Critical Thinking Test

Critical thinking is a complex, multidimensional concept. One of the best definitions comes from Robert Sternberg, professor of psychology: "Critical thinking comprises the mental processes, strategies, and representations people use to solve problems, make decisions, and learn new concepts." Other widely accepted definitions of critical thinking also involve analyzing and interpreting information, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, and making judgments.

Why is this skill so important? People today face an overwhelming volume of information, especially online, where much of the content is biased or outright false, and many facts are subject to varying interpretations. Easy access to unreliable and manipulative content makes the ability to distinguish fact from opinion — and draw independent conclusions — more valuable than ever. This skill helps protect against manipulation and propaganda, prevent impulsive actions, and avoid unnecessary purchases. Critical thinking is, in short, one of the most influential factors in success across both personal and professional life.

According to this 2013 study, critical thinking is highly valued across various business sectors. Research on job requirements also shows strong employer demand for this skill. Critical thinking and related competencies are already integrated into many assessment models (e.g., Richard Boyatzis's model, the GROW model, and Hogan Business Reasoning),which companies use to make decisions about hiring candidates and career advancement.

Numerous diagnostic tools exist for assessing critical thinking, but most are not free. Many of these tools have also drawn criticism from researchers for containing outdated or discriminatory tasks. With this in mind, we developed our own free critical thinking assessment, built around tasks adapted to today's business environment.

This test was inspired by one of the best existing tools — the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal — while using entirely different tasks and scales to evaluate six components of critical thinking. The test consists of 42 questions of varying difficulty, allowing for a differentiated scoring system and a more accurate final result. After answering each question, you will see the correct answer and a brief explanation. We hope this test will help you enhance your critical thinking skills and serve as a useful practice tool before job interviews.