The Factorial Validity of the Cornell Critical Thinking Test for a Junior High School Sample

Abstract

For a sample of 138 eighth and ninth grade students a principal factors solution of the intercorrelations among 71 items of the Cornell Critical Thinking Test (CCTT), Level X revealed five identifiable dimensions following a varimax rotation: (a) Relevance, (b) Irrelevance, (c) Differentiating Levels of Reliability of Observations or of Authorities, (d) Accuracy of Deduction, and (e) Determination of the Accuracy of an Assumption. Only the Accuracy of Deduction factor appeared to correspond closely to the dimension hypothesized by the test authors. Each one of at least three rotated factors seemed to portray a unique variance component reflecting homogeneous structure or content characteristics of a particular test section rather than common-factor variance suggesting a meaningful psychological construct. It was concluded that the CCTT may be lacking substantially in construct validity, as the psychological nature of four of the five rotated factors could not be readily interpreted.