Abstract
The present research assessed the structural validity of The Ross Test of Higher Cognitive Processes, a recently developed instrument designed to assess the higher-level thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation as outlined in Bloom's Taxonomy. Confirmatory factor analysis, analysis of variance and trend analysis were used to test the correspondence between Bloom's Taxonomy and the Ross Test, and to study the developmental nature of critical thinking. Subjects were 154 gifted third through sixth graders. Confirmatory factor analysis of individual test items and of the eight Ross subtests provided empirical evidence for the structural validity of this instrument, and normative data on gifted students' performance on the test was presented. This investigation of the Ross Test yielded findings relevant to the use and interpretation of this measure of critical thinking in the gifted and regular classroom.
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