General Education Critical Thinking Rubric
Northeastern Illinois University
Quality No/Limited Proficiency
Macro Criteria (D&E)
1. Identifies & Fails to identify,
Explains Issues summarize, or explain the
main problem or question.
Represents the issues
inaccurately or
inappropriately.
2. Distinguishes Fails to label correctly any
Types of Claims of the factual, conceptual
and value dimensions of the
problems and proposed
solutions.
3. Recognizes Fails accurately to identify
Stakeholders and and explain any empirical
Contexts or theoretical contexts for
the issues.
Presents problems as
having no connections to
other conditions or
contexts.
4. Considers Fails to explain
Methodology how/why/which specific
methods of research are
relevant to the kind of issue
at hand.
5. Frames Personal Fails to formulate and
Responses and clearly express own point
Acknowledges Other of view, (or) fails to
Perspectives anticipate objections to
his/her point of view, (or)
fails to consider other
perspectives and position.
Some Proficiency (C) Proficiency (B) High Proficiency (A) Rating
(a,b,c,d)
Identifies main issues Successfully identifies Clearly identifies and summarizes
but does not summarize and summarizes the main issues and successfully
or explain them clearly main issues, but does explains why/how they are problems
or sufficiently not explain why/how or questions; and identifies
they are problems or embedded or implicit issues,
create questions addressing their relationships to each
other.
Successfully identifies Successfully separates Clearly and accurately labels not
some, but not all of the and labels all the only all the factual, conceptual, and
factual, conceptual, and factual, conceptual, value, but also those implicit in the
value aspects of the and value claims assumptions and the implications of
questions and answers. positions and arguments.
Shows some general Correctly identifies all Not only correctly identifies all the
understanding of the the empirical and most empirical and theoretical contexts
influences of empirical of theoretical contexts relevant to all the main stakeholders,
and theoretical contexts relevant to all the main but also finds minor stakeholders
on stakeholders, but stakeholders in the and contexts and shows the tension
does not identify many situation. or conflicts of interests among them.
specific ones relevant
to situation at hand.
Identifies some but not Successfully explains In addition to explaining
all methods required for how/why/which how/why/which methods are
dealing with the issue; methods are most typically used, also describes
does not explain why relevant to the embedded methods and possible
they are relevant or problem. alternative methods of working on
effective. the problem.
Formulates a vague and Formulates a clear and Not only formulates a clear and
indecisive point of precise personal point precise personal point of view, but
view, or anticipates of view concerning the also acknowledges objections and
minor but not major issue, and seriously rival positions and provides
objections to his/her discusses its convincing replies to these.
point of view, or weaknesses as well as
considers weak but not its strengths.
strong alternative
positions.
 General Education Critical Thinking Rubric
Northeastern Illinois University

Quality No/Limited Proficiency Some Proficiency (C) Proficiency (B) High Proficiency (A) Rating
Micro Criteria (D&E) (a,b,c,d)
6. Reconstructs Fails to identify the Identifies a few of the Correctly analyzes the Not only correctly reconstructs
Arguments major components of the premises but confuses the arguments and theories; the main argument but does the
main arguments at stake conclusion of the main restates its component same for subsidiary arguments
and to show their logical argument in support of propositions and and theories, and correctly
relations. the position under reconstructs their identifies the kind or status of
consideration (his or her relationships correctly. each of them.
own, or that of others)
7. Interprets Fails to identify and Clarifies the meaning of Convincingly explains Offers fined-grainned and
Content choose between the a few but far from all of the meaning of all the original interpretations of a
possible meanings of the the key terms and key terms and main crucial term or proposition
key terms and propositions involved. propositions involved involved in the issue.
propositions included in in the arguments and
the arguments and theories involved.
theories in use.
8. Evaluates Fails to identify and Identifies some of the Identifies and evaluates Not only identifies and evaluates
Assumptions evaluate any of the most important all the important all the important assumptions,
important assumptions assumptions, but does not assumptions, but not but also some of the more
behind the claims and evaluate them for the ones deeper in the hidden, more abstract ones.
recommendations made. plausibility or clarity. background – the more
abstract ones.
9. Evaluates Fails to identify data and Successfully identifies Identified all important Not only identifies and
Evidence information that counts data and information that evidence and rigorously evaluates all
as evidence for truth- counts as evidence but rigorously evaluates it. important evidence offered, but
claims and fails to fails to thoroughly also provides new data or
evaluate its credibility. evaluate its credibility. information for consideration.
10. Evaluates Fails to identify and Successfully identifies Identifies and avoids all Not only identifies and avoids all
Inferences explain mistakes in the and avoids some mistakes of reasoning mistakes of reasoning but gives
reasoning of others and common mistakes of and explains some of clear explanations of why they
fails to avoid them in his reasoning but misses less them. are mistakes.
or her own reasoning. common ones, and does
not explain why or how
they are mistakes.