Test of Everyday Reasoning (TER)
The Test of Everyday Reasoning (TER) is an objective measure of the core reasoning skills needed for reflective decision making concerning what to believe or what to do. The TER is widely used by public and private high schools, prep schools, community colleges and American and European International Schools.
TER Purpose
The Test of Everyday Reasoning (TER) is calibrated for test takers in high school or the first two years of post-secondary education, and for adults of all ages in the general population. The TER provides objective and reliable data on the critical thinking skills of individuals and of groups. Local test scores can be compared to national high school and 2-year college norms or to norms gathered from working professionals in entry level workplace positions.
Today, educational programs and workplace training programs are being required to demonstrate that they are effectively improving critical thinking skills. The TER is being used:
- To assess and report on the reasoning skills of individual and groups of high school and community college students
- for short and long-term educational learning outcomes assessment,
- to evaluate and design programs teaching reasoning skills
- for critical thinking skills research data by employers and by educational institutions in English and in authorized translations around the world.
TER Overview
Test questions engage the test-taker’s reasoning skills using familiar topics and contexts. Different questions progressively invite test-takers to analyze or to interpret information presented in text, charts, or images; to draw accurate and warranted inferences; to evaluate inferences and explain why they represent strong reasoning or weak reasoning; or to explain why a given evaluation of an inference is strong or weak. No specialized content knowledge is required.
- The Flesch-Kincaid Readability Level is 6th Grade
- The TER is a member of the CCTST Family of Critical Thinking Skills Tests.
- The TER is a multiple choice test that is administered in 45 minutes.
Scales Reported
TER reports provide an Overall Reasoning Skills score and scale scores Analysis, Interpretation, Inference, Evaluation, Explanation, Induction, Deduction and Numeracy for each test-taker and group.
Test Administration
Insight Assessment offers the industry’s most complete and cost-effective array of testing options including online and traditional paper-and-pencil solutions.
Secure, encrypted online testing is available 24x7x365 with our multilingual delivery options. Our browser or app based online system provides the option of taking our assessments on virtually any device.
Tests are available any time any where, whether directly at your site or multiple sites, at test centers or to individual devices.
Recommended Companion Tests
Engaging problems and making decisions using critical thinking involves both skills and habits of mind. For a complete assessment of a test taker’s critical thinking, it is recommended that both skills and dispositions be assessed. Using companion assessment measures results in a comprehensive measurement of whether a test taker is ‘willing and able’ to think well. The recommended companion assessments for the TER is the EDUCATE INSIGHT Thinking Mindset Grades 6-12 at the high school level or the CM3 Level III at the community college level.
Contact us today to learn more about the Test of Everyday Reasoning and the percentile benchmarks available for your programs.
The Test of Everyday Reasoning (TER) returns scores on these scales: Overall Reasoning Skills Analysis, Interpretation, Evaluation, Explanation, Inference, Deduction, Induction and Numeracy.
Scale Descriptions
Reasoning Skills Overall
Analysis
Analytical skills are used to identify assumptions, reasons, themes, and the evidence used in making arguments or offering explanations. Analytical skills enable us to consider all the key elements in any given situation, and to determine how those elements relate to one another. People with strong analytical skills notice important patterns and details. People use analysis to gather the most relevant information from spoken language, documents, signs, charts, graphs, and diagrams.
Interpretation
Interpretation is the process of discovering, determining, or assigning meaning. Interpretation skills can be applied to anything, e.g. written messages, charts, diagrams, maps, graphs, memes, and verbal and non-verbal exchanges. People apply their interpretive skills to behaviors, events, and social interactions when deciding what they think something means in a given context.
Evaluation
Evaluative reasoning skills enable us to assess the credibility of sources of information and the claims they make. We use these skills to determine the strength or weakness of arguments. Applying evaluation skills we can judge the quality of analyses, interpretations, explanations, inferences, options, opinions, beliefs, ideas, proposals, and decisions. Strong explanation skills can support high-quality evaluation by providing the evidence, reasons, methods, criteria, or assumptions behind the claims made and the conclusions reached.
Inference
Inference skills enable us to draw conclusions from reasons, evidence, observations, experiences, or our values and beliefs. Using Inference, we can predict the most likely consequences of the options we may be considering. Inference enables us to see the logical consequences of the assumptions we may be making. Sound inferences rely on accurate information. People with strong inference skills draw logical or highly reliable conclusions using all forms of analogical, probabilistic, empirical, and mathematical reasoning.
Explanation
Explanation is the process of justifying what we have decided to do or what we have decided to believe. People with strong explanation skills provide the evidence, methods, and considerations they actually relied on when making their judgment. Explanations can include our assumptions, reasons, values, and beliefs. Strong explanations enable others to understand and to evaluate our decisions.
Induction
Inductive reasoning relies on estimating likely outcomes. Decision making in contexts of uncertainty relies on inductive reasoning. Inductive decisions can be based on analogies, case studies, prior experience, statistical analyses, simulations, hypotheticals, trusted testimony, and the patterns we may recognize in a set of events, experiences, symptoms or behaviors. Inductive reasoning always leaves open the possibility, however remote, that a highly probable conclusion might be mistaken. Although it does not yield certainty, inductive reasoning can provide a solid basis for confidence in our conclusions and a reasonable basis for action.
Deduction
Deductive reasoning is rigorously logical and clear cut. Deductive skills are used whenever we determine the precise logical consequences of a given set of rules, conditions, beliefs, values, policies, principles, procedures, or terminology. Deductive reasoning is deciding what to believe or what to do in precisely defined contexts that rely on strict rules and logic. Deductive validity results in a conclusion which absolutely cannot be false, if the assumptions or premises from which we started all are true. Deductive validity leaves no room for uncertainty. That is, unless we decide to change the very meanings of our words or the grammar of our language.
Numeracy
Numeracy refers to the ability to make judgments based on quantitative information in a variety of contexts. People with strong numeracy can describe how quantitative information is gathered, manipulated, and represented textually, verbally, and visually in graphs, charts, tables and diagrams. Numeracy requires all the core critical thinking skills. Numeracy includes being thoughtfully reflective while interpreting the meaning of information expressed in charts, graphs, or text formats, analyzing those elements, drawing accurate inferences from that information, and explaining and evaluating how those conclusions were reached.
The Test of Everyday Reasoning (TER) has been designed to deliver high quality objective metrics on the strengths and weaknesses of key aspects of good thinking.
TER reports deliver individual and group results in a presentation ready format. Each report includes a wide range of statistical and demographic information about individuals and/or test-taker groups. Test-taker scores and group summaries are presented with interpretative analysis by Insight Assessment measurement scientists.
The TER measures and reports on an array of reasoning skill scale scores: Total Score, Analysis, Interpretation, Inference, Evaluation, Explanation, Induction, Deduction and Numeracy.
The Assessment Report package includes:
Individual test-taker analytics:
- an overall score of thinking ability (Overall Score)
- a categorical interpretation of the strength of the Overall Score and scale scores
- a norm-referenced percentile ranking (applicable to skills assessments only)
- scale scores to indicate which of the skills areas are particularly strong and which are weaker and require training attention.
- test administrators control whether test-takers receive their individual results after testing.
- Group analytics include:
- descriptive statistics and presentation ready graphic representation of the average Overall score and scale scores for the group
- descriptive graphics and representations including size of the group, mean, median, standard deviation, standard error of the mean, lowest score, highest score, first quartile score and third quartile score. To see video about interpreting group report histograms
- descriptive statistics of the demographic characteristics of the test-taker group (if collected
- the average percentile of group as compared to a pre-selected external norm group (applicable to skills assessments only). For more information on norm-referenced scores
- Electronic data files spreadsheet with all scale scores and demographic responses.
- descriptive statistics and presentation ready graphic representation of the average Overall score and scale scores for the group
- User Manual which includes chapters on interpreting individual and group test-taker scores using our 4-Step Process.
Insight Assessment clients depend on the comprehensive data and analysis in a TER report to provide the insights needed to achieve their assessment goals. Clients are currently using individual data for professional development, student or intern placement, hiring, advising, competency training. Group data is being used for new cohort assessment, outcomes assessment, demonstrating the quality of an educational or training program, demonstrating group proficiency, staff development, admissions and more.
Clients can customize their results package with additional analyses, graphics and interpretative text discussing your scores in relationship to your particular goals and objectives. For further information, see Insight Assessment Reports and Analytics.
Individual and group scores are provided for all Insight Assessment test takers. Different groups of test takers have very different performance levels and therefore their scores differ quite a bit on scientifically developed measures of cognitive ability. It is important to understand how your group of test takers compares to selected external comparison groups, for example, the population of comparable regional or national peer groups.
The reports for each Insight Assessment test instrument provide scores that can be benchmarked against a variety of external comparison groups so that our clients are able to evaluate the scores of individual test takers or of their entire group. If you do not see what you are specifically looking for, contact us to discuss your needs with a testing specialist.
Comparison Percentiles Available for the TER
Two Year Colleges
Elite College Prep HS
High Schools
Some of the current authorized translations of the Test of Everyday Reasoning are listed below. Insight Assessment is constantly working on expanding the multilingual capabilities of our products. If you do not see what you are specifically looking for, please contact us to determine if it is available.
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Chinese Simplified
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Chinese Traditional
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English
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Greek
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Russian
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Spanish
As a qualified purchaser, we offer the option of purchasing a preview of the assessment experience.
A preview provides you with one or more opportunities to view and experience the assessment from the perspective of the individual being assessed and to see the reporting options.
Your account representative will set up your preview of the instrument on mobile devices or on computers. The preview includes the profile page, an example of the assessment itself, and an example of the individual report that will be provided at completion of the assessment.
Each preview also includes a digital copy of the user manual and resource guide for the specific instrument you are viewing. User manuals provide:
- a brief description of each metric being assessed by the instrument;
- a description of how to interpret both individual and group assessment results;
- a discussion of validity and reliability for the measures;
- all necessary information about administration of the assessment;
- many additional resources that we hope you will find useful for designing your assessment project.
Contact us to order a preview now, or receive your preview when you place your first order for assessments.
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