HOTS

(High Order Thinking Skill)

Badriah, M.Pd. & Dwi Haryanti, M.Pd.

I. What is HOTS?

Higer Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) is a kind of thinking where critical, logical,
metacognitive and creative thinking involves. It is used to investigate the problem, to
learn something you are not sure with, to learn a question and to face a dilemma. If
HOTS is involved in the teaching and learning process, it assists the students
growth and provides the ability to do self-monitoring, open-minded, and flexible
attitudes.
The word critic derived from kriticos (Latin) means discerning judgment or
thinking first before you decide. In English as criterion means standard. One who is
critical means one who analyses and judge things in a very careful way. Besides,
she will also consider the advantages or merit and disadvantages of doing things. In
the learning and teaching context, a question that is posed by a student can be a
measurement of critical thinking. A critical student is not the one who directly asks
you question, since the question itself might be a tool for that student to hide her real
misunderstanding and lack of understanding toward the material being delivered by
her teacher. On the contrary, a critical student is the one who criticizes, asks, and
evaluates the learning experience. Or in other words, a critical thinker student will be
very careful, deliberate determination of whether we should accept, reject, or
suspend judgment about a claim and on the degree of confidence with which we
accept or reject it (Moore and Parker, 1995, p.4). Then, a critical thinker, pose a
question based on articulately intellectual standards. He will not ask question without
knowing the qualification of his own question. Related to this, a critical thinker has a
skillful thinking that is conducive to good judgment because it is sensitive to context,
relies on criteria, and it is self correcting (Lipman, cited in Nosich, 2001, p.46). And
the last, a critical thinker shows the ability to connect between her questions and the
merit of it. As McPeck (1981, p.13) argues that a critical thinker is always thinking
about X, manifest itself in connection with some identifiable activity or subject area
and never in isolation.

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 Based on the three characteristics of critical thinker mentioned above, it can
be said that critical thinker lies in everyone; it is not part of western culture as it was
assumed so far. Emilia (2012) states that everyone is a critical thinker to some
extend. Everyone will become a critical thinker regardless where she/he is from. If
scaffolding and taught explicitly on how to be a critical thinker is given, everyone will
become a critical thinker. In the teaching and learning process, teacher can teach
students to be critical thinker by showing them that a critical thinker has an argument
to propose. Argument is not a kind of verbal battle, or disagreement between two
persons (Kurfiss, 1988, Boylan, 1988, Diestler, 2001, Eemeren, et el, 2002), but a
series of statement and reasons that interconnected where each of the statement
and reason supported each other to make firm the speakers stand (Toulmin, et al,
1984, p.14).

II. Teaching Critical Thinker

In the teaching process, the explicit teaching to guide students to be critical

thinker can be started by informing them that their argument should provide topic,
issue, reasons, fact or opinion and intellectual standards. The students who do not
know the topic well, they will not be able to evaluate, talk or discuss about the issue
being discussed, they will propose only commonsense. Lets take abortion as an
example. When the students do not know much about the topic, they will directly
mention that abortion is illegal and taboo to be discussed as it is violated to norm
and ethics. To avoid this, teacher guides students to read from various sources on
abortion and scaffolding the students to know and understand what they are reading.
Then, teacher poses a question such as should abortion be legalized? to leave the
topic into the issue, where specific statement is introduced in the question form. After
that, guide the students to find some for and against reasons towards the question
posed.
To be able to provide an array of pros and cons statement on abortions, the
students have to read a lot on the topic. After readings, the students may come with
the sentence like I think abortion should be legalized if the fetus endangers the
mothers life. Even though this sentence is open to critique since it is an opinion, but
at least the student has started with what they know from reading, not from their

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commonsense. When this kind of sentence appears, teacher must assist the student
to move from opinion to fact. To change the sentence form the opinion to fact it
needs a critical thinker standard. The sentence must cover (1) clarity, (2) accuracy,
(3) relevance, (4) precision, (5) depth, and (6) breadth. The opinion that moves into
fact is based on intellectual standard of critical thinking will appear to be according
to Jacob (2012) in the Health magazine on December edition 2012 mentioned that
died fetus inside the womb will endanger the mothers life.
If a student wrote there is a great deal of violence on TV, this sentence has
clarity, it mentions that there is a great deal of violence on TV. But, it does not have
accuracy, how many is a great deal, and what program of TV that talks about
violence, it is not precise which TV channel, when is the program appear.
Critical thinking can also be tested to the students by posing questions. The
questions to check clarity may come as:
- Is the idea easily understood?
- Is the information free from confusion or ambiguity or vagueness?
- Are concrete and specific examples given?
Meanwhile for accuracy, teacher can ask:
- Is the information free from errors, mistakes or distortion?
- Does information have conformity with the fact or truth?
- Do the words describe the way things actually are?
To check relevance, the questions to be used are:
- Does the thinking focus in what is important?
- How does the point relate to the topic at hand?
Precision can be checked by
- Is the thinking precise?
- Is the reasoning detailed enough?
Besides posing questions to train students critical thinking, students can also
be trained to think actively by inviting students to use their intelligence, knowledge,
and their ability to observe the situation of life by integrating the new information with
their availably information.
The students who think actively, they can:
- Getting involved in potentially useful projects and activities instead of
remaining disengaged.

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 - Taking initiative in making decisions on their own instead of passively to be
told what to think or do
- Following through on their commitments instead of giving of when they
encounter difficulties
- Taking responsibilities for the consequences of their decisions rather than
unjustifiably blaming others or events beyond their control.
Assisting students to think critically, teacher scaffolding student to think
from fact, to interpretation, synthesize, analysis, evaluation, and application.
In the fact level ask the students to describe who, when, what, where.
Describing activity leads student to think critically as they must describe in
detail about what they are describing.
Then, to make the students able to come to interpret level, give the
students these tasks or questions
- Retell in your own words
- What is the main idea of ...?
- What is the time sequence relating the following events: ..?
- What are the steps in the process of growth or development in ..?
- How would you compare and contrast .. and ?
- What was the cause of / the effect of ..?
Synthesize level can be assisted by these questions:
- What would you predict/ infer from?
- What ideas can you add to ..?
- How would you create/ design a new ..?
- What might happen if you combine with ?
- What solutions/ decisions would you suggest for ?
Analysis level can be aided by giving the students:
- What are the parts or features of ..?
- Classify according to
- Outline/ diagram/ web .
- What evidence can you present to support ..?
- What are the possible alternatives for
- Explain the reason why you think

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 Evaluation level
- How would you evaluate and what standards would you use?
- Do you agree with ? Why or why not ?
- How would you decide about ?
- What criteria would you use to assess ?
Application level
- How would you apply this rule/ principle to ?
And the last, teaching strategy to support HOTS can be carried out by:
- Instructional communication. The teacher provides a very clear teaching
instruction for every task. A clear teaching instruction must come from a clear
lesson planning. In a clear lesson plan, it is stated the organization of activity,
clarity of the explanation, modeling for critical skill, example on critical thinking
application, feedback, and adaptability based on the students ability.
- Scaffolding. The teacher provides learning and thinking strategies through:
rehearsal, elaboration, organization (teacher designs a program specifically
to train a certain critical thinking skill)
- Direct instruction
- Asking strategy: all students can be asked, the questions may about a
dilemma, new problem, ask students to propose a question, start from easy
question, provide wait-time as not all students equip with a similar ability in
answering questions
- Feedback
- Team activities: students discussion, peer tutoring, cooperative learning
- Computer mediation: provide access to information and data. Computer
assisted instruction can be integrated with the regular teaching so that it can
improve students motivation and achievement and at the same time it develop
students point of view toward learning process.

III. HOTS for evaluation

Now, we will see the example of HOTS application to test the students
reading comprehension.

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 BRUSHING YOUR TEETH
Do our teeth become cleaner and cleaner the longer and harder we brush them?

British researchers say no. They have actually tried out many different alternatives, and
ended up with the perfect way to brush your teeth. A two minute brush, without brushing too
hard, gives the best result. If you brush hard, you harm your tooth enamel and your gums
without loosening food remnants or plaque.

Bente Hansen, an expert on tooth brushing, says that it is a good idea to hold the toothbrush
the way you hold a pen. Start in one corner and brush your way along the whole row, she
says. Dont forget your tongue either! It can actually contain loads of bacteria that may
cause bad breath.

Brushing your Teeth is an article from a Norwegian magazine.

Use Brushing Your Teeth above to answer the questions that follow.

R403Q01
Question 1: BRUSHING YOUR TEETH

What is this article about?

A The best way to brush your teeth.

B The best kind of toothbrush to use.
C The importance of good teeth.
D The way different people brush their teeth.

BRUSHING YOUR TEETH SCORING 1

QUESTION INTENT:
Integrate and interpret: Form a broad understanding
Recognise the main idea of a short descriptive text

Full Credit

Code 1: A. The best way to brush your teeth.

No Credit

Code 0: Other responses.

Code 9: Missing.

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 R403Q02
Question 2: BRUSHING YOUR TEETH

What do the British researchers recommend?

A That you brush your teeth as often as possible.

B That you do not try to brush your tongue.
C That you do not brush your teeth too hard.
D That you brush your tongue more often than your teeth.

BRUSHING YOUR TEETH SCORING 2

QUESTION INTENT:
Access and retrieve: Retrieve information
Locate a synonymous match in a short descriptive text

Full Credit

Code 1: C. That you do not brush your teeth too hard.

No Credit

Code 0: Other responses.

Code 9: Missing.

R403Q03 0 1 9
Question 3: BRUSHING YOUR TEETH

Why should you brush your tongue, according to Bente Hansen?

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

BRUSHING YOUR TEETH SCORING 3

QUESTION INTENT:
Access and retrieve: Retrieve information
Locate information in a short descriptive text

Full Credit

Code 1: Refers either to the bacteria OR getting rid of bad breath, OR both. Response may
paraphrase or quote directly from the text.
To get rid of bacteria.
Your tongue can contain bacteria.
Bacteria.
Because you can avoid bad breath.
Bad breath.
To remove bacteria and therefore stop you from having bad breath. [both]
It can actually contain loads of bacteria that may cause bad breath. [both]
Bacteria can cause bad breath.

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No Credit

Code 0: Gives an insufficient or vague response.

Shows inaccurate comprehension of the material or gives an implausible or

irrelevant response.
You should brush it like you hold a pen.
Dont brush it too hard.
So you dont forget.
To loosen food remnants.
To remove plaque.

Code 9: Missing.

R403Q04
Question 4: BRUSHING YOUR TEETH

Why is a pen mentioned in the text?

A To help you understand how to hold a toothbrush.

B Because you start in one corner with both a pen and a toothbrush.
C To show that you can brush your teeth in many different ways.
D Because you should take tooth brushing as seriously as writing.

BRUSHING YOUR TEETH SCORING 4

QUESTION INTENT:
Reflect and evaluate: Reflect on and evaluate the form of a text
Recognise the purpose of an analogy in a short descriptive text

Full Credit

Code 1: A. To help you understand how to hold a toothbrush.

No Credit

Code 0: Other responses.

Code 9: Missing.

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 KISI KISI SOAL
No. KD Materi Kelas / Indikator No. Bentuk
Semester Soal Soal
Disajikan teks Hortatory Exposition siswa dapat:

1 1 PG
3.8 XI / 2

2 2 Fact/
Opinion
3 3 Isian

4 4 Uraian

Text 1 : Hortatory Exposition Text on Smoking Restriction

SMOKING RESTRICTION BY THE GOVERNMENT

(1) The society had recognized that the bad impact of smoking is considered as non-
individual. Many studies had revealed that the effect of smoking does not only deal with
health issues but also economic and social matter. Since it is the governments
responsibility to protect the citizen from any harms threatening them, then it is the
proper role of government to legislate to protect citizens from the harmful effects of
smoking.

(2) The argument that restrictions benefit the health of third parties is built on the premise
that a ban or higher taxation in practice will lead to less smokers, especially protecting
the families of smokers and other non-smoking citizens from potential health risks and
premature death. Smoking also has wider effects, not simply restricted to smokers
themselves. So-called 'passive smoking' is becoming an important issue: in a smoke-filled
environment, non-smokers are also exposed to the risks associated with tobacco.
Research suggests that partners of smokers have an increased chance of developing lung
cancer, even if they do not use tobacco products. Recent research even shows, that
according to the Journal Archives of Pediatrics, children living in households of smokers
are more prone to mental illness, depression and attention deficit disorder (ADHD).

(3) Restrictions reach out to the general population. A ban or high restrictions is a good
measure to diminish the effects of smoking in society, because unlike the spreading of
information (which is usually done by schools / clubs), governmental restrictions or a total
ban will ensure the access of measures to the whole population. Through a ban on
advertisement or higher taxation those citizens not involved in active educational
structures get educated about the problem.

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 (4) Studies on the ban of advertisements show that bans actually contribute great amounts
to the reduction of smokers. "The tobacco industry employs predatory marketing
strategies to get young people hooked to their addictive drug," said Dr Douglas Bettcher,
Director of WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative. "But comprehensive advertising bans do work,
reducing tobacco consumption by up to 16% in countries that have already taken this
legislative step." So because these measures can drastically decrease smoking when other
measures have failed, the state is right to impose bans on advertisement, higher prices or
any other measures.

(5) The state has to take measures to protect the health of its citizens. There is little doubt
that smoking tobacco is extremely harmful to the smoker's health. In the US, for
example, research by the American Cancer Society suggests that tobacco causes up to
400,000 deaths each year - more than AIDS, alcohol, drug abuse, car crashes, murders,
suicides, and fires combined. World-wide some 5 million people die from smoking each
year - one every ten seconds - which estimates suggest will rise to 10 million by 2020.

(6) In a democracy the people elect leaders and trust them with a term, where their duty is
solely to look after the wellbeing of the country and its citizens. Therefore one of the
principles is, that elected representatives have to make sure their citizens get the best
possible protection in society, even if this infringes on some of their rights. That is why
taking hard drugs and breaking the speed limit are also illegal. It would therefore be
reasonable to ban smoking or limit with different means the usage of tobacco - an activity
which kills millions of people each year.

(7) Precedent is that if a company produces food that is poisonous or a car that fails safety
tests, the product is immediately taken off the market. Since all cigarettes and other
tobacco products are poisonous and potentially lethal, they should all be taken off the
market. In short, it is highly recommended to ban smoking or to regulate it very harshly.

Text 2 : Voting Result on Smoking Restriction Debate

http://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/health/house-would-further-restrict-smoking

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QUESTIONS:

1. Text 1 is made based on the belief that

A. government should limit the advertisement to lower down the number of smokers.
B. the negative effect of smoking is massive and should be banned by the society.
C. because smoking is very dangerous, people should stop doing it immediately.
D. passive smokers suffer more disadvantages than those who become active smokers.
E. it is governments responsibility to stop the spreading of negative effects of smoking.

Code 1: Choosing option E

Code 0 : Choosing one of the distractors
Code 9: No answer

2. Referring to text 1 put a circle on Fact or Opinion to categorize each statement. Number
one has been done for you as an example.
No. Statement Fact / Opinion

It is the proper role of government to legislate to protect citizens Fact / Opinion

1
from the harmful effects of smoking. (Paragraph 1)

Since all cigarettes and other tobacco products are poisonous and
2 potentially lethal, they should all be taken off the market. Fact / Opinion
(Paragraph 7)
Studies on the ban of advertisements show that bans actually
3 contribute great amounts to the reduction of smokers. (Paragraph Fact / Opinion
4)

Research by the American Cancer Society suggests that tobacco

4 Fact / Opinion
causes up to 400,000 deaths each year. (Paragraph 5)

No. Statement Fact / Opinion

It is the proper role of government to legislate to protect citizens Fact / Opinion

1
from the harmful effects of smoking. (Paragraph 1)

Since all cigarettes and other tobacco products are poisonous and
2 potentially lethal, they should all be taken off the market. Fact / Opinion
(Paragraph 7)
Studies on the ban of advertisements show that bans actually
3 contribute great amounts to the reduction of smokers. (Paragraph Fact / Opinion
4)

Research by the American Cancer Society suggests that tobacco Fact / Opinion
4
causes up to 400,000 deaths each year. (Paragraph 5)

Code 1: Full correct answers

Code 0: Choosing one of the distractors
Code 9: No answer

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 3. Text 2 is made to show the voting results after debate on the topic. The comparing
diagram shows a significant change in respondents vote (either they agree or disagree).
Give an explanation about what might be the cause for that change to happen.

Code 1 :
The debaters successfully convinced the opposed parties and finally changed their
standpoint through their reasons.

Code 0 : Wrong answer : Answers that are misrepresentative

Code 9 : No answer

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