The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) is a widely used psychological assessment tool designed to measure an individual’s critical thinking skills. This assessment consists of five subtests, each of which is designed to measure a particular aspect of an individual’s critical thinking. The five subtests measure an individual’s ability to draw inferences, recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments, draw conclusions, and identify implications. This assessment is used to evaluate an individual’s critical thinking ability in order to identify areas of strength and weakness.
The history of the WGCTA can be traced back to the 1920s when Edward L. Thorndike developed the first version of his “Reasoning Test.” This test was designed to measure an individual’s ability to reason and evaluate arguments. Thorndike’s test was later revised and renamed the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) and was first published in 1940. Since then, the WGCTA has been used to measure the critical thinking skills of individuals in a variety of professions, including medicine, law, education, and business.
The WGCTA is a 40-item multiple-choice test that assesses an individual’s ability to analyze and interpret information. The test consists of five subtests, each of which measures a different aspect of critical thinking. The subtests measure an individual’s ability to identify assumptions, draw inferences, evaluate arguments, detect logical fallacies, and draw conclusions. Each subtest contains a series of questions that require the individual to identify the correct answer based on the information provided.
The score obtained on the WGCTA is a measure of an individual’s critical thinking skills. The score is calculated by summing the number of items answered correctly on each of the subtests. The total score is then compared to a norm group to determine an individual’s level of critical thinking. The WGCTA is a reliable and valid assessment tool and has been found to be useful in predicting an individual’s performance on tasks that require critical thinking.
In conclusion, the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) is a widely used psychological assessment tool designed to measure an individual’s critical thinking skills. This assessment consists of five subtests, each of which is designed to measure a particular aspect of an individual’s critical thinking. The WGCTA is a reliable and valid assessment tool and has been found to be useful in predicting an individual’s performance on tasks that require critical thinking.
References
Griggs, R. A., & Jackson, C. L. (1992). Understanding the Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal. Personnel Psychology, 45(3), 471-493.
Kepes, S., & Rubenfeld, M. G. (2011). Assessing critical thinking skills: The Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal. Journal of Nursing Education, 50(1), 22-27.
McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2010). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Thorndike, E. L. (1940). Reasoning tests. New York, NY: World Book Co.