Kitchener and King Reflective Judgement Model

7 stages of critical thinking development:

Kitchener–King Reflective Judgment Model (RJM)

Stage	Level	View of knowledge (epistemic assumption)	How claims are justified (typical warrants)	Typical language / markers
1	Pre-Reflective	Knowledge is certain and directly observable	"I saw it" / immediate certainty; no need for justification beyond observation	"It’s obvious." "I know because I experienced it."
2	Pre-Reflective	Knowledge is certain; authorities possess right answers	Deference to authority; if authorities disagree, one must be wrong	"Experts know." "The textbook says..."
3	Pre-Reflective	Some uncertainty exists; truth is temporarily unknown	Uncertainty blamed on missing information; once data arrive, certainty returns	"We just don’t have enough information yet."
4	Quasi-Reflective	Knowledge is uncertain and contextual; answers depend on situation	Reasons given, but often relativistic; opinions treated as personal and not fully evaluable	"Everyone has their own opinion." "Depends how you look at it."
5	Quasi-Reflective	Knowledge is constructed; evidence matters but is interpreted through perspectives	Evidence used, but competing claims often treated as equally defensible; limited criteria to rank better/worse justifications	"You can’t really prove it." "Both sides have evidence."
6	Reflective	Knowledge is uncertain but can be evaluated via inquiry	Comparative evaluation using quality of evidence, methods, coherence; conclusions are probabilistic and revisable	"The best-supported view is..." "Given the data, it’s more likely..."
7	Reflective	Knowledge is constructed through ongoing inquiry; certainty is rare	Commitments made based on cumulative evidence and reasoning; active openness to revision with new evidence	"I hold this view because..." "I’d change my mind if..."