Critical Thinking
Definition
 Thoughtful,
of Ideas
Careful, and Systematic examination
Bloom’s Taxonomy
 Knowledge
 Understanding
Low Order Skills
Application
Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
High Order Skills
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Knowledge
 Recite
Lists
 Complete Objective Tests
 Recognize Familiar Terms
 Memory
determines the pool of facts and ideas
(content) from which you can reason and draw
conclusions
Understanding
Comprehension
 State
the ideas in your own words
 Translate the author’s meaning
 Outline key ideas
 See
if you understand by explaining the idea to a
friend (study group)
Examples: Rewrites the principles of test writing. Explain in one’s
own words the steps for performing a complex task. Translates an
equation into a computer spreadsheet.
Application
 Explore
a case study
 Solve a problem
 Provide examples to support your idea
 Extend
course concepts in new directions
Examples: Use a manual to calculate an employee’s
vacation time. Apply laws of statistics to evaluate the
reliability of a written test.
Analysis
 Complete
an essay question
 Sort ideas into proper categories
 Identify assumptions and values
 “Compare
and Contrast”
Examples: Troubleshoot a piece of equipment by using
logical deduction. Recognize logical fallacies in
reasoning. Gathers information from a department and
selects the required tasks for training.
Synthesis
 Create
and defend a position
 Make a unique creation
 Improve on an existing design
 Analyze
interconnection between ideas
Examples: Write a company operations or process
manual. Design a machine to perform a specific task.
Integrates training from several sources to solve a
problem. Revises a process to improve the outcome.
Evaluation
 Criticize
a position
 Judge quality using criteria
 Cite advantages and disadvantages
 Key
to making decisions
Examples: Select the most effective solution. Hire the
most qualified candidate. Explain and justify a new budget.
Good
Un Critical Thinkers

Practice honesty with
themselves,
acknowledging what they
don’t know, recognizing
their limitations, and being
watchful of their own
errors.

Pretend they know more
than they do, ignoring
their limitations, and
assuming their views are
error-free.
Good
Un Critical Thinkers

Regard problems and
controversial issues as
exciting challenges.

Regard problems and
controversial issues as
nuisances and ego threats.
Good
Un Critical Thinkers

Strive for understanding,
keeping curiosity alive,
remaining patient with
complexity, and being
ready to invest time to
overcome confusion.

Show impatience with
complexity and thus
would rather remain
confused than make the
effort to understand.
Good
Un Critical Thinkers

Base judgments on
evidence rather than
personal preferences,
deferring judgment
whenever evidence is
insufficient and revising
judgment when new
evidence reveals error.

Base judgments on first
impressions and gut
reactions, showing no
concern about the amount
or quality of evidence, and
clinging steadfastly to
earlier views.
Good
Un Critical Thinkers

Show interest in other
people’s ideas and
willingness to read and
listen attentively, even
when they tend to disagree
with the other person.

Preoccupy themselves
with their own opinion, so
they are unwilling to pay
attention to others’ views.
At the first sign of
disagreement, they tend to
think, “How can I refute
this?”
Good
Un Critical Thinkers

Recognize that extreme
views (whether
conservative or liberal) are
seldom correct, so they
avoid them, practice fairmindedness and a
balanced view.

Ignore the need for
balance and give
preference to views that
support their established
views.
Good
Un Critical Thinkers

Practice restraint,
controlling their feelings
rather than being
controlled by them, and
thinking before acting.

Tend to follow their
feelings and act
impulsively.
IDEAL Method for Problem Solving
 Identify
the problem
 Define the problem
 Explore alternative approaches
 Act on the best strategy
 Look back to evaluate the effects