Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking

Your brain, like any other Your brain, like any other muscle in your body, it needs muscle in your body, it needs to be exercised to work its to be exercised to work its best.best.

That exercise is calledThat exercise is called

THINKING.THINKING.

I think, therefore I am.- Rene Descartes

What is critical thinking?What is critical thinking? Commonly called “problem solving”Commonly called “problem solving” Not being content with the first solution to a problem, Not being content with the first solution to a problem,

but thinking more deeply about it.but thinking more deeply about it. It is a process of choosing alternatives, weighting them, It is a process of choosing alternatives, weighting them,

and considering what they suggest.and considering what they suggest. Critical thinking involves understanding why some Critical thinking involves understanding why some

people believe one thing rather than another-whether people believe one thing rather than another-whether you agree with those reasoning or notyou agree with those reasoning or not

Critical thinking is learning to ask questions and testing Critical thinking is learning to ask questions and testing your assumptions against hard evidence. your assumptions against hard evidence.

Four Aspects of Critical Four Aspects of Critical ThinkingThinking

Abstract Thinking:Abstract Thinking:Using details to discover the big ideasUsing details to discover the big ideas

from large numbers of facts, seek the bigger ideas or the abstractions behind the facts.

Ask yourself what are the ideas?What larger concepts the detail suggest?

Creative Thinking: Creative Thinking:

Seeking connections, finding new possibilities, rejecting Seeking connections, finding new possibilities, rejecting nothingnothing

see the general idea you have found to see what further ideas it suggests.

Do not reject any of your ideas.Write them all down, you will narrow this list in next stage.

Systematic Thinking: Systematic Thinking: organizing your thoughts into logical steps, tossing out the organizing your thoughts into logical steps, tossing out the

rubbishrubbishwhich of your solutions seems the most promising after you have

conducted an exhaustive search for materials?Do some answers conflict with others?Which one can be believed?Do you need further to refine or further test your generalization?What further conclusion do good reasoning and evidence support?

Communicative Thinking:Communicative Thinking: being precise in givingbeing precise in giving your ideas to others. your ideas to others.

Critical Thinking: What is Critical Thinking: What is involved?involved?

QuestionQuestion: what is being asked?: what is being asked? PurposePurpose: why do I want the answer?: why do I want the answer? Point of ViewPoint of View: where do I stand to look at the question?: where do I stand to look at the question? InformationInformation: what data do I have?: what data do I have? ConceptsConcepts: what ideas are involved?: what ideas are involved? AssumptionsAssumptions: what am I taking for granted?: what am I taking for granted? Inferences:Inferences: what conclusions am I drawing? what conclusions am I drawing? ConsequencesConsequences: what are the implications of my : what are the implications of my

question?question?

The The IDEALIDEAL Method Methodfor critical for critical thinking thinking

IIdentify the problem. dentify the problem.

DDefine the problem.efine the problem.

EExplore alternative approaches.xplore alternative approaches.

AAct on the best strategies. ct on the best strategies.

LLook back to evaluate the effects. ook back to evaluate the effects.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it’s

IDEAL!

Critical ThinkersCritical ThinkersAcknowledge personal limitations.Acknowledge personal limitations.See problems as exciting challenges.See problems as exciting challenges.Have understanding as a goal.Have understanding as a goal.Use evidence to make judgments.Use evidence to make judgments.Are interested in others’ ideas.Are interested in others’ ideas.Are skeptical of extreme views.Are skeptical of extreme views.Think before acting.Think before acting.Avoid emotionalismAvoid emotionalismKeep an open mindKeep an open mind

Uncritical ThinkersUncritical ThinkersPretend to know more than they do.Pretend to know more than they do.

Get annoyed by problems.Get annoyed by problems.

Are impatient.Are impatient.

Judge on first impressions and Judge on first impressions and intuition.intuition.

Focus on their own opinions.Focus on their own opinions.

Look only for ideas like their own.Look only for ideas like their own.

Are guided by feelings rather than Are guided by feelings rather than thoughts.thoughts.

Claim that thinking gives them a Claim that thinking gives them a headache.headache.

Don’t think about it,

just sign it!

Ask QuestionsAsk Questions

One quality of a good critical thinker is the ability to One quality of a good critical thinker is the ability to ask on-target questions.ask on-target questions.

If you don’t usually ask questions, is it because youIf you don’t usually ask questions, is it because you Fear embarrassment?Fear embarrassment? Worry what others will think of you?Worry what others will think of you? Worry that the instructor will think your question is Worry that the instructor will think your question is

strange?strange? Worry that others will think you’re showing off?Worry that others will think you’re showing off?

When you don’t ask questions, you sacrifice When you don’t ask questions, you sacrifice youryour education.education.

If you don’t take risks, you won’t get the maximum If you don’t take risks, you won’t get the maximum benefit in developing your mind.benefit in developing your mind.

Yes!Ask me!

There’s No Such Thing as There’s No Such Thing as a Stupid Question a Stupid Question (Usually)(Usually)

There are There are unwelcomeunwelcome questions. questions. Don’t ask questions that detract Don’t ask questions that detract

from the momentum of the class.from the momentum of the class. Don’t ask questions that focus Don’t ask questions that focus

more on self-concerns than on the more on self-concerns than on the needs of the class.needs of the class.

Don’t ask questions that Don’t ask questions that demonstrate you failed to pay demonstrate you failed to pay attention.attention.

Don’t ask silly questions.Don’t ask silly questions.

Can I draw you a

conclusion?Well, can I?

Offer CriticismOffer Criticism You will most likely be asked to judge You will most likely be asked to judge

or evaluate issues in college.or evaluate issues in college. First decide whether you like what you First decide whether you like what you

are being asked to judge.are being asked to judge. Consider both positive and negative Consider both positive and negative

attributes.attributes. Use examples to support your Use examples to support your

judgment.judgment. Don’t be intimidated by this kind of Don’t be intimidated by this kind of

assignment; your instructors want you assignment; your instructors want you to develop your critical thinking skills.to develop your critical thinking skills.

I just can’t make sense

of this! Please explain more.

What Makes a Creative What Makes a Creative Thinker?Thinker? They actively pursue experiences They actively pursue experiences

that are aesthetically pleasing.that are aesthetically pleasing. They enjoy taking a unique They enjoy taking a unique

approach to things.approach to things. They love the process of creating.They love the process of creating. They are flexible and like to play They are flexible and like to play

with problems.with problems. They take risks and learn from their They take risks and learn from their

mistakes.mistakes. They strive to evaluate their work They strive to evaluate their work

fairly.fairly. They thrive when they think of They thrive when they think of

assignment guidelines as a assignment guidelines as a launching point for their launching point for their imagination.imagination.

Nurture Your Own Nurture Your Own CreativityCreativity Don’t accept other people’s blueprints.Don’t accept other people’s blueprints. Be vigilant about what others can’t see.Be vigilant about what others can’t see. Differentiate the good from the bad.Differentiate the good from the bad. Take the plunge Take the plunge beforebefore you’re an expert. you’re an expert. Concentrate on the big picture.Concentrate on the big picture. Take sensible risks.Take sensible risks. Motivate yourself from inside.Motivate yourself from inside. Shape environments that will support your Shape environments that will support your

creativity.creativity. Actively pursue your creative life.Actively pursue your creative life.

Critical Thinking:Critical Thinking:A Skill to Carry You A Skill to Carry You

Through LifeThrough LifeProfessors and future employers value Professors and future employers value

your ability to perform these critical your ability to perform these critical thinking skills:thinking skills:

Manage and interpret informationManage and interpret information

Examine exciting ideas and develop new onesExamine exciting ideas and develop new ones

Pose logical and cogent argumentsPose logical and cogent arguments

Recognize reliable evidenceRecognize reliable evidence

Be proactive rather than reactiveBe proactive rather than reactive

Think things through in depth.Think things through in depth. Alwaysbe

reasonable

Why College Encourages Critical Why College Encourages Critical ThinkingThinking

Remember:Remember: Thinkers are generally “movers and shakers.”Thinkers are generally “movers and shakers.”

Sometimes how you solve a problem is as Sometimes how you solve a problem is as

important as the solutionimportant as the solution..

Open ended questions of “Why?”, “How?” or Open ended questions of “Why?”, “How?” or

“What If?” have no simple, clear-cut answers. “What If?” have no simple, clear-cut answers.

There are many valid points of view!There are many valid points of view!

The greatest gift a college can give you is an The greatest gift a college can give you is an

open mind.open mind.