Evaluating and Applying Empirical Critical Thinking Tools

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive evaluation of two prominent empirical critical thinking assessment tools: 1) the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) and 2) the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA), within the specific context of the DNP program. Validated critical thinking assessment instruments such as the CCTST and the WGCTA provide nursing leaders with objective metrics to quantify and compare the reasoning capacities of both current and prospective nurses across multiple healthcare settings as well as for ongoing, honest self-assessments. Following this evaluation, the paper describes the implications of empirical critical thinking tools for the nursing profession in general and nursing leaders in particular. Finally, the paper presents a summary of the findings that emerged from the foregoing evaluations and analyses in the conclusion.

Empirical Critical Thinking Tools

California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST)

The CCTST is a validated, standardized instrument that was developed by a team of educational psychologists in order to measure critical thinking abilities. In sum, the CCTST provides an overall score for critical thinking skill as well as scores on cognitive skill subsets like deduction, interpretation, explanation, and self-regulation capacities that facilitate sound reasoning. The CCTST has been extensively tested for validity and correlates highly with other critical thinking metrics and academic success (Bycio & Allen, 2009).

The questions on the CCTST were intentionally designed to objectively assess capability in skills such as properly identifying assumptions, drawing accurate conclusions, assessing credibility, and avoiding logical fallacies. The CCTST quantifies strengths and deficiencies in both the cognitive and attitudinal dispositions underpinning exceptional critical thought. It has proven useful in both academic contexts to evaluate student development as well as professional environments to assess personnel capacities for complex decision making. By providing a norm-based measurement of critical thinking capabilities, the CCTST seeks to support the improvement of essential skills for ongoing analysis and evaluation (Facione, 1990). One of the major strengths of this instrument is its demonstrated validity over time as discussed further below.

History of the tool: Who created it. How was it created. Availability of the tool.

Developing during the early 1990s by a team of educational psychologists headed by Peter Facione at California State University, Fullerton, the CCTST has been evaluated by a large, nationwide Delphi consensus study which defined critical thinking and identified core critical thinking skills. Guided by this team of educational psychologists, consensus conceptualizations of critical thought were created based on the results of the Delphi study and Faciones team developed and validated multiple choice test questions to objectively measure each of the key skills dimensions (Knox, 2013). The development process involved writing and empirically trial testing hundreds of test questions and the subsequent retention of just those properly calibrated items that demonstrated the requisite qualitative characteristics and quantitative measurement properties (Facione, 1990). This rigorous approach served to ensure that the final CCTST possessed content and face validity, reliably drew on all aspects of critical thought as conceptualized by the Delphi theoretical framework, and exhibited sensitivity to development changes in individual critical thinking abilities over time (Facione, 1990).

The CCTST first became commercially available in 1994 from Insight Assessment, a company that was co-founded by Facione specifically to market this critical thinking assessment tool. The company continues to publish the test...

…recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments and draw conclusions) that identify areas of relative strength versus areas that could use improvement. By framing results in relation to subgroup norms and breaking down capacities across core constructs of competent analysis, interpretation and deduction, those undergoing assessment using the WGCTA receive targeted guidance to improve skills that are essential for judicious evaluation and decision making in educational, workplace, and interpersonal contexts (WGCTA, 20323).

Evaluation of the Tools

Both of these tests require some time to administer, with the CCTST requiring about 45-50 minutes and the full version of the WGCTA requires approximately 60 minutes compared to 30 minutes for the abbreviated alternative. In addition, the results of both of these tests require careful evaluation according to the respective tests scoring guidelines to ensure optimal accuracy of interpretations. Carefully administered and thoughtfully analyzed, though, the findings that result from both of these tests be used when formulating practice change recommendations that can enhance patient outcomes, nursing workflows, protocols and even an organizations policies with broad implications for the nursing profession.

Summary

The research showed that validated tools for the assessment of critical thinking skills such as the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) and Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) can provide meaningful metrics of analysis, evaluation, and reasoning capacities. Indeed, the research also showed that both instruments were thoughtfully constructed and empirically tested for reliability and validity with target groups and their trustworthy scoring systems benchmark capability levels, highlight growth areas, and lend guidance for strengthening nursing competences. While requiring administration time and careful result interpretation, these measurements can inform teaching interventions, workforce development, and self-monitoring practices as well as help shape…