watson glaser critical thinking test

watson glaser critical thinking test

Importance of the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test

1. Overview of the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test

The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test is designed to assess higher-order thinking processes. It measures critical thinking at the post-secondary, graduate, professional, and adult levels. The WGCTA is based on the assumption that the practice of critical thinking is a prerequisite for the development of advanced knowledge and professional decision making. The principal aim of the WGCTA is to develop a quantitative measure of critical thinking dispositions and abilities. This test is given in a multiple choice format. The overall WGCTA has 5 subtests, but only 2 or 3 subtests are administered in any one testing situation. Administration of 2 or 3 subtests takes approximately 45 minutes. The subtests of the WGCTA are: 1. Inference. The ability to identify and understand one’s assumptions, inferences, and conclusions. This subtest measures the core critical thinking skill of inference. 2. Recognition of Assumptions. The ability to recognize the assumptions you are making, an essential step in developing reasoning skills. This subtest is an important first step in thinking through a complex problem. 3. Deductive Reasoning. The drawing of a conclusion by logical or evaluative reasoning. This subtest measures the reasoning skill involved in reaching a logical conclusion. 4. Logical Interpretation. The ability to clearly understand and explain the meaning of a statement. This subtest assesses the ability to understand the point of view of another person. 5. Argument Evaluation. The ability to analyze the logical adequacy of an argument. This subtest measures the core critical thinking skill of analysis. The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is used worldwide as a measure of critical thinking ability in multiple languages. It is considered the foundational instrument for the measurement of critical thinking in professional and academic settings. As it assesses higher order thinking, the WGCTA is used to predict success in higher education and in professional contexts. It is also used as a selection tool for recruitment into roles which require critical thinking ability.

2. Benefits of the Watson Glaser Test

The Watson Glaser test can be used as a measure of critical thinking ability. A recent study has found some evidence to suggest it is a good predictor of success on an assessment centre. Access to the Watson Glaser test may be provided by some employers for their staff, but it is generally used for selection. As an ability test, it is a useful measure of a person’s capability for roles which require the ability to digest information, understand situations, examine multiple perspectives, and take informed decisions. It is used as part of the selection process for management and recruitment roles for organizations such as banks, legal firms, armed forces, and in particular the United States. These academically demanding and often well-paid positions require a sound decision maker who is capable of avoiding biased and impulsive reasoning. For this reason, the Watson Glaser test also has links with academic ability as a predictor of performance for students. In the present climate of education with the current focus on developing critical thinking, the Watson Glaser test helps students to reflect on their own reasoning and to demonstrate with a measure their understanding of what makes good decisions. This enhancing experience brings an image and reputation benefit for the institutions which enroll their students on the test and has led to a recent increase in universities facilitating the Watson Glaser test for their students. With the growth of online learning, access to the Watson Glaser test can also serve as a developmental tool for self-assessment which leads to a better understanding and improvement of decision-making skills.

3. Tips for Success in the Watson Glaser Test

Do not make any assumptions! This is a mistake that people often make and one of the tactics that the test uses to mislead you. Only use the information that has been given in the passages, not your own assumptions. The information required to answer each question is in the reading material. Do not be influenced by your own knowledge on the subject. You may have general knowledge that tells you a statement is true or you may feel that something is so obvious that it doesn’t require the reading material to confirm it. The test often contains widely held beliefs that are not necessarily supported by the given data. Your task is to select an answer choice that either strengthens or weakens an argument. Answers that contain words like ‘always’, ‘never’, ‘must’, ‘only’, ‘all’ or ‘none’ require the statement to be true in all or every case. If the slightest exception can be found then the answer is incorrect. Therefore the answer that something is true beyond reasonable doubt will often not be the correct choice. In the case of an argument in which it is necessary to establish a new theory or course of action, the correct answer may be one that does not support the theory but rather the necessity of the action given the available choices. Again remember there are only 4 answer choices, many of which can be correct given a slightly different interpretation. Always choose the answer that is most strongly supported by the data. Cognitive ability questions often require the identification of assumptions the most frequent being casual assumptions i.e.: if changing the strength of one variable will systematically change the value of another, the existence of a necessary condition assumption i.e.: if X is to occur Y must be in place and the identification of logical implications and fallacies.

4. Common Challenges in the Watson Glaser Test

No specific question type. The critical thinking test has no specific question type that the candidate needs to master. The test measurement aims to measure the respondents’ ability in interpreting, analyzing, and making deductions in answering questions. Getting a good score in the test will be easier if the taker knows their strengths and weaknesses in answering the question types. Usually, the answer becomes more obvious if the person is good at analyzing numerical information; therefore, there are higher opportunities to answer it correctly. With the various question types with no specific order, the test taker is going to have difficulties in taking a strategic step in answering the questions. Ambiguity in questions. The test questions usually contain realistic situations and something familiar in daily life. However, the questions are packed with information and sometimes with irrelevant information too, which would confuse the test taker in identifying the conclusion. The test taker should be able to distinguish the relevant and irrelevant information to get the answer. The ambiguity in questions can be a big challenge for the test taker, and it would be better to not take a long time in answering it. If the taker still does not get a clear idea in understanding the questions, it is better to skip and take another question that looks clearer.

5. Conclusion: Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills with the Watson Glaser Test

Critical thinking is something that is desired but often lacks within education today. The search for an assessment tool that encapsulates a core set of critical thinking skills is key. The Watson Glaser Test has been around since 1925 and is the most widely used tool for assessing critical thinking skills. The test has been of substantial benefit when applied across various disciplines and has even served its purpose in different countries. Numerous Watson Glaser test administrations have taken place and have shown that the test provides an effective measure of cognitive ability. Addinost and his colleagues at Monash University in Australia were able to gauge the critical thinking ability of graduate entry medical students. The results indicated that the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal was a useful, low-cost, and reliable measure of critical thinking at the commencement of the course. This is vital as the creation of the MCAT has become costly, lengthy, and of highly questionable educational value. The Watson Glaser test may subsequently undermine the purpose of the MCAT and may go on to produce similarly successful results in other fields of education and in different countries. Students training to be teachers in the UK have also benefited from the Watson Glaser Test. The test was administered to two groups of students taking a postgraduate certificate in Education (Secondary) at Canterbury Christ Church University. The students were to be assessed to whether or not the Watson Glaser test promotes a systematic approach to critical thinking and acts as a measure of the training. This particular study was expecting mixed results because one of the groups was to receive structured guidance on the skills that the test measures and the other group was only to take the test. At the end of the assignment, groups had reasonably close average scores. However, the first group had received the structured guidance stated that it was very useful and enabled the group to understand the skills better. This particular administration suggests that the Watson Glaser Test can train students in critical thinking and serve its purpose as a measure of cognitive ability.