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Observation Checklist for Thinking Skills
Observed Thinking Skills Notes
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Interpretation |
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Describing
Describes important concepts and relationships accurately |
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Showing Meaning
Shows how information has special meaning by connecting it to experiences, knowledge, and beliefs
Shows purpose and theme related to information |
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Making Inferences |
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Making Connections
Uses knowledge and experiences to make connections and draw inferences |
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Monitoring
Uses knowledge, experiences, and sound reasoning to make connections and draw inferences
Modifies inferences and makes new ones continuously |
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Evaluation |
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Analyzing Persuasive Arguments
Differentiates between sound reasoning and faulty reasoning strategies in persuasive arguments |
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Forming Opinions
Bases opinion on good evidence synthesized from multiple, credible sources
Shows understanding of complexity of issue by investigating and synthesizing information from different viewpoints |
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Communicating
States opinion clearly and supports it with several good reasons from reliable sources
Communicates deep understanding of complexity of issue |
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Commitment |
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Effort
Puts forth effort to find out about an issue before forming an opinion |
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Persistence
Waits to form an opinion until finding enough information
Changes mind when confronted with new evidence |
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Accuracy
Takes pride in accuracy of work |
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Reasoning |
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Predicting
Makes reasonable predictions based on thorough understanding of the subject area
Revises predictions if necessary |
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Drawing Conclusions
Uses personal experiences, knowledge, and thorough understanding of information to make inferences and draw meaningful conclusions |
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Determining Cause and Effect
Identifies multiple causes and effects
Prioritizes causes by their impact
Differentiates between correlation and causation
Creates visual representations that show the relationships among causes and effects in complex systems |
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Communicating
Explains reasoning processes and conclusions clearly and thoroughly |
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Argumentation |
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Making a Claim
Clearly states claim |
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Finding and Evaluating Evidence
Applies standards of quality to evidence used to support claim |
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Audience Awareness
Considers audience when forming an argument and includes appropriate information
Addresses counterarguments |
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Communicating
Describes claim and evidence clearly and thoroughly
Cites sources
Organizes argument so it has the greatest impact |
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Decision Making |
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Creating Options
Uses a variety of reasoning strategies to weigh options and choose the best one |
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Predicting Consequences
Predicts consequences of options
Evaluates impact on self and others |
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Communicating
Explains reasons for decision carefully and in detail |
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