10
Critical Thinking
The Importance of Becoming a Critical Thinker
Having computer skills and being able to access information quickly is a prerequisite for many
jobs today. Information on almost every subject imaginable is quickly available online to those
who know how to find it. However, it is having the abilities to think critically, to be creative, and
to problem solve that are in the highest demand today.
Teachers today must not get caught up in focusing on a body of information that students
will be required to just memorize and then give back to them. Teachers must lead students to
be not only informed in various subjects, but they must also teach them to be thoughtful,
reflective, and questioning human beings. Chapter 10 presents a wide range of activities that
will help students learn to identify issues and weigh the evidence given for positions on both
sides of the issues, so that they can learn to make independent and enlightened decisions.
Learning Objectives: From this chapter, you will learn to:
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.5
10.6
Distinguish analytical thinking and critical thinking
Recognize arguments
Analyze and evaluate arguments
Define inductive and deductive reasoning
Practice thinking critically
Define creative thinking
Projection/Handout Masters:
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
10.5
10.6
The Processes Involved in Critical Thinking
Reader’s Tip: Four Habits of Effective Critical Thinkers
Barriers to Critical Thinking
The Four Steps of Critical Thinking
Examining the Four Steps of Critical Thinking
Reader’s Tip: Types of Support for Arguments
Suggested Teaching Activities:
Learning Objective 10.1: Distinguish analytical thinking and critical thinking
1.
College students often do not see the connection between “real life” thinking and what
they learn in college. Many students, unfortunately, come to college with the idea that college
consists of taking notes from lectures and textbooks and then taking tests where they will be
expected to answer questions based mainly on what they have “memorized.” Exercise 10.1,
pages 518-519, will set the stage for what this chapter is really about. Critical thinking skills are
essential in today’s world, and there are steps you can follow to improve your ability to think
critically.
2.
Display Projection/Handout 10.1: The Processes Involved in Critical Thinking and discuss
each process. Stress to students that these processes, perhaps along with others, are necessary
to arrive at the best possible conclusions or choices. Provide students with clear examples they
can relate to. You can begin with something as simple as shopping for a new cell phone to a
more complicated decision such as deciding if the time is right to purchase a home. Similar
thinking is involved in a parent deciding if his/her teenager can attend a party or a jury member
deciding the guilt or innocence of an accused person. Stress that the point is that difficult
decisions or problems take carefully considered responses for the best possible outcomes.
Critical thinking has no room for impulsive decision making.
3.
Review with students Projection/Handout Master 10.2: Reader’s Tip Four Habits of
Effective Critical Thinkers or refer them to page 521 in their textbook. Encourage students to
develop these habits in every aspect of their lives.
4.
Display Projection/Handout Master 10.3: Barriers to Critical Thinking and review the five
barriers discussed also found on page 522. Have groups of students brainstorm some examples
of these barriers beyond what is in the textbook. Challenge them to bring in examples in the
news or media.
Learning Objective 10.2: Recognize arguments
Learning Objective 10.3: Analyze and evaluate arguments
5.
Take a few minutes and discuss with students the differences between assertions and
arguments so that students will be clear on the distinctions. Then, before covering pages 522–
533, display Projection/Handout Master 10.4, The Four Steps of Critical Thinking, so students
will have an overview of the whole process of critical thinking. Then use Projection/Handout
Master 10.5, Examining the Four Steps of Critical Thinking, as you cover each individual step on
pages 522–533, uncovering information one step at a time as you cover it.
6.
Students should be familiar with editorials from their inclusion and coverage in Chapter
8. Ask students to bring in a current editorial, or supply students with copies of recent editorials
from your college newspaper, a local community newspaper, a major newspaper or magazine,
or the Internet.
Instruct students to follow the Four Steps of Critical Thinking as they critically analyze the editorial:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is the author’s position on the issue?
What support is given?
Is the support given valid?
Evaluate the argument: Are the reasons given strong, relevant, believable, and
consistent?
Display Projection/Handout Master 10.6: Reader’s Tip: Types of Support for Arguments when
students get to the support piece to remind them of the types of support used in effective
arguments.
7.
A popular game on a local radio station is Dead Guy in the Envelope in which contestants
use deductive reasoning to determine whose name is in the envelope and win the prize. The
game is played much the same way as the game, Twenty Questions, many of us played in our
youth. Play versions of these games with your students to get them familiar with how deductive
reasoning works. There are even online versions of Twenty Questions that miraculously show
students how deducing is effective.
Learning Objective 10.5: Practice critical thinking
8.
As a class, work through arguments 1 and 2 in Exercise 10.8 beginning on page 534.
Next, give groups of students an opportunity to discuss and work thought the three remaining
arguments in exercise 10.8. Groups can then compare their findings.
Learning Objective 10.6: Define creative thinking
9.
Share with students some real-life examples of how creative thinking has been used.
Two examples might be the successful attempts at bringing the crew members of Apollo 12
home after system failure. Another more recent example may be the eventual capping of the
BP oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. Several different attempts were made to cap the well
before the engineers were successful. You might have students research the various plans that
were attempted. Be certain to pose the question to students, “What would have happened if
there had been no creative thinking in solving these problems?”
Projection/Handout Master 10.1
The Processes Involved in Critical Thinking
Conclude
Evaluate
Clarify
Search
Compare
Analyze
Transparency Master 10.2
Reader’s
Tip
Four Habits of Effective Critical Thinkers
 Be willing to plan. Think first and write later. Don’t be
impulsive. Develop a habit of planning.
 Be flexible. Be open to new ideas. Consider new solutions for
old problems.
 Be persistent. Continue to work even when you are tired and
discouraged. Good thinking is hard work.
 Be willing to self-correct. Don’t be defensive about errors.
Figure out what went wrong and learn from your mistakes.
Projection/Handout Master 9.3
Barriers to
Critical Thinking
Frame of
Reference
Wishful
Thinking
Hasty Moral
Judgments
Reliance on
authority
Labels
Projection/Handout Master 10.4
The Four Steps of Critical Thinking
1. Identify the Position on the Issue:
What is the author’s point about the issue?
2. Identify the Support in the Argument:
What reasons are given by the author?
3. Evaluate the Support:
Is the support given valid?
4. Evaluate the Argument:
Are the reasons given strong, relevant, believable, and consistent?
Transparency Master 10.5
Examining the Four Steps of Critical Thinking
1.
Identify the Position on the Issue: What is the author’s point about the issue?
Look for signal words such as:
2.
as a result
finally
in summary
therefore
consequently
for these reasons
it follows that
thus, should
Identify the Support in the Argument: What reasons are given by the author?
Look for signal words such as:
3.
because
if
assuming that
since
first, second, finally
given that
Evaluate the Support: Is the support given valid?
Look for these types of support and evaluate them:
4.
facts
causal relationship
analogies
authority
examples
common knowledge claim
statistics
personal experiences
Evaluate the Argument
Look for strong, relevant, believable, and consistent reasons:
a. Unrelated reasons give no support
b. A few weak reasons do not adequately support
c. Many weak reasons can support
d. Strong related reasons provide support
Projection/Handout Master 10.6
Reader’s
Tip
Types of Support for Arguments
 Facts: objective truths
Ask: How were the facts gathered? Are they true?
 Examples: anecdotes to demonstrate the truth
Ask: Are the examples true and relevant?
 Analogies: comparisons to similar cases
Ask: Are the analogies accurate and relevant?
 Expert Opinions: words from a recognized expert
Ask: What are the credentials and biases of the expert?
 Causal Relationship: saying one thing caused another
Ask: Is it an actual cause or merely an association?
 Common Knowledge Claim: assertion of wide acceptance
Ask: Is it relevant? Does everyone really believe it?
 Statistics: numerical data
Ask: Do the numbers accurately describe the phenomenon?
 Personal Experiences: personal anecdotes
Ask: Is the experience applicable to other situations?