.AI . Our product provides advanced soft skills assessments that complement your interview questions, helping you identify proactive thinkers and differentiate between candidates more effectively. By integrating Calibr.AI into your hiring strategy, you'll be better equipped to find candidates who excel in critical thinking and contribute meaningfully to your organization’s success.

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quiz critical thinking

As an enthusiastic English literature graduate, Chandni enjoys writing as much as a toddler enjoys animation. She discovered her passion for writing and expressing thoughts through this form amidst the nail-biting months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ever since then, she has volunteered in various anthology books that have been published on Amazon. Her experience working on a diverse range of verticals has enabled her to excel in this domain and face new challenges as they come. With a contagious thrill and excitement at the workplace, Chandni embraces wearing different hats and soaks up information like a sponge.

In an era of digital media and hyperconnectivity, individuals are frequently flooded with an abundance of information, much of which they are unable to effectively process and are thus vulnerable to misinformation. One particularly harmful form of misinformation is the proliferation of "fake news," which can have a damaging effect on the social cohesion of communities. In response to this issue, educational practitioners in various nations are striving to empower learners with the ability to identify and refute such misinformation. The present author is also contributing to this effort through the development of a technology-enhanced learning environment that is intended to foster critical thinking in learners.

INTRODUCTION

In contemporary society, individuals are frequently overloaded with an abundance of information. However, this flood of information can often prove overwhelming, resulting in a vulnerability to misinformation. The internet serves as the primary means through which individuals access information. However, the knowledge readily available through this medium possesses distinct characteristics as compared to that traditionally provided by educators and educational texts [6]. Internet search results often comprise multiple accounts with varying scopes, arguments, and levels of support. Furthermore, online sources may vastly differ in terms of authorship, purpose, perspective, legitimacy, and justification techniques.

As previously discussed, the proliferation of misinformation in contemporary society has resulted in an increased risk of the formation of false beliefs among citizens. The inability to differentiate between legitimate and illegitimate information can lead to the acceptance of both as factual. To combat this, citizens must possess specialized skills that enable them to effectively navigate and evaluate the credibility and reliability of the vast amount of information available online. In light of this, there is a pressing need to understand and foster critical data literacy within the fields of educational research and practice. The objective of the present research is to facilitate the development of these skills among students, enabling them to proficiently analyze and scrutinize the reliability of complex online information.

In this background section, the author will first attempt to arrive at a working definition of critical thinking. In the next subsection, a number of organizations working to combat misinformation will be discussed. This will be followed by a discussion of academic research on misinformation and critical thinking in the next subsection. Finally, the author will discuss the current status of work in this area and how their own proposed research study will add to the existing knowledge.

Critical Thinking

Dwyer, Hogan, & Stewart define critical thinking as “a metacognitive process that, through purposeful, reflective judgment, increases the chances of producing a logical conclusion to an argument or solution to a problem” [7]. For the purpose of this paper, the author will use this definition as a working definition. However, it is necessary to also understand the broader meaning of critical thinking. To start with, Ennis has outlined abilities such as analyzing arguments, claims, or evidence, making inferences using inductive or deductive reasoning, judging or evaluating, and making decisions or solving problems as essential parts of critical thinking [8]. He has further identified behaviors relevant to critical thinking such as asking and answering questions for clarification; defining terms; identifying assumptions. Thus, critical thinking consists of a cluster of skills and behavior to analyze complex information. Looking at these aspects of critical thinking, it seems to be an effective tool for combating misinformation. However, fighting misinformation at an individual level is not enough. Fortunately, several organizations are also currently working on fighting misinformation, the details of their work are covered in the next section.

Misinformation Bunking Initiatives

Top universities and SMEs from seven different European nations are partners in the EU-funded initiative Co-Inform. The goal is to develop tools that promote digital literacy and critical thinking for a more informed society [5]. Their objective is to give individuals, journalists, and politicians the resources they need to recognize "fake news" online, comprehend how it spreads, and access reliable information. Co-Inform offers two main tools to combat misinformation. First is a browser plugin to increase citizens' awareness of content that is entirely or partially inaccurate, relevant fact-checking articles and remedial information, how ordinary citizens see this content, and important comments from fellow citizens that are both in favor of and against it. Second is a dashboard for fact-checking journalists and policymakers that displays discovered misinformation, its source, how and where it spreads and will spread in the future, the public's impression of it now and in the future, and the most important comments made by the public.

There are also dedicated websites both at the global level and in India to track and debunk fake news and misinformation. Snopes, formerly known as the Urban Legends Reference Pages, is one such fact-checking website [20]. Snopes seeks to disprove or validate widely circulated urban legends. Similarly, Alt News is a fact-checking website based out of India that works to dispel the falsehoods, lies, and misinformation that people often come across in both mainstream and social media [2]. Politics, social media rumors, mainstream media misinformation, and bias are just a few examples of the inaccurate information that Alt News fact-checks. Apart from these initiatives for combating misinformation, there has also been a fair amount of academic research conducted in this field, the next section elaborates on that.

Digital Literacy Research

Digital literacy has been defined as the ability and knowledge required to effectively navigate the complex and fragmented world of information available online. In simpler terms, it means having the skills needed to find, understand, and use information on the internet. [9]. Three types of digital skills have been identified by Ng: technological (using technology tools); cognitive (using critical thinking while handling information); and social (communicating and socializing) [18]. In the context of the educational process, thinking skills have been recognized as an important component of digital literacy, along with technical abilities [13]. Sulzer asserts that digital thinking will include identifying misinformation, echo chambers, and fake news [21]. Thus, it can be argued that digital thinking is the term used by digital literacy practitioners to refer to critical thinking while engaging with information online.

Students engage with online information through their personal epistemology. This ability is related to their perspectives about knowledge and knowing. Kuhn and Park have characterized epistemological understanding at four levels [16]. At the first level, realists consider knowledge to be definite and to emanate from an outside source. They think it's not vital to use critical thinking. At the second level, absolutists think knowledge is certain and emanates from a distant source that is inaccessible. Thus, critical thinking serves as a means for people to evaluate claims in light of reality and decide whether they are true or not. Multiplists, who consider knowledge to be created by human minds and hence uncertain, are found at the third level. As a result, they believe that critical thinking is useless. The fourth level is where evaluativists reside, who think that knowledge is created by human minds, and is unclear, yet subject to review. They consider critical thinking as a tool for supporting reasonable claims and advancing understanding. In order to better understand the relationship between students' individual epistemologies and their online learning practices, Barzilai and Zohar studied 38 sixth-graders [4]. The results demonstrate the significance of epistemic thinking in online inquiry learning. Students who were more familiar with evaluation strategies and criteria performed more frequent and thorough website evaluations. Students who were more conscious of the potential for discrepancies between online accounts and the necessity of constructing knowledge by integrating several viewpoints were more likely to identify discrepancies between the points of view of various websites, compare them, and build an argument based on a variety of online sources. Even though personal epistemology can account for a fair portion of the processes people use to process information, it also involves other factors like cognitive biases and epistemic emotions. Fig 1 explains the various factors involved in this process.

quiz critical thinking

Different research groups over the years have tried to design strategies to teach students how to use critical thinking to spot fake news. The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) introduced its Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education in 2015, which was officially adopted by the ACRL Board in January of the following year. This framework emphasizes the importance of learners utilizing research tools and evaluating the credibility of sources in order to develop their information literacy skills [3]. One tool that can assist students in this process is the use of LibGuides, which are web-based applications that allow for the creation and organization of electronic guides. These can be easily embedded in course and library websites and accessed by students online. An example of a useful LibGuide in this context is the "Fake" News guide created by librarian Eric Novotny in 2017 at The Pennsylvania State University. The guide covers various forms of fake news, such as satire, bias, and clickbait. Another helpful tool is the use of worksheets, such as the CRAAP (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose) worksheet developed by California State University, Chico in 2010. In contrast, The Global Digital Citizen Foundation (2015) promotes a different approach to critical thinking by using a "Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How" method.

In spite of the above efforts, a recent intervention study focused on teaching students to evaluate search results and select websites to open revealed that students frequently resorted to less effective tactics when analyzing results, using their familiarity with a website and its top-level domain to determine its reliability, despite teachers' best efforts to teach them strategies for evaluating results modeled on fact checkers’ approaches [17]. This means that just informing students about strategies is not enough. Critical thinking is not just a bunch of skills but also an attitude which can only be inculcated through practice. A better strategy would be to provide opportunities to students to practice critical thinking abilities in context of actual problems in a learning environment. In this environment, they can practice their critical thinking abilities for long durations and hone them over time with proper support. Agesilaou & Kyza designed and implemented a Learning Environment to foster critical data literacy [1]. Their work describes the design-based research process of designing an educational intervention to foster critical data literacy through the use of self-tracking devices. While their work focused on the issues of privacy and digital data, the author of this current paper plans to design a learning environment to foster critical thinking skills among students in order to specifically deal with misinformation present on the internet. The research goal will be to help students to develop effective critical thinking strategies to deal dealing with complex online information.

This background section helped define critical thinking as a metacognitive process that involves analyzing arguments, claims, and evidence, making inferences, solving problems and asking questions for clarification and identifying assumptions. It also helped to understand the work being done in both academic and non-academic spheres to counter the spread of misinformation online. It explained how the information transfer techniques used by teachers fall short in equipping students with critical thinking abilities and established the need for a learning environment which offers prolonged opportunities for students to practice and hone their critical thinking skills on authentic scenarios where they are also provided continuous support in terms of active scaffolds. In the next section, the author will elaborate on their proposed plan for the learning environment.

Proposed Solution

In order to build a coherent and credible learning environment to foster critical thinking, the author needs to use some theoretical perspectives to provide the foundation for such an intervention. One prominent theory is the dual processing theory, which proposes that individuals use two primary modes of thinking - System 1, which is intuitive and automatic, and System 2, which is more analytical and deliberate [10]. This theory is particularly relevant for this intervention design because it has been observed that many a times users fall prey to misinformation because they have not spent enough time on a piece of information and respond too quickly [11]. The author is aware that dual processing theory has faced criticism in recent years. However, there is still substantial evidence in cognitive science to support the dual-processing distinction [12]. The theory remains valid and useful in understanding the interplay between automatic and deliberate thinking processes.

In order to provide an authentic learning experience to the students, a problem-based learning (PBL) approach can be used, where students work in pairs to develop solutions to real-world problems related to misinformation [14]. In order to ensure a smooth collaboration between the student pairs, collaboration scripts will be used. Collaboration scripts are instructional tools that guide learners on how to interact with each other during learning activities [15]. They provide a sequence of learning activities and roles for learners to follow in order to promote collaborative learning. In this learning environment, the author plans to use a type of driver-navigator script where one partner searches for the information on the system while the other person guides them. The main motive behind this peculiar pairing is that it will require the learners to discuss and debate the entire time while they are searching for credible information because they will have their biases and beliefs.

A theory that can be leveraged to better understand this social interaction is the social judgment theory, which suggests that people's attitudes and beliefs are influenced by their perception of what others think [19]. By encouraging students to engage in discussions and debates with their peers, the learning environment can foster critical evaluation of information by considering multiple perspectives and identifying potential biases. Introducing the social learning aspect is particularly important for the students to learn to argue logically and identify fallacies and biases in other’s and their own opinions.

Also, as discussed in the background section above, different learners tend to use different ways of engaging with information online. There is also this idea of the behavioral pattern displayed by professional fact-checkers when trying to determine the authenticity of a piece of online media. The best way to measure these various techniques will be to use learning analytics to capture the interaction of learners with the learning environment using log data. Primarily, two kinds of interactions will be captured, first will be the frequency of user interaction with various com-ponents in the environment, and second will be the duration of those interactions. This will help the researcher categorize the various patterns, for example, one cohort of users might be clicking on a number of resources and spending little time on each of them while another cohort might be accessing only few resources but spend significant time on each resource. Later, the various cohorts would be analyzed in relation to their demonstration of critical thinking behaviors. In the next sub-section, the author will provide a sample learning task that they might use in their learning environment.

Sample Learning Problem

This scenario is designed to help students practice critical thinking skills in the context of evaluating claims made about a dietary supplement marketed as a weight loss aid. Two students as a pair will work to evaluate the claims made about the supplement and pronounce their verdict on whether it is a weight loss solution or not. They will also be asked to back up their verdict with proper evidence. The students will be given the following sources of information:

  • An advertisement that claims the supplement is a "miracle weight loss solution" and features testimonials from people who have lost weight while taking the supplement.
  • A medical study that reports on the potential health risks associated with the supplement, like organ damage and other serious side effects.
  • A warning from a (government) health agency that advises consumers to avoid the supplement due to its potential health risks.

To help students evaluate the information provided, they will be given the following questions:

  • What are the claims being made about the effectiveness of the dietary supplement as a weight loss aid?
  • What evidence is provided to support these claims, and how strong is this evidence?
  • What are the potential health risks associated with the supplement, and how serious are these risks?
  • What are the recommendations of (government) health agencies with regards to the supplement?
  • What are the potential biases or conflicts of interest that may be present in each source of information?

This scenario is designed to help students develop critical thinking skills related to evaluating the claims made about dietary supplements and to identify potential biases or conflicts of interest in the sources of information provided. This is just a single sample problem and similar other problems from socio-scientific domain would be developed to be used in the learning environment.

Research questions

The study will attempt to answer these four primary research questions.

  • To what extent does training in critical thinking skills help students identify fake news more effectively?
  • To what extent does collaborative learning help improve critical thinking skills among students while processing complex online information?
  • What are the various categories of learners in terms of their behavior while processing complex online information?
  • How do these various categories of learners differ in terms of use of critical thinking skills?

Methodology

This research study will use a mixed-method approach with a heavy tilt towards the qualitative side. To answer the first two research questions, qualitative data would be required and this is the primary focus of this study. In order to understand the learner behavior and answer the last two research questions, a quantitative approach will be used which will employ learning analytics technique.

Target population and sampling

Even though digital literacy is a skill that is helpful at all ages of life, this study will be conducted primarily amongst undergraduate and postgraduate program students as individuals at this level are young adults and misinformation can lead them to take faulty steps at this critical juncture of life. Based on this misinformation, they might develop faulty beliefs which might get stay with them throughout their life.

Data Collection Tools

For the purpose of this study, multiple data sources will be utilized. While the students work in groups, the audio and video of their discussions will be recorded, along with screen recordings of their system and any notes they have created during the discussion. This will be followed by a follow-up interview to further probe their epistemic strategies.

The log data of the students while they interact with the system will also be collected. As explained in the proposed solution section, the log data from the system will contain time stamps which correspond to specific user activities in the system. This log data can be exported in the form of an excel data sheet which can be further processed to find user behavior patterns.

Finally, in order to measure the effectiveness of the learning environment on the critical thinking abilities of the students, a pre and posttest will be conducted. This test will present learners with various scenarios involving fake news.

Data Analysis

A rigorous and systematic methodology in the form of inductive coding strategy will be implemented in order to systematically examine and interpret the qualitative data that has been meticulously gathered through the various data collection tools. This approach will involve the identification of meaningful patterns, themes, and categories within the data, in order to uncover underlying meaning and to gain a comprehensive understanding of effectiveness of critical thinking in identifying fake news. The utilization of an inductive coding strategy will allow for the development of an inductive theory that is grounded in the data, and which can offer insight into the complex phenomena of critical thinking and fake news identification.

The log data, comprising of time-stamped information, will be subjected to a process of sequential pattern mining. This process will enable the identification of recurring patterns and sequences within the data, and the generation of clusters of users who exhibit similar patterns of behavior within the learning environment. By utilizing this approach, it will be possible to gain a deeper understanding of the usage patterns and behaviors of the users within the learning environment, which in turn can be used to understand the relation of certain behavioral patterns to demonstration of various critical thinking levels. Thus, the results generated by the sequential pattern mining algorithm will be used to model the behavior of users in terms of their display of critical thinking skills. This user behavior can be compared to the patterns displayed by professional fact checkers. In this way, desirable patterns of use of critical thinking skills can be identified which can be used for improving the critical thinking training aspects of the learning environment. This data can also be used to test new users and predict what kind of learning interventions would be required to help them develop necessary critical thinking abilities.

Dissertation status and next steps

The current research is a continuation of the work being done at the author’s organization in the field of technology enhanced learning of thinking skills. The organization in the past has conducted numerous studies ranging on various thinking skills from historical thinking, design thinking to estimation and more. There are also ongoing research projects that explore certain thinking skills like systems thinking. This current thesis research is a continuation of this work in terms of addressing more social problems like fake news and misinformation. This work draws from and builds on previous work done in the form of question posing and hypothesis testing skills amongst students.

The current author is currently in the early years of their PhD research and so the research plan is in in its nascent stage. Thus, a major reason for writing this paper is also to get helpful guidance from the members of the research community. Currently, the author has two immediate tasks in front of them. First, they plan to conduct a thorough literature review of critical thinking as a digital literacy skill, particularly in the educational context. The second task is to conduct a preliminary research study to explore how social interaction affects students' epistemic thinking in online inquiry learning. The author plans to use the following conjecture for this preliminary study: when working in groups, students' personal epistemologies will interact with each other and help to reflect on each other's cognitive biases and epistemic emotions.

Expected contributions

The present study is situated in a broad context of combating online fake news and equipping citizens with skills to process information overload. However, the novel contribution of this study will be to explore the effects of social interaction, in terms of collaborative work, on critical thinking abilities of students. This line of argument is rooted in the concept of democracy where vigilant citizens hold each other accountable in terms of their beliefs and practices. The research also has more immediate contributions in terms of understanding how different groups of people employ critical thinking while processing complex information online. This can help to create better resources for supporting people in spotting misinformation and debunking fake news. This whole process will affect society on two levels, at individual levels, people can become more conscious of their own biases and logical errors and a at a societal level, people can have more fruitful conversations across different thought camps as they will have a more solid ground of information to engage in discussion.

Aspects of the research on which advice is sought

Since the author is in their preliminary stage of research, they would be open to suggestions on almost every aspect of the study. However, the author is particularly interested in discovering more effective ways to capture critical thinking behavior of participants. As of now, the author is using a mixed-method approach and is relying on log data in terms of frequency and duration for capturing interaction. The author would like to receive more suggestions on how this aspect can be made more effective.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author expresses their sincere gratitude to Prof. Sahana Murthy and Prof. Ramkumar Rajendran from IIT Bombay for their invaluable guidance and support.

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