ABSTRACT
It has become something of a preconceived notion that the World History portion of Japan’s multiple-choice Center Test measures only trivial historical knowledge and is unsuited to measuring historical thinking ability. However, how has this theory been validated? In this study, as a target of the comparison of the Center Test, I selected two tests, namely, the World History portions of America’s SAT test and the AP exam, formulated a method for analyzing the extent to which these three tests measure historical knowledge and historical thinking ability, and compared and discussed the results of the analysis. The analysis demonstrated that the AP exam contains many questions that measure historical thinking ability based on the use of source material and many questions that measure conceptual knowledge that could only have been mastered through the operation of advanced historical thinking skills. In the process of this analysis, I also identified the issue of heterogeneity in correct answers. These findings should serve as a reference for a future reformulation of the Center Test.
