WGU C168 OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT FINAL
PAPER 2026 TESTED QUESTIONS WITH FULL
SOLUTION GRADED A+
◉ Critical thinking comprises what three interlinking dimensions?
Answer: -Analyzing one's own thinking- breaking it down into its
component parts.
-Evaluating one's own thinking- identifying its weaknesses while
recognizing its strengths.
-Improving one's own thinking- reconstructing it to make it better.
◉ Critical thinking is characteristically what? Answer: self-directed
self-disciplined
self-monitored
self-corrective
◉ sociocentrism Answer: the assumption that one's own social
group is inherently superior to all others
◉ In reasoning through any problem, a well-cultivated critical
thinker: Answer: Raises vital questions
Gathers and assesses relevant information
,Reaches well-reasoned conclusions and solutions
Thinks open-mindedly
Communicates effectively with others
◉ First-order thinking Answer: Americans have always done it that
way, and as the greatest country in the world, it's always worked for
us in the past.
How can we trust the engineering work on this building? The
structural engineers weren't educated in the U.S.
My intuition tells me to turn right here, so I won't bother to look at
the map.
◉ Second-order thinking Answer: The assumptions we've relied
upon may be flawed. Let's review them again.
I'd like to talk this over with some colleagues. They may have some
insights we are missing.
As far as I am concerned, you're headed down the wrong path on
this project, and I'm rarely wrong on these matters.
I didn't completely understand the repercussions of my original
decision, and so now I have changed my mind and I am
recommending a new approach.This is an example of second-order
thinking, which is self-correcting.
◉ weak sense critical thinkers Answer: Ignore the flaws in their own
thinking
,Often seek to win an argument through intellectual trickery or
deceit.
Lacks key higher-level skills and values of critical thinking
Makes no good faith effort to consider alternative viewpoints.
Lacks fair-mindedness
Employ lower-level rhetorical skills (making unreasonable thinking
appear reasonable and reasonable thinking appear unreasonable).
Employ emotionalism and intellectual trickery.
Hide or distort evidence
◉ strong sense critical thinkers Answer: consistent pursuit of what
is intellectually fair and just strive to be ethical
strive to empathize with other's viewpoints
will entertain arguments with which they do not agree
change their views when confronted with superior reasoning.
employ their thinking reasonable instead of manipulatively.
requires fair mindedness combined with basic critical thinking skills
◉ Fair mindedness yields many intellectual virtues Answer:
consider all thinking by the same standards
expect good reasoning from supporters as well as from opponents
apply the same critical criteria to our own logic as to others'
reasoning
, recognize the actual strengths and weaknesses of any reasoning we
assess
◉ Intellectual Humility Answer: Characterization
Commitment to discovering the extent of one's own ignorance on
any issue
Recognition that one does not—and cannot—know everything
Consciousness of one's biases and prejudices
Aware of the limitations of one's viewpoint
Recognition that one should claim only what one actually knows
Awareness that egocentrism is often self-deceiving (i.e., convinces
the mind that it knows more than it does)
Its Opposite
Intellectual arrogance
Overestimation of how much one knows
No insight into self-deception or into the limitations of one's
viewpoint
Relationship to Fair-Mindedness
Fair-mindedness requires us to first recognize the ignorance and
flaws in our own thinking and to comport ourselves accordingly. It
requires self-awareness and a willingness to examine the limitations
of one's own point of view.
PAPER 2026 TESTED QUESTIONS WITH FULL
SOLUTION GRADED A+
◉ Critical thinking comprises what three interlinking dimensions?
Answer: -Analyzing one's own thinking- breaking it down into its
component parts.
-Evaluating one's own thinking- identifying its weaknesses while
recognizing its strengths.
-Improving one's own thinking- reconstructing it to make it better.
◉ Critical thinking is characteristically what? Answer: self-directed
self-disciplined
self-monitored
self-corrective
◉ sociocentrism Answer: the assumption that one's own social
group is inherently superior to all others
◉ In reasoning through any problem, a well-cultivated critical
thinker: Answer: Raises vital questions
Gathers and assesses relevant information
,Reaches well-reasoned conclusions and solutions
Thinks open-mindedly
Communicates effectively with others
◉ First-order thinking Answer: Americans have always done it that
way, and as the greatest country in the world, it's always worked for
us in the past.
How can we trust the engineering work on this building? The
structural engineers weren't educated in the U.S.
My intuition tells me to turn right here, so I won't bother to look at
the map.
◉ Second-order thinking Answer: The assumptions we've relied
upon may be flawed. Let's review them again.
I'd like to talk this over with some colleagues. They may have some
insights we are missing.
As far as I am concerned, you're headed down the wrong path on
this project, and I'm rarely wrong on these matters.
I didn't completely understand the repercussions of my original
decision, and so now I have changed my mind and I am
recommending a new approach.This is an example of second-order
thinking, which is self-correcting.
◉ weak sense critical thinkers Answer: Ignore the flaws in their own
thinking
,Often seek to win an argument through intellectual trickery or
deceit.
Lacks key higher-level skills and values of critical thinking
Makes no good faith effort to consider alternative viewpoints.
Lacks fair-mindedness
Employ lower-level rhetorical skills (making unreasonable thinking
appear reasonable and reasonable thinking appear unreasonable).
Employ emotionalism and intellectual trickery.
Hide or distort evidence
◉ strong sense critical thinkers Answer: consistent pursuit of what
is intellectually fair and just strive to be ethical
strive to empathize with other's viewpoints
will entertain arguments with which they do not agree
change their views when confronted with superior reasoning.
employ their thinking reasonable instead of manipulatively.
requires fair mindedness combined with basic critical thinking skills
◉ Fair mindedness yields many intellectual virtues Answer:
consider all thinking by the same standards
expect good reasoning from supporters as well as from opponents
apply the same critical criteria to our own logic as to others'
reasoning
, recognize the actual strengths and weaknesses of any reasoning we
assess
◉ Intellectual Humility Answer: Characterization
Commitment to discovering the extent of one's own ignorance on
any issue
Recognition that one does not—and cannot—know everything
Consciousness of one's biases and prejudices
Aware of the limitations of one's viewpoint
Recognition that one should claim only what one actually knows
Awareness that egocentrism is often self-deceiving (i.e., convinces
the mind that it knows more than it does)
Its Opposite
Intellectual arrogance
Overestimation of how much one knows
No insight into self-deception or into the limitations of one's
viewpoint
Relationship to Fair-Mindedness
Fair-mindedness requires us to first recognize the ignorance and
flaws in our own thinking and to comport ourselves accordingly. It
requires self-awareness and a willingness to examine the limitations
of one's own point of view.
