Arab Educational Information Network

This study aimed at constructing a critical thinking skills test by using item response theory. To achieve that the concept of critical thinking was defined, the critical thinking skills were derived, and 228 four - choice items were written to measure the following skills: Analysis, interpretation, evaluation, explanation, inference, focusing, recognition of stated and unstated assumptions and statistical and probability reasoning. Eighty nine items were retained as a result of judgment process and piloting. The test was administrated to 444 students in high primary school, 610 students in high secondary school, and 120 university students. The reliability, validity and unidimensionality of the test were established by many different indices. The findings of the analysis indicated that the 3PL model was the best among the other models especially at the high ability levels. Eighty two items were found to be appropriate to 3 PL model. Estimates of person’s abilities and items parameters were computed. The invariance of item parameters and persons abilities was approximately convenient. As a result of that, the test or any short version of it is recommended to measure the critical thinking skills. (Published Abstract)