The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) is the most widely used critical thinking assessment for professional recruitment and development — used by law firms, consulting firms, financial institutions, government agencies, and graduate programs to evaluate logical reasoning, argument analysis, and decision-making ability. This complete guide covers what the Watson Glaser measures, the five section breakdown, how scoring works, and evidence-based strategies for improving your performance.
The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is a standardized psychometric test that measures an individual's ability to think critically — specifically, the ability to interpret information objectively, identify assumptions, evaluate arguments, and draw sound conclusions from evidence. It was developed by Goodwin Watson and Edward Glaser in the 1920s and has been continuously refined through multiple editions.
Unlike personality tests or IQ tests, the Watson Glaser specifically measures applied reasoning — how well you process written information and make logical judgments under realistic conditions. The current version (Watson Glaser III, or WG-III) features a timed format with scenarios drawn from business, law, policy, and everyday contexts.
Key characteristics:
Start practicing with our free watson glaser practice test — the most effective way to familiarize yourself with question formats before your actual assessment.
1. Inference
You are given a passage of factual information and a list of possible inferences (conclusions that might be drawn). You decide if each inference is: True, Probably True, Insufficient Data, Probably False, or False — based solely on the passage. Key skill: distinguish what the passage actually says from what seems plausible but isn't stated.
2. Recognition of Assumptions
You are given a statement and a list of proposed assumptions. You decide whether each assumption is 'Made' (taken for granted in the statement) or 'Not Made.' Key skill: recognize unstated premises that must be accepted for the statement to be true — without over-reading.
3. Deduction
You are given premises and must decide whether a conclusion 'Follows' or 'Does Not Follow' from those premises strictly according to logic. Key skill: formal logical reasoning — even if a conclusion seems true in general, it only 'follows' if it's logically required by the premises given.
4. Interpretation
You are given a passage and must decide whether each conclusion 'Follows' or 'Does Not Follow' — but this time based on evidence rather than strict logic. Key skill: weighing the weight of evidence rather than applying formal deduction rules.
5. Evaluation of Arguments
You are given a question and a list of arguments. You decide whether each argument is 'Strong' or 'Weak' — a strong argument is both relevant to the question and important. Key skill: separating emotionally compelling arguments from logically sound ones. For targeted practice by section, see our watson glaser practice test and strategy guide at watson glaser test 7 tips to know.
The Watson Glaser is used extensively in professional recruitment across several industries:
Law firms: The UK's 'Magic Circle' firms (Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Linklaters, Allen & Overy, Slaughter and May) use the Watson Glaser as a key early-stage filter for training contract applications. Competitive candidates typically score at the 70th–85th percentile or above.
Consulting and financial services: Firms like KPMG, Deloitte, and McKinsey use Watson Glaser or similar critical thinking assessments in their graduate recruitment. Exact cutoffs are not published — assume high competition.
Public sector and NHS (UK): Government graduate schemes and NHS leadership programs use the Watson Glaser for selection. Score requirements vary by scheme.
Most employers using the Watson Glaser do not publish their exact cutoff scores. The safest preparation strategy is to aim for the highest possible score — not just to clear a threshold. For preparation strategies that work, see our watson glaser 7 tips guide and practice with our watson glaser practice test.