Institutional Research & Assessment

Critical Thinking

Respondents used a 4-point scale (1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, & 4 = very much) to estimate how much their coursework emphasized five mental activities corresponding to levels of critical thinking skill. As shown in Figure 5, SUU students indicated that "some" of their coursework emphasized analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory. And they indicated that "some" of their coursework emphasized making judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods. Analyzing, synthesizing, and making judgments, however, lagged behind student responses at master’s peer and NSSE institutions.

| NSSE 2003 | Institutional Research |