Critical Thinking

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Clearly identifies and Successfully identifies Identifies main issues Fails to identify,
summarizes main and summaries the but does not summarize summarize, or explain
issues and successfully main issues, but does or explain them clearly the main problem,
explains why/how they not explain why/how or sufficiently question or issue;
Identify are problems or they are problems or represents the issues
Issues questions; and identifies create questions inaccurately or
embedded or implicit inappropriately
issues, addressing their
relationships to each
other
Thoroughly identifies Correctly identifies all Shows some level of Fails to identify and
the empirical and the empirical and most understanding of the explain any empirical or
theoretical contexts of the theoretical influences of empirical theoretical contexts for
relevant to all main contexts relevant to all or theoretical contexts the issues; presents the
Recognize
stakeholders; also finds the main stakeholders on stakeholders but problem as having no
Contexts minor stakeholders and in the situation does not identify any connections to other
contexts and relates specifics relevant to the conditions or contexts
tension or conflicts of situation
interest among them
Formulates a clear and Formulates a clear and Formulates a vague and Fails to formulate and
precise personal point precise personal point indecisive point or view, express own point or
of view; acknowledges of view concerning the or anticipates minor but view, or fails to
Take objections and rival issue, and seriously not major objections to anticipate objections to
Perspective positions and provides discusses its his/her point of view, or his/her point of view/ or
convincing replies to weaknesses as well as considers weak but not fails to consider other
these its strengths strong alternative perspectives and
positions positions
Identifies and evaluates Identifies and evaluates Identifies some of the Fails to identify and
all the important all the important most important evaluate any of the
Evaluate assumptions as well as assumptions; does not assumptions; does not important assumptions
Assumptions some of the more evaluate the more evaluate them for behind the claims and
hidden or abstract abstract assumptions plausibility or clarity recommendations made
assumptions
Identifies and rigorously Identifies all important Successfully identifies Fails to identify data and
evaluates all important evidence and rigorously data and information information that counts
Evaluate evidence offered; evaluates it that counts as evidence; as evidence for truth
Evidence provides new data or fails to evaluate its claims and fails to
information for credibility evaluate its credibility
consideration
Identifies and Identifies and briefly Suggests some Fails to identify
thoroughly discusses discusses implications, implications, implications,
implications, conclusions, and conclusions, and conclusions, and
conclusions, and consequences consequences; does consequences of the
Evaluate consequences, considering most but not provide clear issue, or the key
Implications considering all relevant not all the relevant reference to context, relationships between
assumptions, contexts, assumptions, contexts, assumptions, data, and the other elements of
data, and evidence data, and evidence evidence the problem such as
context, assumptions, or
data and evidence

Source: Adaptation of Northeastern Illinois University General Education Critical Thinking Rubric
(Short Version)