Critical Thinking Scale

Insight Assessment premiere thinking skills test instruments report on seven core
components of critical thinking. Based on Delphi Expert Consensus Definition of

Critical Thinking, these scales measure the application of reasoning skills for
the purpose of forming a reflective judgment about what to believe or what to do in
a given context or problematic situation.
Analysis
Analytical skills are used to identify assumptions, reasons, themes, and the
evidence used in making arguments or offering explanations. Analytical skills
enable us to consider all the key elements in any given situation, and to determine
how those elements relate to one another. People with strong analytical skills
notice important patterns and details. People use analysis to gather the most
relevant information from spoken language, documents, signs, charts, graphs, and
diagrams.
Interpretation
Interpretation is the process of discovering, determining, or assigning meaning.

Interpretation skills can be applied to anything, e.g. written messages, charts,
diagrams, maps, graphs, memes, and verbal and non-verbal exchanges. People apply
their interpretive skills to behaviors, events, and social interactions when
deciding what they think something means in a given context.
Inference
Inference skills enable us to draw conclusions from reasons, evidence,

observations, experiences, or our values and beliefs. Using Inference, we can
predict the most likely consequences of the options we may be considering.
Inference enables us to see the logical consequences of the assumptions we may be
making. Sound inferences rely on accurate information. People with strong inference
skills draw logical or highly reliable conclusions using all forms of analogical,
probabilistic, empirical, and mathematical reasoning.
Evaluation
Evaluative reasoning skills enable us to assess the credibility of sources of

information and the claims they make. We use these skills to determine the
strength or weakness of arguments. Applying evaluation skills we can judge the
quality of analyses, interpretations, explanations, inferences, options, opinions,
beliefs, ideas, proposals, and decisions. Strong explanation skills can support
high-quality evaluation by providing the evidence, reasons, methods, criteria, or
assumptions behind the claims made and the conclusions reached.
Explanation
Explanation is the process of justifying what we have decided to do or what we have

decided to believe. People with strong explanation skills provide the evidence,
methods, and considerations they actually relied on when making their judgment.
Explanations can include our assumptions, reasons, values, and beliefs. Strong
explanations enable others to understand and to evaluate our decisions.
Deduction
Deductive reasoning is rigorously logical and clear cut. Deductive skills are used
whenever we determine the precise logical consequences of a given set of rules,
conditions, beliefs, values, policies, principles, procedures, or terminology.
Deductive reasoning is deciding what to believe or what to do in precisely defined
contexts that rely on strict rules and logic. Deductive validity results in a
conclusion which absolutely cannot be false, if the assumptions or premises from
which we started all are true. Deductive validity leaves no room for uncertainty.
That is, unless we decide to change the very meanings of our words or the grammar
of our language.
Induction
Inductive reasoning relies on estimating likely outcomes. Decision making in

contexts of uncertainty relies on inductive reasoning. Inductive decisions can be
based on analogies, case studies, prior experience, statistical analyses,
simulations, hypotheticals, trusted testimony, and the patterns we may recognize in
a set of events, experiences, symptoms or behaviors. Inductive reasoning always
leaves open the possibility, however remote, that a highly probable conclusion
might be mistaken. Although it does not yield certainty, inductive reasoning can
provide a solid basis for confidence in our conclusions and a reasonable basis for
action.
Numeracy
Numeracy refers to the ability to make judgments based on quantitative information

in a variety of contexts. People with strong numeracy can describe how quantitative
information is gathered, manipulated, and represented textually, verbally, and
visually in graphs, charts, tables and diagrams. Numeracy requires all the core
critical thinking skills. Numeracy includes being thoughtfully reflective while
interpreting the meaning of information expressed in charts, graphs, or text
formats, analyzing those elements, drawing accurate inferences from that
information, and explaining and evaluating how those conclusions were reached.
Reasoning Skills Overall
The Reasoning Skills Overall score describes overall strength in using reasoning to
form reflective judgments about what to believe or what to do. To score well
overall, the test taker must excel in the sustained, focused and integrated
application of core thinking skills measured on this test, including analysis,
interpretation, inference, evaluation, explanation, induction and deduction. The
Overall score predicts the capacity for success in educational or workplace
settings which demand reasoned decision making and thoughtful problem solving.
The California Critical Thinking Skills Test by Peter A. Facione (1990))
1. Analysis
2. Inference
3. Evaluation
4. Induction
5. Deduction

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Insight Assessment premiere thinking skills test instruments report on seven core

components of critical thinking. Based on Delphi Expert Consensus Definition of

Interpretation is the process of discovering, determining, or assigning meaning.

Inference skills enable us to draw conclusions from reasons, evidence,

Evaluative reasoning skills enable us to assess the credibility of sources of

Explanation is the process of justifying what we have decided to do or what we have

Inductive reasoning relies on estimating likely outcomes. Decision making in

Numeracy refers to the ability to make judgments based on quantitative information

Reasoning Skills Overall

The California Critical Thinking Skills Test by Peter A. Facione (1990))

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