Critical Thinking Rubric: Characteristics of the Individual Rankings

Criteria Rankings
1 2 3 4 5
Issue Identification Indicates a lack of/poor Indicates a superficial Clearly states the issue; Clearly states the Articulately states the issue
sense of the scope, sense of the scope, Discusses the scope, issue; Clearly and demonstrates a solid
context, and context, and importance context, and importance of discusses the scope, understanding of the scope,
importance of the of the issue; Displays the concepts but does not context, and context and importance of the
issue; Displays a lack poor understanding of the clearly convey how those importance of the issue; Clearly identifies the
of understanding of the concepts involved; States concepts are related; issues and logical connections between
concepts involved; assumptions but lacks Clearly identifies demonstrates how the the scope, context, and
Does not identify relevant explanation. assumptions but does not concepts are related; importance of the issue;
assumptions. clearly relate those Clearly identifies the Clearly identifies the
assumptions to the issue. assumptions and underlying assumptions and
demonstrates how they explains their relationships to
are related to the issue. the scope and importance of
the issue.

Research/Evidence Uses sources which Uses sources which are Uses sources which are Uses sources which Uses sources which are
are insufficient, relevant to the issue but relevant to the issue and are relevant to the relevant to the issue, are
irrelevant, and/or are of insufficient and/or are of are of good quality but are issue, are sufficient, sufficient, and are of good
poor quality; Does not poor quality; Does not insufficient to establish a and are of good quality; quality; Presents arguments
present arguments present arguments from conclusion; Presents Presents arguments from various perspectives
from various various perspectives. arguments from various from various using relevant, sufficient,
perspectives. perspectives but lacks perspectives with unbiased, and good quality
sufficient evidence and/or sufficient, nonbiased, evidence from each
are biased in favor of one relevant evidence. perspective.
perspective.

Analysis and Presents evidence Interprets evidence Presents plausible but Presents good and/or Presents insightful and
Evaluation without interpretation; poorly; Presents incomplete analysis of accurate interpretation accurate interpretation of
Presents poor or no superficial analysis and evidence; Presents partial of evidence; Presents evidence, stressing strengths
analysis and evaluation evaluation of major points and/or shallow analysis and thoughtful analysis and and weaknesses of evidence;
of major points of view. of view. evaluation of major points evaluation of major Presents in-depth analysis
of view. points of view. and evaluation of major points
of view.

Synthesizes and Lacks synthesis; has Provides poor synthesis Provides incomplete Provides good and/or Provides a complete
Clearly Presents inappropriate, of appropriate evidence, synthesis of appropriate, accurate synthesis, synthesis of appropriate and
Results incoherent, and/or no lacks coherence; coherent evidence; uses appropriate and coherent evidence; Logically
evidence; Illogically Illogically presents ideas; Logically presents ideas but coherent evidence; presents ideas in depth and
presents ideas; Lacks Presents weak lacks depth and/or insight; Logically presents with insight; Presents strong
justification for results justification of results and Presents insufficient ideas with some depth and convincing justification of
or procedures. procedures justification of results and and/or insight; Presents results and procedures.
procedures. good justification of
results and procedures.

Created by the faculty of Clark State Community College

2008