Your first check
Notice the question you ask at the start.
Give a promising idea a useful check
Idea Checking Preference Test
An idea sounds promising, but you want to check it before relying on it. Do you first look for its support, explore where it might fail or try it on a small example?
12questions
4minutes
3checking approaches
free
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01
Notice how you start evaluating an idea
An idea can have good support and still depend on conditions. A small trial can be useful without proving a broad claim. Look at the basis, the limits and what a practical check can actually show.
A missing angle
Identify what your starting check does not cover.
A practical next step
Choose another check for a real everyday proposal.
02
Three complementary checks
These are preferred starting checks, not a ranking of critical thinking skill. You can examine the support, look for exceptions and run a small trial on the same idea.
Check the support
Ask what observations, sources or reasons support the idea.
Explore the limits
Ask under what conditions the idea may not work.
Try a small test
Try a manageable example and observe a defined result.
How your checking profile is calculated
Each of 12 choices adds two points to one approach. The highest total selects the main profile; percentages summarize your choices.
- 1We count your choices for each of the three approaches.
- 2The highest total selects your main profile; another positive score can provide a secondary approach.
- 3Tied scores stay tied in the bars. A fixed order selects the heading when needed.
Think of ideas you can check without major consequences
- Choose your first check, not the only check worth doing.
- Assume each situation allows a small, reversible exploration.
- Think about an appealing idea, not a person you already distrust.
FAQ
Questions about checking ideas
This original BrainApps questionnaire compares three starting checks for everyday ideas. Use your profile to ask a more precise question and add another check where the first one leaves uncertainty.
Does this measure critical thinking ability?+
It compares your preferred starting checks in hypothetical situations. It does not score how accurately you evaluate a real claim.
Which check is most reliable?+
Each answers a different question. Support helps explain the basis, limits reveal conditions, and a trial shows what happened in that specific example. Combining checks can be useful.
Can a successful small trial prove the whole idea?+
Not by itself. Record the conditions and what you observed, then ask whether the result would carry over to other situations.
How do I use the profile?+
Choose one everyday proposal. Write what would count as useful support, name a possible limit and define one small check with an observable result.
Related tests
12 questions
Choose a clearer question for your next idea
Answer 12 situations and try one useful check before relying on a proposal.