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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.
Regular practice will also help you to identify if there are any sections of the critical thinking test that you need to work on. Most tests will provide an explanation to each answer, as in the examples 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.
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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.
Within two hours of practice I have improved my score from 50% correct to 88%.
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.
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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 .
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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.
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- Defining Critical Thinking
- A Brief History of the Idea of Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking: Basic Questions & Answers
- Our Conception of Critical Thinking
- Sumner’s Definition of Critical Thinking
- Research in Critical Thinking
- Critical Societies: Thoughts from the Past
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Critical Thinking Test: Sample Questions with Explanations (2023)
Last updated 12/2022.
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.
Pass Percentage
The test is broken down into five central areas:
- Assumptions
- Interpretation
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.
Charlie’s fundraising team is leading the charity event so that it can meet its goal.
- A. Assumption Made
- B. Assumption Not Made
SEE THE CORRECT ANSWER AND EXPLANATION
Correct answer: b.
Explanation:
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.
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.
Should participation awards be given at every competition?
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.
- A. Strong Argument
- B. Weak Argument
Correct Answer: A
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.
Conclusion:
Kelly arrived before Edna.
- A. Conclusion Follows
- B. 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! ”
If Bruce was writing an essay, he should use powerful words to give his essay more flavor.
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.
The United States government is allocating $200 billion of the $1 trillion infrastructure budget to improve transportation, 5G wireless communication technology, rural broadband technologies, advanced manufacturing technologies, and even artificial intelligence.
- B. Probably True
- C. Not Enough Information
- D. 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.
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Critical Thinking Skills Interview Questions & Answers
In dynamic and competitive work environments, it’s important that a business can keep up with innovations and changing demands from customers. This is why employers look for candidates who possess strong critical thinking skills and decision-making skills.
Interviewers use job interviews to assess your critical thinking skills. They do this by asking you questions that require you to demonstrate your ability to effectively and efficiently evaluate information to make a calculated decision. Your goal is to demonstrate that you are an innovative person that can provide rational advice and thought-out solutions when needed.
Critical thinking questions are commonly asked during job interviews because workers with strong critical thinking skills are important for companies to excel. Questions about your critical thinking skills are often behavioral interview questions . These are a strategic type of interview questions that require you to provide an answer that includes an example situation that you experienced in your career and how you acted in that situation.
A basic example of a behavioral question in relation to critical thinking is ‘ describe a time you had to solve a problem at work without having all the information or resources .’ As you can see, the interviewer is looking for you to explain a situation where you had to think outside the box and justify your critical thinking process.
What Are Critical Thinking Interview Questions?
Critical thinking skills are related to your ability to analyze, evaluate and assess information effectively and make calculated decisions. Below we discuss a couple of important skills related to critical thinking. You must demonstrate that you possess these skills to convince the interviewer that you possess the right critical thinking skills to succeed in the position you’re applying for.
Examples of critical thinking skills are:
Observation & analysis.
The ability to observe and analyze a (potential) problem or data set is where a critical thinking process starts. People who possess strong analytical skills examine the information and understand what it means in order to explain the implications to others properly.
After a thoughtful observation and analysis, creative skills and innovation are required to spot patterns in the information or data. Critical thinkers are able to think outside the box to come up with a solution no one else thought of before. This requires flexibility, conceptualization, and imagination to take a different approach from other approaches.
- Communication
Critical thinkers also possess strong communication skills to share their approaches and conclusions with coworkers. It’s essential that ideas and solutions are shared effectively and efficiently with others. Furthermore, working together with others is an important part of the critical thinking process to figure out the right solution to business challenges. Skills involved are active listening, teamwork , collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
Problem-solving
Once an analysis is performed and solutions are discussed, it’s important that a solution is implemented. An essential part of critical thinking is coming up with an efficient solution and assessing the impact of this decision. This requires adaptability as well to modify the course of action as needed throughout the implementation process.
Critical Thinking Behavioral Interview Questions
Most questions interviewers will ask you about your critical thinking skills are behavioral interview questions . These questions require you to provide specific examples of past work experiences in which you demonstrated your critical thinking skills. For interviewers, understanding your past professional behavior and performance is the best way to gauge your future job behavior and performance.
Behavioral questions are focused on the desired skills or competency area, such as, in this case, critical thinking. Other common competency areas for which behavioral questions are used are teamwork , communication , time management , creative thinking skills , leadership , adaptability , conflict resolution , etc.
Behavioral job interview questions usually start with:
- Give me an example of
- Tell me about a time when you
- What would you do
- Describe a situation where
Examples of critical thinking behavioral interview questions:
- Give me an example of a time you had to solve a problem without having complete information or resources.
- Tell me about a time when you presented a new idea or process to your team.
- What would you do if you had a deadline coming up, but you do not have all the components to deliver a project on time?
- Describe a situation where you find a creative way to overcome a business challenge.
As you can see, the questions mentioned above require you to discuss your past behavior. For interviewers, the most accurate predictor of future performance is your past performance in similar situations.
Before making a hiring decision, interviewers are interested in discussing previous work situations. The right interview preparation will help you do the right research to prepare answers that include the critical thinking skills the interviewer is looking for. This starts with thoroughly reviewing the job description . The job description usually tells more about the specific skills that are required for the position. You can use this information to prepare answers that include times you were successfully using the skills the employer is looking for.
To answer behavioral questions successfully, you need to provide the interviewer with specific details about a time you used your critical thinking skills. Your answer should include the situation you were in, your task in that situation, the actions you took, and the specific results you got. In short, this is called the STAR method of providing an answer. The STAR method is discussed in more detail later on in this article.
Why Interviewers Ask Critical Thinking Interview Questions
For interviewers, the most effective way to reveal your critical thinking skills is by asking you to describe past work experiences or provide you with hypothetical scenarios. The main reason for asking you about situations in which you successfully used your critical thinking skills is to get an understanding of how you think and act in specific, challenging situations.
Before hiring a candidate, employers want to determine if you are:
- Responsible enough to identify, analyze, and solve problems
- Able to solve a problem without having all the required data, information, or resources
- Creative enough to come up with out-of-the-box solutions
- A strong communicator who can explain issues and involve others in the problem-solving process
- Taking responsibility for your actions
During a job interview, it’s important that you have a few examples ready to discuss times you used your critical thinking skills in different situations. A proven track record of critical thinking to tackle challenges will help you convince the interviewer. This is also the reason why it’s smart to prepare answers related to the requirements for the position, prior to your job interview.
For example, if you work as a business analyst, you should be able to deal with business challenges such as changing requirements or business needs, which require critical thinking skills. Business analysts need to identify (possible) problems and are required to come up with solutions and strategies.
What Employers Look For In A Critical Thinking Interview
During a job interview, you must convince the interviewers of your critical thinking skills. Interviewers look for candidates whose work ethic and career goals align with the company culture and what they can offer you. This is also the reason why you should relate your answers to the job requirements and what the company is looking for.
The right interview preparation will help you get there. Your goal is to demonstrate that you are a strong critical thinker that is capable of taking on the day-to-day tasks required for the position and have the potential to grow .
Critical thinking interview questions are used to reveal how you identify and approach problems, if you can evaluate a point of view to determine if it’s valid or not, and if you can provide structured reasoning to support an argument. Basically, the interviewers want to get the following questions answered:
- How do you think challenges or issues through in an objective and critical way?
- Can you identify different points of view in relation to a particular problem?
- Are you able to evaluate different points of view to determine how valid or strong they are?
- Can you identify weak points that are in possible solutions or arguments?
- How do you provide structured reasoning and support for arguments when communicating with other people?
Red Flags In Critical Thinking Skills Job Interviews
There are several things you should avoid when answering critical thinking interview questions. Below we discuss a couple of red flags that could hurt your chances of landing the job you want. Make sure you avoid these mistakes during your interview to prevent a situation where you could give the interviewer the wrong impression.
1. No clear critical thinking process
The interviewer wants you to walk them through your critical thinking process. This means that you need to explain how you tackled an issue or problem by using your critical thinking skills.
A perfect answer includes a story in which you explain how you identified a problem, how you analyzed and evaluated the situation to figure out which data, facts, or information was important. Next, tell them how you made inferences and communicated issues and possible solutions with coworkers and other stakeholders. Finally, discuss how you executed the solution you came up with.
Not being able to give the interviewer a clear example in which you walk them through the steps mentioned above could be a warning sign for them. Therefore, make sure that you have a strong answer ready that relates to the job requirements and includes you successfully using your critical thinking skills to your advantage.
2. Not providing enough critical details
When interviewers ask you about your critical thinking skills, and if you can walk them through a specific time you successfully used those skills, it’s important that you include every step of your critical reasoning process.
If you claim to be a strong critical thinker that can take on the responsibilities of the position you’re applying for, you need to make sure you can back this up through clear examples of times you used these skills. Failing to do so could lead to the elimination of your chances to land the job. If the interviewer has trouble verifying your employment history, this is considered a warning sign.
3. Not taking responsibility
Taking responsibility is an important characteristic of a critical thinker. If a problem is identified but not addressed, this could quickly escalate into a bigger problem. If your answers indicate that you do not take responsibility or if you have left things for later, this could leave the impression on the interviews that your critical thinking skills and work engagement is not top-notch. Therefore, make sure you demonstrate that you take responsibility for your actions and that you’re a proactive worker that immediately deals with challenges as soon as they occur or when they are identified as potential problems.
To test you during your job interview, interviewers will ask you about times you failed in specific work situations . This is especially the case for positions where you deal with challenging situations and are required to deal with identifying and solve problems. Interviewers are interested in what went wrong in specific work situations, if you took responsibility for your actions, and what you learned from that situation. Not taking responsibility for, for instance, a project that may have failed , is considered a warning sign for employers.
Self-awareness and being to reflect on situations that went wrong is an important characteristic to possess in the workplace – especially in work environments where critical thinking skills are important. Employers want to hire a candidate who can admit errors or who made thoughtful mistakes trying to solve problems in the past and learned from them. Employers know that candidates are human and make mistakes, just like everybody else. It’s important that your answers demonstrate that you take responsibility for situations and describe the actions you took to repair any problems or challenges.
Common Critical Thinking Interview Questions
Below we discuss common behavioral critical thinking interview questions . These questions are broken down into two categories; regular behavioral interview questions and hypothetical interview questions.
Learn everything you need to know about commonly asked interview questions that are frequently asked during job interviews .
Behavioral Critical Thinking Interview Questions:
- Tell me about a time you had to make a decision without having all the data, information, or resources.
- Give me an example of a time you discovered a mistake that
- What do you consider the most difficult decision you had to make at work? What results did you get?
- Describe a time you convince a colleague or supervisor to use an alternative approach to solve a problem.
- Give me an example of a time you were involved in solving a problem among team members on how to approach a project.
- Tell me about a time you came up with a new or unusual idea to deal with a challenge.
- Describe a time you anticipated a potential problem. How did you develop preventative measures?
- Give me an example of a time when you faced an unexpected challenge at work and how you dealt with it.
- Describe a time a customer approached you with a problem or concern. How did you respond?
- Give me an example of a time you had to change your planned course of action at the last moment. How did you re-evaluate your priorities?
- What do you consider your most innovative new idea that you have implemented in the workplace?
- Have you ever improved the workflow of a project based on your analysis? How did you do this?
- When you’re working on several projects, it’s tricky to deliver excellent service to all of them. How do you go about prioritizing the needs of a client?
Situational Critical Thinking Interview Questions:
- How would you go about convincing a coworker, manager, or other stakeholders to try an alternative approach to solve a problem?
- What would you do if you had a deadline coming up, but you did not yet have all the required information to deliver a project on time?
- How would you determine if you need help from others when you’re solving a problem or completing a task?
- If an order has been delayed and an angry client contacts you to cancel the order and close their account, what actions would you take?
- How would you deal with a situation where you identify a weak link in a process that’s impacting quality?
- What would be your approach if you and a colleague or teammates disagree on how to move forward on a project?
How To Answer Critical Interview Questions
Interviewers look for candidates who can demonstrate through examples that they use reason and logic to make decisions. In order to do this, it’s essential that you structure your answers in such a way that you walk the interviewer through an example situation in which you successfully used your critical thinking skills. To get started, you can consider the following steps.
Step 1: Research.
Every interview preparation starts with doing the right research. Before you can answer interview questions in a specific way you need to get to know the position and company better. Furthermore, you should thoroughly understand the job requirements to prepare strong answers.
Read the job description carefully to find specific skills that a candidate needs to possess to perform the job successfully. Think of skills such as creative thinking , problem-solving , adaptability , a strong work ethic , and communication . Also, read the company website to get more information about their mission statement and who their main clients are. Furthermore, check their LinkedIn pages and other content/news related to the company.
Researching the job and company will help you identify the required skills, qualities, and work experience for the position you’re applying for. Your research should help you make an educated guess about what kind of interview questions you can expect .
Step 2: Write down the required job skills & competencies.
Behavioral interview questions about critical thinking skills are a perfect opportunity for you to demonstrate why you are the right candidate for the position.
The skills and competencies you have identified in your research should be your starting point to prepare answers. Write down the required skills and rank them on importance.
Step 3: Create a list of past work experiences that relate to the required job skills.
Once you have ranked the skills on importance, you can start thinking of work experiences related to these skills. Coming up with a specific answer when you’re being put on the spot during an interview is very hard, especially when discussing critical thinking skills.
Interviewers want to hear how you evaluate and assess information objectively and how you make calculated decisions. Therefore, ensure that you come up with strong examples to questions you expect ahead of your interview. Create a list of past work experiences and tailor them to the required critical thinking skills. Highlight situations where you successfully provided rational advice, came up with thought-out solutions, and made fair assessments in your work. Focus on delivering a concise and to-the-point answer.
Step 4: Prepare successful and challenging answer examples.
Strong critical thinkers are essential in the workplace. Critical thinkers use their skills to evaluate and assess information in order to make decisions effectively. During your interview, it’s therefore important that your answers demonstrate that you have successfully identified problems, proposed solutions, evaluated several options, and finally implemented a solution.
It’s also likely that the interviewer will ask you about a time you have failed to solve a problem . Interviewers ask you about failures to assess whether or not you learn from your mistakes and if you’re self-aware enough to acknowledge times you failed. Also, it helps them identify if you take calculated and smart risks when it comes to making decisions.
Step 5: Use the STAR method to structure your answers
The STAR method allows you to concisely provide the interviewer an answer by logically walking them through the situation. STAR is an acronym that stands for a situation ( S ), your task ( T ) in that situation, the actions ( A ) you took, and what results ( R ) you got based on your actions. These are the basic steps you take in your walkthrough.
Below we discuss the STAR interview technique in more detail.
STAR Interview Technique
By using the STAR method, you can give an answer that includes exactly what the interviewer is looking for. Below, the STAR acronym is broken down into each step.
Start your answer by explaining the situation that you faced. The start of your answer ‘story’ should answer questions such as:
- What was the situation/problem?
- Who was involved?
- Why did the situation happen at that time?
It’s important to provide context around what problem needed to be solved. Furthermore, make sure to provide relevant details of why you had to use your critical thinking skills in that particular situation.
Next, explain your specific role in the task ahead. Include important details, such as specific responsibilities. Focus on giving the interviewer an understanding of your task in solving the problem. This part of your answer should answer questions such as:
- Why were you involved in that specific situation?
- What’s the background story?
After you describe your task, it’s time to specifically discuss the actions you took to solve the problem. Give the interviewer a detailed description of the actions you took. This part of your answer should answer questions such as:
- What steps did you take to resolve the situation you were in?
- Why did you choose to complete your tasks this way?
Finish your answer by discussing the results you got from your actions. Detail the outcomes of your actions and ensure to highlight your strengths . Also, make sure to take credit for your behavior that led to the result. Focus on positive results and positive learning experiences. This part of your answer ‘story’ should answer questions such as:
- What exactly happened?
- What did you accomplish?
- How did you feel about the results you got?
- What did you learn from the situation?
- How did this particular situation influence who you are as a professional today?
Sample Answers to Critical Thinking Questions
Below you will find some example questions. The examples are already written in STAR format so that you can clearly see how you can structure your answers when answering critical thinking interview questions.
However, these are ‘general’ examples. Do not forget to structure your own answers in a way that includes enough detail to convince the interviewer that you’re the right person for the job! This means that you need to tailor your answer to the specific skills required for the position you’re applying for.
Critical Thinking Question 1 : ‘Tell Me About a Time You Had To Solve a Challenging Problem At Work.’
‘In my position as a business development manager at ABC Software, I’m responsible for organizing all client events and conferences. ABC Software is a major player in the IT market, and during our events, we invite industry experts to speak on market developments. These events are used to attract new clients but also to maintain our relationship with our existing ones.
Over the last two years, we analyzed our attendee data and found out that our event attendance dropped almost 10%. Furthermore, we discovered that the retention rate of our clients also decreased. When we had to plan the next event, my team and I knew that we have to get our attendance levels back up for the events to stay successful. The goal was to get our networking event popular and recurring again.
I had an idea why the attendance levels dropped, but to get more information, I interviewed several sales consultants as well. The main feedback was that we should focus more on attracting new clients through social media channels. I communicated this with our marketing team, and we decided to also reach out to our client base and ask them what they would like to see on our future events. This led to interesting new insights on topics and speakers that we could invite, plus we also received input on how to improve networking possibilities during our events. Based on our research and feedback, I created a new plan of action to market our events through our social media channels to increase exposure.
After launching our marketing campaign, we immediately gained traction online, which led to an increase in advance registrations. For that specific event, we saw a total increase in attendance of 20% in comparison to the previous year. An online survey showed that the attendees were happy with how the way the new event was structured, and 80% of respondents said that it would be likely that they would recommend our events within their network.
My approach to increase attendance at our events did not go unnoticed. My department director asked me to make a presentation about how I tackled this problem and present this to the board.’
Why this is a strong critical thinking answer:
- This example shows that you’re able to identify issues and that you understand your responsibility to address them.
- The provided example is related but also relevant to the workplace. It’s also concise, which is perfect.
- This answer shows important skills, such as being proactive, teamwork , adaptability , problem-solving skills , and creativity .
- Taking responsibility to find out why the event attendance dropped and subsequently taking action turned out successful, which gives more weight to the situation.
Critical Thinking Question 2: ‘ Tell Me About a Time You Had To Make a Decision Without Complete Information.’
Situation & task.
‘In my current positions as a market research analyst, I have dealt with several situations where I had to make a decision without complete information. Even though it’s important to have all relevant and complete information, in this position, this just isn’t possible at times.
A recent example is when I had to make a sales prediction of a new innovative product feature we were about to launch. However, the product was new in the market in our area, which made it challenging to assess the expected market conditions to make an accurate forecast.
In a situation where I do not have complete information, I start with analyzing the information that I do have and start working from there. In this case, I researched information, documentation, and sales results of comparable markets outside of our region for comparison purposes. Furthermore, I called in expert advice of specialists of these comparable markets to get more accurate market knowledge.
Based on the available information, additional research of comparable markets, and conversations with the experts, I developed a new spreadsheet with more adjustable parameters than normal because there were more uncertainties. Also, I broke the sales forecast down into monthly, quarterly, half-annually, and annual figures. Breaking the forecast down into smaller timelines made it easier to make adjustments based on actual sales to make the calculations more accurate over time.
I initiated a brainstorming session with my team leader to discuss my research findings and spreadsheet proposal. I value different points of view, especially from colleagues with more work experience that have dealt with these circumstances before . Based on the feedback I got, I made final adjustments to the report before turning it in.
Even though I did not have all the information required to make a solid prediction like I wanted to, it allowed me to provide my manager with a report with as few assumptions as possible. The product feature launch was a success, and the forecast turned out to be accurate within the set range. My manager asked me to make a presentation about how I approached this situation and explain the new forecast model to my colleagues.’
Why this is a strong answer:
- The provided example is to the point and demonstrates critical thinking skills.
- This answer shows other important skills such as problem-solving skills and adaptability .
- The answer shows that you’re a team player and that you involve others for the better of a project’s result.
Note : This is a basic example of how to structure a critical thinking answer. However, there’s a chance the interviewer wants you to go into more detail about which specific steps you took to deal with the situation of not having complete information.
Critical Thinking Question 3: ‘ Tell me about a time you convinced a coworker to implement a different process for better results.’
‘Personally, I believe that communication is essential in such a situation to find a way that works best for the company but also best for both of us. Finding a compromise is the main goal to get the work done to the best of our ability.
Task & Action
As a management consultant, I encountered a situation where I had to convince a coworker to implement a different process. A colleague disagreed with the way I wanted to handle an issue that we encountered along the way. To address this issue, I scheduled a meeting with him to discuss the situation. I asked him about his points of view and how he thought we should go about the project.
Even though we had differences in how we felt like how the project should be approached, we quickly concluded that our goal was the same; providing our client with a high-quality final product within the set deadline.
We talked about the project and the specific aspect about which we had a difference. I explained my point of view and that I had already encountered a similar issue in the past. Ultimately, my colleague agreed to tackle the issue in the method I proposed. His insights gave me a good suggestion which we incorporated into the project as well. After that, we successfully worked together and finalized the project in time, and according to the quality level we both were proud of.’
- The provided example is concise and relevant to the workplace where problem-solving skills are important.
- This answer shows important skills such as being proactive, problem-solving skills , persuasion skills, and adaptability .
- The answer shows that you’re a team player and that you listen to the input of others for the better of a project’s result.
Note : There’s always a chance that interviewers ask you follow-up questions about how you convinced your colleague. Make sure that you can answer those questions as well.
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Critical Thinking Test: Online Preparation & Free Practice Questions – 2023
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- Free Example Questions
What Is Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking is a form of decision making and reasoning using data and observations. Someone who is a strong critical thinker can find quality solutions efficiently and can evaluate issues objectively.
What Is a Critical Thinking Test?
Critical thinking tests provide companies valuable insight into the leadership, reasoning, and overall capabilities of candidates. Because strong critical thinking skills are highly sought after, the critical thinking test can be applicable to any field and discipline across multiple levels of expertise from recent graduate to executive. However, it is commonly administered to those applying for criminal justice and business-related occupations.
Job seekers with upcoming critical thinking tests will be evaluated on more than their ability to rationalize, critical thinking tests also measure the following subsets:
- Organizing & Planning
- Strategizing
- Decision Making
- Problem Solving
The format of the critical thinking uses hypothetical scenarios to assess candidates. The scenarios are typically relevant to the field you are interested in to assess your knowledge of the role. There will also be general questions concerning more basic issues or problems that commonly occur in a workplace environment.
The critical thinking test is multiple-choice with thirty minutes to complete the assessment. Candidates will receive a notification stating whether or not they passed within a week of completion.
How Is the Critical Thinking Test Scored?
The critical reasoning test is scored based on your raw score and your percentile in comparison with your norm group. It’s important to note that these will not be the same number.
A norm group is a collection of scores from individuals in your field at your level of experience. The percentile score is used to alert employers if you exceed, meet or miss the benchmark for the average expectations of candidates. You will be rated on a scale of one to one hundred with fifty consisting of the mean and median scores.
A raw score is simply the number of correct answers. The critical thinking test comprises your raw score based on the performance in the following areas:
- Recognizing Assumptions The candidate must be able to understand when a statement is made with no supporting evidence and how this can affect a decision. Further, candidates are asked to identify these discrepancies, whether they are stated explicitly or implicitly, and assess its relevance to the given scenario.
- Evaluating Arguments Candidates must evaluate arguments without considering inferences or being subjective. Beyond that, candidates must assess the supporting evidence, the structure of the argument and the degree of its influence. It is very important to dismiss emotions for this portion of the critical thinking test.
- Drawing Conclusions Drawing conclusions puts a large emphasis on reasoning. In this section, it’s important to assess all of the available evidence and data to form a plausible conclusion that accurately applies to all the given information. Employers also want to see candidates that will consider all possible solutions rather than making the evidence fit a desired narrative.
Employers will receive all of this information in a performance report construed by the assessment company. Employers will also be given insight into your overall potential, job knowledge, creativity and job performance per the report.
Where Will I Take a Critical Thinking Test?
Critical thinking tests are non-proctored online assessments that are typically sent via email after an initial screening. For some occupations, the company may ask that the candidate take the critical thinking test again on-site either before their final interview or during an assessment day. The most common test candidates are asked to take is the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) created by the popular assessment company, Pearson . This assessment company is on their third edition with new scoring and subsets described above. The WGCTA gained popularity because of its ability to assess a candidate’s potential alongside their aptitude. Another established assessment is the SHL Critical Reasoning Battery that contains sixty questions with a thirty-minute time limit. Both of the aforementioned critical thinking tests are multiple choice.
How to Prepare for the Critical Thinking Test?
The critical thinking test is difficult to study for because the test is designed to assess your bare knowledge and raw skills. In order to prepare successfully, it is important to focus on the areas of the test that you can equip yourself for. One aspect of the test that demands preparation is the time limit. Many candidates’ scores are negatively impacted because they skip or guess too many of the questions in an attempt to beat the clock. If you want to optimize your chances of achieving a good score, use online practice tests to acquaint yourself with the time constraint and the general theme of the questions. By utilizing the online practice tests, you can find the pace that works best for you. Another helpful way to prepare is running through sample questions. This way, you can warm-up your brain and gain an understanding of the expectations that both the test and the company have of you.
Free Sample Questions to Practice
- Look over her past quizzes to see what she missed.
- Set aside more time during the week to review the material for the quiz.
- Get to class on early Wednesday and briefly look over the chapters.
- Get a good night’s sleep.
- Parents should find an alternative way to get their kids to school next week.
- The premiums must be over-priced.
- Collective bargaining is no longer a feasible solution.
- Their employers are being unreasonable.
- People in Hawaii dislike living on an island.
- Colder climates induce more happiness than warmer climates.
- The high scores on the Alaska survey were produced by people who enjoy snow.
- People in Hawaii should move to Alaska.
- Jenny’s credit card was declined at the mall.
- Jenny’s bank keeps charging her $30 overdraft fees.
- Jenny’s check bounced when she attempted to purchase a new TV.
- Jenny spends more money than she makes.
- Lori has thirty cans of soda in a refrigerator in her garage and another fourteen sitting on the counter. Lori does not have anymore cans of soda. Therefore, Lori has 44 cans of soda.
- The accounting department loves math. My friend works in the accounting department. My friend loves math.
- Everyone southbound on the freeway yesterday was late to work. Jackie was southbound on the freeway. Jackie was late to work.
- Adrian lives in either Springfield, California, or Springfield, Illinois. If he lives in Illinois, then he is an American.
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Critical Thinking test
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
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Critical Thinking
via LinkedIn Learning Help
- Welcome to critical thinking
- The importance of critical thinking
- Distinguish causes vs. consequences
- Break big problems into small ones
- Define the problem statement
- Understand the real question
- Ask focusing questions
- Examine past efforts
- Use new lenses to think critically
- How to find root causes
- Challenge how the business operates
- Use the five whys of critical thinking
- Answer the seven so-whats?
- Use the 80/20 rule to think critically
- How to successfully conduct analysis
- Consider the implications of answers
- Teach others how to think critically
- Common pitfalls when solving problems
- Apply critical thinking every day
Mike Figliuolo
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Critical thinking at university: an introduction, a beginner’s guide to critical and creative thinking, solving problems with creative and critical thinking, critical thinking: reasoned decision making, critical thinking skills for university success, how to develop critical thinking skills, related articles.
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Discover students who will thrive on your degree courses
"TSA contains a Critical Thinking component – which is essential for university study, and not something students may necessarily focus on at school. The test helps us to identify those who will thrive at UCL as it allows students to demonstrate their potential to develop this skill."
Tessa Robinson, Administrative Manager, European and Social Political Studies
University College London, UK
TSA is an assessment of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, skills that are widely identified as the most important skills for study and employment.
The test is designed to help you select students with the potential to succeed in higher education. This includes degree courses, such as Engineering, Economics, Politics, and Psychology.
Developed in collaboration with world-leading universities, TSA has been enhancing selection processes since 2001.
Contact us about using TSA at your university.
Why use TSA?
Discover students with the right skills TSA focuses on academic thinking skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking, which are crucial for university study but are not the focus of school qualifications.
Predict success TSA helps you identify applicants who will thrive on your course. Validity studies show a positive relationship between test scores and on-course performance.
Support widening access TSA is designed to be accessible to all applicants. It is a test of skills, not prior knowledge and therefore provides students with another opportunity to show what they can do.
Gain international reach TSA can be taken either through our global network of test centres or online as a secure remote-proctored test. You can reach applicants from across the world.
Make a fair comparison TSA gives a common benchmark of an applicant’s core thinking skills, providing you with a fair way to compare candidates from different educational or cultural backgrounds.
Who uses TSA?
We are a trusted partner to universities around the world. Here’s a selection of institutions using TSA:
- Ashoka University, India – Read the case study
- Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden
- Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Malaysia
- University College London (UCL) – Read the case study
- University of Cambridge
- University of Oxford .
- openbook Test format
- navigate Costs and administration
- notebook Preparing for TSA
- zoom TSA research
Test format
Read the TSA question guide for an overview of the test format and content.
View a TSA sample paper
Costs and administration
TSA can be administered:
- through our global network of authorised test centres
- at schools/colleges which have applied to run the test
- at home via remote-proctoring technology
- at your own institution.
We keep test fees to affordable levels to ensure they do not present a barrier to students entering university.
The test fee depends on how and where the test is administered. The fee can be either charged to the institution direct, or passed on to test-takers.
Preparing for TSA
TSA measures problem-solving and critical thinking skills and is designed to be taken with minimal preparation. There is no need for students to take a preparation course or undertake additional preparation, beyond familiarising themselves with the test format and question style.
We support test-takers with a range of free materials and resources to help them prepare for the test, including specimen papers and the TSA question guide.
You can see samples of TSA preparation materials here .
TSA research
TSA is produced using research and processes conforming to international quality standards. We conduct extensive research to ensure validity and fairness of our admissions tests.
Key TSA research points:
- TSA predicts future performance on a range of undergraduate courses.
- TSA helps to shortlist candidates who are more likely to perform well at interview in later selection phases.
- Preparation for TSA aims to help candidates develop critical thinking skills that will benefit their studies.
The Stockholm School of Economics uses TSA in the admission process of one quota of students to our BSc program in Business and Economics. The students selected based on their TSA scores and interviews have performed very well in the program. We are also very happy with the ease of the TSA administration process and the helpfulness of our company contacts. Anna Nyberg , Program Director, BSc Business & Economics, Stockholm School of Economics
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As a leader, your team and organization rely on you to have good judgement and make the right decision with the information you have. Good decisions are the product of strong critical thinking...
Logical Reasoning Problem Solving Earn a sharable certificate Share what you've learned, and be a standout professional in your desired industry with a certificate showcasing your knowledge...
This ability incorporates strong observational and problem-solving skills, which are essential to critical thinking. Your answer should show that you can identify issues and logically determine ways of resolving them before they even happen. Example: "In my previous job, I was responsible for scheduling staff members.
I hope you found the information you needed in the video. If you have any questions, put them in the comments and I will try and answer them as soon as possi...
What are the 5 essential aspects of critical thinking. Dispositions, Criteria, Argument, Reasoning, Point of View. Define Disposition. Critical thinkers are skeptical, open-minded, value fair-mindedness, respect evidence and reasoning, respect clarity and precision, look at different points of view, and will change positions when reason leads ...
Planners are the most desirable decision-makers at workplace. They gather all the necessary information about a problem, evaluate alternatives, and choose the best solution. Planners have the most efficient decision-making style because they use a logical approach to problem solving.
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 ...
answer choices Throw in the towel and go out for a double latte. Break the problem down into smaller, more solvable pieces. List out the consequences, then analyze the cause for each one. Assign the parts of the problem to each person on you team. Question 2 30 seconds Q.
1) critical thinking is not just thinking, but thinking which entails self-improvement 2) this improvement comes from skill in using standards by which one appropriately assesses thinking. To put it briefly, it is self-improvement (in thinking) through standards (that assess thinking).
Critical thinking and problem-solving can both help you resolve challenges, but the two practices have distinct purposes and strategies. Here are some differences between the two skills: Critical thinking This is a mode of thinking, compared to problem-solving, which is a set of solution-oriented strategies.
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.
This means that you need to explain how you tackled an issue or problem by using your critical thinking skills. A perfect answer includes a story in which you explain how you identified a problem, how you analyzed and evaluated the situation to figure out which data, facts, or information was important.
Critical thinking is the act of analyzing facts to understand a problem or topic thoroughly. The critical thinking process typically includes steps such as collecting information and data, asking thoughtful questions and analyzing possible solutions. ... It allows test-takers to show the critical thinking skills required for successfully ...
The critical thinking test comprises your raw score based on the performance in the following areas: Recognizing Assumptions The candidate must be able to understand when a statement is made with no supporting evidence and how this can affect a decision.
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. 1. Analysing arguments. Below is a statement that is followed by an argument. You should consider this argument to be true.
1. What Is Critical Thinking? The importance of critical thinking Distinguish causes vs. consequences Break big problems into small ones 2. Thinking the Problem Through Define the problem statement Understand the real question Ask focusing questions Examine past efforts Use new lenses to think critically How to find root causes 3.
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving & Decision Making Final Free Practice Test Instructions. Choose your answer to the question and click 'Continue' to see how you did.
This critical thinking test evaluates candidates' abilities to solve syllogisms through deductive reasoning, to Interpret sequences and arrangements and draw sound conclusions, to evaluate cause and effect relationships, and to recognize assumptions. The test presents candidates with single or multiple statements and asks them to analyze the ...
TSA is an assessment of critical thinking and problem-solving skills, skills that are widely identified as the most important skills for study and employment. The test is designed to help you select students with the potential to succeed in higher education. This includes degree courses, such as Engineering, Economics, Politics, and Psychology.