Factors related to critical thinking abilities; a meta-analysis

The purposes of this research were to study the relationship between some factors and critical thinking abilities, and to express the description in the variance of correlation coefficients from research documents related to critical thinking abilities. 71 samples of experimental and correlation research documents that were published in 1992 - 2009 were synthesized. To synthesize those, 19 research characteristic variables were gathered by employing research characteristic recording forms, and quality research evaluation forms. The GLASS method was then employed to synthesize all variables for correlation coefficients. There were 165 correlation coefficients, 76 correlation coefficients of learning and teaching factors, 69 correlation coefficients of learner factors, and 20 correlation coefficients of individual and caring factors. Statistics employed in this study were descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results of research described the relationship between factors such as; learning and teaching, learner factors and individual and caring factors with critical thinking abilities. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.