What do reading assessments often include to evaluate critical thinking?

Evaluating critical thinking in reading assessments often involves questions that require inference and analysis beyond the text. This type of question challenges students to engage deeply with the material, prompting them to draw conclusions, make connections, and interpret meaning that may not be explicitly stated. Such questions foster higher-order thinking skills, as they require individuals to not only comprehend the text but also to evaluate and synthesize information, demonstrating their ability to think critically about what they read.

In contrast, questions focused on vocabulary, summaries, or word definitions primarily assess understanding of language and basic comprehension rather than deeper analytical skills. Therefore, they do not effectively measure a student's ability to think critically about the content of the reading.