A meta‐analysis of the impact of forensics and communication education on critical thinking

Abstract

This meta‐analysis considers the impact of various methods of improving public communication skills on critical thinking. The results indicate that communication instruction improves the critical thinking ability of the participants (longitudinal designs r= .18, cross‐sectional designs r= .20). Forensic participation demonstrated the largest positive impact on critical thinking improvement, but all communication skill experiences demonstrated significant improvement. The cumulative evidence indicates that communication skill instruction generates, using the Binomial Effect Size Display (BESD), a 44% increase in critical thinking ability. These results provide important evidence to support the maintenance of forensics programs in an era of increased educational accountability, downsizing, and budgetary cutbacks.

Keywords:

• critical thinking
• meta‐analysis
• forensics
• communication education
• public speaking
• mock trial
• individual events