critical thinking exams

By continuing to use this website, you agree to the use of cookies. Find out more . Accept cookies

Critical Thinking test

By 123test team . Updated May 12, 2023

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

Spring Offer 2023

Seven comprehensive reports of career tests and iq tests with a whopping 70% discount..

Seven comprehensive reports of career tests and IQ tests with a whopping 70% discount:

• DISC Personality test
• Jung Personality test
• Big Five Personality test
• Work values test
• Competency test
• Classical IQ test
• Culture fair intelligence test

Het Werkboek Loopbaanbegeleiding helpt je de resultaten bij elkaar te brengen en een actieplan te maken.

Zijn je baan en je loopbaan belangrijk voor je?

With this unique offer, you get access to almost all the comprehensive products for one very competitive price.

Normally $84.00, now for $24.95

You will receive 7 ticket codes after purchase that you can use to start the tests from your personal account. This allows you to take the tests at your own pace and order.

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:

• Practice Tests
• Predictive Index
• Firefighter
• Hogan Assessments
• Leadership Assessment
• GardaWorld Pre Board
• Criticall Dispatcher
• Ramsay Technician Course
• Watson-Glaser
• Cubiks Course
• NEO Personality Inventory
• Texas Success Initiative
• TSA Prep Booster™ Course
• TSA Practice Test
• TSA Written Skills Assessment
• TSA CBT X-Ray Object Recognition Test
• SHL Assessment Prep Course
• Practice Test & Answers
• SHL Practice Tests
• SHL Test Answers
• SHL Inductive Reasoning Test
• SHL Numerical Reasoning Test
• SHL Verbal Reasoning Test
• SHL Verify G+ Test
• SHL Mechanical Comprehension Test
• SHL Situational Judgment Test
• SHL OPQ Personality Test
• Predictive Index Test Behavioral & Cognitive Assessment Course
• Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment Course
• Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment Course
• Predictive Index Practice Test
• Predictive Index Results
• Caliper Course
• Caliper Test Prep With Real Practice Test
• USPS Postal Exam
• Postal Exam 474
• Postal Exam 475
• Postal Exam 476
• Postal Exam 477
• USPS Postal Exam Prep
• Pass the 2023 Postal Exam With Practice Tests
• Virtual Entry Assessment (VEA)
• General Police Prep Course
• Police Situational Judgement Test
• Police Psychological Exam Course
• EB Jacobs Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery
• Massachusetts State Police Exam
• Pennsylvania Police Exam
• Philadelphia Police Exam
• Nassau County Police Exam Course
• Suffolk County Police Exam
• CJBAT Study Guide
• Correctional Officer Exam
• DELPOE Police Exam
• Texas LEVEL Test With Expert Guides
• MTA Police Exam
• NY State Trooper Exam Prep Course
• PELLETB Course
• School Safety Agent Course
• Police Officer NYPD Exam
• Police Fitness Prep Course
• FBI Test Phase 1 (Special Agent Exam): Guide with Practice Test [2023]
• Police Test Preparation Suite
• Pass a Polygraph Test (Lie Detector): Expert Tips & Questions – 2023
• Arizona Police Exam
• California Police Exam
• Illinois Police Exam
• Indiana Police Exam
• New Jersey Police Exam
• North Carolina Police Exam
• Ohio Police Exam
• Oregon Police Exam
• Texas Police Exam
• Washington Police Exam
• Wisconsin Police Exam
• Firefighter Psych Test
• FCTC Firefighter Prep Course
• NFSI Firefighter Prep Course
• FireTeam Prep Course
• FDNY Firefighter Prep Course
• Firefighter Test
• Master Course
• Hogan Assessments Master Course
• Personality Courses
• Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI)
• Hogan Development Survey (HDS)
• Hogan Motives, Values & Preferences Inventory (MVPI)
• Busines Reasoning Course
• Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI)
• Leadership Assessment Test
• GardaWorld Pre Board Primer
• Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test II (BMCT-II) Success Prep Course
• Beat the 2023 BMCT With Industry Expert Guides & Realistic Practice Tests
• 911 Dispatcher Course
• Criticall Dispatcher Course
• Criticall Dispatcher Test
• CCAT Course
• Beat the 2023 Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test & Guide & Free CCAT Practice Test
• Criteria Pre-employment Testing: Personality, Aptitude & Skill Tests
• CRITERIA COGNITIVE APTITUDE TEST
• Korn Ferry Course
• Ace the 2023 Korn Ferry Assessment With Practice Test & Expert Guides
• Ramsay Electrical Course
• Ramsay Maintenance Course
• Ramsay Mechanical Course
• Ramsay Multicraft Course
• Ramsay Electrical Practice Test
• Ramsay Maintenance Practice Test
• Ramsay Mechanical Practice Test
• Ramsay Multicraft Practice Test
• Ramsay Test Prep
• SIFT Practice Test & Study Guide
• Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Course
• Watson Glaser Test 2023: Free Practice Tests, Format, and 5 Sections Overview
• Take on the Watson Glaser and Secure your Future Career
• Beat the Watson Glaser and Upgrade Your Career
• Cubiks Test: Guide on all Test Types and Free Cubiks Practice Test
• Cubiks PAPI Test: Focus Areas and Test Format (2023)
• Cubiks Assessment Test to Start Working at KPMG
• Texas Success Initiative Course
• TSI Practice Test 2023: Math, Reading & Writing
• TSI Reading Practice Test: 15 Q&A with Explanations
• Pass our Free TSI Math Practice Test (2023 Update)
• Take our Free TSI Writing Practice Test (2023)
• How it Works

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

• 1 BONUS Interview Prep Video Guide Buy this Course: Get full access to all lessons, practice tests and guides.

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.

Created by: Matt

Psychometric tutor, prepterminal test expert, 414 students, 4.7 , 73 reviews.

• Personality
• By Publisher
• Prep Access
• Articles & News
• For Employers

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.

Practice Critical Thinking Test

Try a free Critical Thinking Test. This test is a short practice test, the test contains 10 test questions and has a time limit of 6 minutes.

Would you like to improve your test score? Practice smart with a Test Prep Account.

Practice on 150 Critical Thinking questions and a total of 950 verbal aptitude questions with detailed description and score statistics.

The many features of a Test Prep Account:

• Preparation software developed under a didactic and methodical perspective
• High-quality practice test questions
• Clearly explained solutions
• Accessible on all devices
• Detailed score data and progression charts
• Reference scores to compare your performance against others
• Training Assistant
• Practice mode (feedback after every question and no time limit)

Get 25% off all test packages.

Get 25% off all test packages!

Click below to get 25% off all test packages.

Critical Thinking Tests

• 228 questions

Critical thinking tests, sometimes known as critical reasoning tests, are often used by employers. They evaluate how a candidate makes logical deductions after scrutinising the evidence provided, while avoiding fallacies or non-factual opinions. Critical thinking tests can form part of an assessment day, or be used as a screening test before an interview.

What is a critical thinking test?

A critical thinking test assesses your ability to use a range of logical skills to evaluate given information and make a judgement. The test is presented in such a way that candidates are expected to quickly scrutinise the evidence presented and decide on the strength of the arguments.

Critical thinking tests show potential employers that you do not just accept data and can avoid subconscious bias and opinions – instead, you can find logical connections between ideas and find alternative interpretations.

This test is usually timed, so quick, clear, logical thinking will help candidates get the best marks. Critical thinking tests are designed to be challenging, and often used as part of the application process for upper-management-level roles.

What does critical thinking mean?

Critical thinking is the intellectual skill set that ensures you can process and consider information, challenge and analyse data, and then reach a conclusion that can be defended and justified.

In the most simple terms, critical reasoning skills will make sure that you are not simply accepting information at face value with little or no supporting evidence.

It also means that you are less likely to be swayed by ‘false news’ or opinions that cannot be backed with facts – which is important in high-level jobs that require logical thinking.

For more information about logical thinking, please see our article all about logical reasoning .

Which professions use critical thinking tests, and why?

Typically, critical thinking tests are taken as part of the application process for jobs that require advanced skills in judgement, analysis and decision making. The higher the position, the more likely that you will need to demonstrate reliable critical reasoning and good logic.

The legal sector is the main industry that uses critical thinking assessments – making decisions based on facts, without opinion and intuition, is vital in legal matters.

A candidate for a legal role needs to demonstrate their intellectual skills in problem-solving without pre-existing knowledge or subconscious bias – and the critical thinking test is a simple and effective way to screen candidates.

Another industry that uses critical thinking tests as part of the recruitment process is banking. In a similar way to the legal sector, those that work in banking are required to make decisions without allowing emotion, intuition or opinion to cloud coherent analysis and conclusions.

Critical thinking tests also sometimes comprise part of the recruitment assessment for graduate and management positions across numerous industries.

The format of the test: which skills are tested?

The test itself, no matter the publisher, is multiple choice.

As a rule, the questions present a paragraph of information for a scenario that may include numerical data. There will then be a statement and a number of possible answers.

The critical thinking test is timed, so decisions need to be made quickly and accurately; in most tests there is a little less than a minute for each question. Having experience of the test structure and what each question is looking for will make the experience smoother for you.

There are typically five separate sections in a critical thinking test, and each section may have multiple questions.

Inference questions assess your ability to judge whether a statement is true, false, or impossible to determine based on the given data and scenario. You usually have five possible answers: absolutely true, absolutely false, possibly true, possibly false, or not possible to determine.

Assumptions

In this section, you are being assessed on your ability to avoid taking things for granted. Each question gives a scenario including data, and you need to evaluate whether there are any assumptions present.

Here you are given a scenario and a number of deductions that may be applicable. You need to assess the given deductions to see which is the logical conclusion – does it follow?

Interpretation

In the interpretation stage, you need to read and analyse a paragraph of information, then interpret a set of possible conclusions, to see which one is correct. You are looking for the conclusion that follows beyond reasonable doubt.

Evaluation of Arguments

In this section, you are given a scenario and a set of arguments that can be for or against. You need to determine which are strong arguments and which are weak, in terms of the information that you have. This decision is made based on the way they address the scenario and how relevant they are to the content.

How best to prepare for a critical thinking test

The best way to prepare for any type of aptitude test is to practice, and critical thinking tests are no different.

Taking practice tests, as mentioned above, will give you confidence as it makes you better understand the structure, layout and timing of the real tests, so you can concentrate on the actual scenarios and questions.

Practice tests should be timed. This will help you get used to working through the scenarios and assessing the conclusions under time constraints – which is a good way to make sure that you perform quickly as well as accurately.

In some thinking skills assessments , a timer will be built in, but you might need to time yourself.

Consistent practice will also enable you to pinpoint any areas of the critical thinking test that require improvement. Our tests offer explanations for each answer, similar to the examples provided above.

Publishers of critical thinking tests

The watson glaser critical thinking test.

The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (W-GCTA) is the most popular and widely used critical thinking test. This test has been in development for 85 years and is published by TalentLens .

The W-GCTA is seen as a successful tool for assessing cognitive abilities, allowing recruiting managers to predict job success, find good managers and identify future leaders. It is available in multiple languages including English, French and Spanish.

The test itself can be used as part of an assessment day or as a screening assessment before an interview. It consists of 40 questions on the 5 sections mentioned above, and is timed at 30 minutes. Click here for more information on Watson Glaser tests .

SHL critical reasoning test

SHL is a major aptitude test publisher, which offers critical thinking as part of its testing battery for pre-employment checks.

SHL tests cover all kinds of behavioural and aptitude tests, from logic to inference, verbal to numerical – and with a number of test batteries available online, they are one of the most popular choices for recruiters.

Cornell critical thinking test

The Cornell critical thinking test was made to test students and first developed in 1985. It is an American system that helps teachers, parents and administrators to confidently predict future performance for college admission, gifted and advanced placement programs, and even career success.

Prepare yourself for leading employers

5 Example critical thinking practice questions with answers

In this section, you need to deduce whether the inferred statement is true, false or impossible to deduce.

The UK Government has published data that shows 82% of people under the age of 30 are not homeowners. A charity that helps homeless people has published data that shows 48% of people that are considered homeless are under 30.

The lack of affordable housing on the sales market is the reason so many under-30s are homeless.

• Definitely True
• Probably True
• Impossible to Deduce
• Probably False
• Definitely False

The information given does not infer the conclusion given, so it is impossible to deduce if the inference is correct – there is just not enough information to judge the inference as correct.

The removal of the five-substitution rule in British football will benefit clubs with a smaller roster.

Clubs with more money would prefer the five-substitute rule to continue.

• Assumption Made

Assumption Not Made

This is an example of a fallacy that could cause confusion for a candidate – it encourages you to bring in any pre-existing knowledge of football clubs.

It would be easy to assume the assumption has been made when you consider that the more money a club has, the more players they should have on the roster. However, the statement does not make the assumption that the clubs with more money would prefer to continue with the five-substitute rule.

All boys love football. Football is a sport, therefore:

• All boys love all sports
• Girls do not love football
• Boys are more likely to choose to play football than any other sport

In this section we are looking for the conclusion that follows the logic of the statement. In this example, we cannot deduce that girls do not love football, because there is not enough information to support that.

In the same way the conclusion that all boys love all sports does not follow – we are not given enough information to make that assumption. So, the conclusion that follows is 3: boys are more likely to choose football than any other sport because all boys like football.

The British Museum has a range of artefacts on display, including the largest privately owned collection of WWII weaponry.

There is a larger privately owned collection of WWII weaponry in the USA.

• Conclusion Follows

Conclusion Does Not Follow

The fact that the collection is in the British Museum does not make a difference to the fact it is the largest private collection – so there cannot be a larger collection elsewhere.

The Department for Education should lower standards in examinations to make it fairer for less able students.

• Yes – top grades are too hard for lower-income students
• No – less fortunate students are not capable of higher standards
• Yes – making the standards lower will benefit all students
• No – private school students will suffer if grade standards are lower
• The strongest argument is the right answer, not the one that you might personally believe.

In this case, we need to assess which argument is most relevant to the statement. Both 1 and 4 refer to students in particular situations, which isn’t relevant to the statement. The same can be said about 2, so the strongest argument is 3, since it is relevant and addresses the statement given.

I could prepare for specific companies and industries. It’s been an invaluable resource.

Critical Thinking Tests FAQs

What are the basics of critical thinking.

In essence, critical thinking is the intellectual process of considering information on its merits, and reaching an analysis or conclusion from that information that can be defended and rationalised with evidence.

How do you know if you have good critical thinking skills?

You are likely to be someone with good critical thinking skills if you can build winning arguments; pick holes in someone’s theory if it’s inconsistent with known facts; reflect on the biases inherent in your own experiences and assumptions; and look at problems using a systematic methodology.

Hire better talent

At Neuroworx we help companies build perfect teams

Critical Thinking Tests Tips

The most important factor in your success will be practice. If you have taken some practice tests, not only will you start to recognise the way questions are worded and become familiar with what each question is looking for, you will also be able to find out whether there are any parts that you need extra practice with.

It is important to find out which test you will be taking, as some generic critical thinking practice tests might not help if you are taking specific publisher tests (see the section below).

2 Fact vs fallacy

Practice questions can also help you recognise the difference between fact and fallacy in the test. A fallacy is simply an error or something misleading in the scenario paragraph that encourages you to choose an invalid argument. This might be a presumption or a misconception, but if it isn’t spotted it can make finding the right answer impossible.

3 Ignore what you already know

There is no need for pre-existing knowledge to be brought into the test, so no research is needed. In fact, it is important that you ignore any subconscious bias when you are considering the questions – you need logic and facts to get the correct answer, not intuition or instinct.

4 Read everything carefully

Read all the given information thoroughly. This might sound straightforward, but knowing that the test is timed can encourage candidates to skip content and risk misunderstanding the content or miss crucial details.

During the test itself, you will receive instructions that will help you to understand what is being asked of you on each section. There is likely to be an example question and answer, so ensure you take the time to read them fully.

5 Stay aware of the time you've taken

This test is usually timed, so don’t spend too long on a question. If you feel it is going to take too much time, leave it and come back to it at the end (if you have time). Critical thinking tests are complex by design, so they do have quite generous time limits.

For further advice, check out our full set of tips for critical thinking tests .

Enjoy what you’ve read? Let others know!

• Share on whatsapp
• Share on linkedin
• Share on twitter
• Share on facebook
• Share via email

Try Critical Thinking Tests for Free

Watson glaser 01.

20 Questions | 20 Minutes

Watson Glaser 02

Watson glaser 03, improve your scores with our intelligent learning system, prepare for your watson glaser test.

Immediate access. Cancel anytime.

• 30 Numerical reasoning tests
• 30 Verbal reasoning tests
• 30 Diagrammatic reasoning tests
• 30 Situational judgement tests
• 34 Publisher packages e.g. Watson Glaser
• 252 Employer packages e.g. HSBC
• 29 Extra packages e.g Mechanical
• Dashboard performance tracking
• Full solutions and explanations
• Tips, tricks, guides and resources
• Access to free tests
• Basic performance tracking
• Solutions & explanations
• Tips and resources

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.

By using our website you agree with our Cookie Policy.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Who uses critical thinking tests and why, how to prepare for a critical thinking test in 2024, final thoughts, critical thinking tests (2024 guide).

Updated November 18, 2023

Critical thinking is the ability to scrutinize evidence using intellectual skills. Reflective skills are employed to reach clear, coherent and logical conclusions – rather than just accepting information as it is provided.

Critical thinking tests measure the candidate’s understanding of logical connections between ideas, the strength of an argument, alternate interpretations and the significance of a particular claim.

A major facet of critical thinking is the ability to separate facts from opinions and work against any subconscious bias.

In critical thinking tests, employers are looking for people who can think critically about information, showing they are open-minded, good problem-solvers and excellent decision-makers.

Critical thinking tests assess how well a candidate can analyze and reason when presented with specific information.

They are used as part of the application process in several industries, most commonly for professions where employees would need to use advanced judgment and analysis skills in decision-making.

For example:

Academic applications – In some instances, critical thinking tests are used to assess whether prospective students have the skills required to be successful in higher education.

Law – Critical thinking assessments are often used in the legal sector as part of the application process. In many law positions, facts are more important than opinion, subconscious bias or pre-existing ideas so an applicant needs to be skilled in critical thinking.

Finance – In financial institutions, decisions often need to be made based on facts rather than emotion or opinion. Judgments made in banking need to be skilled decisions based on logic and the strength of data and information – so to be successful, candidates need to demonstrate that they will not accept arguments and conclusions at face value.

Graduate roles – In some sectors, critical thinking tests are used in graduate recruitment because they are considered to be predictors of ability.

With several different tests available, suited to different industries, many top-level jobs are likely to include critical thinking assessments as part of the application process.

Critical Thinking Tests Explained

Critical thinking tests are usually presented in a similar format no matter who the publisher is. A paragraph of information and data is given, with a statement that is under scrutiny.

Multiple-choice answers are presented for each statement, and there may be more than one question about the same paragraph.

While each question is presented in the same way, different aspects of critical thinking are assessed throughout the test.

Assessing Assumptions

For this type of question, there may be something ‘taken for granted’ in the information provided – and it might not be explicitly stated.

The candidate needs to evaluate the scenario and conclude whether any assumptions are present. The statement below the scenario may or may not support the statement and the answer selection will be about whether the stated assumption is made or not made in the scenario.

Example Question for Assessing Assumptions

Practice Critical Thinking Test with JobTestPrep

The mainstream media presents information that is supported by the political party in power.

Assumption: The information that the mainstream media presents is always correct.

a) Assumption made b) Assumption not made

Determining Inferences

Following a paragraph of information containing evidence, you will be presented with an inference and need to assess whether the inference is absolutely true, possibly true, possibly false, absolutely false, or it is not possible to reach a decision.

An inference is a conclusion that can be reached based on logical reasoning from the information. Although all the evidence to support (or not support) the inference is included in the passage, it will not be obvious or explicitly stated, which makes the inference harder to conclude.

Example Question for Determining Inferences

It has been snowing all night and there is thick snow on the ground. Today’s weather is sunny and bright.

Inference: The snow will melt today.

a) Possibly true b) Absolutely true c) Possibly false d) Absolutely false e) Not possible to reach a decision

Making Deductions

For this type of question, the information presented will be a set of factual statements and the candidate will need to decide if the deduction applies or does not apply.

This logical thinking is a top-down exercise where all the information is provided and needs to be read in the order it is presented.

If statement A = B, does B = C? There should be no grey areas – it either does or does not follow.

Example Question for Making Deductions

All plants have leaves. All leaves are green.

Proposed deduction: All plants are green.

a) Deduction follows b) Deduction does not follow

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.

Get a Premium Package Now

Interpretation of Conclusions

Presented with information, the candidate needs to assess whether a given conclusion is correct based on the evidence provided.

For the purposes of the test, we need to believe that all the information provided in the paragraph is true, even if we have opinions about the correctness of the statement.

Example Question for Interpretation of Conclusions

When cooking a meal, one of the most important things to get right is the balance between major food groups. Satisfaction from a good meal comes from getting the most nutrition and can therefore be attributed to a wide variety of flavors, including vegetables, a good source of protein and carbohydrates. A balanced diet is about more than just everything in moderation and should be considered a scientific process with measuring of ingredients and efficient cooking methods.

Proposed conclusion: The best meals are those that are scientifically prepared.

a) Conclusion follows b) Conclusion does not follow

Evaluation of Arguments (Analysis of Arguments)

In this analysis section, the candidate is presented with a scenario and an argument that might be in favor of the scenario or against it.

The candidate needs to evaluate whether the argument itself is weak or strong. This needs to be based on the relevance to the scenario and whether it accurately addresses the question.

Example Question for Evaluation of Arguments

Should all drugs be made legal?

Proposed argument: No, all drugs are dangerous to everyone.

a) Argument is strong b) Argument is weak

Most Common Critical Thinking Tests in 2024

Watson glaser test.

Watson Glaser is the most commonly used test publisher for critical thinking assessments and is used by many industries.

When sitting a Watson Glaser test, your results will be compared against a sample group of over 1,500 test-takers who are considered representative of graduate-level candidates.

The test is usually 40 questions long, with 30 minutes to answer, but there is a longer version that asks 80 questions with a time limit of an hour.

Who Uses This Test?

The Watson Glaser Test is used in a wide variety of industries for different roles, especially in the legal and banking sectors. Some employers that use the Watson Glaser Test are:

• Bank of England
• Irwin Mitchell
• Simmons & Simmons

What Is the RED model?

The Watson Glaser Test is based on something called the ‘RED model’. The questions in the test are based on:

• Recognizing assumptions
• Evaluating arguments
• Drawing conclusions

The science behind the Watson Glaser Test shows that candidates who show strong critical thinking skills in these areas are more likely to perform well in roles where logical decisions and judgments have to be made.

Where to Take a Free Practice Test

Watson Glaser Tests have a specific layout and format. If you are going to be completing one of the assessments as part of your application, it’s best to practice questions that match the test format.

You can find Watson Glaser practice tests at JobTestPrep as well as a prep pack to give you all the tips, tricks and information you need to make the most of your practice time.

Take a Practice Watson Glaser Test

SHL Critical Reasoning Battery Test

The SHL Critical Reasoning Battery Test includes questions based on numerical, verbal and inductive reasoning. This test is usually used for managerial and supervisory roles, and can include mechanical comprehension if needed for the job role (usually in engineering or mechanical roles).

You can find out more on JobTestPrep’s SHL Critical Reasoning Battery pages .

Take a Practice SHL Test

The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is an online adaptive test – using sophisticated algorithms to adjust the difficulty of the questions according to the answers already provided.

Questions include integrated, quantitative and verbal reasoning as well as an analytical writing assessment. The GMAT is widely used to predict performance in business or management programs in more than 1,700 universities and organizations.

Take a Practice GMAT

Preparation is key to success in any pre-employment assessment. While some people think critical reasoning is not a skill you can practice, there are some steps you can take to perform at your best.

Critical thinking tests are straightforward but not necessarily easy.

Step 1 . Consider Buying a Preparation Pack

If you can determine who the publisher is for the test you will take, it may be worthwhile investing in a prep pack from that particular publisher.

JobTestPrep offers prep packs for many major test publishers. These packs include realistic practice tests as well as study guides, tips and tricks to help you build your own question-solving strategies.

Step 2 . Use Practice Tests

Even if you decide not to purchase a prep pack, taking practice tests will help you focus on the areas where you need to improve to be successful.

It is important to find out the publisher of the test you will take because not all critical thinking tests are at the same level and they may not follow the same structure. Timings, answering methodologies and the number of questions will vary between publishers.

You can usually find out the test publisher before you take the assessment by asking the recruiter or searching online.

Step 3 . Practice Under Test Conditions

Critical thinking tests are timed. To give yourself the best chance of achieving a high score, you need to answer the questions quickly and efficiently.

Practicing under test conditions – including the time limit – will help you to understand how much time you need to spend on each question and will help you to develop efficient time management skills for the assessment.

Practicing under test conditions will also help you focus so you can make the most of the session.

Step 4 . Practice Abstract Reasoning

Abstract reasoning is a form of critical thinking that uses logic to form a conclusion. Some abstract reasoning tests are presented as word problems.

Practicing these is a good way to flex critical thinking muscles. You can find practice questions on the Psychometric Success website .

Step 5 . Practice Critical Thinking in Everyday Life

Reading widely, especially non-fiction, is a good way to practice your critical thinking skills in everyday life.

Newspaper articles, scientific or technical journals, and other sources of information present an opportunity to think about:

• The strength of arguments
• The perspective of the author
• Whether there are enough facts presented to draw the conclusion given
• Whether other conclusions could be drawn from the same information

Step 6 . Revise Logical Fallacies

Knowledge of logical fallacies will help you to judge the effectiveness of an argument. Fallacy describes ‘faulty reasoning’ in an argument and is often seen in hyperbole or opinion pieces in newspapers and magazines.

There are many types of fallacy that you might come across, such as:

• Strawman – An argument that doesn’t address the statement.
• False cause – An argument based on a connection that doesn’t exist.
• Ambiguity – An argument using a phrase that is unclear or that may have different meanings.
• Appeal to popularity – An argument that states it must be true because many people believe it.

There are many others, including red herrings, appeal to authority and false dichotomy. Learning these will help you to identify a weak argument.

Step 7 . Focus on Long-Term Practice

Cramming and panicking about a critical thinking assessment is rarely conducive to great performance.

If you are looking for a career in a sector where critical thinking skills are necessary, then long-term practice will have better results when you come to be assessed. Make critical thinking a part of life – so that every day can be a chance to practice recognizing assumptions.

Key Tips for Critical Thinking Test Success

Understand the format of the test and each question type.

Familiarity is important for any assessment, and in critical thinking tests, it is essential that you can recognize what the question is looking for. As mentioned above, this is usually one of the following:

• Assessing assumptions
• Determining inferences
• Making deductions
• Interpreting conclusions

Practice tests will help you become comfortable with the structure and format of the test, including ways to answer, and will also demonstrate what the question types look like.

Read Test Content Carefully

Taking time to read and understand the content provided in the question is important to ensure that you can answer correctly.

The information you need to determine the correct answer will be provided although it might not be explicitly stated. Careful reading is an important part of critical thinking.

Only Use the Information Provided

While some of the information provided in the critical thinking test might be related to the role you are applying for, or about something that you have existing knowledge of, you mustn't use this knowledge during the test.

A facet of critical thinking is avoiding subconscious bias and opinion, so only use the information that is provided to answer the question.

Look Out for Facts and Fallacies

Throughout the critical thinking test, look out for facts and fallacies in the information and arguments provided.

Identifying fallacies will help you decide if an argument is strong and will help you answer questions correctly.

Critical thinking tests are used as pre-employment assessments for jobs that require effective communication, good problem-solving and great decision-making, such as those in the legal sector and banking.

These tests assess the ability of candidates to question and scrutinize evidence, make logical connections between ideas, find alternative interpretations and decide on the strength of an argument.

All critical thinking tests are not the same, but they do have similar question types. Learning what these are and how to answer them will help you perform better. Practicing tests based on the specific publisher of your test will give you the best results.

You might also be interested in these other Psychometric Success articles:

Or explore the Aptitude Tests / Test Types sections.

• My Information
• My Password

Course Menu

• Student Desktop

Sample Test

Online critical thinking basic concepts sample test, part one: on the nature of critical thinking, q: critical thinking is essential to reasoning well through complicated issues..

•   True
•   False

Q: Critical thinking and creativity entail two distinctly different processes.

Q: one should not analyze sympathetically points of view that are revolting and obviously wrong., q: if a statement is irrelevant, we benefit by asking how it helps us answer the question at issue., q: inferences are implications embedded in a situation., q: critical thinkers are mainly concerned with assessing their own thinking, rather than the thinking of others, since their own thinking is the only thinking under their control., part two: on the nature of critical thinking, q: one main requirement of critical thinking is.

•   to articulate arguments as well as possible
•   to identify every aspect of another person’s thinking
•   to analyze thinking into its most basic components
•   all of the above
•   none of the above

Q: An important fact that supports the need for ananalytic dimension of critical thinking is that

•   people don’t typically recognize the importance of assessment in thinking
•   most people don’t think
•   the analysis of thinking is presupposed in every subject

Q: Critical thinkers assess thinking in order to

•   look carefully at the parts of thinking
•   adhere to the standards implicit in examinations
•   think at the highest level of quality

Q: Depth in reasoning best relates to

•   difficulties in the issue
•   logical implications
•   exemplifying the purpose.

Q: Fairminded thinking is

•   something most people strive to do.
•   primarily about having a good heart.
•   connected with the accurate assessment of one’s own reasoning.

Q: It is important to clarify thinking whenever

•   you are trying to determine whether something is relevant
•   you are formulating thoughts for a paper.
•   there are complexities in an issue.

Part Three: On Recognizing Important Distinctions in Critical Thinking

Q: perspective.

•   element
•   standard
•   trait
•   ability
•   obstacle

Q: sufficiency

Q: prejudice in thinking, q: intellectual sense of justice, q: socialism, q: narrowmindedness, q: completeness, q: clarifying issues, conclusions, or beliefs.

• 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.

Create Your Own Assessment Prep Kit!

Job-seeking can be a long and frustrating process that can take several months. As part of this journey, you'll have to take a number of pre-employment tests or video interviews.

We've designed our Premium Membership to guide you through the entire journey: 

Mix & match 3 PrepPacks of your choice at a 50% discount for 1 month / 3 months / 6 months.

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.

Don't Leave the Preparation to Your Competition

Continue Your Practice Now

Money-Back Guarantee

• More on this topic
• Free Watson Glaser Test & Prep Guide
• Clifford-Chance Watson Glaser
• Dentons Watson Glaser Test
• Linklaters Watson Glaser Test
• Hogan-Lovells Watson Glaser
• Watson Glaser + RANA - Practice Bundle
• Watson Glaser Tailored PrepPack™

• Aptitude Tests
• Critical Thinking Preparation

Full Critical Thinking Test Guide 2024

An increasing number of companies are incorporating tests of critical thinking into their recruitment procedures. Get ready for these evaluations by using the preparation tools available from JobTestPrep. Our materials offer insights into the tests, along with practice exams, thorough explanations for each answer, results analysis, and additional features. Begin your preparation for critical thinking assessments now to enhance your chances of success.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking, often referred to as critical reasoning, involves evaluating a situation and understanding different viewpoints. It requires recognizing, analyzing, and distinguishing between facts, opinions, and assumptions.

Why Is the Critical Thinking Test Important to Employers?

Employers use  reasoning aptitude questions to assess your ability to make reasoned decisions when faced with a problem, without letting emotions sway your judgment. This ability to separate feelings from analysis allows you to remain objective, self-assured, and decisive, leading to choices that are more reasoned and well-founded.

Looking for a new job? Upload your CV into our AI, data-based CV Analyzer System, and get offers specifically tailored to your skillset and experience!

When Is Critical Thinking Used?

Critical thinking plays a key role throughout various phases of problem-solving and making decisions:

Identifying the issue at hand. Choosing pertinent data needed to address the issue. Acknowledging both explicit and implicit assumptions present in the information. Formulating theories and determining the most pertinent and trustworthy solutions. Arriving at sound conclusions and evaluating the strength of the deductions made.

• Critical Thinking Skills Tests

Tests of critical thinking often include multiple parts or subsections that evaluate different cognitive skills.

Inference In the inference segment, you're tasked with drawing conclusions from given or assumed facts. You'll read a brief passage with facts to accept as true, and then you'll see a statement that might be derived from the passage. Your job is to decide if this statement is valid based on the information provided. You must determine if the statement is true, probably true, not enough information to decide, probably false, or false. For instance, if a baby cries at mealtime, you might infer that the baby is hungry, though other reasons could be possible, like discomfort from heat.

Recognizing Assumptions This part requires you to identify if an underlying assumption is reasonable. You'll be presented with a statement and an associated assumption. Your task is to figure out if the assumption is supported by the statement. This tests your ability to not automatically accept things as true without evidence. For example, saying "I’ll still have my job in three months" assumes that you won't be laid off or decide to leave for other opportunities. You must decide if an assumption is made or not.

Deduction The deduction section evaluates your ability to consider information and determine if certain conclusions are justified. After reading a set of facts, you'll be given a potential conclusion. Your role is to decide if this conclusion logically follows the facts. For instance, from the statement "No one in authority escapes making tough choices," you must deduce if it logically means "All people must make tough choices." You must judge whether the conclusion follows or does not follow from the statement.

Interpretation In this part, your skill in understanding and weighing various arguments about a question or issue is assessed. You'll read a paragraph, assumed to be true, followed by a proposed conclusion. You must decide if the conclusion is logically sound beyond a reasonable doubt. The options you have are whether the conclusion follows or does not follow.

Evaluation of Arguments Here, you're asked to judge the strength of an argument. You'll be given a question and an argument that is taken as true. Your task is to decide if the argument is strong or weak, meaning if it is significant and directly related to the question.

Watson Glaser

The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) , a widely recognized psychological test created by Pearson Assessments, serves primarily for evaluating critical thinking skills. It's frequently utilized for selecting candidates for employment and managing talent, as well as for assessing students academically. This test can be taken either through an online platform or in a traditional face-to-face setting.

For free Watson Glaser practice questions   click here !

Critical Thinking Examples

Critical thinking comes in many forms, so we have put together a variety of questions to test your critical thinking skills.

Example 1 – Identifying Assumptions A wife tells her husband that their combined income is not as high as it could be. She plans to start working a part-time job soon to earn more money. Hypothesized Assumption: The wife should not ask for a raise at her current job to increase her income.

A. Assumption is present

B. Assumption is absent

The correct answer is (B), Assumption is absent.

Explanation for the answer:

The wife's main point: Our total income will soon go up. Her reasoning: I'll start a new part-time job. The assumption that must be correct for her conclusion to hold: A part-time job will bring in additional income. The assumption that she shouldn't ask for a raise at her current job is not necessary for her conclusion to hold water.

Example 2 – Drawing Conclusions Years ago, Harold and his wife adopted a two-year-old named Betty. Now, Betty is a college student living away from home. Harold feels sad and misses her a lot, wishing she would visit more. Hypothesized Assumption: Harold’s wife isn’t sad.

A. Conclusion is valid

B. Conclusion is invalid

The correct answer is (B), Conclusion is invalid.

Harold's wife isn't mentioned in the story, so we can't make any assumptions about her emotions.

Example 3 – Making Inferences After a drop in applications, a college has had students review their professors' teaching for two years. The college leaders say the reviews are to help teachers improve and to reward the best ones with raises and promotions. Professor Burke, who just retired, wrote a letter criticizing these reviews, saying they lower academic standards. Hypothesized Assumption: The college leaders have more motives than they're admitting.

B. Probably true

C. Insufficient data

E. Probably false

The correct answer is (B), Probably true.

The introduction shows that the college's announcement is a response to fewer student applications. Although the announcement seems to focus on improving teaching quality, it's likely that there's also a concern about the college's reputation and application rates. So, the answer "probably true" fits best.

Professions That 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:

Prepare for Critical Thinking and Critical Reasoning Assessments

The Critical Thinking PrepPack™ offers a comprehensive preparation journey to enhance your critical thinking abilities. With our collection of practice questions, detailed study guides, and informative score reports, we aim to boost your skillset. Begin your prep now to secure your success.

JobTestPrep is not affiliated with any specific test provider. Therefore, while our materials are extremely helpful and styled similarly to most critical thinking tests, they are not an exact match.

• What's on this page
• Sample Questions
• Related Links
• CCAT Free Practice Test
• SHL Practice Test
• Online Preparation for Aflac
• AON Caliper Test Preparation

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.

Join 30,000+ subscribers getting the best tips on productivity, work management, hiring and more!

We promise we won't spam you and you can unsubscribe anytime.

You might also like...

Related to Talent Assessments

Candidate 101: How Long Should Video Answers Be?

How to Assess Attention to Detail in Job Applicants

5 Examples of Take-Home Tasks for Different Roles

Take a peek at our most popular categories:

Critical thinking test: Pre-employment skills assessment for hiring the best candidates

Summary of the critical thinking test.

This online critical thinking screening test evaluates candidates’ skills in critical thinking through inductive and deductive reasoning problems. This pre-employment skills test will help you identify candidates who can evaluate information and make sound judgments using analytical skills.

Covered skills

Analyzing syllogisms

Making inferences

Recognizing assumptions

Weighing arguments

Use the Critical thinking test to hire

Any role that involves a high degree of critical and independent thinking to solve complex problems, such as analysts, executive positions, legal roles, computer and data scientists, among others.

About the Critical thinking test

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. Employees with strong critical thinking skills can solve issues skillfully and independently and devise new approaches to complex problems using analytical skills.

This Critical Thinking test evaluates candidates’ abilities to solve syllogisms through deductive reasoning, to interpret sequences and arrangements and draw sound conclusions, to assess cause and effect relationships, and to recognize assumptions. The test presents candidates with single or multiple statements and asks them to analyze the information and use logic to identify the right answer.

If you are looking for candidates who think independently, solve complex problems, and generate innovative solutions, this is the right test. This is a great test to include to check candidates' overall analytical skills.

The test is made by a subject-matter expert

Testgorilla assessment team.

TestGorilla's Assessment Team is responsible for the delivery of leading edge, science-based measurement, assessment content, insights and innovation. The team is comprised of organizational psychologists, data scientists, psychometricians, academics, researchers, writers, and editors. Collectively, the Assessment Team boasts more than 15 advanced degrees, more than 100 scientific publications and presentations, and almost 100 years of assessment and talent acquisition industry experience.

Crafted with expert knowledge

TestGorilla’s tests are created by subject matter experts. We assess potential subject-matter experts based on their knowledge, ability, and reputation. Before being published, each test is peer-reviewed by another expert, then calibrated using hundreds of test takers with relevant experience in the subject.

Our feedback mechanisms and unique algorithms allow our subject-matter experts to constantly improve their tests.

What our customers are saying

TestGorilla helps me to assess engineers rapidly. Creating assessments for different positions is easy due to pre-existing templates. You can create an assessment in less than 2 minutes. The interface is intuitive and it’s easy to visualize results per assessment.

VP of engineering, mid-market (51-1000 FTE)

Any tool can have functions—bells and whistles. Not every tool comes armed with staff passionate about making the user experience positive.

The TestGorilla team only offers useful insights to user challenges, they engage in conversation.

For instance, I recently asked a question about a Python test I intended to implement. Instead of receiving “oh, that test would work perfectly for your solution,” or, “at this time we’re thinking about implementing a solution that may or may not…” I received a direct and straightforward answer with additional thoughts to help shape the solution.

I hope that TestGorilla realizes the value proposition in their work is not only the platform but the type of support that’s provided.

For a bit of context—I am a diversity recruiter trying to create a platform that removes bias from the hiring process and encourages the discovery of new and unseen talent.

Chief Talent Connector, small business (50 or fewer FTE)

Use TestGorilla to hire the best faster, easier and bias-free

Our screening tests identify the best candidates and make your hiring decisions faster, easier, and bias-free.

Learn how each candidate performs on the job using our library of 400+ scientifically validated tests.

Test candidates for job-specific skills like coding or digital marketing, as well as general skills like critical thinking. Our unique personality and culture tests allow you to get to know your applicants as real people – not just pieces of paper.

Give all applicants an equal, unbiased opportunity to showcase their skills with our data-driven and performance-based ranking system.

With TestGorilla, you’ll get the best talent from all walks of life, allowing for a stronger, more diverse workplace.

Our short, customizable assessments and easy-to-use interface can be accessed from any device, with no login required.

Add your company logo, color theme, and more to leave a lasting impression that candidates will appreciate.

Watch what TestGorilla can do for you

Create high-quality assessments, fast.

Building assessments is a breeze with TestGorilla. Get started with these simple steps.

Building assessments is quick and easy with TestGorilla. Just pick a name, select the tests you need, then add your own custom questions.

You can customize your assessments further by adding your company logo, color theme, and more. Build the assessment that works for you.

Send email invites directly from TestGorilla, straight from your ATS, or connect with candidates by sharing a direct link.

Have a long list of candidates? Easily send multiple invites with a single click. You can also customize your email invites.

Discover your strongest candidates with TestGorilla’s easy-to-read output reports, rankings, and analytics.

Easily switch from a comprehensive overview to a detailed analysis of your candidates. Then, go beyond the data by watching personalized candidate videos.

View a sample report

The Critical thinking test will be included in a PDF report along with the other tests from your assessment. You can easily download and share this report with colleagues and candidates.

Why a Critical thinking test is important

A critical-thinking test evaluates applicants’ skills through two forms of reasoning: deductive and inductive. This test will help you find the candidates who make great decisions based on analytical thinking from the information they have at their disposal.

And that’s what critical thinking is: Taking in limited information, analyzing it, figuring out the best possible course, and then taking action. Candidates with these skills will carefully look at the pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses, and then make a decision with all the data and information in mind.

In a business setting, this can be the difference between one employee who is on their way to a promotion and another who can’t seem to close a sale.

And critical thinking has many applications in the business environment.

Critical thinking in the workplace

There are many ways in which an employee can use critical thinking in the workplace. Here are some situations where a candidate with great critical-thinking skills could make a difference.

• Sales . People with great critical-thinking skills can really amplify their sales results. When talking with potential clients, they can use their critical-thinking skills to handle any objections that the prospect might have and influence them to make a buying decision.

•  Marketing . Candidates with critical-thinking skills would use them to create marketing campaigns that send a message in a creative way, staying within their budget but reaching a wider audience because of the way the message is conveyed. And on top of that, candidates with great critical-thinking skills will take input from their team members to get more information before making a decision.

• Product development . Critical-thinking skills are essential in the product development team because the employees who work here have to figure out how to create new features and benefits for a product so that it appeals to their customers.

•  HR . When conducting a performance review or an exit interview, a person with critical-thinking skills will handle both instances better than someone without. When doing a performance review, they will ask probing questions to figure out why the team member didn’t hit their goals – or even better, they will work out why the employee achieved their targets with ease. In an exit interview, they will know how to ask the right questions of the individual leaving the organization to get the most important information.

Critical-thinking competencies for candidates

A candidate with critical-thinking skills will have a number of competencies:

• Observation skills : Candidates with critical-thinking skills will be observant. They will always try to get information. Sometimes, they will have people tell them the information, but they will also observe their environment and the people around them.

•  Analysis : When they observe their environment and the people in it, they are able to analyze the data and the situation at hand. They can use analysis in a new situation that requires fast thinking, but they can also slow down and analyze situations by asking questions and carrying out research. They know the importance of data so they try to analyze it as thoroughly as possible with the time they have at their disposal.

• Decide : After observing and analyzing the data, it’s time to make a decision. This decision will always be based on partial data, but the candidate will be sure to analyze every piece of information they have so that the decision is based on the data.

• Communication : A great critical thinker also knows the importance of communicating their decisions to those around them. Critical thinking produces decisions and people with this skill know that they need to explain their position to others.

• Problem-solving : Problem-solving is all about execution. After the candidate has observed, analyzed, decided, and communicated their decision, it’s time to implement the solution. Even though the decision won’t always produce the desired results, it will be the right decision if the candidate took into account all the information they had before making it.

What happens when a candidate doesn’t have critical-thinking skills

Critical-thinking skills require candidates to slow down, take a breath, and analyze a situation to come up with the best possible solution to it.

A candidate with fewer critical-thinking skills will jump to a conclusion without taking into consideration the data or information at hand. This can create quite a lot of turmoil in the workplace. Not only that, but this kind of behavior can create a lot of problems when dealing with customers and clients.

For example, if a client doesn’t answer their emails for a couple of days because they are in the middle of negotiations, a candidate with no critical-thinking skills might rush to send an email to the customer demanding an answer. This could create a bad experience for the potential client, resulting in the breakdown of negotiations.

On the other hand, a candidate with critical-thinking skills will slow down and wait for a little while because there could be a number of reasons why somebody has not responded to their email for a couple of days.

How the critical-thinking test can help recruiters hire

The critical-thinking test can help recruiters hire people who have this skill. Including it in an assessment provides bias-free, objective, numerical results that can be used to identify the top candidates for your hiring manager to interview.

With a pre-employment test, you can prevent the bias that creeps in during the CV screening process. Not only that but giving your candidates a critical-thinking test is simple and fast: whether your hiring manager has 50 or 300 applicants, they can send the test to all of them with a single click.

Critical-thinking skills are essential for any business environment. To properly evaluate them, you should give your candidates a critical-thinking test. TestGorilla’s science-backed critical-thinking test enables you to rank your applicants according to who performs best, based on fair, objective, bias-free results. So be sure to use a pre-employment critical-thinking test to assess the critical skills of all your candidates at the start of your hiring process.

An assessment is the total package of tests and custom questions that you put together to evaluate your candidates. Each individual test within an assessment is designed to test something specific, such as a job skill or language. An assessment can consist of up to 5 tests and 20 custom questions. You can have candidates respond to your custom questions in several ways, such as with a personalized video.

Yes! Custom questions are great for testing candidates in your own unique way. We support the following question types: video, multiple-choice, coding, file upload, and essay. Besides adding your own custom questions, you can also create your own tests.

A video question is a specific type of custom question you can add to your assessment. Video questions let you create a question and have your candidates use their webcam to record a video response. This is an excellent way to see how a candidate would conduct themselves in a live interview, and is especially useful for sales and hospitality roles. Some good examples of things to ask for video questions would be "Why do you want to work for our company?" or "Try to sell me an item you have on your desk right now."

Besides video questions, you can also add the following types of custom questions: multiple-choice, coding, file upload, and essay. Multiple-choice lets your candidates choose from a list of answers that you provide, coding lets you create a coding problem for them to solve, file upload allows your candidates to upload a file that you request (such as a resume or portfolio), and essay allows an open-ended text response to your question. You can learn more about different custom question types here .

Yes! You can add your own logo and company color theme to your assessments. This is a great way to leave a positive and lasting brand impression on your candidates.

Our team is always here to help. After you sign up, we’ll reach out to guide you through the first steps of setting up your TestGorilla account. If you have any further questions, you can contact our support team via email, chat or call. We also offer detailed guides in our extensive help center .

It depends! We offer five free tests, or unlimited access to our library of 400+ tests with the price based on your company size. Find more information on our pricing plans here , or speak to one of our sales team for your personalised demo and learn how we can help you revolutionize hiring today.

Yes. You can add up to five tests to each assessment.

We recommend using our assessment software as a pre-screening tool at the beginning of your recruitment process. You can add a link to the assessment in your job post or directly invite candidates by email.

TestGorilla replaces traditional resume screening with a much more reliable and efficient process, designed to find the most skilled candidates earlier and faster.

We offer the following cognitive ability tests : Numerical Reasoning, Problem Solving, Attention to Detail, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Thinking.

Our cognitive ability tests allow you to test for skills that are difficult to evaluate in an interview. Check out our blog on why these tests are so useful and how to choose the best one for your assessment.

Related tests

Computational thinking, basic math calculations, mechanical reasoning, understanding instructions, attention to detail (visual), intermediate math, basic triple-digit math, basic double-digit math, attention to detail (textual), problem solving.

Wayne State University

Testing, evaluation & research services testing, evaluation & research services, critical thinking, exam information.

Effective the Academic year 2018-2019, the Critical Thinking Competency is not required for incoming first-year students, or for continuing students who opt to complete their degree under the General Education Regulations, which went into effect in Fall 2018.

The CTCE remains a General Education requirement for students completing a pre-2018 curriculum and is a school/college/department requirement for some university programs.

Consult with an Academic Advisor to determine your status and requirements.

Effective Fall 2023, after administering the test remotely due to Covid restrictions, we are returning to proctored exams, offered both on-campus and online.

From the 2017-18 University Bulletin

The ability to reason critically and to analyze information is essential to the acquisition of knowledge in any discipline and may therefore appropriately be regarded as a fundamental skill, one to be acquired by students as early as possible in their education. Critical and analytic thinking includes: formulating and identifying deductively and inductively-warranted conclusions from available evidence; recognizing the structure of arguments (premises, conclusions, and implicit assumptions); assessing the consistency, inconsistency, logical implications, and equivalence among statements; and recognizing explanatory relations among statements. Competency in critical thinking must be demonstrated by all students prior to completion of the first seventy-five credits earned toward a bachelor degree. Competency shall be demonstrated by:

• BA 1010; COM 2110; PHI 1050 (Schools and colleges may also have specific requirements, such that careful course selection can lead to meeting both General Education and college requirements. Please consult the College/School listing for specific requirements.); OR
• Passing the Critical Thinking Competency Examination; OR
• Transferring credit received for successful completion of a comparable course taken at another college or university

For students who matriculated beginning in the 2018-19 school year or later.

You may not have a separate General Education CTCE requirement, but the above concepts have been incorporated into your other degree requirements and are still considered relevant.

Some students who have matriculated 2018 or later may have a PHI 1050 or another “Critical Thinking” course requirement as part of their degree. Those students may have the option to test-out of that course requirement via this Critical Thinking Competency Exam and should consult with their academic advisor to verify this is a valid option.

Description of the examination

The Critical Thinking Competency Examination covers the following areas:

• Inductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning
• Interpretation
• Explanation

The examination is computer-based and consists of 34 multiple choice questions.  The test is timed for 45 minutes.  Questions relate to everyday life.  Test-takers will be asked to:

• Analyze or interpret information presented in text, charts, or images.
• Draw accurate and warranted inferences.
• Evaluate references and explain why they represent strong or weak reasoning.
• Explain why a given evaluation of an inference is strong or weak.

A total scaled score of 73 is needed to meet the requirement. 

A general critical thinking practice test can be found accessed through Assessment Day  .

The book  Think Critically  by Peter Facione is also recommended as a resource to help prepare for the examination.

You may take the Critical Thinking Competency Examination once per semester.

How the CTCE is administered

On Campus : The Critical Thinking Competency Exam will be administered on the following on-campus dates, see below. These administrations are given in conjunction with other placement tests and as such their initial availability is limited. If you wish to schedule for one of these dates and it does not appear available in our test registration program, ASTRO, send an email to [email protected] to inquire about availability for the date you want. The office may be able to add spaces to accommodate you.

Online : As a matter of convenience, if you are unable to test at one of our on-campus dates, the Testing Office can arrange for an individual online administration. Online administrations will be proctored through the university-integrated, Microsoft Outlook TEAMS program. If you have an active WSU email account, you should have access to TEAMS and the TEAMS appointment will be scheduled through the WSU Outlook Calendar. If you do not have access to University TEAMS, then it will be proctored via Zoom. Either system will require you to have a working web cam, microphone and speakers, a strong internet connection and a sufficient internet device. Click here for further online testing information.

How to register for an on-campus administration

ASTRO is the online registration system where you must pay the $35.00 fee with a credit or debit card and choose your test date. You will receive two email confirmations: one for your payment and the other for registration.

• You should receive your payment confirmation immediately. There may be a delay of up to one hour to receive your registration confirmation.
• If you do not receive your payment confirmation immediately, wait at least one hour before attempting to submit your payment again.
• The registration confirmation will be sent to your WSU email address. If it does not appear in your inbox, check your junk or spam folders.
• The registration confirmation will come from [email protected]. DO NOT reply to this email.
• If you have not received this confirmation more than one hour after receiving the payment confirmation, or have any questions, send an email to [email protected].

How to register for an online administration

• Follow the above steps for on-campus registration and schedule for the last test date listed. This is the simplest way for you to make your payment, and we will reschedule you of that test when we schedule your online test.
• You have registered for the Critical Thinking on which ever date you scheduled.
• I can test any Monday after 2:00, any Wednesday before 11:00, or any Thursday between 10:00 and 3:00
• I can test any Tuesday after 12:00 except for November 12.
• When considering your availability allow a block of 90 minutes. This is probably more time then, necessary, but will allow for any problems that may arise.
• Include your daytime phone number so Testing Office staff can contact you before the test to iron out any issues, or the day of the test if there are connection problems.
• The Testing Office will look at your availability, compare it to our availability and register you for the soonest available date. We will send you notice of that date and ask you for a confirmation that it is OK for you.
• Once agreement is reached on the test, the Testing Office will send a final confirmation

Prior to and on the day of the examination for an online administration.

• If you are testing through TEAMS, along with your registration confirmation, you will receive a second email, an Outlook calendar appointment request. You must RSVP yes to this request as soon as you receive it, and this will place the appointment on your WSU Outlook Calendar. At the exam time, you will click that appointment to join the test.
• If you are testing through TEAMS these directions will include instructions for using TEAMS.
• If you do not have an active WSU email and are testing though Zoom, the instructions will include the Zoom link.
• For both TEAMS and Zoom the instructions will include the specific technical requirements and instructions to access the testing web site.
• You should be ready to start, in front of your computer, five to 10 minutes before your scheduled start time.
• When the testing session begins, but before you start the exam itself you will be asked to hold up to your camera; your photo ID, any scratch paper you plan to use, your calculator if you have one. You will also be asked to pan your camera across your desktop, where you are working. A full room scan will not be required.

Rescheduling and refunds

• Reschedules can be made the day before a test and the day after a test, but not the day of the test.
• We do not recommend using the postpone option within ASTRO. If you cannot test on the date you have scheduled no action is necessary. You will be able to reschedule after the test date has passed, for up to one year.
• A refund can be processed only if it is made before the day of the test. We cannot honor requests for refunds made on or after the test date, or after the third reschedule.
• Exam fees which are not rescheduled or refunded within one calendar year are subject to forfeiture.
• Test fees are subject to change without notice.

Retaking the examination

Special accommodations.

If you have a documented disability that requires testing accommodations, you will need to register with Student Disability Services for coordination of these accommodations. The Student Disability Services (SDS) office is located at 1600 David Adamany Undergraduate Library in the Student Academic Success Services Department. To schedule an appointment, call 313-577-1851. Information about SDS can be found at  http://studentdisability.wayne.edu/  .

• Skip to content
• Tyler Junior College | Tyler, TX

How can we help you?

TJC is a smart first choice for any student, whether you plan to transfer to a four-year university or gain the skills and training needed to go directly into the workforce.

• Steps to Apply
• Cost Calculator
• New Student Orientation
• TSI Testing
• Register for Classes
• Career Planning
• Invest in Yourself
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
• Onward College Action Guide
• Degrees & Certificates
• Dual Credit
• Veterans Affairs
• Change of address

TJC has an outstanding record of academic quality, offering a bachelor's degree, associate's degree programs, certificates and training and technical programs.

Majors and Programs

• Online Degrees
• Academic Calendar
• Core Curriculum
• About Associate's Degrees
• About Certificates

Continuing Studies

Student support.

• Transferring from TJC
• Transcripts
• College Success Coaching

TJC is one of the largest community colleges in Texas, with 306 full-time faculty members and 248 part-time faculty members, and nearly 13,000 students enrolled.

Facts and History

• Campus Locations
• Tax District
• History and Heritage
• Famous & Notable Alumni
• Fast Facts & Data
• Aspen Prize
• Library Archives
• Board Agendas
• Alumni Association

Faculty, Staff & Leadership

• Board of Trustees
• The President
• Executive Cabinet
• Faculty Senate
• Strategic Plan
• Employee Directory
• Jobs at TJC
• Human Resources

Campus Life

TJC provides a full college experience – we offer opportunities and programs that add to your involvement outside the classroom.

Life at TJC

• Residential Life & Housing
• Intramural Sports
• Apache Spirits & Traditions
• Student Employment
• Support Services
• Campus Clinic
• Apache Recreation Center

Student Organizations

• Apache Belles
• Apache Band
• Apache Chiefs
• Phi Theta Kappa
• Presidential Honors Program
• Student Senate
• Ya-A-Te Leadership Retreat

The School of Continuing Studies seeks to provide lifelong learning for people of all ages to develop personal and professional potential, upgrade job-related skills and prepare for informed participation in the civic, cultural and political life of the community.

Courses and Catalog

• Download Catalog

Professional Training

• Online Healthcare Programs
• Online IT & Web Development Programs
• Online Skilled Trades & Technology Programs
• Online Career Training Programs
• Law Enforcement Academy
• Fire Academy
• Academy of Dance
• Truck Driving

60-year-old oak trees and historic buildings are part of daily life here on TJC’s big, beautiful campus.

Tours and Visits

• Daily Tours
• Large Group Tours
• Preview Day
• Interactive Map
• Downloadable Map
• Earth & Space Science Center

Visit TJC Resources

• Hotel Accommodations
• Tyler Transit Bus Map
• TJC Tax District
• UIL Information
• Parents & Families
• Faculty & Staff

Available Testing

Ati teas & critical thinking for nursing.

All Associate Degree Nursing Traditional RN applicants must take the ATI TEAS exam which is administered by the Testing Services department (Rogers Student Center on the TJC main campus OR TJC West).

What is the TEAS?

The ATI TEAS (Test of Academic Skills) is a standardized test covering a variety of areas relevant to healthcare education, including reading, mathematics, science, English, and language usage. The TEAS exam is designed specifically to assess a student’s preparedness to enter the health science fields. Read more about the ATI TEAS exam format.

What is Critical Thinking?

This  test  measures the ability to conceptualize, apply, analyze and evaluate information in order to reach a meaningful conclusion. This  test  comprises four question sets. Each question set has a time limit of three minutes and contains one question.

ATI TEAS and Critical Thinking Exam Requirements

The Nursing program has multiple pathways that might have different entrance exam requirements. Download the Admission Guidelines to get more information on entrance exam requirements:

Vocational Nursing Admission Guidelines

Traditional RN Admission Guidelines

Steps to Registering For the TEAS & Critical Thinking Exams:

1. Create a student account with ATI at www.atitesting.com

• Click “create account” which is found on the right side of the home screen.
• Select “Tyler JC Nursing TEAS” from the Institutions drop-down menu.
• Create your username and password.
• Keep this login information in a safe place; as this information will be required on the day of the test.  

2. To make an appointment with the Testing Center please go to tjctesting.setmore.com  (Please note some firewalls may block directly linking to this site. If this happens to you, please open a browser and type in "TJCTesting.Setmore.com" and link to our booking page through this alternative option)

3. When you arrive for your appointment, you need to pay a $25.00 proctoring fee. Payment can be made at the Testing Center. The Testing Center will accept checks, credit cards, money orders, or cash payments. Make sure you have the following items at your appointment:

• ATI Username and Password
• Appointment Confirmation Email
• Proctor Fee Receipt
• Valid Photo ID  

4. Once you are logged in to your ATI account and the proctor has entered in the password code, you will be required to make an online payment of $75 to ATI for the TEAS exam and $57.65 (taxes included) for the Critical Thinking exam  NOTE: This will require a credit card or gift card. No debit cards are allowed. You need to pay before proceeding with the exam.  

5. The ATI TEAS & Critical Thinking exams could take 5 hours. Due to the length of the exam, we will not start a new TEAS exam within 4 hours of closing. For closing hours, you can visit  www.tjc.edu/testing .

ATI TEAS Exam Results

You can access your exam scores by logging into your ATI student account at www.atitesting.com . Click on the “my results” tab in the top menu, this takes you to the proctored assessment page. You can then access your assessment report on any of your completed exams.

Please visit the How to Apply section for instructions on submitting your ATI TEAS scores for your ADN application.

Accommodations

Students with disabilities that wish to request testing accommodations should contact Margaret Rapp, Disability Services Director, RSC 308, (903) 510 2878. To provide reasonable testing accommodations, requests must be made at least two weeks before the testing date. 

Previous Page

TEAS for Physical Therapy

TEAS for Respiratory Care

Related items