Writing Exam Questions That Promote Critical Thinking

 

Nancy L. Goodyear

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 1993, Volume 14

Abstract

In an effort to promote critical thinking among general biology students, teachers may first ask students to define certain key terms like interpretation, conclusion, observation, and assumption. Then students are given problem-solving situations and are asked to apply these terms to the situations given. In order to encourage critical thinking skills among general biology students, one problem-solving situation is incorporated as a part of each unit test. Students may be given experimental data, a graph, or a situation. They are then asked to identify the correct conclusion, interpretation, observation, or assumption. In addition students explain why one answer is correct and the other answers are incorrect. These problems enhance not only critical thinking skills but also integrative writing skills.

Keywords:  critical thinking abilities

University of Nevada, Las Vegas (1992)