what is a critical thinking test

What Is the Watson Glaser Test?

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Updated November 20, 2023

Modern employers have changed the way that they recruit new candidates. They are no longer looking for people who have the technical skills on paper that match the job description.

Instead, they are looking for candidates who can demonstrably prove that they have a wider range of transferrable skills.

One of those key skills is the ability to think critically .

Firms (particularly those in sectors such as law, finance, HR and marketing ) need to know that their employees can look beyond the surface of the information presented to them.

They want confidence that their staff members can understand, analyze and evaluate situations or work-related tasks. There is more on the importance of critical thinking later in this article.

This is where the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking test comes into play.

The Watson Glaser critical thinking test is a unique assessment that provides a detailed analysis of a participant’s ability to think critically.

The test lasts 30 minutes and applicants can expect to be tested on around 40 questions in five distinct areas :

Assumptions

Interpretation.

The questions are multiple-choice and may be phrased as true/false statements in a bid to see how well the participant has understood and interpreted the information provided.

Employers around the world use it during recruitment campaigns to help hiring managers effectively filter their prospective candidates .

The Watson Glaser test has been used for more than 85 years; employers trust the insights that the test can provide.

In today’s competitive jobs market where every candidate has brought the best of themselves, it can be increasingly difficult for employers to decide between applicants. On paper, two candidates may appear identical, with a similar level of education, work experience, and even interests and skills.

But that does not necessarily mean both or either of them is right for the job.

There is much information available on creating an effective cover letter and resume, not to mention advice on making a good impression during an interview.

As a result, employers are increasingly turning to psychometric testing to look beyond the information that they have.

They want to find the right fit: someone who has the skills that they need now and in the future. And with recruitment costs rising each year, making the wrong hiring decision can be catastrophic.

This is where the Watson Glaser test can help.

It can provide hiring managers with the additional support and guidance they need to help them make an informed decision.

The Watson Glaser test is popular among firms working in professional services (such as law, banking and insurance) . It is used for recruitment for junior and senior positions and some of the world’s most recognized establishments are known for their use of the test.

The Bank of England, Deloitte, Hiscox, Linklaters and Hogan Lovells are just a few employers who enhance their recruitment processes through Watson Glaser testing.

Critical thinking is all about logic and rational thought. Finding out someone’s critical thinking skill level is about knowing whether they can assess whether they are being told the truth and how they can use inferences and assumptions to aid their decision-making.

If you are working in a high-pressure environment, having an instinctive ability to look beyond the information provided to the underlying patterns of cause-and-effect can be crucial to do your job well.

Although it is often thought of concerning law firms and finance teams, it is easy to see how critical thinking skills could be applied to a wide range of professions.

For example, HR professionals dealing with internal disputes may need to think critically. Or social workers and other health professionals may need to use critical thinking to assess whether someone is vulnerable and in need of help and support when that person does not or cannot say openly.

Practice Watson Glaser Test with JobTestPrep

Critical thinking is about questioning what you already know . It is about understanding how to find the facts and the truth about a situation or argument without being influenced by other people’s opinions .

It is also about looking at the bigger picture and seeing how decisions made now may have short-term benefits but long-term consequences.

For those working in senior managerial roles, this ability to think objectively can make a big difference to business success.

As part of the critical thinking assessment, the Watson Glaser Test focuses on the acronym, 'RED':

• R ecognize assumptions
• E valuate arguments
• D raw conclusions

Put simply, the RED model ensures you can understand how to move beyond subconscious bias in your thinking. It ensures that you can identify the truth and understand the differences between fact and opinion.

To recognize assumptions , you must understand yourself and others: what your thought patterns and past experiences have led you to conclude about the world.

Evaluating arguments requires you to genuinely consider the merits of all options in a situation, and not just choose the one you feel that you ‘ought’ to.

Finally, to draw an accurate and beneficial conclusion you must trust your decision-making and understanding of the situation.

Watson Glaser Practice Test Questions & Answers

As mentioned earlier, the Watson Glaser Test assesses five core elements. Here, they will be examined in more depth:

This part of the test is about your ability to draw conclusions based on facts . These facts may be directly provided or may be assumptions that you have previously made.

Within the assessment, you can expect to be provided with a selection of text. Along with the text will be a statement.

You may need to decide whether that statement is true, probably true, insufficient data (neither true nor false), probably false or false.

The test looks to see if your answer was based on a conclusion that could be inferred from the text provided or if it is based on an assumption you previously made.

Watson Glaser Practice Test

Example Statement:

500 students recently attended a voluntary conference in New York. During the conference, two of the main topics discussed were issues relating to diversity and climate change. This is because these are the two issues that the students selected that are important to them.

Many people make decisions based on assumptions. But you need to be able to identify when assumptions are being made.

Within the Watson Glaser test , you will be provided with a written statement as well as an assumption.

You will be asked to declare whether that assumption was made in the text provided or not .

This is an important part of the test; it allows employers to understand if you have any expectations about whether things are true or not . For roles in law or finance, this is a vital skill.

We need to save money, so we’ll visit the local shops in the nearest town rather than the local supermarket

As a core part of critical thinking, 'deduction' is the ability to use logic and reasoning to come to an informed decision .

You will be presented with several facts, along with a variety of conclusions. You will be tasked with confirming whether those conclusions can be made from the information provided in that statement.

The answers are commonly in a ‘Yes, it follows/No, it does not follow’ form.

It is sometimes sunny on Wednesdays. All sunny days are fun. Therefore…

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Critical thinking is also about interpreting the information correctly. It is about using the information provided to come to a valuable, informed decision .

Like the deduction questions, you will be provided with a written statement, which you must assume to be true.

You will also be provided with a suggested interpretation of that written statement. You must decide if that interpretation is correct based on the information provided, using a yes/no format.

A study of toddlers shows that their speech can change significantly between the ages of 10 months and three years old. At 1 year old, a child may learn their first word whereas at three years old they may know 200 words

Evaluation of Arguments

This final part requires you to identify whether an argument is strong or weak . You will be presented with a written statement and several arguments that can be used for or against it. You need to identify which is the strongest argument and which is the weakest based on the information provided.

Should all 18-year-olds go to college to study for a degree after they have graduated from high school?

There are no confirmed pass/fail scores for Watson Glaser tests; different sectors have different interpretations of what is a good score .

Law firms, for example, will require a pass mark of at least 75-80% because the ability to think critically is an essential aspect of working as a lawyer.

As a comparative test, you need to consider what the comparative ‘norm’ is for your chosen profession. Your score will be compared to other candidates taking the test and you need to score better than them.

It is important to try and score as highly as you possibly can. Your Watson Glaser test score can set you apart from other candidates; you need to impress the recruiters as much as possible.

Your best chance of achieving a high score is to practice as much as possible in advance.

Everyone will have their own preferred study methods, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for another.

However, there are some basic techniques everyone can use, which will enhance your study preparation ahead of the test:

Step 1 . Pay Attention to Online Practice Tests

There are numerous free online training aids available; these can be beneficial as a starting point to your preparation.

However, it should be noted that they are often not as detailed as the actual exam questions.

When researching for online test questions, make sure that any questions are specific to the Watson Glaser Test , not just critical thinking.

General critical thinking questions can help you improve your skills but will not familiarize you with this test. Therefore, make sure you practice any questions which follow the ‘rules’ and structure of a Watson Glaser Test .

Step 2 . Paid-for Preparation Packs Can Be Effective

If you are looking for something that mimics the complexity of a Watson Glaser test , you may wish to look at investing in a preparation pack.

There are plenty of options available from sites such as JobTestPrep . These are often far more comprehensive than free practice tests.

They may also include specific drills (which take you through each of the five stages of the test) as well as study guides, practice tests and suggestions of how to improve your score.

Psychologically, if you have purchased a preparation pack, you may be more inclined to increase your pre-test practice/study when compared to using free tools, due to having invested money.

Step 3 . Apply Critical Thinking to All Aspects of Your Daily Routine

The best way to improve your critical thinking score is to practice it every day.

It is not just about using your skills to pass an exam question; it is about being able to think critically in everyday scenarios. Therefore, when you are reading the news or online articles, try to think whether you are being given facts or you are making deductions and assumptions from the information provided.

The more you practice your critical thinking in these scenarios, the more it will become second nature to you.

You could revert to the RED model: recognize the assumptions being made, by you and the author; evaluate the arguments and decide which, if any, are strong; and draw conclusions from the information provided and perhaps see if they differ from conclusions drawn using your external knowledge.

Prepare for Watson Glaser Test

Nine Top Tips for Ensuring Success in Your Watson Glaser Test

If you are getting ready to participate in a Watson Glaser test, you must be clear about what you are being asked to do.

Here are a few tips that can help you to improve your Watson Glaser test score.

1. Practice, Practice, Practice

Critical thinking is a skill that should become second nature to you. You should practice as much as possible, not just so that you can pass the test, but also to feel confident in using your skills in reality.

2. The Best Success Is Based on the Long-Term Study

To succeed in your Watson Glaser test , you need to spend time preparing. Those who begin studying in the weeks and months beforehand will be far more successful than those who leave their study to the last minute.

3. Acquaint Yourself With the Test Format

The Watson Glaser test has a different type of question to other critical thinking tests. Make sure that you are aware of what to expect from the test questions. The last thing you want is to be surprised on test day.

4. Read the Instructions Carefully

This is one of the simplest but most effective tips. Your critical thinking skills start with understanding what you are being asked to do. Take your time over the question. Although you may only have 30 minutes to complete the test, it is still important that you do not rush through and submit the wrong answers. You do not get a higher score if you finish early, so use your time wisely.

5. Only Use the Information Provided in the Question

Remember, the purpose of the test is to see if you can come to a decision based on the provided written statement. This means that you must ignore anything that you think you already know and focus only on the information given in the question.

6. Widen Your Non-Fictional Reading

Reading a variety of journals, newspapers and reports, and watching examples of debates and arguments will help you to improve your skills. You will start to understand how the same basic facts can be presented in different ways and cause people to draw different conclusions. From there, you can start to enhance your critical thinking skills to go beyond the perspective provided in any given situation.

7. Be Self-Aware

We all have our own biases and prejudices whether we know them or not. It is important to think about how your own opinions and life experiences may impact how you perceive and understand situations. For example, someone who has grown up with a lot of money may have a different interpretation of what it is like to “go without”, compared to someone who has grown up in extreme poverty. It is important to have this self-awareness as it is important for understanding other people; this is useful if you are working in sectors such as law.

8. Read the Explanations During Your Preparation

To make the most of practice tests, make sure you read the analysis explaining the answers, regardless of if you got the question right or wrong. This is the crux of your study; it will explain the reasoning why a certain answer is correct, and this will help you understand how to choose the correct answers.

9. Practice Your Timings

You know that you will have five sections to complete in the test. You also know that you have 30 minutes to complete the test. Therefore, make sure that your timings are in sync within your practice, so you can work your way through the test in its entirety. Time yourself on how long each section takes you and put in extra work on your slowest.

What score do you need to pass the Watson Glaser test?

There is no standard benchmark score to pass the Watson Glaser test . Each business sector has its own perception of what constitutes a good score and every employer will set its own requirements.

It is wise to aim for a Watson Glaser test score of at least 75%. To score 75% or higher, you will need to correctly answer at least 30 of the 40 questions.

The employing organization will use your test results to compare your performance with other candidates within the selection pool. The higher you score in the Watson Glaser test , the better your chances of being hired.

Can you fail a Watson Glaser test?

It is not possible to fail a Watson Glaser test . However, your score may not be high enough to meet the benchmark set by the employing organization.

By aiming for a score of at least 75%, you stand a good chance of progressing to the next stage of the recruitment process.

Are Watson Glaser tests hard?

Many candidates find the Watson Glaser test hard. The test is designed to assess five different aspects of logical reasoning skills. Candidates must work under pressure, which adds another dimension of difficulty.

By practicing your critical thinking skills, you can improve your chances of achieving a high score on the Watson Glaser test .

How do I prepare for Watson Glaser?

To prepare for Watson Glaser , you will need to practice your critical thinking abilities. This can be achieved through a range of activities; for example, reading a variety of newspapers, journals and other literature.

Try applying the RED model to your reading – recognize the assumptions being made (both by you and the writer), evaluate the arguments and decide which of these (if any) are strong.

You should also practice drawing conclusions from the information available to you.

Online Watson Glaser practice assessments are a useful way to prepare for Watson Glaser. These practice tests will give you an idea of what to expect on the day, although the questions are not usually as detailed as those in the actual test.

You might also consider using a paid-for Watson Glaser preparation pack, such as the one available from JobTestPrep . Preparation packs provide a comprehensive test guide, including practice tests and recommendations on how to improve your test score.

How long does the Watson Glaser test take?

Candidates are allowed 30 minutes to complete the Watson Glaser test . The multiple-choice test questions are grouped into five distinct areas - assumptions, deduction, evaluation, inference and interpretation.

Which firms use the Watson Glaser test?

Companies all over the world use the Watson Glaser test as part of their recruitment campaigns.

It is a popular choice for professional service firms, including banking, law, and insurance. Firms using the Watson Glaser test include the Bank of England, Hiscox, Deloitte and Clifford Chance.

How many times can you take the Watson Glaser test?

Most employers will only allow you to take the Watson Glaser test once per application. However, you may take the Watson Glaser test more than once throughout your career.

What is the next step after passing the Watson Glaser test?

The next step after passing the Watson Glaser test will vary between employers. Some firms will ask you to attend a face-to-face interview after passing the Watson Glaser test, others will ask you to attend an assessment center. Speak to the hiring manager to find out the process for the firm you are applying for.

Start preparing in advance for the Watson Glaser test

The Watson Glaser test differs from other critical thinking tests. It has its own rules and formations, and the exam is incredibly competitive. If you are asked to participate in a Watson Glaser test it is because your prospective employer is looking for the ‘best of the best’. Your aim is not to simply pass the test; it is to achieve a higher score than anyone else taking that test .

Therefore, taking the time to prepare for the Watson Glaser test is vital for your chances of success. You need to be confident that you know what you are being asked to do, and that you can use your critical thinking skills to make informed decisions.

Your study is about more than helping you to pass a test; it is about providing you with the skills and capability to think critically about information in the ‘real world’ .

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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

The Critical Thinking test is difficult, but not impossible to overcome with practice. At PrepTerminal our psychometric test experts have developed a critical thinking preparatory test to provide you with the material you need to practice for your critical thinking test. Prepare with us to increase your chance of successfully overcoming this hurdle in the recruitment process.

Prepterminal’s preparatory critical thinking course features a structured study course along with critical thinking practice tests to help you improve your exam score. Our course includes video and text-based information presented in a clear and easy-to-understand manner so you can follow along at your own pace with ease.

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How to Prepare for a Critical Thinking Test: Effective Strategies and Tips

Preparing for a critical thinking test can be challenging, as it requires you to use your intellectual skills to critically analyze evidence and reach logical conclusions. Critical thinking tests, sometimes known as critical reasoning tests, are often used by employers to evaluate how a candidate makes logical deductions after scrutinizing the evidence provided, while avoiding fallacies or non-factual opinions.

Understanding the fundamentals of critical thinking tests and familiarizing yourself with the types of questions you may encounter can greatly improve your chances of success. Additionally, consistent practice, mastering the art of deduction, and learning how to evaluate evidence effectively will also help you perform well on a critical thinking test.

Key Takeaways

• Familiarize yourself with the fundamentals and types of questions in a critical thinking test.
• Practice regularly and hone your deduction and evidence evaluation skills.
• Understand the relevance and application of critical thinking tests in various sectors.

Understanding Critical Thinking

Critical thinking skills.

Critical thinking is the ability to scrutinize evidence using intellectual skills and reflective abilities to reach clear, coherent, and logical conclusions, rather than just accepting information as it is provided 1 . It involves a range of logical skills that are essential for effective decision-making and problem-solving. Some of the key critical thinking skills include:

• Analyzing and evaluating information : Breaking down complex ideas, evaluating the quality of the information, and determining the relevance of various pieces of information.
• Identifying arguments and assumptions : Recognizing the structure of an argument, identifying hidden assumptions, and evaluating the strength of the underlying premises.
• Logical reasoning : Applying rules of logic and reasoning to make valid inferences and deductions based on provided information.
• Creative problem-solving : Thinking out of the box and using non-conventional methods to find new solutions to problems.
• Open-mindedness : Being willing to consider alternative perspectives and approaches, and resisting confirmation bias by questioning your own beliefs and assumptions.

Strategies to Enhance Critical Thinking Ability

Developing strong critical thinking skills requires practice and active engagement. Here are a few strategies to enhance your critical thinking abilities:

• Question everything : Cultivate curiosity by asking questions about what you read, hear, and observe.
• Practice active listening : Pay attention to the speaker and try to understand their perspective.
• Be aware of cognitive biases : Familiarize yourself with common biases and consciously try to avoid them.
• Develop reflective thinking : Reflect on your thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions to understand how they shape your decisions and actions.
• Exercise your brain : Engage in activities that challenge your mind, such as solving puzzles, learning new skills, or reading widely.

By incorporating these strategies into your daily life, you can improve your critical thinking skills to better prepare for critical thinking tests and be more effective in decision-making and problem-solving scenarios.

• Psychometric Success – Critical Thinking Tests ↩

Fundamentals of Critical Thinking Test

Evaluation of arguments.

Critical thinking tests assess an individual’s ability to evaluate arguments from various perspectives. Candidates are often required to decipher underlying assumptions, identify logical inconsistencies, and draw accurate conclusions from the provided information. A well-prepared candidate can understand the evidence and draw logical and coherent conclusions, rejecting any false or misleading information.

Types of Critical Thinking Tests

There are different types of critical thinking tests available online, covering a range of question formats and testing methods. Some tests focus on analyzing written passages, while others present the information in diagrams or charts. Most tests evaluate an individual’s ability to:

• Identify, understand, and evaluate assumptions
• Draw inferences and determine the validity of conclusions
• Evaluate the strength and relevance of arguments

Regardless of the test format, candidates need to be familiar with the structure and know how to approach each question type effectively.

Importance of Critical Thinking Tests for Employers

For employers, critical thinking tests play a vital role in the application process. Employers use these tests to assess a candidate’s ability to scrutinize evidence, make logical deductions, and avoid fallacies or non-factual opinions. This evaluation is essential in deciding whether an individual is suitable for a role that requires complex decision-making, troubleshooting, or problem-solving skills.

Overall, the fundamentals of critical thinking tests revolve around the ability to evaluate arguments, understand various test types, and recognize their significance in the employment process. Aspiring candidates should sharpen their critical thinking skills and acquaint themselves with different question formats to excel in these tests.

Guidelines to Prepare for the Test

Assessing and recognizing assumptions.

Before taking a critical thinking test, it’s essential to understand the importance of recognizing underlying assumptions in various scenarios. An argument may seem valid on the surface, but assumptions that have not been justified can weaken it. To prepare, practice identifying assumptions by evaluating different arguments and assessing the logical connections between them. Recognizing assumptions is crucial for making logical decisions during the test.

Drawing Logical Conclusions

A critical component of critical thinking is drawing logical conclusions based on the information provided. To master this skill, begin with analyzing different scenarios and identifying the relevant details. This process involves making inferences and connecting multiple pieces of information to arrive at a sound conclusion. Engage in activities that challenge your interpretation and decision-making abilities, as these skills will be beneficial on assessment day.

Implementing Problem Solving Techniques

Problem solving is an integral part of critical thinking tests. To strengthen your problem-solving capabilities, start by working on various multiple-choice questions that require analytical thinking. Identify the best course of action and always consider the possible consequences. Additionally, practice working under a time limit to become more efficient and precise in your methods. Establishing a systematic approach to problem solving will greatly enhance your performance on the test.

Sharpening Deduction Skills

Deduction is the process of making specific conclusions based on general principles. To improve your deduction skills, practice working on exercises that involve multiple-choice questions and scenarios where you must draw logical connections. Focus on understanding the fundamental principles and reasoning behind each situation. This will enable you to make informed and logical decisions during the test.

In conclusion, enhancing your critical thinking skills requires diligent practice and an understanding of key principles. By following the guidelines above, you can confidently prepare for the test and emerge with a strong foundation in critical thinking.

Critical Thinking Tests in Different Sectors

Critical thinking in the legal sector.

In the legal sector, critical thinking tests play a significant role in assessing job applicants. One popular test used for this purpose is the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal . This test evaluates a candidate’s ability to think logically and analytically while avoiding subconscious biases.

Lawyers are often expected to efficiently analyze complex situations and make logical deductions based on the evidence they gather. This skill is invaluable for law professionals, which is why companies prefer administering critical thinking skill tests for hiring purposes.

Critical Thinking in the Banking Sector

The banking sector similarly places great importance on critical thinking abilities. SHL Critical Reasoning Battery is commonly utilized in the banking industry to assess candidates’ logical reasoning and decision-making skills. You can practice critical thinking tests here .

Banks need employees who can make well-founded decisions and effectively handle intricate financial scenarios. Assessing critical thinking skills during recruitment ensures that companies hire professionals with the ability to make rational choices and excel in their roles.

In both sectors, it is crucial for candidates to undergo critical thinking tests to demonstrate their ability to think logically and analytically, contributing to the overall success of the organization.

Relevant Psychometric Assessments

When preparing for a critical thinking test, it is important to familiarize yourself with relevant psychometric assessments that employers might use to evaluate your cognitive abilities. Two widely known assessments are the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and the SHL Critical Reasoning Battery .

Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal

The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is a popular psychometric test that measures an individual’s ability to interpret, analyze, and evaluate information. This test helps employers assess a candidate’s critical thinking skills, which are essential for problem-solving and decision-making in various roles.

The Watson Glaser test covers five main areas:

• Recognition of assumptions
• Interpretation
• Evaluation of arguments

By understanding these categories and practicing relevant questions, you can effectively prepare for the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and showcase your ability to think critically.

SHL Critical Reasoning Battery

Another important test to be aware of is the SHL Critical Reasoning Battery . This assessment evaluates a candidate’s aptitude for logical reasoning and analysis, focusing on their ability to identify alternative interpretations and make well-informed decisions.

The SHL Critical Reasoning Battery typically includes three types of assessments:

• Verbal reasoning
• Numerical reasoning
• Inductive reasoning

Each type of assessment measures different cognitive abilities, making it necessary for candidates to practice and develop their skills in all three areas to perform well during the test.

In conclusion, preparing for a critical thinking test requires understanding the relevant psychometric assessments, such as the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and the SHL Critical Reasoning Battery. By focusing on the specific categories and cognitive abilities assessed in these tests, you can improve your critical thinking skills and increase your chances of success in the recruitment process.

Approach to Sample Questions

Interpreting information.

When preparing for a critical thinking test, it is essential to practice interpreting information. This skill involves the ability to understand and analyze the given data in order to draw logical conclusions. To enhance your interpretation skills, consider different question formats as well as various types of data, such as charts, tables, and passages. By exposing yourself to diverse information, you’ll improve your capability to discern what is relevant and make informed decisions.

Evaluating Arguments

Another critical component of preparing for a critical thinking test is evaluating arguments. This process requires analyzing an argument’s structure, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. In particular, focus on the argument’s premises, conclusions, and underlying assumptions. In order to develop the necessary evaluation skills, practice dissecting various arguments and maintain a neutral, objective mindset. This will enable you to discern whether the argument is valid, sound, or flawed.

Recognizing Assumptions

Recognizing assumptions is a crucial aspect of critical thinking, as it involves identifying biases, values, and beliefs underlying the presented information. Make a habit of questioning assumptions and considering alternative viewpoints. As you practice recognizing assumptions, challenge yourself to consider counterarguments and explore different perspectives. Developing this skill will enable you to approach sample questions with a more open mind and balanced judgment.

Practice Tests

Taking practice tests is an invaluable method of preparing for critical thinking exams. Practice tests expose you to a variety of question types, allowing you to get a feel for the format and structure of the test. Furthermore, practice tests provide you with the opportunity to identify areas for improvement and monitor your progress. By dedicating time to practicing test questions and analyzing your results, you can enhance your critical reasoning skills and better prepare yourself for the actual exam.

Remember, your raw score will be compared to a norm group to determine your relative performance in higher education or employment settings. By following these guidelines for interpreting information, evaluating arguments, recognizing assumptions, and taking practice tests, you will be well-equipped to excel in critical thinking tests, demonstrating your ability to make sound judgments.

Preparing for a critical thinking test involves a combination of honing your intellectual and reflective skills. One key aspect is to practice regularly with different test assessments to familiarize yourself with the format and question types.

When working on test questions, focus on understanding the context and read the given information thoroughly. Be particularly attentive to the question’s phrasing, as misinterpretation could lead to incorrect answers. Remind yourself to be cautious of assumptions, and check for logical fallacies in both the presented information and your own thought process.

Develop a habit of staying organized and ensuring your reasoning is coherent. In cases where creative problem-solving is needed, balance cold logic with out-of-the-box thinking. Self-awareness and a neutral, clear mindset can significantly improve your critical thinking abilities .

Lastly, persistence and dedication are crucial in refining your critical thinking skills. Be prepared to invest time and effort into this process, and do not become disheartened if you face difficulties along the way. Remember to learn from your mistakes, adapt your strategies, and you will undoubtedly see progress in your critical thinking capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key elements to focus on while practicing.

To prepare for a critical thinking test effectively, it’s important to focus on a few key elements while practicing. These include evaluating arguments, assessing evidence, understanding the structure and logic of an argument, and ensuring that emotions or personal opinions do not influence conclusions. Along with these elements, improving one’s problem-solving skills is crucial for success in the test.

How can one improve problem-solving skills?

Improving problem-solving skills involves breaking down complex problems into manageable components, identifying the root cause of a problem, and developing a systematic approach to find the solution. Practicing brain-teasers, puzzles, and logical reasoning questions can help sharpen these skills, making it easier to tackle critical thinking problems on the test.

What are the best sources for critical thinking test samples?

The best sources for critical thinking test samples are reputable websites and platforms that offer practice tests and resources tailored to the specific critical thinking test format. Some examples include Psychometric Success , Practice Aptitude Tests , and Practice4Me . These platforms offer sample questions, tips, and techniques to help candidates familiarize themselves with the test format and content.

How essential is time management in critical thinking tests?

Time management is an important aspect of critical thinking tests, as candidates are often required to solve problems and analyze situations within a limited timeframe. Developing efficient time management skills can help test-takers allocate appropriate time for each question, avoid spending too long on a single problem, and ensure that they have enough time to complete the entire test.

What strategies can be employed to enhance logical reasoning?

To enhance logical reasoning capabilities, candidates can practice understanding relationships between different statements, identifying assumptions and premises, and deducing conclusions from given information. Engaging in activities such as solving puzzles, participating in debates, and analyzing deductive and inductive reasoning can also help to further develop logical reasoning skills.

How can one effectively analyze arguments during the test?

Analyzing arguments effectively during a critical thinking test involves evaluating the evidence presented, understanding the structure of the argument, determining the validity of the argument, and identifying potential fallacies or biased reasoning. To achieve this, test-takers should practice critically analyzing various types of arguments, focusing on the logical and evidentiary components, and maintaining a neutral and objective viewpoint throughout the process.

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Critical Thinking Test

A Critical Thinking test, also known as a critical reasoning test, determines your ability to reason through an argument logically and make an objective decision. You may be required to assess a situation, recognize assumptions being made, create hypotheses, and evaluate arguments. What questions can I expect? Questions are very likely to be based on the Watson and Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal model, which contains five sections specially designed to find out how good an individual is at reasoning analytically and logically. The five sections are: Arguments: In the argument section you are tested on your ability to distinguish between arguments that are strong and arguments that are weak. For an argument to be strong, it must be both important and directly related to the question. An argument is weak if it is not directly related to the question, of minor importance, or it confuses correlation with causation (which is incorrectly assuming that just because two things are related, they are the cause of each other). Assumptions: An assumption is something we take for granted. People make many assumptions which may not necessarily be correct; being able to identify these is a key aspect of critical reasoning. An assumption question will include a statement and a number of assumptions. You are required to identify whether an assumption has been made or not. Deductions: In deduction questions you have to draw conclusions based on only the information given in the question and not your own knowledge. You will be provided with a small passage of information and you will need to evaluate a conclusion made based on that passage. If the conclusion cannot be drawn from the information given, then the conclusion does not follow. Interpretation: In these questions you are given a passage of information followed by a proposed conclusion. You are to regard the information you are given as true and decide whether the proposed conclusion logically and beyond doubt follows. Inferences: Inference is a conclusion drawn from supposed or observed facts. It is information that does not appear directly in the given information, but is drawn from it. If, for instance, we go to a public restroom and find the door locked, we will assume/make the inference that it is occupied. Where are Critical Thinking tests used? These tests are used in graduate, professional, and managerial recruitment. They are very common in the legal and banking sector.

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Critical Thinking

Developing the right mindset and skills.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

We make hundreds of decisions every day and, whether we realize it or not, we're all critical thinkers.

We use critical thinking each time we weigh up our options, prioritize our responsibilities, or think about the likely effects of our actions. It's a crucial skill that helps us to cut out misinformation and make wise decisions. The trouble is, we're not always very good at it!

In this article, we'll explore the key skills that you need to develop your critical thinking skills, and how to adopt a critical thinking mindset, so that you can make well-informed decisions.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the discipline of rigorously and skillfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions, and beliefs. You'll need to actively question every step of your thinking process to do it well.

Collecting, analyzing and evaluating information is an important skill in life, and a highly valued asset in the workplace. People who score highly in critical thinking assessments are also rated by their managers as having good problem-solving skills, creativity, strong decision-making skills, and good overall performance. [1]

Key Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinkers possess a set of key characteristics which help them to question information and their own thinking. Focus on the following areas to develop your critical thinking skills:

Being willing and able to explore alternative approaches and experimental ideas is crucial. Can you think through "what if" scenarios, create plausible options, and test out your theories? If not, you'll tend to write off ideas and options too soon, so you may miss the best answer to your situation.

To nurture your curiosity, stay up to date with facts and trends. You'll overlook important information if you allow yourself to become "blinkered," so always be open to new information.

But don't stop there! Look for opposing views or evidence to challenge your information, and seek clarification when things are unclear. This will help you to reassess your beliefs and make a well-informed decision later. Read our article, Opening Closed Minds , for more ways to stay receptive.

Logical Thinking

You must be skilled at reasoning and extending logic to come up with plausible options or outcomes.

It's also important to emphasize logic over emotion. Emotion can be motivating but it can also lead you to take hasty and unwise action, so control your emotions and be cautious in your judgments. Know when a conclusion is "fact" and when it is not. "Could-be-true" conclusions are based on assumptions and must be tested further. Read our article, Logical Fallacies , for help with this.

Use creative problem solving to balance cold logic. By thinking outside of the box you can identify new possible outcomes by using pieces of information that you already have.

Self-Awareness

Many of the decisions we make in life are subtly informed by our values and beliefs. These influences are called cognitive biases and it can be difficult to identify them in ourselves because they're often subconscious.

Practicing self-awareness will allow you to reflect on the beliefs you have and the choices you make. You'll then be better equipped to challenge your own thinking and make improved, unbiased decisions.

One particularly useful tool for critical thinking is the Ladder of Inference . It allows you to test and validate your thinking process, rather than jumping to poorly supported conclusions.

Developing a Critical Thinking Mindset

Combine the above skills with the right mindset so that you can make better decisions and adopt more effective courses of action. You can develop your critical thinking mindset by following this process:

Gather Information

First, collect data, opinions and facts on the issue that you need to solve. Draw on what you already know, and turn to new sources of information to help inform your understanding. Consider what gaps there are in your knowledge and seek to fill them. And look for information that challenges your assumptions and beliefs.

Be sure to verify the authority and authenticity of your sources. Not everything you read is true! Use this checklist to ensure that your information is valid:

• Are your information sources trustworthy ? (For example, well-respected authors, trusted colleagues or peers, recognized industry publications, websites, blogs, etc.)
• Is the information you have gathered up to date ?
• Has the information received any direct criticism ?
• Does the information have any errors or inaccuracies ?
• Is there any evidence to support or corroborate the information you have gathered?
• Is the information you have gathered subjective or biased in any way? (For example, is it based on opinion, rather than fact? Is any of the information you have gathered designed to promote a particular service or organization?)

If any information appears to be irrelevant or invalid, don't include it in your decision making. But don't omit information just because you disagree with it, or your final decision will be flawed and bias.

Now observe the information you have gathered, and interpret it. What are the key findings and main takeaways? What does the evidence point to? Start to build one or two possible arguments based on what you have found.

You'll need to look for the details within the mass of information, so use your powers of observation to identify any patterns or similarities. You can then analyze and extend these trends to make sensible predictions about the future.

To help you to sift through the multiple ideas and theories, it can be useful to group and order items according to their characteristics. From here, you can compare and contrast the different items. And once you've determined how similar or different things are from one another, Paired Comparison Analysis can help you to analyze them.

The final step involves challenging the information and rationalizing its arguments.

Apply the laws of reason (induction, deduction, analogy) to judge an argument and determine its merits. To do this, it's essential that you can determine the significance and validity of an argument to put it in the correct perspective. Take a look at our article, Rational Thinking , for more information about how to do this.

Once you have considered all of the arguments and options rationally, you can finally make an informed decision.

Afterward, take time to reflect on what you have learned and what you found challenging. Step back from the detail of your decision or problem, and look at the bigger picture. Record what you've learned from your observations and experience.

Critical thinking involves rigorously and skilfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions and beliefs. It's a useful skill in the workplace and in life.

You'll need to be curious and creative to explore alternative possibilities, but rational to apply logic, and self-aware to identify when your beliefs could affect your decisions or actions.

You can demonstrate a high level of critical thinking by validating your information, analyzing its meaning, and finally evaluating the argument.

Critical Thinking Infographic

See Critical Thinking represented in our infographic: An Elementary Guide to Critical Thinking .

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• Aptitude Tests Preparation
• Critical Thinking Tests

Critical Thinking Test Practice ▷ Free Critical Reasoning Samples & Tips 2024

Start Preparing for Your Critical Thinking Test.  This page features a brief introduction, followed by question examples with detailed explanations, and a free test sample.

Table of Contents :

✻  What is a Critical Thinking Test ?

✻  Sample Questions

Related links

✻  Free Critical Thinking Practice Test

✻  Watson Glaser Practice Test

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking, also known as critical reasoning, is the ability to assess a situation and consider/understand various perspectives, all while acknowledging, extracting and deciphering facts, opinions and assumptions. Critical thinking tests are a sub-type of aptitude exams  or psychometric tests used in pre-employment assessment for jobs reacquiring advanced analytical and learning skills.

The Skills You Will Be Tested On

Critical thinking tests can have 5 major sections or sub-tests that assess and measure a variety of aspects.

1) Inference

In this section, you are asked to draw conclusions from observed or supposed facts. You are presented with a short text containing a set of facts you should consider as true.

Below the text is a statement that could be inferred from the text. You need to make a judgement on whether this statement is valid or not, based on what you have read.

Furthermore, you are asked to evaluate whether the statement is true, probably true, there is insufficient data to determine, probably false, or false.

For example: if a baby is crying and it is his feeding time, you may infer that the baby is hungry. However, the baby may be crying for other reasons—perhaps it is hot.

2) Recognising Assumptions

In this section, you are asked to recognise whether an assumption is justifiable or not.

Here you are given a statement followed by an assumption on that statement. You need to establish whether this assumption can be supported by the statement or not.

You are being tested on your ability to avoid taking things for granted that are not necessarily true. For example, you may say, "I’ll have the same job in three months," but you would be taking for granted the fact that your workplace won't make you redundant, or that you won’t decide to quit and explore various other possibilities.

You are asked to choose between the options of assumption made and assumption not made.

3) Deduction

This section tests your ability to weigh information and decide whether given conclusions are warranted.

You are presented with a statement of facts followed by a conclusion on what you have read. For example, you may be told, "Nobody in authority can avoid making uncomfortable decisions."

You must then decide whether a statement such as "All people must make uncomfortable decisions" is warranted from the first statement.

You need to assess whether the conclusion follows or the conclusion does not follow what is contained in the statement. You can read more about our  deductive logical thinking test resources here. 

4) Interpretation

This section measures your ability to understand the weighing of different arguments on a particular question or issue.

You are given a short paragraph to read, which you are expected to take as true. This paragraph is followed by a suggested conclusion, for which you must decide if it follows beyond a reasonable doubt.

You have the choice of conclusion follows and conclusion does not follow.

5) Evaluation of Arguments

In this section you are asked to evaluate the strength of an argument.

You are given a question followed by an argument. The argument is considered to be true, but you must decide whether it is a strong or weak argument, i.e. whether it is both important and directly related to the question.

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Critical Thinking Question Examples

As there are various forms of critical thinking and critical reasoning, we've provided a number of critical thinking sample questions.

You can take our full Critical Thinking Sample Test to see more questions.

Example 1: Argument Analysis

Read the following:

In a recent study, anthropologists surveyed 250 adults who own pets and 250 adults who do not own pets on their interpersonal capacities. The questions asked of both those who own pets and those who do not own pets included tests for 'computational requirements', that is, tuning in to all the little signals necessary to operate as a couple. While members of each group displayed outstanding interpersonal capacities, in general, the adults who own pets were much more empathetic than those who do not own pets. This indicates that people who are especially empathetic are more likely to adopt a pet in spite of the personal sacrifice and the occasional inconvenience than people who are less empathetic.

Which of the following is true?

• Most of the people surveyed, whether they own pets or do not own pets, displayed outstanding interpersonal capacities.
• The adoption of a pet involves personal sacrifice and occasional inconvenience.
• People with high degrees of empathy are more likely to adopt pets than people with low degrees of empathy.
• Interpersonal capacities entail tuning in to all the little signals necessary to operate as a couple.
• A person's degree of empathy is highly correlated with his or her capacity for personal sacrifice.

The correct answer is C

Answer explanation: In a question of this type, the rule is very simple: the main conclusion of an argument is found either in the first or the last sentence. If, however, the main conclusion appears in the middle of an argument, it will begin with a signal word such as thus, therefore, or so. Regardless of where the main conclusion appears, the rest of the passage will give the reasons why the conclusion is true or should be adopted. The main conclusion in this passage is the last sentence, signaled by the words, 'This indicates that people who are especially empathetic are more likely to adopt a pet than people who are less empathetic'.

Example 2: Argument Practice

A: No. Differential bonuses have been found to create a hostile working environment, which leads to a decrease in the quality and quantity of products .

This argument is:

The correct answer is A (Strong)

Schema of the statement: Differential cash bonuses (productivity↑) → workplace↑

Explanation: This argument targets both the action and the consequences of the action on the object of the statement. It states that the action (implementing differential cash bonuses) has a negative effect on the workplace (a decrease in the quality and quantity of products). Therefore, it is an important argument, one that is relevant for the workplace. Note that this argument does not specifically target differential cash bonuses. Still, they are considered a sub-group of the subject of the argument (differential bonuses).

Example 3 – Interpretations 

Proposed assumption: Vicki and Bill encountered a personal battle because they couldn’t come to terms with their disease.

A. Conclusion follows

B. Conclusion does not follow

The correct answer is B (Conclusion does not follow)

It is plausible that the reason people who suffer from sleep apnoea encounter a personal battle is because of an inability to come to terms with this disease. However, since the passage does not provide an actual reason, you cannot reach this conclusion without reasonable doubt. 

The most common type of Critical Thinking Assessment is the Watson Glaser .

Difficult and time-pressured, the Watsong Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) takes a unique testing approach that breaks away from more traditional assessments. To see examples, check out our free Watson Glaser practice test .

Our expertly curated practice programme for the Watson Glaser will provide you with:

• A full-length diagnostic simulation
• Focused practice tests for the different test sections: inferences, assumptions, deductive reasoning, interpretations, and arguments.
• 3 additional full-length simulations
• Interactive tutorials

Or learn more about the Watson Glaser Test

Critical Thinking Tests FAQs

What critical reasoning test am I most likely to take?

Very Likely the Watson-Glaser test

Another popular critical thinking assessment, Watson-Glaser is a well-established psychometric test produced by Pearson Assessments.

The Watson-Glaser test is used for two main purposes: job selection/talent management and academic evaluations. The Watson-Glaser test can be administered online or in-person.

For Watson Glaser practice questions,   click here !

What skills do critical reasoning test measure?

Critical Thinking can refer to various skills:

• Defining the problem
• Selecting the relevant information to solve the problem
• Recognising assumptions that are both written and implied in the text
• Creating hypotheses and selecting the most relevant and credible solutions
• Reaching valid conclusions and judging the validity of inferences

Pearson TalentLens condenses critical thinking into three major areas:

• R ecognise assumptions – the ability to notice and question assumptions, recognise information gaps or unfounded logic. Basically not taking anything for granted.
• E valuate arguments – the ability to analyse information objectively without letting your emotions affect your opinion.
• D raw conclusions – the ability to reach focused conclusions and inferences by considering diverse information, avoiding generalisations and disregarding information that is not available.

These are abilities that employers highly value in their employees, because they come into play in many stages of problem-solving and decision-making processes in the workplace, especially in business, management and law.

Why are critical thinking tests important to employers?

Critical thinking, or critical reasoning, is important to employers because they want to see that when dealing with an issue, you are able to make logical decisions without involving emotions.

Being able to look past emotions will help you to be open-minded, confident, and decisive—making your decisions more logical and sound.

What professions use critical thinking tests?

Below are some professions that use critical thinking tests and assessments during the hiring process as well as some positions that demand critical thinking and reasoning skills:

Preparation Packs for Critical Thinking & Critical Reasoning AssessmentsThe Critical Thinking PrepPack™ provides you with the largest assembly of practice tests, study guides and tutorials.Our tests come complete with straightforward expert explanations and predictive score reports to let you know your skill level as well as your advancement.By using our materials you can significantly increase your potential within a few days and secure yourself better chances to get the job.

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Watson Glaser Tests

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Watson Glaser tests are a form of psychometric assessment that fall under the category of critical thinking tests. They are designed to determine how well an individual can process information from a logical perspective, and then evaluate, analyse and make sound judgements. As such, they are commonly used in the recruitment process for professions that rely on these skills.

What is a Watson Glaser test?

Watson Glaser test is a comprehensive psychometric assessment that falls under the category of critical thinking tests. It is designed to determine how well an individual can process information from a logical perspective, and then evaluate, analyze and make sound judgments. Watson Glaser test is commonly used in the recruitment process for professions that rely on these skills.

Watson Glaser tests have been around since 1925 when they were first developed by American psychologists Goodwin Watson and Edwin Glaser. Subject to many revisions and improvements over the years, they are now produced by test publisher TalentLens and are considered one of the most trusted methods of evaluating critical reasoning.

Critical thinking is a complex skill that requires the ability to interpret information, differentiate fact from fallacy, draw evidence-based conclusions and identify sound arguments, all while remaining objective.

Like many critical thinking tests , the Watson Glaser test measures these skills through verbal information: that is, statements or passages of text from which an individual is required to make deductions and inferences, pinpoint assumptions needed to validate a proposition, and weigh up the strength of an argument.

These are inherent skills, more prominent in some than others. The Watson Glaser test, therefore, requires no prior knowledge. Success relies on existing knowledge being put to one side, the sole focus being the evidence laid out in each question.

You may be asked to sit a Watson Glaser test by the potential employer if applying for a graduate, professional or managerial level position in a sector where critical thinking is a prerequisite. Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is most commonly used in the legal sector, but also the selection process of organizations like the Bank of England.

The test may be used for screening purposes in the initial stages of the hiring process, or at a later date as part of an assessment day .

What is the format of a Watson Glaser test?

The Watson Glaser test is a timed, multiple-choice assessment, the most recent version of which consists of 40 critical reasoning questions with a 30-minute time constraint.

Questions are split across five areas of logical reasoning ability:

Drawing inferences

To draw inferences is essential to make an educated guess based on the evidence in front of you, without being swayed by any pre-existing knowledge or subconscious bias.

You’ll be presented with a short paragraph, followed by a set of inferred statements. Potential employees need to critically analyse the information in the given paragraph to determine if these statements are true, probably true, false, probably false, or if there is insufficient proof to determine either way.

Recognising assumptions

Assumptions relating to what we understand to be true without needing solid proof. They are the underlying facts that give an argument its validity.

In this section of the test, you’ll be presented with a statement and a set of assumptions. If the statement relies on the assumption being true, you would mark it as ‘assumption made’.

If the assumption is irrelevant to the statement or bears no weight on its validity, you would mark it as ‘assumption not made.

Deductive reasoning is the act of arriving at a fact-based conclusion through a logical thought process. A deduction differs from an assumption in that it is what we take away from an argument, as opposed to the facts on which an argument needs to stand.

Based solely on the evidence presented in a statement or short paragraph, you’ll need to determine if a list of conclusions does or does not logically follow the information in front of you.

Interpreting

The interpretation section of the Watson Glaser test is similar to the deduction section, in that you’ll be asked to determine whether a given conclusion can logically be drawn from an argument.

However, with these questions, you’ll need to be able to identify significant pieces of information and decide if a logical interpretation can be applied in support of the conclusion in question.

Evaluating arguments

This last section looks at your ability to separate a weak argument from a strong one. It is designed to test your impartial evaluation of arguments, not your personal opinion.

A question will be posted, followed by a set of arguments on either side of the debate. You’ll need to decide if an argument is relevant and challenging, and therefore strong, or vague and unrealistic, and therefore weak.

What skills does it look to measure?

The five sections combined to give an overall picture of your performance in key areas, and measure your ability to:

Define a problem

Select key points of information to formulate a solution

Understand when an assumption has been made, and when it has not

Hypothesise, or select an applicable hypothesis based on limited evidence

Draw fact-based conclusions

Determine the probability of an inference

What is a passing score on the Watson Glaser tests?

The results of your Watson Glaser test will be assessed against a norm group: individuals of a comparative educational background or professional standing – within a relevant field – that have previously sat the exam.

It is therefore difficult to state an exact pass score on the test since it depends entirely on the performance of your peers. Ideally, you’d look to reach 75% and above to give yourself a competitive edge.

Which professions use Watson Glaser tests, and why?

Watson Glaser tests are used to assess suitability for several occupations including those in the medical profession, marketing, and education. Those critical reasoning tests are most common in law firms and professional services sectors.

Many positions in law, banking, and finance, for example, require that an individual make informed decisions that can be justified, are rooted in fact, and are free from bias. Since critical thinking is an essential skill here, employers use Watson Glaser tests to determine how well-suited a candidate is for these professions.

How to prepare for a Watson Glaser test

Practice is the first port of call when preparing for your Watson Glaser test. Although critical thinking is an inherent skill, it can be nurtured and improved upon.

Watson Glaser tests are built around a model known as RED . Try to keep this in mind as you approach both practice tests and daily tasks.

The components associated with the RED model are:

Recognising assumptions . Instead of simply taking things at face value, such as the news or a part of a conversation with a friend or co-worker, ask yourself if what you’re hearing can be classified as true, and what the facts are that back it up. Are they evidential, or based on assumptions?

Evaluating arguments . We’re all guilty of seeking out information that confirms our perspective. Instead, actively look for opinions that contradict your own and assess them from an objective point of view. The better you become at seeing both sides of a story, the more prepared you’ll be to critically evaluate arguments in your Watson Glaser test.

Drawing conclusions . Try to get used to drawing fact-based conclusions, rather than those based on emotional reactions or subconscious bias. These conclusions may not align with your perspective, but a Watson Glaser test requires that you conclude impartially – and as with most things in life, practice makes perfect here.

I’ve practiced hundreds of numerical questions and still have plenty more to try.

Tips for Watson Glaser tests

Study the practice questions.

In the official test, you’ll have the opportunity to complete practice questions. These are there for a reason, so use them wisely. Each section of the test differs slightly in its approach, and the more comfortable you are with what is being asked of you, the more clearly you’ll be able to approach the problem.

Leave instinct and intuition at the door

To succeed on a Watson Glaser test, you need to go against human nature and ignore everything you think you know. Each question will contain all the relevant information you need. Whether you believe it to be true, agree with it, or not, is irrelevant. For the sake of the test, evaluate only the information given. Any outside knowledge should temporarily be forgotten.

Examine each question carefully

The key to strategic critical thinking is to fully understand what is being presented. You cannot draw a valid conclusion, or understand what assumptions support an argument, if you do not fully comprehend what is put forward. You may feel the need to rush under the time pressure, but attention to detail is vital.

Look for keywords and phrases

The statement, proposition or paragraph of text at the start of each question will inevitably include keywords or phrases that relate directly to the assumptions, inferences or conclusions given. These are your clues. Identify them, and you’ll find it much easier to analyse each scenario objectively.

Split your time evenly

Remember, you have a set amount of time to work through all five sections of the test. Split this evenly across the board before you start, and keep track of how much time you spend on each question. It may seem counterintuitive to add to the pressure, but in setting yourself a time frame, you eliminate the risk of dedicated excessive attention to any one part of the test.

For further advice, check out our full set of tips for Watson Glaser tests .

Practice Aptitude Tests is not associated with Watson Glaser. We provide preparation services for Watson Glaser psychometric tests. Our tests are not designed to be identical to any style, employer or industry. Visit https://www.talentlens.co.uk/product/watson-glaser/ to find out more.

Watson Glaser Tests FAQs

How does watson glaser define critical thinking.

According to the methodology behind Watson Glaser tests, critical thinking is the ability to observe a scenario and consider it from various perspectives, whilst identifying what is fact, what is assumed and what is mere opinion. In doing so, you should be able to draw logical conclusions and use these for informed decision making.

How can I improve my critical thinking skills?

Critical thinking is a part of our daily lives; we’re just not always aware that we’re doing it. To improve your skills, tune in to the world around you, ask questions, read actively and look for evidence in every statement or argument you come across. Take practice tests regularly to assess your progress.

Is the Watson Glaser test hard?

Watson Glaser tests are considered among the most challenging of all critical thinking assessments, since they test five separate aspects of logical reasoning ability . Time constraints also add to the pressure. That said, they are typically no harder than the careers for which they test your suitability, and with dedicated practice, you can hone your skills and make critical thinking second nature.

Where can I practice Watson Glaser tests?

There are multiple online resources available to help you prepare for your Watson Glaser test, including our own free practice tests . We recommended you work through these questions to familiarise yourself with the format and improve your critical thinking skills.

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Reviews of our Watson Glaser tests

What our customers say about our Watson Glaser tests

Jozef Bailey

United Kingdom

April 05, 2022

Doesn't cover all aspects of Watson-Glaser tests but useful

The WGCTA uses more categories to assess critical thinking, but this was useful for the inference section.

April 01, 2022

Just practicing for an interview

Good information and liked that it had a countdown clock, to give you that real feel in the test situation.

Jerico Kadhir

March 31, 2022

Aptitude test

It was OK, I didn't understand personally whether or not the "cannot say" option was acceptable or not in a lot of the questions, as it may have been a trick option.

Salvarina Viknesuari

March 15, 2022

I like the test because the platform is simple and engaging while the test itself is different than most of the Watson Glaser tests I've taken.

Alexis Sheridan

March 02, 2022

Some of the ratios were harder than I thought!

I like how clear the design and layout is - makes things very easy (even if the content itself is not!)

Cyril Lekgetho

February 17, 2022

Mental arithmetic

I enjoyed the fact that there were multiple questions pertaining to one passage of information, rather than multiple passages. However I would've appreciated a more varied question type.

Madupoju Manish

February 16, 2022

Analytics are the best questions

I like the test because of its time schedule. The way the questions are prepared makes it easy to crack the original test.

Chelsea Franklin

February 02, 2022

Interesting

I haven't done something like this for ages. Very good for the brain - although I certainly experienced some fog whilst doing it.

[email protected]

January 04, 2022

Population/exchange rates were the hardest

Great test as it felt a bit time pressured. Very different types of questions in terms of difficulty.

faezeh tavakoli

January 02, 2022

More attention to detail + be more time conscious

It was asking about daily stuff we all deal with, but as an assessment it's scrutinising how we approach these problems.

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Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Tests

Complex and challenging critical thinking tests, including the Watson-Glaser, are used mostly by law firms.

Page contents:

About critical thinking tests and how they work, free practice critical thinking tests, the watson glaser critical thinking appraisal, what is measured by a watson glaser critical thinking test, what should i know before taking a watson glaser critical thinking test, major publishers' critical thinking tests, advice for all critical thinking tests, assessmentday's practice tests can help you to prepare for a critical thinking test, one final point, other test publishers.

Updated: 08 September 2022

Critical thinking tests, or critical reasoning tests, are psychometric tests used in recruitment at all levels, graduate, professional and managerial, but predominantly in the legal sector. However, it is not uncommon to find companies in other sectors using critical thinking tests as part of their selection process. This is an intense test, focusing primarily on your analytical, or critical thinking, skills. Some tests are still conducted by paper and pen, but, just like other psychometric tests, critical thinking tests are mostly administered online at home or on a computer at a testing center.

The questions are multiple choice, and these choices and the style of questions are explained in more detail further down the page. The tests will often follow these two common timings:

• 30 questions with a 40 minute time limit
• 80 questions with a 60 minute time limit

Critical Thinking can be defined in many ways and an exact description is disputed, however, most agree on a broad definition of critical thinking, that 'critical thinking involves rational, purposeful, and goal-directed thinking...by using certain cognitive skills and strategies.' An absence or lack of critical thinking skills at times may lead us to believe things which aren't true, because we haven't sufficiently analysed and criticized the information we've received or used this to formulate and independently test our own theories, arguments and ideas. These are all examples of critical thinking skills put into practice. Glaser (An Experiment in the Development of Critical Thinking, 1941) stated that to think critically involved three key parts:

• An attitude of being disposed to consider in a thoughtful way the problems and subjects that come within the range of one's experiences
• Knowledge of the methods of logical inquiry and reasoning
• Some skill in applying those methods

Note: AssessmentDay and its products are not affiliated with Pearson or TalentLens. Our practice tests are for candidates to prepare for the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal; we do not sell tests for employers to select candidates.

Free Critical Thinking Test

Here, we have a full critical thinking test for you to practice for free. You can dive straight in and practice the full test (in blue at the bottom), or tackle each individual section one at a time.

All answers and explanations are included at the end of the test, or alternatively you can download the Solutions PDF. Each test has been given a generous time limit.

Critical Thinking Test 1

• 40 questions

Critical Thinking Test 2

Critical thinking test 3, critical thinking test 4.

TalentLens' Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) is the most common critical thinking test. You can visit their official site here: Watson Glaser . Most other critical thinking tests are based on the Watson Glaser format. More than 90 years' of experience have led to many modifications and improvements in the test.

The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is widely regarded as a good predictor of work productivity and at identifying candidates with a good potential to become managers and occupy other positions as a senior member of staff. The latest edition of the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test has improved its validity, appealed more to businesses by focusing on business-relevant topics, switched to the Item Response Theory (IRT) for its scoring, updated norm groups, and integrated anti-cheat measures by having an online retest, which can be used to validate results.

Developed by Goodwin Watson and Edward Glaser, the Watson Glaser test is favored by law firms , keen to measure people's abilities to reason, reach conclusions and know when leaps in logic have been made. Skills which are required in the legal sector. The questions in each of the 5 sections aims to evaluate the candidate's ability to:

• 1. Arrive at correct inferences
• 2. Identify when an assumption has been made
• 3. Use deductive reasoning
• 4. Reach logical conclusions
• 5. Evaluate the effectiveness of arguments

Did You Know

The most recent revision of the W-GCTA was published in 2011 with notable improvements being better face validity and business-relevant items, scoring based on Item Response Theory (IRT), updated norm groups, and an online retest which can be used to validate a paper and pencil test result.

A Critical thinking tests assesses your ability in 5 key areas mentioned above; assumptions, arguments, deductions, inferences and interpreting information. Often in this order. A short paragraph of text a few sentences long or a single sentence is used as a starting point. This passage will contain information which you will base your answer to the question on. Another sentence is then presented to you and you will be asked to judge something about this sentence based on the information in the short paragraph. The five sections are explained in more detail here:

• Assumptions - You are being asked to state whether the information in the second set of text you are presented is an assumption made in the first paragraph. Quite a tricky concept to get your head around at first. In a nutshell, when people speak or make arguments, there are underlying assumptions in those arguments. Here you are presented with some assumptions and are asked to judge if that is being made in the original statement. For example in the statement "only people earning a high salary can afford a fast car," what's being assumed is that fast cars are expensive because only people who are earning a lot of money can buy one, however, what's not being assumed is that people without high salaries aren't legally allowed to buy a fast car. You are asked to choose whether an assumption has been made or has not been made.
• Arguments - You are presented with an argument, such as "Should college fees be abolished?" Regardless of your own opinions and thoughts on the argument, you are then presented with statements related to this original argument. You are asked to say whether the responses to the original argument of "Should college fees be abolished?" make for strong or weak arguments. Arguments are considered strong if they are related to the topic such as, "Yes, many people who would benefit from a college education do not because they cannot afford it. This hurts the country's economic growth." The argument presented is sound, related to the original question. Compare this with a weak argument, "No, I do not trust people who read a lot of books." It is clear that the second argument bears very little relation to the subject of the abolition of college tuition fees. This is not to say that an argument against the original argument will always be a weak one, or that an argument in favor will always be a strong one. For example, "Yes, I like people that read books," is in favor of the abolition as indicated by "yes," but that person's like or dislike of others that read books isn't related, or hasn't been explained how it's related to removing the fees. Carefully considering what is being said, remove it from your own personal opinions and political views to objectively analyse what someone else has put forward.
• Deductions - A few sentences of information are presented to you. Another separate short statement will also be shown to you, which is supposed to represent a conclusion that someone has reached. You will have to determine whether this conclusion logically follows from the information given to you. Can the statement be deduced from the information available>? If so, and without a doubt, then the conclusion follows, if not, then the conclusion does not follow. Your decision must be based on the information given and not from your own knowledge.
• Inferences - A short scenario is described to you, followed by possible inferences. The inferences are short statements. Imagine that these are what people have said is inferred from the scenario. Use your judgement and the short scenario to assess whether what's being said has actually been inferred from the passage and the likelihood of this inference. You are asked to rank each inference as either 'true,' 'false,' 'possibly true,' 'possibly false.' For some proposed inferences there isn't enough information to say either 'true' or 'false' so a fifth option is included; 'more information required.' You can only select one option from the five.
• Interpreting Information - Following a similar format to the previous four sections, a short passage of information and then a series of statements are shown to you. You are asked to judge whether the information in the passage can be interpreted as the statements suggest. The answer options are straightforward here; you either select 'conclusion follows,' or 'conclusion does not follow,' depending on whether or not you believe that the statement can be logically reached from the information given. Again, for this section and all others, you are to base your choice of answer on what you're given, not on any specialized knowledge you might have.

If a watson glaser critical thinking test is used in the early stages of the application process it's likely to be used as a screening tool. This puts some pressure on candidates to meet a minimum pass mark, which will allow them to be selected to go on to the next stage of the selection process. If it's used at a later stage in the process, the results from this will be combined with performance in other assessments, tests, exercises and interviews. All the information you need to answer the questions will be in the test. Below the details of a few companies' critical thinking tests are pointed out.

Here is a list of critical reasoning tests on the market at present, which candidates may be likely to encounter for recruitment, selection or development.

• W-GCTA - The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal as it is formally called is the most ubiquitous critical thinking test out there. This is the one that you are most likely to encounter.
• GMAT - The general management aptitude test, used by business schools and colleges test students' critical thinking ability. The critical thinking questions are written in a business or finance context.
• SHL - SHL have produced the Critical Reasoning Test Battery composed of 60 critical reasoning questions with a strict time limit of 30 minutes.
• Cornell - Cornell have developed a critical thinking test to be used in educational environments. The two levels, X and Z, are aimed at children and adults, respectively.
• Area-specific - There are tests which focus on either numerical critical reasoning skills and verbal critical reasoning skills. These tests will ask only numerical or only verbal questions to assess your skills in a specific area.

Here is some general advice to help you perform to the best of your ability for your critical reasoning test.

• No prior knowledge - The key point here is that critical reasoning tests are measuring your ability to think, or the method that you use to reach a conclusion. You should therefore not rely on prior knowledge to answer the question. Questions will be written so that you do not need to know any specialist knowledge to answer the question. For example, you will not be expected to know mathematical formulas or laws of nature and to answer questions with that information. If you are given the formula and its description in the questions, you are expected to use that information to reach the answer.
• Carefully read the instructions - There are 5 sections to most critical thinking tests and each will assess a slightly different skill. Make sure you have read the instructions and understand what it is you are expected to do to answer the questions for this section. There is quite a difference between the Assumptions section and the Deductions section for example. Applying the rules of one to the other would lead to just guessing the answers and making many mistakes.
• Keep your eye on the timer - These tests are complex. You might find yourself fixated on answering one question and taking up a lot of the time you are allowed. Checking how much time you have every so often can help you to more evenly distribute your time between the questions. This is done to avoid spending too much time on one question when that time would be better spent answering more or checking your answers. This time management applies to all tests, but is particularly important with Critical Thinking tests, as many people believe they have such a large amount of time, but underestimate the number of questions they have to answer.
• Logical fallacies - Identifying logical fallacies is key to many parts of this test, and researching the difference between sound and fallacious logic will prove helpful in a critical reasoning test. A fallacy is an error in reasoning due to a misconception or a presumption, and an argument which employs a formal fallacy, logical fallacy or a deductive fallacy in its reasoning becomes an invalid argument. Researching the different types of fallacy (i.e. red herring argument, straw man argument, confusing correlation and causation etc.) can help you spot these in the test and correctly answer the question.

The practice tests that we have cover all of the sections of the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking test and these overlap with many of the variations in Critical Thinking tests produced by major publishers. practice helps to increase your confidence, gives you a chance to learn from your mistakes in a risk-free environment, and can reduce stress before an exam.

The best place to get advice on taking a critical thinking tests is the test publisher's website, for example this one for the Watson Glaser .

If you have already successfully passed a few initial stages of the application process, it's unlikely that companies will focus solely on your results in the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking test when deciding whether or not to hire you. This type of selection by results on one test is more likely if it is part of the early stages of the process. However, towards the later stages the company will look at your results across interviews, group exercises, other aptitude tests and your résumé and will collate all of this information before reaching a decision. If you have been invited to undertake a critical reasoning test then the organisation clearly has an interest in hiring you, let that fact inspire confidence and perform to the best of your ability on your test, good luck!

You may also be interested in these popular tests sections.

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

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?

You might also be interested in these other PRT articles:

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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

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Defining Critical Thinking

• A Brief History of the Idea of Critical Thinking
• Critical Thinking: Basic Questions & Answers
• Our Conception of Critical Thinking
• Sumner’s Definition of Critical Thinking
• Research in Critical Thinking
• Critical Societies: Thoughts from the Past

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Critical Thinking Explained: What Is It?

What is a critical thinking test, preparing for a critical thinking assessment (2024), top tips for critical thinking tests (2024), frequently asked questions, critical thinking test tips & questions 2024.

Updated October 4, 2023

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Critical thinking is a form of reflective reasoning that evaluates information and arguments by applying a range of intellectual skills to reach clear, logical and coherent judgements within a given context.

Instead of accepting arguments and conclusions presented, a person with strong critical thinking will question and scrutinize the evidence provided. They will look for logical connections between ideas, consider alternative interpretations and evaluate the strength of arguments presented.

Everyone experiences some degree of subconscious bias in their thinking. Critical thinking skills can help an individual separate out facts from opinions.

These tests are used to determine an individual's ability to think critically and as a way of assessing a candidate's suitability for an organisation or a specific position within it.

The critical thinking test is designed to test your ability to analyse text and use logic in your reasoning.

A critical thinking test is designed to assess your capacity to conceptualise, analyse and reason when presented with a specific scenario.

Within the legal sector, critical thinking is a necessity in many different areas of work. Therefore these tests are often used in applications for law roles, to determine whether you are sufficiently skilled to handle the day-to-day challenges that legal professionals face.

It is not unusual for candidates to be asked to complete a situational judgement or personality test in addition to the critical thinking assessment.

You can practise realistic critical thinking tests here .

Prepare for Any Job Assessment Test with JobTestPrep

Critical Thinking Practice Questions and Test Structure

During a crucial thinking test you will be presented with a paragraph of information, usually setting out a given scenario and including both numerical and written data.

Accompanying this paragraph will be a statement asking you to determine how truthful you think the statement is based on the information provided.

The test will typically include five sections as described below, which are used to measure how effectively you can work through information using analytical reasoning.

Assumptions

Here the candidate will be expected to carefully evaluate the scenario and then conclude whether any assumptions are present in the statement.

As an example, a statement within the paragraph could include the phrase "only employees in senior roles can afford to purchase luxury vehicles". In this statement, it is assumed that the luxury vehicle will cost more than a standard car.

In these types of question, the information is provided for the candidate to review. It is up to the candidate to determine whether any assumptions have been made.

What assumptions might someone make when they say, "If it's natural, it must be good"?

Analysis of Arguments

This type of question will present a scenario such as whether the government should cover the cost of tuition fees for students. Following the question are a set of arguments in favour of and against the given scenario.

Candidates will then need to determine whether the arguments are weak or strong, based on their relevance and the way in which they address the question. If the argument directly relates to the statement the argument is considered to be strong; conversely, if the argument is not directly related to the question, the argument would be weak.

Analyze the following argument: "Social media is addictive because everyone I know spends hours on it every day."

A deduction-based question is one where the candidate is expected to assess a set of deductions made about the information presented. If the candidate cannot deduce a statement from the data provided, the deduction is not applicable and the candidate must select which deductions apply and which ones don’t.

The answer must be based on the information provided, rather than conclusions that the candidate may reach based on their existing knowledge.

If all humans are mortal, and Socrates is a human, what can you deduce about Socrates?

In this type of question, the candidate will be presented with a collection of possible inferences. The candidate will be asked to state whether the inferences are possibly false, possibly true, absolutely true or absolutely false, or it is not possible to reach a decision based on the information provided.

Based on the information provided, what can you infer about the character's personality in a short story where the character is described as meticulous and always punctual?

• Interpretation

The final type of question within a critical thinking test is one that asks the candidate to interpret information. As with all of the other questions above, candidates are presented with a paragraph of information accompanied by a set of possible conclusions.

The candidate will then need to interpret this information and reach a decision as to whether any of the conclusions are possible based on the information.

Interpret the meaning of the phrase, "Actions speak louder than words," in the context of a political speech.

If you need to prepare for a number of different employment tests and want to outsmart the competition, choose a Premium Membership from JobTestPrep . You will get access to three PrepPacks of your choice, from a database that covers all the major test providers and employers and tailored profession packs.

The majority of firms who use critical thinking tests are those in the legal sector, since legal jobs require candidates to critically review propositions and arguments as part of their daily duties. That being said, they can also be used for any industry where critical thinking skills are required.

When a critical reasoning test features as part of an assessment day , it is very unlikely that it will be the main factor in deciding whether you are suitable. Critical reasoning will just be one of the elements that the recruiter will use, in combination with a variety of other tools they will use to build up a bigger picture of your overall abilities.

If however, the critical thinking test appears towards the beginning of the recruitment process, it may be used as an initial screening tool to shortlist candidates. A poor performance during the test at this stage could result in early elimination.

To be successful in a critical reasoning test, you do not have to learn new material or conduct any research, nor will you be asked to draw on your existing knowledge.

All of the information that you need to complete the test will be provided at the time. It is simply a case of evaluating the information that you have been presented with. However this should not be underestimated: the tests can be a challenge to say the least.

The most widely used critical thinking test is known as the Watson Glaser .

To succeed in a critical thinking test, there are various steps that you can take to make sure that you perform as well as possible:

Step 1 . Review all the information

This may seem like an obvious tip, but is surprising how many people skip through the content just to get the question finished. Failure to read and absorb the information can have disastrous consequences.

Quickly skimming through the content can result in missed understanding or the omission of key pieces of data. Some candidates may find that reading the question several times can help, but remember these tests are usually timed so you may have to think quickly.

Step 2 . Timing

Before you attempt the real test, practice as much as possible and if you can, try to find out how many questions there will be so you can plan your time.

When you are completing the test, keep an eye on the time and don’t spend too long on one question. You can always come back to it at the end if you have time.

As critical thinking tests are usually quite complex in nature, they tend to have a generous time limit (in some rare cases, no time limit at all). Use this to your advantage when reading the passage of information, evaluating the question and providing your response.

Step 3 . Read the Instructions

At the beginning of each section, you will be provided with instructions detailing how to answer that section correctly. If, for example, the question asks you to evaluate whether the given arguments are strong or weak, the instruction cover page will advise what is classed as being a strong or a weak argument.

Take sufficient time to read these instructions so you can answer the questions properly.

Step 4 . Logic

This is a crucial part of the critical thinking test and understanding the difference between fact and fallacy can optimise your performance.

A fallacy is essentially an error or something misleading in the information due to a presumption or misconception. Where this type of logic is used, it can result in an argument that is invalid.

Researching the various types of confusing, misleading or false information that may appear in these tests enables you to be more alert to something in the information which has been deliberately used to throw you off or cause confusion.

Step 5 . General Knowledge

Sometimes you may encounter a question in the test that is based on real information. As a result, there’s a risk that you base your answer on your general knowledge rather than the information presented in the test. During the tests, always avoid using your existing knowledge . Rely only on the information you are presented with.

Step 6 . Practice

Critical thinking tests are complex and certainly designed to challenge. Therefore it is strongly advised that you carry out sufficient practice before the tests so you can become accustomed to the five different areas.

The more practice you undertake, the more confident you will be in approaching the questions in the real critical thinking test.

What is the Watson-Glaser critical thinking test?

The Watson-Glaser critical thinking test is one of the best-known critical thinking tests in the world.

It is a common test for professional services as it allows employers to see how a candidate may identify assumptions, understand information and create conclusions.

In addition, the Watson-Glaser test is commonly used within the legal sector.

How do I crack the critical thinking tests?

Passing a critical thinking test relies on understanding what the question is asking you to do. Therefore, you must come to your answer using only the information provided.

It can be tempting to use your knowledge and understanding to create a conclusion. Still, critical thinking tests are looking to see how you can interpret and understand the information presented to you.

You need to look carefully at what you are being asked to do and establish as much logic as possible. Try to see if there are any contradictions between the information provided, which could contrast with the logic that you’ve discovered.

An easy tip to help you practice is to read as much non-fiction as possible. Try to read various newspapers; you’ll start to discover how different approaches and perspectives can alter how a news story is written. The more you do this, the easier it will be to see how different logic patterns and conclusions emerge.

Another tip is to practice critical thinking tests as much as you can. It will help you identify what you are being asked to do and familiarise yourself with the test, but it can help you practice your timings. For example, Watson-Glaser tests are timed, so you must practice to see how long you have to answer each question.

Is the critical thinking test hard?

Critical thinking tests aren’t difficult, but your success may depend on how good your critical thinking skills are. These aren’t inherent skills; instead, they are skills that we have to learn and work towards. Therefore, the more time you spend focusing on how to improve your critical thinking skills, the easier you may find the test.

If you have not prepared, you may find the Watson-Glaser test hard. This is because it is a very specific type of test. If you are not familiar with the questioning style or are unsure what the questions are asking you to do, you could end up with a lower score.

Why does Amazon use critical thinking tests?

Big brands such as Amazon choose to use critical thinking tests within their recruitment strategies because they want to identify those candidates with the potential to succeed.

In addition, they want to learn more about individuals than just their resumes. Using critical thinking tests can predict how you may behave in certain scenarios. They can see how you work and how you arrive at conclusions. This tells them whether you are right for the job role that you are applying for, and it also gives them insights into your future leadership potential.

How does the critical thinking test benefit businesses?

Businesses do not have the time or budget to review their recruitment strategies. Therefore, they need to hire the right people who can get started with the job quickly and easily. Critical thinking tests are common within professional industries, especially the legal sector because they give employers an insight into each candidate and their critical thinking skills.

Critical thinking tests are useful for two reasons.

Firstly, they are a standardized assessment. This means that employers can judge each candidate fairly within the recruitment process, on an even playing field. They can directly compare and contrast the test results.

Secondly, critical thinking is a crucial skill in today’s workplace. It’s an essential component of problem-solving and helps people to work effectively. Therefore, businesses need workforces who can look beyond the information provided to them and think about what they should be doing and why .

Where can I get a sample of a critical thinking assessment?

If you are looking to practice a critical thinking test before your official assessment, you could look to sites such as JobTestPrep . Here, you can use their comprehensive study guides to prepare for the Watson-Glaser test and familiarise yourself with the types of questions you could ask.

What mark do you need to get in critical thinking tests?

This depends on the test itself, as well as the employer. The Watson-Glaser test doesn’t have a specific score, but broadly speaking, many law firms will expect candidates to achieve a minimum of 75-80% on the assessment.

This is because the law is an area where critical thinking is a vital skill set. Other professions may have lower pass requirements.

You should be aware that these tests are competitive. The higher your score, the more likely you will impress a hiring manager.

How many questions are on critical thinking tests?

If you are asked to take a Watson-Glaser test , you can expect to be asked 40 questions. These will be split across five distinct areas;

• Recognition of Assumptions
• Evaluation of Arguments

How do you answer assumption questions in critical thinking tests?

When it comes to critical thinking tests , assumptions are where you have come to a conclusion without the answer being specifically inferred within the text provided.

You will be provided with a passage that you must read through carefully. In the end, you will be given a series of assumptions relating to that passage. You will need to identify which assumptions could be justified based on the information you have just read.

The assessment aims to see whether you can justify if an assumption is true or false according to the information provided.

Assumptions are important in critical thinking because they link understanding and refuting specific arguments.

Is the critical thinking test timed?

Critical thinking tests are timed. You will likely have anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes.

You can expect to have at least one minute to answer each question. Therefore, as part of your test preparation, you should practice some online critical thinking tests to check your timings.

Who invented the Watson Glaser critical thinking test?

Edward Glaser and Goodwin Watson developed the Watson-Glaser critical thinking test .

What companies use critical thinking tests?

Many professional services increasingly use critical thinking tests as part of their application process. In particular, the legal sector is known for incorporating the Watson-Glaser tests in their recruitment drives.

Specific companies that have previously used critical thinking tests as part of their recruitment campaigns include Amazon, Bank of England, Deloitte, Hiscox, Linklaters, and Simmons & Simmons.

As critical thinking tests become more reliable and affordable, you can anticipate that they will become more commonplace in small and medium-sized companies.

Can I fail a critical thinking assessment?

Critical thinking tests have no right or wrong answers because assessors are more concerned with how you come to an answer. But, even if you cannot ‘fail’ a critical thinking test, you could achieve a lower score than your peers.

Companies often use critical thinking tests as a standardized assessment to directly compare applicants. If you achieve a low score or are significantly lower than your peers, you will be less likely to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

What are the three best critical thinking exam questions and answers?

Here are a few tips to give you the best possible chance for success in your next critical thinking test .

Read the question carefully. The critical thinking test will look carefully to see how you interpret and assess information. Therefore, you need to be crystal clear that you know exactly what you are asked to do. Read the question several times before you submit your answer.

The test is divided into five sections: Inference, Recognition of Assumptions, Deduction, Interpretation, and Evaluation of Arguments. Use your preparation to focus on each area to be 100% confident in each aspect of the test. You may wish to divide the test time by five, so you are allocating a similar timescale for each part of the assessment.

Use practice test papers and online practice tests to familiarise yourself with the test format. This will help you identify which areas may need additional study, but it will help you practice your timings. The more familiar you are with critical thinking tests, the more confident you will feel on test day.

Focus on improving your critical thinking skills in ‘real life. An easy way to improve your skills is to read different media types. Broaden your horizons and read as much non-fiction as possible. You may be surprised to learn that different perspectives and writing styles could report on the same story differently.

What are the three best critical thinking questions and answers?

If you are trying to improve your critical thinking skills , you should always come back to the question you were taught at school; who, what, and where? With these three questions, you can start establishing more information that will help you create a conclusion.

Critical thinking questions beginning with who :

• Who is it about?
• Who said what?
• Who could be affected by this?
• Who is responsible for this?

Critical thinking questions beginning with what:

• What would happen if?
• What are the pros and cons?
• What is the impact of this?
• What is the other side of the discussion?

Critical thinking questions beginning with where :

• Where did this happen?
• Where were the consistencies in the story?
• Where were the inconsistencies in the story?
• Where can you get more information?
• Where can you find the answer?

You may be asked questions along these lines within your critical thinking test. Again, try to use the who, what, and where format to improve your logical thinking.

You might also be interested in these other Wikijob articles:

Or explore the Aptitude Tests / Test Types sections.

Key Guides and Tips for Critical Thinking Tests

Critical thinking tests are  recruiting tools commonly used by companies in the legal or banking sectors.  These tests evaluate candidates’ multiple cognitive skills like decision-making, reasoning, analyzing, etc. Therefore, they can be used for different positions, especially for executives and managers.

This article will cover the most basic information about critical thinking tests, from their question types, and popular test names, to tips for preparation.

Table of Contents

What are critical thinking tests?

Critical thinking tests are psychometric tests evaluating one’s competency in multiple cognitive areas. A critical thinking test often includes around 40 to 80 multiple-choice questions under a time limit of 30 to 60 minutes. Candidates are required to choose an answer that best evaluates a statement or conclusion based on provided texts.

These tests are widely used for jobs that need good skills in evaluating, judging, and analyzing. Therefore, positions that need to take these tests are often leading roles (chief executives, managers, representatives, etc.). Furthermore, companies that use these tests the most are usually in the legal or banking fields. 

Five types of questions in a critical thinking test

There have reportedly been 5 question types, or sub-tests, in a critical thinking test. None of the types require technical knowledge in any field , however, it is still beneficial to have a prior look at them before taking the tests.

This question type contains a statement and an argument, and your job is to evaluate whether the argument is strong or weak. A strong argument needs to have a concrete relation to the statement and directly counter or support it. If the argument focuses on information that is insignificant or not mentioned in the statement, it is considered weak.

Here is an example of this type of question:

Source: Test Partnership

Answer: E or F

Explanation: The argument is unable to address the statement (in this case, the question) because it doesn’t have any valid ideas to support its point. It doesn’t clearly say what the “other methods” are. In other words, it only raises an opinion and fails to persuade readers to believe it.

Assumptions

In this part, you will be provided with a passage and an assumption. Your task is to decide whether this assumption is concluded from the passage or not. To do this, you need to identify the passage’s main point and supporting evidence(s), then reflect them to the assumption to see how they correlate to each other. If the correlation is not strong or doesn’t exist, then the assumption is not made based on the passage.

Let’s look at an example for a better understanding:

Statement: Frank had plenty of time before his job interview. He decided to walk rather than drive so that he had time to think about the questions that he might be asked while he walked through the peace and quiet of the park.

Argument: Frank finds it hard to think about other things when he is driving.

A. Assumption made

B. Assumption not made

Source: Cappfinity

Answer:  B

Explanation:

The main point of the passage:  Frank walked to his job interview because he wanted to spend time thinking about the questions that he might get asked.

Supporting evidence: “He decided to walk rather than drive  so that he had time to think  about the questions that he might be asked”.

The assumption is not made because it talks about something that is not mentioned in the passage. The passage states that Frank wanted to walk because it would give him  time to think.  That does not necessarily mean Frank had difficulty thinking while driving. 

The deduction question type provides you with a set of statements and a conclusion. Your task is to decide whether the conclusion follows the statements or not. You need to keep in mind that all statements provided are true by default and no external knowledge can be applied to find the right answer.

Here is an example of a deduction question:

Statements:

In a particular class, we have:

• All girls like learning Latin
• All students like learning Latin and also like History
• Some boys like learning History

Conclusion: Some boys like learning Latin.

 A. Conclusion follows

 B. Conclusion does not follow

Explanation: The statements only say that if a student likes Latin, he/she would also like History, not the otherwise. So there is still a possibility that there is no boy interested in Latin.

Interpretation

The task in this type is somewhat similar to the Deduction type: you will be g iven a passage and a conclusion to determine whether the latter follows the former. However, the difference lies in the approach. While the previous type evaluates how well you infer from given information, this type focuses more on testing your reading comprehension and how you understand verbal information.

Let’s look at an example of this question type:

Answer: Conclusion does not follow

Explanation: The passage doesn’t mention whether multivitamin supplements are taken daily or not.

Making inferences

This question type provides you with a passage and a statement (inference). Your job is to judge the inference on different levels from “Definitely true“ to “Definitely false“ . There can also be an option of “Insufficient information” for the inference that is not at all related to the passage. A tip is to look at the key information in the inference first and then look for those keywords in the passage since it can be lengthy. 

Explanation: The first sentence of the passage (The Thames Tideway Tunnel (TTT), at an estimated cost of £4.2 billion [...]) is the key to the answer. The term “estimated cost” is equivalent to “assumed cost”. 

Common mistakes in critical thinking tests

We notice that there are patterns of mistakes made by candidates when taking critical thinking tests. These mistakes mostly come from the lack of caution or misunderstanding of the tests’ purpose. Let’s look at the 4 most common errors that one might make in critical thinking tests.

Use external knowledge

The questions in critical thinking tests normally provide candidates with all the information they need to know to reach the answer. Candidates can easily make mistakes if they forget that the test aims to see how they think, not what they know. To avoid this mistake, you need to develop an open mind and the ability to understand the logic behind given information.

Fail to filter noise information

A passage can be used for several questions, so not everything included in a passage is relevant to particular questions. You need to identify where to put your focus and not waste time on insignificant information. A tip on how to do this is to find clues in the conclusions or statements and work on the passages based on them.

Ignore supporting evidence

This mistake is easy to avoid yet common. You can prevent it by reading the information in a structural method. Start reading the passage with the topic sentence, and then down to evidence relevant to the statements or conclusions.

Make false correlations

Questions in critical thinking tests can confuse candidates to misunderstand the relationships between the statements/passage and the argument/conclusion. This is called a fallacy and is an obvious sign of a lack of critical thinking. To cope with these ambiguous questions, you need to draw clear lines between real possibilities and illusions.

Four popular critical thinking tests

There are currently more than one critical thinking tests that you might face when applying to your dream companies. Therefore, it is better to have research on every kind of test to expect. Here we will introduce the 4 most used critical thinking tests to help you have a better understanding

Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (W-GCTA)

This is the most popular critical thinking test on the market right now and is used widely by big companies like Clifford Chance, Simmons & Simmons, BCAT, etc. It is available in 5 languages and can be taken both online or on paper. After finishing the test, you will be given your result with both an overall score and a detailed development report.

To know more about this famous test, check out our detailed post on the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal.

Source: Pearson Talentlens

Cappfinity Critical Reasoning Test

This is a critical thinking assessment developed by Cappfinity with a format similar to the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. However, its main focus is on problem-solving. It is mostly used in legal sectors and other big companies like Deloitte and Ernst & Young. This test is typically taken online.

Test Partnership Concepts Critical Thinking Test

This test is produced by Test Partnership with familiar question types to the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. It is an online test with 24 questions and a time limit of 24 minutes. This test can be customized and applied for different levels of recruitment from apprentices to executives.

Tips to prepare for a critical thinking test

1. Read carefully

No matter how cliche it may sound, reading the questions carefully is still the most important thing in critical reasoning tests. Many candidates lose points for underestimating skimming for details and only staying at scanning for main ideas. Misreading can lead to fallacies and mistakes that can totally be avoided.

2. Time control

It is a big challenge to make reasonable decisions under a tight time restraint, and that is what the critical reasoning tests want you to do. A tip on how to cope with this is to read the passages carefully. A single passage is often used for multiple questions, so you only need to read the long text only once if you do it attentively the first time.

3. Solve puzzles or brain teasers

One way to train your brain for critical thinking is to play with puzzles or brain teasers. Although the critical thinking tests are advanced analysis assessments and puzzles may not help much with practicing, frequent exposure to logical exercises is beneficial for building a critical mindset.

Here are some puzzle games that you might be interested in:

Although critical thinking tests don’t require any expert knowledge, you should still prepare for them to achieve the best result. Below are some tips that may be useful for you in doing these tests.

• Train your Brain
• Brain Test: Tricky Puzzles
• Brainilis - Brain Games
• Skills - Logic Brain Games

4. Practice with all question types

Although you don’t need any specific knowledge to ace these tests, practicing still helps you enhance your skills and mindset for them. You should become familiar with all of the listed question types by using practice questions similar to them.

For the deduction type, you can check out our Deductive Reasoning Test package for numerous practice questions and detailed explanations.

There are also free sample tests from the test providers themselves. You can access them here:

• Free Cappfinity Critical Reasoning Test
• Free Sample of Test Partnership Concepts Critical Thinking Test

Scoring in the McKinsey PSG/Digital Assessment

The scoring mechanism in the McKinsey Digital Assessment

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Critical Thinking Assessment: 4 Ways to Test Applicants

In the current age of information overload, critical thinking (CT) is a vital skill to sift fact from fiction. Fake news, scams, and disinformation can have a negative impact on individuals as well as businesses. Ultimately, those with finer CT skills can help to lead their team with logical thinking, evidence-based motivation, and smarter decisions.

Today, most roles require critical thinking skills. And understanding how to test and evaluate critical thinking skills can not only help to differentiate candidates but may even predict job performance .

This article will cover:

What is critical thinking?

• Critical thinking vs problem-solving
• 5 critical thinking sub-skills
• The importance of assessing critical thinking skills
• 4 ways to leverage critical thinking assessments

Critical thinking is the process of analyzing and evaluating information in a logical way. And though a valuable skill since as far back as the early philosophers’ era, it is just as vital today. For candidates to succeed in the digital economy , they need modern thinking skills that help them think critically.

Whether we realize it or not, we process tons of data and information on a daily basis. Everything from social media to online news, data from apps like Strava – and that’s on top of all the key metrics in relation to our professional role.

Without a shadow of a doubt, correctly interpreting information — and recognizing disinformation — is an essential skill in today’s workplace and everyday life. And that’s also why teaching critical thinking skills in education is so important to prepare the next generation for the challenges they will face in the modern workplace.

Critical thinking isn’t about being constantly negative or critical of everything. It’s about objectivity and having an open, inquisitive mind. To think critically is to analyze issues based on hard evidence (as opposed to personal opinions, biases, etc.) in order to build a thorough understanding of what’s really going on. And from this place of thorough understanding, you can make better decisions and solve problems more effectively. Bernard Marr | Source

Today, candidates with CT skills think and reason independently, question data, and use their findings to contribute actively to their team rather than passively taking in or accepting information as fact.

Why are critical thinking skills important?

In the workplace, those with strong CT skills no longer rely on their gut or instinct for their decisions. They’re able to problem-solve more effectively by analyzing situations systematically.

With these skills, they think objectively about information and other points of view and look for evidence to support their findings rather than simply accepting opinions or conclusions as facts.

When employees can turn critical thinking into a habit, it ultimately reduces personal bias and helps them be more open to their teammates’ suggestions — improving how teams collaborate and collectively solve problems.

Critical thinking vs. Problem solving – what’s the difference?

Let’s explore the difference between these two similar concepts in more detail.

Critical thinking is about processing and analyzing information to reach an objective, evidence-based conclusion. Let’s take a look at an example of critical thinking in action:

• A member of the team suggests using a new app they’ve heard about to automate and speed up candidate screening . Some like the idea, but others in the team share reasons why they don’t support the idea. So you visit the software website and look at the key features and benefits yourself, then you might look for reviews about it and ask your HR counterparts what they think of it. The reviews look promising, and a few of your fellow practitioners say it’s worked well for them. Next, you look into the costs compared to the solution your team is already using and calculate that the return on investment (ROI) is good. You arrive at the conclusion that it’d be worth testing the platform with the free trial version and recommend this to your team.

On the other hand, problem solving can involve many of the same skills as critical thinking, such as observing and evaluating. Still, it focuses on identifying business obstacles and coming up with solutions. So, let’s return to the example of the candidate screening software and see how it might work differently in the context of problem-solving :

• For weeks, the talent acquisition team has complained about how long it takes to screen candidates manually. One of the team members decides to look for a solution to their problem. They assess the team’s current processes and resources and how to best solve the issues. In their research, they discover the new candidate screening platform and test out its functionality for a few days. They feel it would benefit the team and suggest it at the next meeting. Great problem solving, HR leader!

What are the 5 sub-skills that make up critical thinking?

Now that we’ve established what CT is, let’s break it down into the 5 core sub-skills that make up a critical thinking mindset .

• Observation : Being observant of your environment is the first step to thinking critically. Observant employees can even identify a potential problem before it becomes a problem.
• Analysis : Once you’ve observed the issue or problem, you can begin to analyze its parts. It’s about asking questions, researching, and evaluating the findings objectively. This is an essential skill, especially for someone in a management role.
• Inference : Also known as construct validity, is about drawing a conclusion from limited information. To do this effectively may require in-depth knowledge of a field. Candidates with this skill can contribute a lot of value to a startup, for instance, where initially, there may be little data available for information processing.
• Communication : This pertains to expressing ideas and your reasoning clearly and persuasively, as well as actively listening to colleagues’ suggestions or viewpoints. When all members of a team or department can communicate and consider different perspectives, it helps tasks (and, well, everything) move along swiftly and smoothly.
• Problem solving : Once you begin implementing a chosen solution, you may still encounter teething problems. At that point, problem solving skills will help you decide on the best solution and how to overcome the obstacles to bring you closer to your goal.

What is a critical thinking assessment test?

Though there are a few different ways to assess critical thinking, such as the Collegiate Learning Assessment, one of the most well-known tests is the Watson Glaser™ Critical Thinking Appraisal .

Critical thinking tests, or critical reasoning tests, are psychometric tests used in recruitment at all levels, graduate, professional and managerial, but predominantly in the legal sector. However, it is not uncommon to find companies in other sectors using critical thinking tests as part of their selection process. This is an intense test, focusing primarily on your analytical, or critical thinking, skills. Source

These tests are usually timed and typically include multiple choice items, short answers or short scenario-based questions to assess students or prospective candidates. They test candidates’ ability to interpret data without bias, find logical links between information, and separate facts from false data .

But how do these tests measure critical thinking?

In addition to educational and psychological testing, many employers today use critical thinking tests to assess a person’s ability to question information — to ask What , Why , and How of the data. A standard critical thinking test breaks down this aptitude by examining the following 5 components:

• assumption – analyzing a scenario to determine if there are any assumptions made
• deduction – the ability to choose which deductions are logical
• evaluating evidence – in support of and against something
• inference – conclusions, drawn from observed facts
• interpretation – interpreting the accuracy of a stated conclusion (based on a scenario)

Why is it important to assess critical thinking skills during the recruitment process?

Critical thinking skills may be considered a soft skill , but it’s become a prerequisite in certain industries, like software, and for many roles. Marketing managers, project managers, accountants, and healthcare professionals, for example, all require a degree of CT skills to perform their roles.

The kinds of businesses that require critical thinking include technology , engineering , healthcare , the legal sector , scientific research, and education . These industries are typically very technical and rely on data . People working in these fields research and use data to draw logical conclusions that help them work smarter and more efficiently.

In the hiring process, test takers with good critical thinking skills stand out . Why? Because they are able to demonstrate their ability to collaborate, problem-solve, and manage pressure in a rational, logical manner. As a result, they’re more likely to make the right business decisions that boost efficiency and, ultimately, a business’s bottom line.

Examples of jobs that rely on critical thinking skills

Critical thinking is not rocket science, but it is an important skill when making decisions — especially when the correct answer is not obvious. Here are a few examples of job roles that rely on critical thinking dispositions:

• computer programmers or developers : may use critical thinking and other advanced skills in a variety of ways, from debugging code to analyzing the problem, finding potential causes, and coming up with suitable solutions. They also use CT when there is no clear roadmap to rely on, such as when building a new app or feature.
• criminologists : must have critical thinking abilities to observe criminal behavior objectively and to analyze the problem in such a way that they can be confident in the conclusions they present to the authorities.
• medical professionals : need to diagnose their patients’ condition through observation, communication, analysis and solving complex problems to decide on the best treatment.
• air traffic controllers: need a super clear, calm head to deal with their high-stress job. They observe traffic, communicate with pilots, and constantly problem-solve to avoid airplane collisions.
• legal professionals : use logic and reasoning to analyze various cases – even before deciding whether they’ll take on a case – and then use their excellent communication skills to sway people over to their reasoning in a trial setting.
• project managers : have to deal with a lot of moving parts at the same time. To successfully keep projects on time and budget, they continually observe and analyze the progress of project components, communicate continually with the team and external stakeholders and work to solve any problems that crop up.

What are the risks of not testing for critical thinking?

By not evaluating critical thinking beforehand, you may end up hiring candidates with poor CT skills. Especially when hiring business leaders and for key positions, this has the potential to wreak havoc on a business. Their inaccurate assumptions are more likely to lead to bad decisions , which could cost the company money .

Weak critical thinking can result in a number of issues for your organization and justifies the expense or added effort of asking your candidate to complete critical thinking tests in the hiring process. For example, poor CT skills may result in:

• making mistakes
• not being able to take action when needed
• working off false assumptions
• unnecessary strain on work relationships

4 ways to assess critical thinking skills in candidates

Now that we’ve seen how important it is for most candidates today to have strong critical thinking skills, let’s take a look at some of the assessment instruments the talent acquisition team can use.

#1 – A homework assignment

A homework assignment is a task that assesses whether test takers have the right skills for a role. If critical thinking is essential for a particular job, you could provide candidates with a homework assignment that specifically tests their ability to:

• accurately interpret relevant evidence
• reach logical conclusions
• judge information skeptically
• communicate their own viewpoint and others’ backed by facts

Tip : use Toggl Hire’s skills screening tests to easily filter out the good candidates first and speed up your hiring process.

#2 – Behavioral and situational interview questions

Ask the candidate to provide examples of situations when they used CT for solving problems or making a decision. This can provide insight into the candidate’s ability to analyze information and make informed decisions. For example:

Critical thinking example questions:

• Tell me about a time when you had to make a really difficult decision at work.
• What would you do in a situation where your manager made a mistake in a presentation or report?
• How would you respond if a colleague shared a new idea or solution with you?
• How do you evaluate the potential outcomes of different actions or decisions?
• Can you describe a situation where you had to think on your feet and come up with a creative solution to a problem?
• How do you ensure that your decision-making is based on relevant and accurate information?

#3 – Discuss the candidate’s critical thinking skills with their references

Additionally, the hiring manager can ask the candidate’s references about how the candidate demonstrated CT skills in the past.

• Can you recall a time when (the candidate) had to convince you to choose an alternative solution to a problem?
• Tell me about a time when (the candidate) had to solve a team disagreement regarding a project.

#4 – Critical thinking tests

Ask the candidate to complete a critical thinking test and score against critical thinking rubrics. You can then share feedback on their test scores with them and explore their willingness to improve their score, if necessary. Or compare their score to other applicants, and prioritize those with higher scores if the role truly requires a critical thinker.

Create your next critical thinking assessment with Toggl Hire

Assessing critical thinking skills is becoming a key component in the hiring process, especially for roles that require a particularly advanced skillset. Critical thinking is a sign of future performance. Candidates that clearly demonstrate these skills have a lot to offer companies, from better decision-making to more productive relationships and cost savings.

If your team needs help automating the screening process, and creating custom skills tests based on specific roles, try Toggl Hire’s skills test questions engine or the Custom Test Builder to create the exact questions you want from scratch.

Juste loves investigating through writing. A copywriter by trade, she spent the last ten years in startups, telling stories and building marketing teams. She works at Toggl Hire and writes about how businesses can recruit really great people.

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• What is Critical Thinking?

The ability to think critically calls for a higher-order thinking than simply the ability to recall information.

Definitions of critical thinking, its elements, and its associated activities fill the educational literature of the past forty years. Critical thinking has been described as an ability to question; to acknowledge and test previously held assumptions; to recognize ambiguity; to examine, interpret, evaluate, reason, and reflect; to make informed judgments and decisions; and to clarify, articulate, and justify positions (Hullfish & Smith, 1961; Ennis, 1962; Ruggiero, 1975; Scriven, 1976; Hallet, 1984; Kitchener, 1986; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991; Mines et al., 1990; Halpern, 1996; Paul & Elder, 2001; Petress, 2004; Holyoak & Morrison, 2005; among others).

After a careful review of the mountainous body of literature defining critical thinking and its elements, UofL has chosen to adopt the language of Michael Scriven and Richard Paul (2003) as a comprehensive, concise operating definition:

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.

Paul and Scriven go on to suggest that critical thinking is based on: "universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness. It entails the examination of those structures or elements of thought implicit in all reasoning: purpose, problem, or question-at-issue, assumptions, concepts, empirical grounding; reasoning leading to conclusions, implication and consequences, objections from alternative viewpoints, and frame of reference. Critical thinking - in being responsive to variable subject matter, issues, and purposes - is incorporated in a family of interwoven modes of thinking, among them: scientific thinking, mathematical thinking, historical thinking, anthropological thinking, economic thinking, moral thinking, and philosophical thinking."

This conceptualization of critical thinking has been refined and developed further by Richard Paul and Linder Elder into the Paul-Elder framework of critical thinking. Currently, this approach is one of the most widely published and cited frameworks in the critical thinking literature. According to the Paul-Elder framework, critical thinking is the:

• Analysis of thinking by focusing on the parts or structures of thinking ("the Elements of Thought")
• Evaluation of thinking by focusing on the quality ("the Universal Intellectual Standards")
• Improvement of thinking by using what you have learned ("the Intellectual Traits")

Selection of a Critical Thinking Framework

The University of Louisville chose the Paul-Elder model of Critical Thinking as the approach to guide our efforts in developing and enhancing our critical thinking curriculum. The Paul-Elder framework was selected based on criteria adapted from the characteristics of a good model of critical thinking developed at Surry Community College. The Paul-Elder critical thinking framework is comprehensive, uses discipline-neutral terminology, is applicable to all disciplines, defines specific cognitive skills including metacognition, and offers high quality resources.

Why the selection of a single critical thinking framework?

The use of a single critical thinking framework is an important aspect of institution-wide critical thinking initiatives (Paul and Nosich, 1993; Paul, 2004). According to this view, critical thinking instruction should not be relegated to one or two disciplines or departments with discipline specific language and conceptualizations. Rather, critical thinking instruction should be explicitly infused in all courses so that critical thinking skills can be developed and reinforced in student learning across the curriculum. The use of a common approach with a common language allows for a central organizer and for the development of critical thinking skill sets in all courses.

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How to use critical thinking tests in the hiring process

Reports suggest that over the next five years, 35% of the skills that are considered necessary in today’s workforce will be replaced by other skills. But regardless of what changes may come, some skills will always be important. According to the Future Jobs Report from the World Economic Forum , critical thinking ability is one such skill.

This guide will discuss how critical thinking tests help determine whether a candidate’s abilities align with your needs. It will also walk you through the basics of critical thinking tests and give you practical information on how to incorporate them into your hiring process.

Table of contents

Why is critical thinking so important, what is a critical thinking test, the importance of critical thinking tests, other ways to test for critical thinking , critical thinking tests will transform your hiring.

Candidates with strong critical thinking skills possess many qualities that will make them an asset to your organization. For example:

They’re more open minded

Critical thinkers are open to accepting different approaches in any situation. This allows them to better handle everyday issues faced at work. A Journal of Education and Practice study found that strong critical thinkers tend to be more open to different views. That leads them to go beyond personal, cultural, and other barriers to reach a decision. Additionally, critical thinkers are also better able to handle and accept disagreements with colleagues and superiors.

They’re effective communicators

Poor communication in organizations can cost a fortune. According to a recent survey, the cost of employee misunderstanding and poor communication in US and UK businesses was estimated at $62.4 million per year.

Strong critical thinkers tend to be more effective communicators because they are able to support their case with convincing evidence and hard facts. 

They’re good decision makers

Critical thinking tests prove a candidate’s analytical thinking ability. Such candidates are more likely to take an informed approach instead of relying on guesswork, which will result in better decisions.

They’re great problem solvers

Critical thinkers are able to devise new approaches to complex problems. A balanced and reasoned approach involves two types of reasoning skills — inductive and deductive, and also the ability to know when to use which. Reaching decisions based on logic and reasoning over emotions, can help strong critical thinkers better address problems.

OK, so critical thinking is an important skill. But how do you test for it?

You’re in luck! There are many pre-employment tests that measure a person’s reasoning skills. They are used to determine an individual’s ability to evaluate issues, analyze different perspectives, and reach well-reasoned judgments.

Critical thinking tests, also known as critical reasoning tests, are designed to determine a candidate’s capacity to reason through arguments logically and recognize assumptions.

Effective critical thinking requires the ability to actively and skillfully conceptualize, apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information to make a judgment or formulate an innovative solution. 

These qualities can be difficult to measure in an interview, but critical thinking tests are specifically designed to quantify critical thinking ability so that hiring managers can factor it into their decision making process.

How does a critical thinking test work?

Critical thinking tests evaluate a candidate’s reasoning abilities by testing their ability to:

solve syllogisms through deductive reasoning,

interpret sequences and arrangements and draw sound conclusions,

evaluate cause and effect relationships, and

recognize assumptions.  

The test will present the candidate with a paragraph of information, including both numerical and written data. After reading the paragraph the candidate will be asked to assess a statement or multiple statements based on the given information.  

These tests are usually based on the Watson and Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal model that consists of five sections designed to determine how skilled an individual is at reasoning analytically and logically. 

The five sections are:

Assumptions

Assumption questions include a paragraph for the candidate to review. It is up to the candidate to then carefully evaluate the scenario and conclude whether anything has been taken for granted.

For instance, a statement within the paragraph might be “only employees in senior roles can afford to purchase luxury cars.” The statement is assuming that only a senior employee makes enough to purchase a luxury vehicle (unless the paragraph includes supporting information that backs up this assertion).

Evaluation of arguments

In this section, a candidate’s ability to separate strong arguments from weak arguments is tested. Candidates are presented with a statement, followed by a set of arguments in favor of and against the scenario. Candidates are then asked to determine whether the arguments are strong or weak.

This section asks the candidate to analyze a statement and a list of conclusions. The candidate is then asked whether the conclusion follows from the provided statement. Candidates will be expected to rely on the information provided in the statement and not outside knowledge.

In this section, candidates are presented with a statement and a list of inferences. The candidates are asked to indicate whether the inferences are definitely true, definitely false, probably true, or probably false, or if it isn’t possible to reach a decision with the information provided.

For instance, if you hear loud voices at a distance, you might infer that someone is having a heated discussion or fighting. But, that inference isn’t necessarily true. The voices may belong to a group of excited students. 

Interpretation

This section asks the candidate to evaluate a conclusion based on evidence provided. The candidate is provided with a statement followed by a set of possible conclusions. The candidate is to decide whether any of the conclusions logically follow from the information provided.

Employees with strong critical thinking skills are an asset to any company, because they can solve problems skillfully and independently. The difficulty in identifying such candidates can be addressed with online tests, like TestGorilla’s online critical thinking test .

This test (and others like it) can easily be conducted online, thus simplifying the selection or screening process for candidates. Additional benefits include:

They are predictive of performance

Studies show that employing critical thinking tests as a part of the hiring process helped 24% of employers hire a higher number of employees who exceeded performance expectations.

They are precise and reliable

Assessing a candidate’s reasoning skills can be difficult in interviews, but critical thinking tests help employers assess a candidate’s skills more precisely. That’s because they ensure that every candidate gets an opportunity to answer an equal number of well formulated critical reasoning questions. These questions are then scored according to scientifically validated approach.

They save time

According to a study , nearly 250 resumes are submitted for every corporate job opening. A majority of these tend to be from job-seekers sometimes known as ‘resume spammers’ who distribute their resumes across the web without considering the required qualifications.

So it isn’t surprising to hear that over 50% of job applicants don’t meet the basic qualifications of the job. This leads to most hiring managers not being able to thoroughly review every candidate’s application. 

Fortunately, when conducted in the early stages of the hiring process, critical thinking tests help skim through the barrage of candidates and so that the hiring team can focus on the msot skilled applicants. 

Though more difficult than testing, assessing critical thinking skills in an interview can help validate the results of a candidate’s assessment. An interview is a great venue to ask thought-provoking questions to understand how a candidate thinks about problems and how they approach decision making.

Here are some ways you can assess a candidate’s knack for critical thinking in an interview:

Use brain teasers

Good critical thinkers can quickly identify problems and solve them proficiently. Asking candidates brain teasers is one way to assess multiple critical thinking skills like problem solving, creativity, analysis, and performance under pressure.

Question: Michelle’s mom has four children. Her first child is named April, her second child is named May, and her third child is named June. What is the name of her fourth child?

Answer: Michelle is the fourth child.  

What this brain teaser reveals: Though many candidates will answer “July,” the candidate who comes up with the correct answer demonstrates listening skills, logic, and quick thinking.

Ask challenging, hypothetical questions

Present the candidate a problem with some information missing and ask them what information they would need to reach a decision. You will want the candidates to think about the question from multiple angles. Ideally, each angle brings forth a new set of questions and considerations.

1.  You spot a mistake in a high-profile report made by your manager, but it has already been sent out to stakeholders. How will you handle this situation?

2.  You find a cheaper, quicker, or less resource-intensive solution to a problem, and you try to explain it to your manager, but they don’t seem to understand. What will you do?

3.  You’re currently in a team of experts who all have very different ideas for the direction of a project. Deadlines are fast approaching. How will you find a way forward?

4.  A colleague proposes an uncomfortable solution to a problem faced by your organization. How will you handle the situation?

Source: Changeboard

Ask questions based on the candidate’s experience

Rather than ask the candidate questions, have them describe a problem they faced in a previous job and how they handled it. Candidates with superb critical thinking skills are more likely to provide specifics and reasoning for why they did what they did. 

Example questions:

1.      Describe a time when you had to make a decision without all the relevant information. What did you do?

2.      Describe a time when you needed to convince the team, managers, or senior leaders in your organization to try an alternative means to solve a problem.

3.      How do you proceed when you need to solve a problem? Can you give an example?

4.      How quickly do you make decisions, and can you describe your approach to a past decision you’ve made?

Yes, critical thinking skills can be difficult to measure. but critical thinkers are crucial to the success of your business. 

Thankfully, there are a growing number of options that make it easier to quantify the critical thinking skills of your candidates. And some of these options can be administered with the click of a button.

A good critical thinking test and strategic interview questions are all you need to figure out which candidates will be an asset to your organization. For more information, be sure to take a look at some sample questions and read more about the test in our Test Library .

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Why is critical thinking important?

What do lawyers, accountants, teachers, and doctors all have in common?

What is critical thinking?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines critical thinking as “The objective, systematic, and rational analysis and evaluation of factual evidence in order to form a judgment on a subject, issue, etc.” Critical thinking involves the use of logic and reasoning to evaluate available facts and/or evidence to come to a conclusion about a certain subject or topic. We use critical thinking every day, from decision-making to problem-solving, in addition to thinking critically in an academic context!

Why is critical thinking important for academic success?

You may be asking “why is critical thinking important for students?” Critical thinking appears in a diverse set of disciplines and impacts students’ learning every day, regardless of major.

Critical thinking skills are often associated with the value of studying the humanities. In majors such as English, students will be presented with a certain text—whether it’s a novel, short story, essay, or even film—and will have to use textual evidence to make an argument and then defend their argument about what they’ve read. However, the importance of critical thinking does not only apply to the humanities. In the social sciences, an economics major , for example, will use what they’ve learned to figure out solutions to issues as varied as land and other natural resource use, to how much people should work, to how to develop human capital through education. Problem-solving and critical thinking go hand in hand. Biology is a popular major within LAS, and graduates of the biology program often pursue careers in the medical sciences. Doctors use critical thinking every day, tapping into the knowledge they acquired from studying the biological sciences to diagnose and treat different diseases and ailments.

Students in the College of LAS take many courses that require critical thinking before they graduate. You may be asked in an Economics class to use statistical data analysis to evaluate the impact on home improvement spending when the Fed increases interest rates (read more about real-world experience with Datathon ). If you’ve ever been asked “How often do you think about the Roman Empire?”, you may find yourself thinking about the Roman Empire more than you thought—maybe in an English course, where you’ll use text from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra to make an argument about Roman imperial desire.  No matter what the context is, critical thinking will be involved in your academic life and can take form in many different ways.

The benefits of critical thinking in everyday life

Building better communication.

One of the most important life skills that students learn as early as elementary school is how to give a presentation. Many classes require students to give presentations, because being well-spoken is a key skill in effective communication. This is where critical thinking benefits come into play: using the skills you’ve learned, you’ll be able to gather the information needed for your presentation, narrow down what information is most relevant, and communicate it in an engaging way. 

Typically, the first step in creating a presentation is choosing a topic. For example, your professor might assign a presentation on the Gilded Age and provide a list of figures from the 1870s—1890s to choose from. You’ll use your critical thinking skills to narrow down your choices. You may ask yourself:

• What figure am I most familiar with?
• Who am I most interested in? 
• Will I have to do additional research? 

After choosing your topic, your professor will usually ask a guiding question to help you form a thesis: an argument that is backed up with evidence. Critical thinking benefits this process by allowing you to focus on the information that is most relevant in support of your argument. By focusing on the strongest evidence, you will communicate your thesis clearly.

Finally, once you’ve finished gathering information, you will begin putting your presentation together. Creating a presentation requires a balance of text and visuals. Graphs and tables are popular visuals in STEM-based projects, but digital images and graphics are effective as well. Critical thinking benefits this process because the right images and visuals create a more dynamic experience for the audience, giving them the opportunity to engage with the material.

Presentation skills go beyond the classroom. Students at the University of Illinois will often participate in summer internships to get professional experience before graduation. Many summer interns are required to present about their experience and what they learned at the end of the internship. Jobs frequently also require employees to create presentations of some kind—whether it’s an advertising pitch to win an account from a potential client, or quarterly reporting, giving a presentation is a life skill that directly relates to critical thinking. 

Fostering independence and confidence

An important life skill many people start learning as college students and then finessing once they enter the “adult world” is how to budget. There will be many different expenses to keep track of, including rent, bills, car payments, and groceries, just to name a few! After developing your critical thinking skills, you’ll put them to use to consider your salary and budget your expenses accordingly. Here’s an example:

• You earn a salary of $75,000 a year. Assume all amounts are before taxes.
• 1,800 x 12 = 21,600
• 75,000 – 21,600 = 53,400
• This leaves you with $53,400
• 320 x 12 = 3,840 a year
• 53,400-3,840= 49,560
• 726 x 12 = 8,712
• 49,560 – 8,712= 40,848
• You’re left with $40,848 for miscellaneous expenses. You use your critical thinking skills to decide what to do with your $40,848. You think ahead towards your retirement and decide to put $500 a month into a Roth IRA, leaving $34,848. Since you love coffee, you try to figure out if you can afford a daily coffee run. On average, a cup of coffee will cost you $7. 7 x 365 = $2,555 a year for coffee. 34,848 – 2,555 = 32,293
• You have $32,293 left. You will use your critical thinking skills to figure out how much you would want to put into savings, how much you want to save to treat yourself from time to time, and how much you want to put aside for emergency funds. With the benefits of critical thinking, you will be well-equipped to budget your lifestyle once you enter the working world.

Enhancing decision-making skills

Choosing the right university for you.

One of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life is what college or university to go to. There are many factors to consider when making this decision, and critical thinking importance will come into play when determining these factors.

Many high school seniors apply to colleges with the hope of being accepted into a certain program, whether it’s biology, psychology, political science, English, or something else entirely. Some students apply with certain schools in mind due to overall rankings. Students also consider the campus a school is set in. While some universities such as the University of Illinois are nestled within college towns, New York University is right in Manhattan, in a big city setting. Some students dream of going to large universities, and other students prefer smaller schools. The diversity of a university’s student body is also a key consideration. For many 17- and 18-year-olds, college is a time to meet peers from diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds and learn about life experiences different than one’s own.

With all these factors in mind, you’ll use critical thinking to decide which are most important to you—and which school is the right fit for you.

Develop your critical thinking skills at the University of Illinois

At the University of Illinois, not only will you learn how to think critically, but you will put critical thinking into practice. In the College of LAS, you can choose from 70+ majors where you will learn the importance and benefits of critical thinking skills. The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at U of I offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in life, physical, and mathematical sciences; humanities; and social and behavioral sciences. No matter which program you choose, you will develop critical thinking skills as you go through your courses in the major of your choice. And in those courses, the first question your professors may ask you is, “What is the goal of critical thinking?” You will be able to respond with confidence that the goal of critical thinking is to help shape people into more informed, more thoughtful members of society.

With such a vast representation of disciplines, an education in the College of LAS will prepare you for a career where you will apply critical thinking skills to real life, both in and outside of the classroom, from your undergraduate experience to your professional career. If you’re interested in becoming a part of a diverse set of students and developing skills for lifelong success, apply to LAS today!

Read more first-hand stories from our amazing students at the LAS Insider blog .

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Critical thinking definition

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.

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