The Watson Glaser Tests also measure candidates’ ability to think critically.
Watson Glaser tests are career aptitude assessments that are utilized by law firms to evaluate critical thinking ability with other skills.
The test is one of the several psychometric tests used by companies to select candidates for training.
Watson Glaser tests measure a candidate’s ability to think critically, draw conclusions, assess arguments, and recognize assumptions, as well as evaluate strong and weak arguments.
This type of psychometric assessment falls under the category of critical thinking tests, which have been designed to determine how well an individual can process information from a logical viewpoint, and then assess and reach expected decisions.
These tests are typically used in the recruitment process for professions that depend on these competencies.
Watson Glaser tests were first developed in 1925 by the American popular psychologists known as Goodwin Watson and Edwin Glaser.
The tests have now become the product of TalentLens, one of the test publishers, and have also been used as one of the most trusted tactics of measuring critical reasoning.
20 Important Facts about Watson Glaser Tests
Here are useful information, facts, and tips on the Watson Glaser tests that you can use:
What is a Watson Glaser test?
Watson Glaser tests measure the ability to interpret information, distinguish between fact and myth, and draw proven conclusions.
These skills are assessed by this test through verbal statements or passages of text provided for candidates to make deductions and inferences, identify assumptions required to validate a proposition, and assess the strength of an argument.
Watson Glaser requires no previous knowledge when measuring these inborn skills.
Success is achieved on the test by setting existing knowledge aside, and the main center of attention being the proof laid out in each of the questions.
If you are applying for a graduate, managerial, or professional level position in a section where critical thinking is required, you may be asked to take Watson Glaser tests to screen you in the initial stages of your application, or later on as part of an assessment day.
What is the format of a Watson Glaser test?
Watson Glaser’s latest version of the test comprises 40 questions with a 30-minute time limit.
The questions of this test are divided into 5 areas of logical reasoning ability such as drawing inferences, recognizing assumptions, deduction, interpreting, and evaluating arguments.
i. Drawing inferences
When you make an educated guess based on the proof before you, without being influenced by any pre-existing knowledge, you are said to be drawing an inference.
You will be provided with a series of inferred statements after a short paragraph to critically analyze the information in the paragraph provided to determine if these statements are true, probably true, false, probably false, or if there is unsatisfactory proof to decide either way.
ii. Recognizing assumptions
Assumptions have a relationship with what you understand to be true without concrete evidence.
They are the basic facts that make an argument to be valid.
In this test, you will be offered a statement and a series of assumptions and required to mark an assumption as “assumption made” if it depends on the assumptions being true.
However, you will be required to mark the assumption as “assumption not made” if the assumption is not relevant to the statement or has no weight on its validity.
iii. Deduction
A deduction is different from an assumption since it is taken away from an argument, contrary to the facts on which an argument should be based.
Take deductive reasoning as an act of arriving at a fact-based conclusion via the process of logical thought.
You will be asked to determine if a list of conclusions does or does not logically follow on from the information before you based only on the proof shown in a short paragraph or statement.
iv. Interpreting
This part of the test is similar to the deduction section because you will need to determine whether a conclusion provided can logically be drawn from an argument.
However, you’ll need to be able to identify major pieces of information and decide if a logical interpretation can be applied in support of the conclusion in question using these questions.
v. Evaluating arguments
This is the final section and it assesses your ability to separate a weak argument from a strong one.
It is designed to measure your unbiased evaluation of arguments, not your personal opinion.
After a question is posed, a set of arguments will appear on either side of the debate. You will be required to determine if an argument is relevant and challenging, and therefore strong, or indistinct and unlikely, and so weak.
The 5 sections explained above will give you a general view of your performance in major areas, and assess your ability to:
Define a problem
Choose main points of information to formulate a solution
Understand when an assumption has been made, and when it hasn’t
Select an applicable hypothesis based on constrained areas
Draw fact-based conclusions
Determine the probability of an inference.
Watson Glaser critical thinking test
The purpose of this test is to evaluate an individual’s ability to digest and understand situations and information.
Organizations use the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking test in industries like law firms where the ability to critically think about arguments or propositions is predominantly required.
The Watson Glaser critical thinking test is usually completed within 50 minutes, taking approximately 10 minutes on each subtest. One hour is typically given to test takers to complete the test.
The Watson Glaser critical thinking test is standardized on a sample of over 1,500 respondents that represent graduate-level candidates.
As you take this test, you will be assessed against this respondent group.
How can I prepare for a Watson Glaser test?
Practice really improves critical thinking ability and it is a skill that can be acquired, although it is inbuilt.
Once you start practicing, you will find helpful materials everywhere such as journal articles, blog posts, and newspapers.
RED is the model around which Watson Glaser tests are built. RED is derived from Recognize assumptions, Evaluate arguments, and Draw conclusions.
Always remember RED as you perform practice tests and daily tasks.
What is a passing score on the Watson Glaser tests?
Your Watson Glaser test results will be measured against a group of individuals of a comparative educational background or professional standing within a relevant field.
For that reason, it is hard to say an exact pass score on the Watson Glaser test since it depends wholly on the performance of your peers.
Preferably, you’d look to reach seventy-five percent and above to give yourself a competitive edge.
What law firms make use of Watson Glaser tests?
Watson Glaser tests are mainly common in the sectors of legal services and are used to measure candidates’ suitability for a job position.
Making knowledgeable decisions that can be defensible, deep-rooted in fact, and free from unfairness is one of the criteria for positions in law.
So, employers make use of Watson Glaser tests to determine how well-suited a candidate is for a position in a law firm since critical thinking is an essential skill here.
The Watson Glaser test is utilized by many all over the world because of its need in determining candidates’ skills and abilities, especially in entry-level positions.
However, not all law firms use the test as part of their hiring process.
These skills are necessary for lawyers and if the candidate has excellent critical thinking skills could mean success for the firm or failure if they refuse to go for the Watson Glaser test, and become much confident in their resume and interview.
A few law firms that make use of the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test in their hiring process include Hill Dickinson, Hiscox, Deloitte, Hogan Lovells, Dentons, Ince & Co, Irwin Mitchell, Linklaters, and Simmons & Simmons.
Several public health offices, banks, and legal departments of government agencies also utilize the Watson Glaser test to examine the ability of candidates to be effective employees in the end.
Watson Glaser is a multi-lingual Test
The Watson Glaser test is available in a number of languages, including US English, UK English, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Dutch, French, and French Canadian.
Top tips for assuring success in your Watson Glaser test
You should be aware of what you are asked to do while preparing for Watson Glaser tests.
Below are some tips to consider if you desire to improve your Watson Glaser test score:
Practice as much as you can
Spend enough time preparing
Ensure you are aware of what to anticipate from the test questions
Cautiously read the instructions
Overlook anything that you think you already know and focus only on the information given in the question
Read a variety of journals, newspapers, and reports, and watch samples of debates and arguments to help you improve your skills
Have the self-awareness to help you think about how your own opinions and life experiences may impact how you perceive and understand scenarios
Read the analysis that explains the answers during practice
For you to work your way through the entire test, ensure that your timings go in line with your practice.
How does Watson Glaser define critical thinking?
Critical thinking is the ability to observe a scenario and consider it from different viewpoints while identifying what is assumed, what a fact is, and what opinion is.
In doing so, you should be able to draw logical conclusions and use these for knowledgeable decision-making, according to the methodology behind the Watson Glaser tests.
How can I improve my critical thinking skills?
Have a look at the world around you, ask questions, read aggressively, and look for proof in every statement or argument you come across so as to improve your critical thinking skills, which we practice in our everyday lives.
In order to assess your progress, take practice tests as often as possible.
How difficult is the Watson Glaser test?
There are many challenges associated with Watson Glaser tests. The test is considered among the most challenging critical thinking tests because they assess five separate aspects of logical reasoning skills.
The pressure of Watson Glaser tests also comes with a time limit.
However, with devoted practice, you can sharpen your skills and make critical thinking a sure bet.
Where can I practice Watson Glaser tests?
There are various resources you can find online to assist you in your preparation for the Watson Glaser test.
Using these practice tests even free ones can familiarize you with the format of the test and develop your critical thinking skills.
Watson Glaser Paid-for preparation packs
This can be effective in your preparation for Watson Glaser tests as they come in complex form so you may have a feel of what the test will look like.
These preparation packs are all-inclusively packaged more than the free practice tests.
Preparation packs for Watson Glaser tests also include study guides, practice tests, suggestions of how you can improve your score, and specific tools that are meant to see you through the whole five stages of the test.
Instead of depending wholly on free tools, you can invest your money in a preparation pack to help increase your pre-test study and practice.
What does a Watson Glaser test measure?
Your ability to use logical reasoning to evaluate assumptions, arguments, deductions, inferences, and interpreting information is measured by Watson Glaser tests.
A passage of information will be presented to you consisting of a mixture of numerical and verbal data, and you will be required to use your critical assessment to identify how accurate that statement is viewing it from the above passage.
What is a Lawyer Portal free Watson Glaser test?
This practice test contains 18 questions and was created by The Lawyer Portal to give you an idea of what to look up to on the complete aptitude test utilized by law firms.
You will meet questions designed to measure your decision-making and your judgment skills, as well as your critical thinking abilities.
These questions also evaluate your strong and weak arguments and your ability to identify whether conclusions follow or not.
You’ll be able to check whether a question was right or wrong when you have completed it through viewing a model answer.
Detailed statistics of how your performance measures you against everyone else will also be revealed to you.
Gain advantage of online practice tests
There are various online training tests offered free to help you and be beneficial to you as a starting point in your preparation.
Be assured that these are not detailed as the real test questions, and ensure that these questions are related to the Watson Glaser test.
Critical thinking questions specific to the Watson Glaser test can help you develop your skills but will not familiarize you with this test.
For that reason, you should obey the rules and structure of a Watson Glaser test.
How important is the Watson Glaser test?
Watson Glaser tests are used to know about an individual’s critical thinking skill set and involve rational and logical thinking.
Candidates are required to prove their capability by finding out how they can assess if they can use inferences and assumptions to help their decision-making.
An inherent ability will help you to look beyond the information provided to the basic patterns.
Watson Glaser tests are important in law firms, social works, and finance teams, as well as in HR professions where specialists handling internal disputes may need to think critically and in health roles for professionals who may need to use critical thinking to evaluate whether an individual is vulnerable and in need of support when that person can’t openly say it.
Critical thinking is about understanding how to find the facts and the truth about a scenario or argument without being manipulated by other people’s views.
It is also about exploring the bigger picture and seeing how decisions made now may have temporary benefits but long-term effects.
This ability to think objectively can make a big difference to business success for those working in senior managerial roles.
What is the difference between the Watson Glaser test versions?
WGCTA II and WG III are the two existing versions of this test. These two versions of the test have some differences although they assess the similar type of skills.
The latest version of the test is Watson Glaser III, which derives its questions from a huge pool of items.
Candidates can take the test without supervision as each instance of the test varies from one another.
Alternatively, WG II is not timed but requires a proctor, except in the US where reasonable test accommodations are allowed.
In the long run, there are Watson Glaser tests that are out of date and are no longer in use in most cases such as Watson Glaser I forms A, B, C, and S (Short).
How do I beat the Watson Glaser test?
The best approach to use if you really want to beat the Watson Glaser test is to get yourself ready beforehand, using the same setting to create the greatest experience.
If you are taking the timed version of the test, it is necessary to time yourself during practice so you can figure out which questions you need more time to complete and which questions you can quickly go through.
Why do I need to pass the Watson Glaser test?
As a critical thinking test, you need to pass the Watson Glaser test because critical thinking ability is considered an important factor, and candidates who have this trait are usually good decision-makers and arrive at exact and well-versed conclusions without delay.
With excellent strategic thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills, you will attain success in your career and organizations use these to assess and employ talented individuals.
Companies looking for strong, dedicated employees to hire often use the Watson Glaser test and retain these employees as future leaders.
Gaining an advantage of Watson Glaser practice tests will help to make the appropriate decisions that will guarantee the success of the test.
Watson Glaser Tests Practice Questions and Answers
Practicing these sample questions and answers will help prepare you for Watson Glaser tests.
Don’t forget that you need them for your success. These include:
Inference Sample Questions and Answer
Inference Statement
A 10% duty was proclaimed on all vegetables coming into the country by The Tariff Act of 1883, but the fruit was allowed to enter duty-free.
The New York Customs Collector declared the tomato to be a vegetable after they had seen this as a chance to make more money.
Angry importers decided to make a legal proceeding. Nix v. Hedden Justice Horace Gray, ruled in the court case that: “Although tomatoes are considered by botanists as a fruit, they are consumed as a major part of a meal, peas or like squash.
Therefore, it is the decision of the court that the tomato is a vegetable in respect to the law.”
Proposed Inference 1
Import taxes were levied on vegetables by the law but nothing was done on fruit and that was a reasonable and just law.
a. True b. Probably True c. Insufficient Data d. Probably False e. False
Answer and Explanation
C: Insufficient Data
This law typically features in the first sentence of the paragraph. The passage focuses on the case of the tomato from that point onwards.
We cannot say that the law was reasonable or just since there are no references to the law itself.
Proposed Inference 2
For all intents and purposes, the tomato was considered a fruit before 1883.
a. True b. Probably True c. Insufficient Data d. Probably False e. False
Answer and Explanation
D: Probably False
The key to answering the question is included in this statement: That is, although the passage deals mostly with the debate of whether a tomato is to be considered a fruit or a vegetable, the passage does not directly give an answer to the question of ‘what was the definition of the tomato before 1883?’
We know two things for a fact, as clearly mentioned in the text. First, tomatoes were considered a fruit according to the botanical definition before 1883, and that according to the legal definition it was considered a vegetable after 1883.
This does not essentially mean the tomato was known as a fruit in all possible aspects. Why was tomato chosen of all fruits?
Nix v. Hedden Justice Horace Gray ruled that: “Although tomatoes are considered by botanists as a fruit, they are consumed as a major part of a meal, like a squash or peas…”
The tomato has been a baffling food since then despite the botanical description it is considered a vegetable.
Therefore, it is very likely that for some purposes and goals, the tomato was not thought of as a fruit (eating included).
Therefore, the answer is ‘Probably False’.
Proposed Inference 3
There is no basis to what the New York Customs Collector announced that the tomato is a vegetable other than a need for more income.
a. True b. Probably True c. Insufficient Data d. Probably False e. False
Answer and Explanation
D: Probably False
Actually, the tomato is usually considered and used as a vegetable, not a fruit. Tomato is considered a fruit only from a botanical perspective.
It is possible that the Customs Collector select the tomato on the basis of this opinion.
Conclusion
Companies that ask their candidates to take Watson Glaser tests are looking for the best candidate out of the rest.
Your goal is to get a higher score than anyone else taking the test and not just to pass the test.
Thus, preparing for Watson Glaser tests is very essential for your chances of success.
You need self-confidence that you know what you are required to perform and that you can make use of your critical thinking skills to make the right decisions.
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