The ARC Assignment Profile

Assessment Rubric for Critical Thinking

The Assessment Rubric for Critical Thinking (ARC) is a global rubric template
developed for the College to provide a snapshot view of how student learning is being
affected by the critical thinking QEP initiative. It is designed to assess a variety of student
projects from a critical thinking perspective. For example, students in a composition class
may be asked to complete a paper on a specific topic. This ARC rubric template can evaluate
the student’s use of critical thinking skills in the development of the paper as opposed to
specifically evaluating the quality of student’s writing skills. The ARC rubric template is
designed to be flexible enough to address a number of student project modalities including
written and oral communications.

Validating the ARC

The development of any quality rubric is a long and arduous process. The initial
version of the ARC was developed by the College’s current team of faculty champions in
conjunction with QEP staff and resources from their various disciplines. The initial
administrations were just the beginning of the rubric development and validation process.
Refinement of this initial instrument has included thorough reviews by faculty and
assessment experts from around the college as well as a preliminary tests of the instrument
on sample of discipline-specific, course projects. Faculty champions will determine the
quality and usability of the rubric through the rating of student artifacts and will
recommend modifications as needed.

The ARC has been piloted and results were analyzed from a quantitative as well as a
qualitative perspective to establish the quality, reliability, and validity of the assessment
instrument. Based on these validation results, some additional refinements and
modifications were made to the instrument to ensure the quality of the final standardized
instrument. Rubric results will be reevaluated after each administration, and additional
refinements and modifications may be made to the instrument as the assessment
development and validation is intended to be an on-going dynamic process.

Assignment Profile for ARC Page 1 of 5 Last Revised: 05/20/2010

ARC Assignment Profile

The ARC Assignment Profile is designed to provide consistency and accuracy in the
evaluation of the ARC as well as provide guidelines for the use of the assessment at the
course level. The ARC is essential a ‘tool’ to evaluate critical thinking, but for a tool to be
effective it must be used in the correct situation or ‘job.’ It would be inefficient to use a
machete to conduct heart surgery. The purpose of the ARC Assignment Profile is to outline
the most appropriate course assignment.

1. Participating faculty should have one assignment during the course that can be
evaluated using the ARC scoring rubric. The course assignment could be a graded
homework assignment or a major assessment for the course.

2. The course assignment for the ARC should include all of the elements of the rubric
and should be aligned with the task outlined for each element. Assignments that
only evaluate some of the elements or are not aligned with the specific ARC tasks
will be considered incomplete.

3. Faculty may add additional discipline specific rubric elements (such as grammar and
punctuation in a composition class), but should maintain the ARC elements as listed.

4. Students should be provided a copy of the assignment rubric (ARC and any
additional discipline specific elements). The specific elements and tasks include:

1. Communication: Define the problem in your own words.

2. Analysis: Compare & contrast the available solutions within the scenario.
3. Problem Solving: Select one of the available solutions and defend it as
your chosen solution.
4. Evaluation: Identify the weaknesses of your chosen solution.
5. Synthesis: Suggest ways to improve/strengthen your chosen solution
(may use information not contained within the scenario).
6. Reflection: Reflect on your own thought process after completing the
assignment.
a. “What did you learn from this process?”
b. “What would you do differently next time to improve?”

5. The evaluating scenario (selected or created) should be stated in such a manner to

allow the student to address each of the tasks. The QEP team is willing to assist you
with the creation of the scenario or identify possible sources of existing scenarios
that could be used. A very basic sample scenario is provided at the end of the
document.

Assignment Profile for ARC Page 2 of 5 Last Revised: 05/20/2010

 SPC’s Assessment of Critical Thinking (ARC) Scoring Template

Rater (scorer) name: _____________________________Paper ID: _____________________Date: ____________________

Performance Exemplary Proficient Developing Emerging Not Present Score

Element (4) (3) (2) (1) (0)
I. Communication Identifies the main Identifies the main idea Identifies the main Identifies the main Does not identify 4 3 2 1 0
idea or problem with or problem with some idea or problem idea or problem the main idea or     
Define problem in numerous supporting supporting details and with few details or poorly with few or no problem.
your own words. details and examples examples in an examples in a details or states the N/A 
which are organized organized manner. somewhat organized main idea or problem Comments:
logically and manner. verbatim from the
coherently. text.

II. Analysis Uses specific Uses logical reasoning Uses superficial Makes unexplained, Does not analyze 4 3 2 1 0
inductive or to make inferences reasoning to make unsupported, or multiple solutions.     
Compare & deductive reasoning regarding solutions; inferences regarding unreasonable
contrast the to make inferences addresses implications solutions; Shows inferences regarding N/A 
available solutions. regarding premises; and consequences; some confusion solutions; makes Comments:
addresses Identifies facts and regarding facts, multiple errors in
implications and relevant information opinions, and distinguishing fact
consequences; correctly. relevant, evidence, from fiction or in
identifies facts and data, or information. selecting relevant
relevant information evidence.
correctly.
III. Problem Thoroughly identifies Identifies and Identifies and Identifies and Does not select and 4 3 2 1 0
Solving and addresses key addresses key aspects addresses some addresses only one defend a solution.     
aspects of the of the problem and aspects of the aspect of the problem
Select & defend problem and uses facts and relevant problem; develops but develops N/A 
your chosen insightfully uses facts evidence from analysis possible conclusions untestable Comments:
solution. and relevant evidence to develop potentially or solutions using hypothesis; or
from analysis to valid conclusions or some inappropriate develops invalid
support and defend solutions. opinions and conclusions or
potentially valid irrelevant solutions based on
solutions. information from opinion or irrelevant
analysis. information.

Assignment Profile for ARC Page 3 of 5 ARC Last Revised: 11/13/2008

 Rater (scorer) name: _____________________________Paper ID: _____________________Date: ____________________

Performance Exemplary Proficient Developing Emerging Not Present Score

Element (4) (3) (2) (1) (0)
IV. Evaluation Insightfully interprets Accurately interprets Makes some errors in Interprets data or Does not evaluate 4 3 2 1 0
data or information; data or information; data or information information data, information,     
Identify weaknesses identifies obvious as identifies obvious interpretation; makes incorrectly; or evidence related
in your chosen well as hidden assumptions, arguments using Supports to chosen solution. N/A 
solution. assumptions, establishes credibility weak evidence; conclusions or Comments:
establishes credibility of sources on points provides superficial solutions without
of sources on points other than authority support for evidence or logic;
other than authority alone, avoids fallacies conclusions or uses data,
alone, avoids fallacies in reasoning; solutions. information, or
in reasoning; distinguishes evidence skewed
distinguishes appropriate by invalid
appropriate arguments arguments from assumptions; uses
from extraneous extraneous elements; poor sources of
elements; provides provides sufficient information; uses
sufficient logical logical support. fallacious
support. arguments.
V. Synthesis Insightfully relates Accurately relates Inaccurately or Poorly integrates Does not identify 4 3 2 1 0
concepts and ideas concepts and ideas incompletely relates information from new information     
Suggest ways to from multiple sources; from multiple concepts and ideas more than one for chosen
improve/strengthen uses new information sources; uses new from multiple source to support solution. N/A 
your chosen solution. to enhance chosen information to sources; shallow chosen solution; Comments:
solution; recognizes enhance chosen determination of Incorrectly predicts
missing information; solution; correctly effect of new the effect of new
correctly identifies identifies potential information on information on
potential effects of new effects of new chosen solution. chosen solution.
information. information.
VI. Reflection Identifies strengths and Identifies strengths Identifies some Identifies some Does not reflect on 4 3 2 1 0
weaknesses in own and weaknesses in personal personal own thinking     
Reflect on your own thinking: recognizes own thinking: assumptions, values, assumptions,
thought process. personal assumptions, recognizes personal and perspectives; values, and N/A 
values and assumptions, values recognizes some perspectives; Comments:
“What did you learn
perspectives, compares and perspectives, assumptions, values does not consider
from this process?”
to others’, and compares to others’, and perspectives of alternate points of
evaluates them in the with some others; shallow view.
“What would you do
context of alternate comparisons of comparisons of
differently next time
points of view. alternate points of alternate points of
to improve?”
view. view.
Assignment Profile for ARC Page 4 of 5 ARC Last Revised: 11/13/2008
Sample Scenario: Deer Overpopulation:
Three teenagers were seriously injured in a car accident when swerving to avoid a deer on a two-lane road near a
small, rural town in Florida. The residents of the town have seen more and more deer enter the town’s populated
areas over recent years. Local law enforcement has been called numerous times this year to remove the animals
from backyards and neighborhood streets, and one deer even caused considerable damage as it entered a restaurant
in town. The mayor has been charged by the city leaders to keep the town residents safe. Local crops have even
been damaged by the animals. Some long time residents have requested that the hunting season and catch limits be
extended in order to reduce the deer population. One city leader even proposed that the city purchase electronic
devices to deter the deer from entering populated areas. Health concerns have recently been elevated as three deer
carcasses were found at the edge of town and local law enforcement suspect that the animals had been poisoned.

Assignment Profile for ARC Page 5 of 5 Last Revised: 05/20/2010