Why would I need two different tests? What is a companion instrument?

Insight Assessment critical thinking tests are used world wide to assess critical thinking skills (cognitive strategies usually measured as critical thinking ability) and critical thinking dispositions (attributes/habits of mind associated with excellence in critical thinking).

Skills tests target the core critical thinking skills essential to the kind of thinking and reasoning required to decide what to believe or what to do in novel problem situations. Skills measured by Insight Assessment's critical thinking skills tests include: analysis, interpretation, inference, evaluation, explanation, inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning.

Dispositions Tests measure the attributes and values that influence the test taker's capacity to learn and to effectively apply critical thinking skills.  Habits of mind measured by Insight Assessment's dispositions tests include: disposition toward turth seeking or bias, toward open mindedness or intolerance, toward anticipating possible consequences, toward proceeding in a systematic or unsystematic way, toward being confient in the powers of reasoning, toward being inquisitive and toward mature and nuanced judgment.

For a complete assessment of a test taker's critical thinking, it is recommended that the test taker be offered both a skills and a dispositions test. Insight Assessment offers an extensive array of test instruments calibrated to specific test takers.  Companion measures are targeted to the same test takers. Together the companion instruments provide a comprehensive measurement of whether a test taker is  ‘willing and able’ to think well.

For information about measuring critical thinking skills

For information about measuring critical thinking dispositions