ATI
Assessment
Technologies
Institute, LLC
Critical Thinking Assessment
Why is the Critical Thinking
Assessment important?
A major paradigm shift has occurred in
education over the past decade from an
instruction-based approach to outcomes-based
learning. Educators are increasingly aware of
the value of teaching students how to analyze,
reason, evaluate, and develop a creative and
critical perspective on the information from
which they are exposed. Educators are now
viewing students as active learners, rather than
passive recipients of information. Through the
educational experience, students may acquire
the critical thinking skills and habits for lifelong learning.
The Critical Thinking Assessment complies
with accreditation committee guidelines for
documentation of outcome criteria upon entry
and exit from the program. This assessment
instrument offers faculty the opportunity to
identify students’ level of critical thinking and
facilitate
higher-order
thinking
skills.
Instructional materials are provided to faculty
to help teach students how to apply critical
thinking in their own learning environment.
Students also receive material to enhance their
abilities to take in information at a higherlevel. Our educational consultants offer critical
thinking seminars customized to the individual
institution’s needs.
At ATI, we believe
students must develop the skills necessary to
think critically, exercise good judgment, and
focus on adopting a commitment to lifelong
learning. We strive provide the tools you need
to make it easier for your students to learn.
What is the Critical Thinking
Assessment?
The Critical Thinking Assessment is a generic,
40-item test developed in May 2000. The
objective of the instrument is to determine
students’ overall performance on specified
critical thinking skills. The assessment is
designed for use at the time of admission and
repeated upon completion of the program. The
goal for faculty is to use this diagnostic
information to enhance instructional strategies
and to improve students’ critical thinking
skills.
The Critical Thinking Assessment was
designed and developed by a collaborative
team of experts in the field of critical thinking.
A few of the contributors include:
Dr. Sandra Luz Martinez de Castillo, author
of Strategies, Techniques, and Approaches
to Thinking
Dr. Sherry Diesler, author of To Become a
Critical Thinker
Dr. Carol Green-Nigro, author of Critical
Thinking: A Case Study Approach
Dr. Judith Wilkinson, author of Nursing
Process and Critical Thinking
How are the critical thinking skills defined?
Critical thinking is a form of analyzing and
problem solving that is essential in any profession.
The Critical Thinking Assessment measures six cognitive
skills commonly associated with the complex activity of
critical thinking:
Inference
To formulate
hypotheses and
draw conclusions
based on pertinent
data.
Explanation
To justify the reasoning or
conclusions in terms of
evidence, concepts,
methodology,
or context.
Analysis
Interpretation
To understand,
comprehend, identify
problems, clarify,
decipher, and decode.
Evaluation
To examine ideas;
analyze arguments;
make comparisons;
and categorize,
organize, and
prioritize variables.
Self-Regulation
To assess the credibility,
significance, and relevance of
information necessary to
support the conclusions; and
to assess the information for
biases, stereotypes, clichés, or
inappropriateness.
To monitor, reflect, question,
and adjust one’s own thinking
processes as appropriate.
Critical thinking is not a linear process; therefore, it is essential to keep in mind the student will
use several cognitive skills simultaneously. The critical thinking operations of interpretation,
analysis, and inference are hierarchical in nature. Each level is necessary to reach the next,
higher-order of thinking. Whereas the activities of explanation, evaluation, and self-regulation
continually influence the problem-solving process and penetrate all phases of critical thinking.
Foster the traits of the critical thinker by encouraging divergent thinking, tolerance of diversity,
and creative approaches to problem-solving. The outcome will be the mature critical thinker.
Think of the possibilities!
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ATI CRITICAL THINKING ASSESSMENT
PROVIDES:
A 40-item generic assessment of critical thinking
skills developed by top experts in critical thinking
theory.
The choice of either online or paper-and-pencil
formats.
Assessment administered in the pre-test and post-test
formats to measure acquired critical thinking skills.
Instant individual and group score reporting via the
Internet.
Interpretation guides for both faculty and students to
aid in developing higher-order critical thinking skills.
Developmental and statistical reports for the Critical
Thinking Assessment.
Continuity of critical thinking concepts for other
products in the assessment series.
ATI consultants who offer nursing facultydevelopment seminars about teaching with a critical
thinking approach.
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Critical Thinking Assessment
Sample Items
I
nterpretation: to understand, comprehend, identify problems, clarify, decipher, or decode.
For these questions, students must:
•
•
Comprehend the information.
Explain the meaning of the statement.
1. A company’s policy states that employees may take two weeks vacation after they have
reached their seventh anniversary date with the company. This means that:
a. employees must work for the company at least seven years before they may take two
weeks vacation.
b. employees who have worked for the company for at least seven years take two weeks
vacation.
c. if employees take two weeks vacation, they have worked for the company for seven
years.
d. all employees take two weeks vacation after working for the company seven years.
Rationale:
a. Correct.
b. Incorrect. This statement is similar to statement number one. Some employees may not
wish to take two weeks vacation even though they are eligible.
c. Incorrect. Employees could have worked for the company for longer than seven years.
d. Incorrect. Some employees may not wish to take two weeks vacation even though they
are eligible.
2. Consider the statement: If it is made of glass, it may break. Which statement provides the
best interpretation?
a.
b.
c.
d.
If it does not break, it is not glass.
Nothing breaks except glass.
If it breaks, it is glass.
Glass can break.
Rationale:
a. Incorrect. Many things that do not break are not glass.
b. Incorrect. Many things do break that are not glass.
c. Incorrect. Many things break that are not glass.
d. Correct.
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A
nalysis: to examine ideas; analyze arguments; make comparisons; project consequences; and
categorize, organize, and prioritize variables.
For these questions, students must:
• Analyze the pattern, sequence, or relationship within the example.
• Make comparisons.
• Identify the best comparative relationship.
1. Consider the following to determine which is the same as roses are red:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Tree trunks are brown.
Carnations are white.
Bananas are yellow.
Leaves are green.
Rationale:
a. Incorrect. A tree is not a flower. The same relationship does not exist.
b. Correct.
c. Incorrect. A fruit is not a flower. The same relationship does not exist.
d. Incorrect. A leaf is not a flower. The same relationship does not exist.
2. Consider the following. Which is the logical match? If B3E2H1, then:
a. A9D8G7
b. C1E2G3
c. A4E3H2
d. B7F6C4
Rationale:
a. Correct. The alphabetical pattern is every third letter, while the numbers in the pattern
decrease by one (3, 2, 1 and 9, 8, 7).
b. Incorrect. The letters and numbers do not follow the same pattern as those in the
question.
c. Incorrect. The letters and numbers do not follow the same pattern as those in the
question.
d. Incorrect. The letters and numbers do not follow the same pattern as those in the
question.
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E
valuation: to assess the credibility, significance, and relevance of information necessary to support
the conclusions and to assess the information for biases, stereotypes, clichés, or inappropriateness.
These questions require students to:
• Assess the credibility of information sources.
• Prioritize from best to least.
• Select the best source of information from several options.
• Identify possible biases.
1. You are given a prescription for a new drug to treat a long-standing health problem. How
can you best determine the side effects that may be produced by this drug?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Take the drug until side effects occur.
Ask the physician who prescribed the drug.
Consult another person who has taken the drug.
Read research studies related to drug in question.
Rationale:
a. Incorrect. Side effects may or may not occur, so this is an unreliable source of
information.
b. Incorrect. This is the second best choice; however, the physician may not be aware of all
the possible side effects produced by a drug.
c. Incorrect. Another person is an unreliable source of information about prescribed drugs.
d. Correct.
2. A politician states “Scientists argue that global warming is occurring. They cite evidence
regarding an upward trend in nighttime temperatures throughout the United States.
However, I know that winters in the Midwest have been colder than normal over the past
two years. Therefore, I say, global warming is not occurring.” The best evaluation of the
politician’s conclusion is that it:
a.
b.
c.
d.
proves there is a relationship between Midwest winters and global warming.
considers the importance of two successive cold winters in the Midwest.
does not consider the relationship between global warming and Midwest winters.
does not consider scientific evidence about nighttime warming trends.
Rationale:
a. No relationship between Midwest winters and global temperatures has been supported or
proven.
b. Only the Midwest is considered, not the rest of the world.
c. Only the Midwest (an isolated area) was considered when drawing conclusions about
global warming.
d. Correct.
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I
nference: to formulate hypotheses and draw conclusions based on the pertinent data.
To answer these questions, students must:
• Draw accurate conclusions based on the data.
• Differentiate between conclusions that are logical and those that are probable or
possible.
1. A boy and girl are students. The night before every test, they both study and eat pizza.
Which statement is true?
a.
b.
c.
d.
If the boy is studying, the girl is eating pizza.
If the boy eats pizza, there is a test the next day.
If the girl does not study, there is no test the next day.
If the girl eats pizza and the boy studies, there is a test the next day.
Rationale:
a. Incorrect. The boy’s studying does not infer that there is a test the next day.
b. Incorrect. The boy’s eating pizza does not infer that there is a test the next day.
c. Correct. The girl’s lack of study infers the absence of a test on the following day.
d. Incorrect. The combination (studying and eating pizza) by both the boy and girl may not
be occurring, consequently, their behavior does not infer that there is test the next day.
2. A woman concludes, “It is Saturday; therefore, children will be watching cartoons on
television.” Which statement best describes the conclusion of the woman?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Good. Cartoons are the only shows available for children to watch on Saturday.
Good. Children watch cartoons on television because it is Saturday.
Faulty. Cartoons are the only shows children want to watch on Saturday.
Faulty. Children may wish to do something other than watch television.
Rationale:
a. Incorrect. Other shows are available for children to watch on Saturday.
b. Incorrect. The day is not the reason why children choose to watch or not to watch
cartoons on television.
c. Incorrect. Children may want to watch shows other than cartoons when available.
d. Correct.
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E
xplanation: to justify the reasoning or conclusions in terms of evidence, concepts, methodology, or
context.
To answer these questions, students must:
• Justify reasoning or conclusions in terms of context and evidence.
• Draw conclusions.
• Make a decision based on facts.
1. A teacher believes strongly that students should not receive extra credit for written
assignments, regardless of how well they are written. However, she gave extra credit to a
student who had been ill, but turned in an extraordinary paper. How can this contradiction
be best explained? The teacher:
a.
b.
c.
d.
felt sorry for the student because of the student’s recent illness.
valued the quality of the student’s work more than her belief.
was afraid other students would think poorly of her.
has difficulty upholding her belief system.
Rationale:
a. Incorrect. Feeling sorry for the student does not justify the teacher’s actions.
b. Correct.
c. Incorrect. Being afraid does not justify the teacher’s actions.
d. Incorrect. Her decision does not show that she is unable to uphold her belief system.
2. It is a hot summer day. A six-year-old child has been playing outside and riding her bicycle.
When she comes in for lunch her face is red and she is warm and fussy. Her temperature is
normal. Which best explains what is happening to the child? The child:
a. is hungry and tired.
b. is showing early signs of illness or infection.
c. may be responding to weather and activity.
d. needs immediate medical care.
Rationale:
a. Incorrect. There is no information (data) to support this explanation.
b. Incorrect. There is no information (data) to support this explanation.
c. Correct. This is a plausible explanation.
d. Incorrect. There is no data to support this need.
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S
elf-Regulation: to monitor, reflect, and question one’s own thinking processes as appropriate. The
critical thinker is one who is open-minded, rational, flexible, inquisitive, intuitive, and reflective.
These traits and dispositions are key to achieving the desired outcomes and finding ways to improve
nursing care.
To answer these questions, the student must:
• Examine one’s views with sensitivity to the possible influence of personal biases or
self-interest.
1. You are trying to make a decision about the best policy to implement regarding sick leave
for your employees. In order to make the best decision, you should:
a.
b.
c.
d.
implement the policy that most closely resembles that of a nearby company.
consider the costs and benefits to both the company and employees.
choose the policy that costs the company the least amount of money.
find out which policy is favored by the majority of employees.
Rationale:
a. Incorrect. This does not show impartial judgment or rational thinking.
b. Correct.
c. Incorrect. This does not show impartial judgment or rational thinking.
d. Incorrect. This does not show impartial judgment or rational thinking for both the
company and its employees.
2. Two students have applied for selection for residency in a college dormitory, but there is
only space for one student. In order for the dormitory admission counselor to make the
best decision about who to accept, the counselor should:
a. choose the student with an ethnic background similar to those already living in the
dormitory.
b. allow students currently residing in the dormitory to select the student they want.
c. use past personal experiences with similar students to guide the decision.
d. consider each applicant using the same set of selection criteria.
Rationale:
a. Incorrect. Considering ethnic background may result in a discriminatory or biased
decision.
b. Incorrect. Allowing students make the decision does not guarantee an unbiased decision
will be made.
c. Incorrect. Basing a decision on past personal experiences is likely to result in a biased
decision.
d. Correct.
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