Reconceptualizing Critical Thinking in Academic Writing: A Rasch Model Investigation of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Cultural Dimensions in Higher Education

Khabib Sholeh; Onok  Yayang Pamungkas; Herlinawati  Herlinawati; Marhanani  Tri Astuti; Ahmad  Dudin; Aleeyah  Masae

doi:10.48161/qaj.v6n3a2444

Authors

Khabib Sholeh Department of Indonesian Language and Literature Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo, Purworejo 54111, Indonesia; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8221-9967
Onok Yayang Pamungkas Department of Indonesian Language and Literature Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto, Purwokerto 53182, Indonesia; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7454-1227
Herlinawati Research Center for Language, Literature, and Community, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jakarta, 12710, Indonesia; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0617-2340
Marhanani Tri Astuti Research Centre for Industrial Economics, Services, and Trade, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jakarta, 12710, Indonesia; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8854-084X
Ahmad Dudin Research Center for Educational, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jakarta, 12710, Indonesia; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4910-173X
Aleeyah Masae Malay Language Education Study Program, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Yala Rajabhat University, Yala, 95000, Thailand; https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9450-8501

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48161/qaj.v6n3a2444

Keywords:

Language–culture interface, Critical thinking, Academic discourse, Rasch measurement model, Higher education, Multidimensional construct.

Abstract

This study aims to (1) validate a measurement instrument for assessing critical thinking in academic writing using the Rasch model and (2) develop a theoretical understanding of critical thinking as a multidimensional construct shaped by the interaction between cognitive reasoning, linguistic mediation, and cultural interpretation. The study involved 257 undergraduate students in an Indonesian higher education context, using a 36-item Likert-scale instrument. Rasch analysis was employed to evaluate measurement reliability, item functioning, dimensionality, and person–item targeting. The results indicate moderate empirical reliability alongside stronger model-based reliability, suggesting stable latent estimation within the probabilistic framework. Item fit analysis revealed several misfitting items, while residual Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated the presence of secondary dimensions beyond the primary construct. These findings support the interpretation that critical thinking in academic writing is not strictly unidimensional. Theoretically, this study contributes by proposing an integrative measurement perspective that reconceptualizes critical thinking as a construct emerging from the interaction of cognitive, linguistic, and sociocultural dimensions within academic discourse. Pedagogically, the findings highlight the need for instructional approaches that integrate language proficiency and cultural awareness in developing critical thinking in writing. However, the findings are limited to the specific sample and context studied, and further validation across diverse populations is required.

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