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The Challenge of Assessing Critical Thinking
The California Critical Thinking Skills Test: College Level (1990), by Peter Facione
The California Academic Press, 217 LaCruz Ave, Millbrae, CA 94030
Target: Aimed at college students, but probably usable with advanced and gifted high
school students.
Format: Multiple-choice, incorporating interpretation, argument analysis and appraisal,
deduction, mind bender puzzles, and induction (including rudimentary statistical
inference).
Web site: http://www.insightassessment.com/test-cctst.html
The California Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (1992) by Peter and
N. C. Facione
The California Academic Press, 217 LaCruz Ave., Millbrae, CA 94030
Target: College age, adults, professionals
Format: A multiple-choice attempt to assess critical thinking dispositions. Probably
useful for self-appraisal and anonymous information for use in research.
Web site: http://www.insightassessment.com/test-cctdi.html
Cornell Critical Thinking Test, Forms X & Z (1985), by Robert H. Ennis and
Jason Millman
Critical Thinking Press and Software, PO Box 448, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Target: Form X: Grades 4–14; Form Z: College students and adults, but usable with
advanced or gifted high school students.
Format: Form X: multiple-choice, sections on induction, credibility, observation,
deduction, and assumption identification. Form Z: multiple-choice, sections on
induction, credibility, prediction and experimental planning, fallacies (especially
equivocation), deduction, definition, and assumption identification.
Web site: http://www.criticalthinking.com/getProductDetails.do?code=c&id=05512
Cambridge Thinking Skills Assessment (1996)
Local Examinations Synd, U Cambridge, Syndicate Building, 1 Hills Road, Cambridge
CB1 2EU, UK
Target: Postsecondary students
Format: Two parts: a 30 min 15-item, multiple-choice test of argument assessment; and a
1 hr essay test calling for critical evaluation of an argument and for further argumentation.
Web site: http://tsa.ucles.org.uk/index.html
Critical Thinking Interview (1998), by Gail Hughes and Associates
141 Warwick St. S.E., Mpls., MN 55414 (e-mail: [email protected])
Target: College students and adults
Format: About 30 mins for a one-to-one interview combining displayed knowledge and
reasoning on topic of interviewee’s choice. Emphasis is on clarity, context, focus,
credibility, sources, familiarity with the topic, assumption identification, and appropriate