Investigation of Watson-Glaser critical thinking skills of junior high school students in solving mathematical problems

Abstract

This study aims to: (1) describe the critical thinking skills of junior high school students in solving mathematical problems and (2) identify the components of students essential sub-skills of thinking in assumptions, argument evaluation, deduction, information, and inference. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach. Data collected through tests and interviews, triangulation is done by comparing the test and interview. This study involved eight research subjects taken by random sampling from class VII, one of the junior high schools in Pidie Jaya Regency. The test used in this study consisted of eight problems representing five critical thinking skills sub-skills. The results of data collection analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The results showed that: (1) junior high school students critical thinking skills were in a low category; (2) deduction, information, and inference are the lowest critical thinking sub-skills mastered by students compared to other critical thinking sub-skills.