Analytical & Critical Thinking:

Hello Everyone, Welcome to this lesson on Analytical and Critical Thinking.

This lesson focuses on what exactly is thinking. What are the types of thinking, and the focus
will be a lot on Analytical Thinking and Critical thinking and why one should pay importance to
these important skills in our everyday walk of life.
Inspirational thoughts have an incredible ability to motivate and change the way we feel. This is
why we find them so crucial in our journey of Life.
So what’s their secret?
You see, the way you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about
what is possible for you, determines everything that happens to you. Swamy Vivekananda a great
sage and thinker once quoted.
“Watch your thoughts, they become words;
watch your words, they become actions;
watch your actions, they become habits;
watch your habits, they become character;
watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
You have complete control over only one thing in the universe — and that’s you’re thinking

Thus we become what we are based on our thinking. Through this lesson we are
Trying to convey as to how you can horne your thinking skills for a better future.
Remember the heavy “thinking” you did in high school? Most of it was recalling facts or
information you had previously committed to memory. Your thinking in high school was very
structured and tied closely to reflecting what was taught in class.
In college, you are expected to think for yourself; to access and evaluate new approaches and
ideas; to contribute to your knowledge base; and to develop or create new, fresh ideas. You will
be required to develop and use a variety of thinking skills—higher-order thinking skills—which
you seldom used in high school. In college, your instructors’ roles will be not only to supply a
base of new information and ideas, as good instructors will challenge you to stretch your skills
and knowledge base through critical and creative thinking. Much of their teaching involves the
questions they ask, not the directions they give. Your success in college education—and in life

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beyond college—is directly linked to becoming a better and more complete thinker. Becoming a
better and more complete thinker requires mastering some skills and consistent practice.
There are a few things going wrong with our education system. I have seen a video on YouTube
recently on what ails our educational system. It conveys through a question asked to school
children as to “A” for and pat comes the reply “Apple”. Yes we have all been through this same
system of learning which is based on answers. Coming to the same question of “A” for what is
actually meant is to list all the words starting with the letter “A” and not just an “Apple”. We are
been trained to say A for Apple, B for Ball, C for Cat so on and so forth…..Our system has been
prepared us for answers. As kids we were very inquisitive and would ask a plenty of questions
with a lots of curiosity. As kids go to school the curiosity bud in them is nipped off and are
forced to toe the rote method of learning which emphasizes on mugging, recalling and
reproducing.
The role of a teacher is to do a lot of hard work in making the students understand the subjects.
In the process share a lot of information during the classroom interactions. The proof that the
students are acquainted with the information is done through the examinations. After higher
levels of education when students seek employment marks are not the criteria to judge the caliber
of potential by the employers, they are keen on knowing if the employment seekers can apply the
knowledge they possess in the process of acquiring their degrees. They get employed for their
application skills, problem solving skills and not mere marks on the memorandum of marks and
the head knowledge they possess.
Coming again to the “A”, for example we are all created uniquely and will be unique for not the
answers we know but our ability to ask questions. Thus it is rightly said answers makes us the
same and questions makes us different. And questions come to them who think.
Thinking is the foundation of everything we do. Every action, every solution, and every decision
we make is the result of thinking. We think when we decide what to eat for lunch, how to meet a
project schedule, and what to say during a conversation. We’re thinking all the time, and
although not always filled with valuable thinking, our brains are always in gear. Even when
sleeping, we’re thinking.

Before going any further let us understand what are hard and soft skills.

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Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

In job descriptions, employers often ask for a combination of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are
related to specific technical knowledge and training while soft skills are personality traits such as
leadership, communication or time management. Both types of skills are necessary to
successfully perform and advance in most jobs.

 
What’s the difference between hard skills and soft skills?

The key differences between hard skills and soft skills are how they are gained and put to use in
the workplace. Hard skills are often gained through education or specific training. They include
competencies like how to use a certain machine, software or other tool. Soft skills are more often
seen as personality traits you may have spent your whole life developing. They are called upon
when you manage your time, communicate with other people or confront a difficult situation for
the first time. Put another way, hard skills could be defined as your technical knowledge whereas
soft skills are your overall habits in the workplace.
 
What are hard skills?

Hard skills are technical knowledge or training that you have gained through any life
experience, including in your career or education.

Many other industries have such tests in place, requiring prior knowledge and skills essential for
career success. Other employers may have the availability to teach certain technical skills on the
job.
 
 
What are soft skills?

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Soft skills are personal habits and traits that shape how you work, on your own and with others.
Effective communication, for example, is a key soft skill many employers seek. Some others
include dependability, effective teamwork and active listening.
Soft skills are essential to your career and as you search for jobs. While hard skills necessary to
successfully perform technical tasks in a job, soft skills are necessary to create a positive and
functional work environment. For this reason, employers often seek individuals who possess
proven soft and hard skills. Some employers may prefer to select candidates who have a stronger
set of soft skills over hard skills, as soft skills are at times more difficult to develop.
Soft skills list
Some of the most in-demand soft skills include:
 Integrity
 Dependability
 Effective communication
 Open-mindedness
 Teamwork
 Creativity
 Problem-solving
 Critical thinking
 Adaptability
 Organization
 Willingness to learn
 Empathy

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This list is enough proof to the learners to understand the finer nuances of thinking and its types.

At this stage let us spend some time to acquaint ourselves with the different types of thinking we
humans are known for. Though there are umpteen numbers of thinking methods and
classifications in this session we will focus on a few important ones. At this point I also urge the
audience to get acquainted with a very important model on types of thinking known as the
Blooms Taxonomy.

Different types of thinking:

Abstract
Abstract thinkers are able to relate seemingly random things with each other. This is because
they can see the bigger picture. They make the connections that others find difficult to see.

They have the ability to look beyond what is obvious and search for hidden meanings. They can
read between the lines and enjoy solving cryptic puzzles. They don’t like routine and get bored
easily.

Analytical
Analytical thinkers like to separate a whole into its basic parts in order to examine these parts
and their relationships. They are great problem-solvers and have a structured and methodical way
of approaching tasks.

This type of thinker will seek answers and use logic rather than emotional thinking in life.
However, they have a tendency to overthink things and can ruminate on the same subject for
months.

Creative
Creative thinkers think outside the box and will come up with ingenious solutions to solve their
dilemmas in life. They like to break away from the traditions and norms of society when it comes
to new ideas and ways of thinking.

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They can sometimes be ridiculed as society prefers to keep the status quo. Creative thinkers can
also court jealously if they manage to follow their dreams and work in a creative field.

Concrete thinking
Concrete thinking focuses on the physical world, rather than the abstract one. It is all about
thinking of objects or ideas as specific items, rather than as a theoretical representation of a more
general idea.

Concrete thinkers like hard facts, figures and statistics. For example, you will not get any
philosophers who think in concrete terms. Children think in concrete terms as it is a very basic
and literal form of understanding.

Critical thinking
Critical thinking takes analytical thinking up a level. Critical thinkers exercise careful evaluation
or judgment in order to determine the authenticity, accuracy, worth, validity, or value of
something. And rather than strictly breaking down the information, critical thinking explores
other elements that could have an influence on conclusions.

Convergent thinking
Convergent thinking is a process of combining a finite number of perspectives or ideas to find a
single solution. Convergent thinkers will target these possibilities, or converge them inwards, to
come up with a solution.

One example is a multiple choice question in an exam. You have four possible answers but only
one is right. In order to solve the problem, you would use convergent thinking.

Divergent thinking
By contrast, divergent thinking is the opposite of convergent thinking. It is a way of exploring an
infinite number of solutions to find one that is effective. So, instead of starting off with a set

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number of possibilities and converging on an answer, it goes as far and wide as necessary and
moves outwards in search of the solution.

After getting conversant with the types of thinking let’s get to the specifics on Analytical
Thinking and Critical Thinking which is the core for this session.

Analytical Skills: Definitions and Examples

Analytical skills are in demand in many industries and are commonly listed requirements in job
descriptions. Analytical thinking can help you investigate complex issues, make decisions and
develop solutions—and you likely already possess many analytical skills that employer’s value.
 
What is analytical thinking?

Analytical thinking is observing and researching a problem or topic to develop more complex
ideas about it. Your analytical thinking should result in additional knowledge, solutions or ideas
related to the problem or topic.
The process usually involves several steps:
 Identifying a topic, problem or issue
 Gathering information
 Developing solutions or furthering your understanding of the topic
 Testing solutions or new ideas based on what you’ve learned
 Post-analysis, or reviewing what solutions worked, or assessing your new knowledge

A key element to analytical thinking is the ability to quickly identify cause and effect
relationships. This means understanding what might happen during the problem-solving process,
for example, and examining how new ideas relate to the original topic.
Most analytical thinking requires trial and error. Those with strong analytical thinking skills are
often capable of quickly analyzing a situation, topic or problem, and often work well in a team
setting to accomplish goals.
 
Why are analytical skills important?

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Analytical skills are important because it allows you to find solutions to common problems and
make decisions about what actions to take next. Understanding problems and analyzing the
situation for viable solutions is a key skill in every position at every level. Developing this ability
can improve your work, help you achieve company goals and eventually support your personal
career goals.

If you are seeking a role specific to analytics such as a data analyst or lab analyst, you should
build analytical thinking skills specific to your industry. While analytical thinking is a soft skill,
analyst jobs will also require you to have specific hard skills that relate to the position. This also
applies to roles with required technical knowledge like nursing, engineering or scientific
research.
Many other jobs including computer programming, architecture, teaching and customer service,
regularly require the use of analytical skills.
 
Analytical skills list and examples
There are several analytical skills you may find valuable to include on your resume. Here are a
few examples:
 
1. Critical thinking
Critical thinkers are capable of identifying all aspects of a problem and understanding why a
problem exists. They will take the time to fully understand a problem in order to develop a
workable solution.
 
2. Data and Information Analysis
Data and information analysis is one of the primary parts of analytical thinking. Once a problem
is identified, it’s important to know how to review and analyze the data or information that will
be essential to solving the problem.
 
3. Research
Research is an integral part of the analytical thinking process. Once a problem is identified, it’s
important to perform research for a solution. Research can be as simple as asking a co-worker or

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manager who may have more knowledge of the problem, to more extensive online searches
through official sources. Part of the research process also involves knowing what information is
valuable or essential to solving the problem.
 
4. Communication
It is essential to be in constant communication with stakeholders while identifying problems,
developing solutions, carrying out research, and discussing results. Once a problem or solution is
identified, communicating it out to an individual, team or company is essential to achieve the end
goal. Transferring this information clearly and thoroughly is a key skill in the analytical thinking
process.
 
5. Problem solving
After a problem, situation or area of improvement is identified and research is complete, it is
important to solve for a solution. You will use analytical thinking skills to sort and organize data
uncovered during the research phase to find a reasonable and effective solution with problem-
solving skills.
 

How to improve your analytical skills?

Improving your analytical skills can help you achieve various career goals. Highlighting your
analytical skills on your resume and during your interview can also help you stand out as a
candidate in the hiring process when applying for jobs.
To improve your analytical skills, consider taking some of the following steps:
 Take on leadership roles that require the use of critical analytical skills
 Practice key analytical skills in your current role
 Take classes that emphasize the use of analytical skills
 Participate in activities that require the use of analytical skills such as team sports, games
or reading
 Seek advice or mentorship from professionals in your field or desired industry
 Conduct research on best practices for your industry
 Improve your subject-matter knowledge, which is essential to faster problem-solving

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Take some time to consider which analytical skills you possess and those where you have room
for improvement. Write down specific times when you used analytical skills to improve
something or solve a problem whether it was at work, in a volunteer position or in school.

Further you can improve your Analytical skills by adopting these steps some of which could be a
repeating of the ones we have discussed it would not lead to duplication but to reinforce.

If you think your analytical thinking skills need some brushing up or you
just want to improve it, here are some strategies you can do:

Be Observant
Take a walk outside or observe people in your office. Use as many of your
senses, see what’s happening around you. Is there anything that interests
you?  Remember you have to actively engage your mind.

Read Books
Once again, the key to improving your analytical thinking skill is to keep
your mind active and running. Read books and try to work on an  active
reading strategy: proactively read and digest and question what you’re
reading. You can highlight, raise questions, read aloud or make
predictions to stay engaged with your reading material.

Learn How Things Work

Don’t just find the solution but know how exactly certain things work. By
scrutinizing how things work, you will have a better understanding of the
process which is vital in stimulating your analytical skills.

Ask Questions
Did you know that curiosity makes us smarter? According to
Neuroscientist AracelliCarmago, “The more curious we are about a
subject, the more it engages our cognitive functions, such as attention and

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memory.” With that said, asking more questions can help develop better
problem-solving skills, retention, and memory of a subject. So don’t be
shy to ask questions, especially if your query is valid.

Play Brain Games

If you want to improve your analytical thinking skills, it may be time to
play Sudoku or other brain games like puzzles, chess, or crosswords. The
best part of working on brain games to develop your analytical skill set is
it is fun and doesn’t require a lot of motivation to get started.

Practice Your Problem Solving Skills

Keep in mind that for every problem, there is a solution. Visualize and be
articulate in the presentation of a particular concept. Prepare two, three or
even more solutions to a problem. And, if possible, do test runs on those
solutions. See which one is the best and the most logical.

Think About Your Decisions

Making important decisions at work is very common. Thus, think hard and
rationalize your decisions. What are the pros and cons of your decision?
Ask for an expert opinion if available or do extensive research. Ask
yourself, is this the best solution for this problem? Take a step back to
rethink it a bit more, and then you can finally decide.
At the end of the day, like any skill development, you have to a lot of
practice and application. Learn from your everyday experiences. Then,
practice your analytical skills until it comes naturally.

Thus at this point we realize that Critical thinking is a subset or a part of critical thinking.

Now let us focus on what exactly Critical Thinking is all about.

Critical thinking is thinking but in a different way. Many people describe this process using
terms such as analytical, thoughtful, questioning, probing, non-emotional, organized, innovative,

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Socratic, logical, methodical, not taking things for granted, examining, details, exhaustive,
outside the box, scientific, and procedural. Odds are that you’ve heard and probably used a few
of these terms. But what exactly do they mean?

Critical thinking is:

• manual thinking (not automatic);
• purposeful;
• being aware of the partiality of your thinking;

WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?

Often when we use the word critical we mean “negative and fault-finding.”
This is the sense we have in mind, for example, when we complain about a parent or a friend
who we think is unfairly critical of what we do or say. But critical also means “involving or
exercising skilled judgment or observation.” In this sense critical thinking means thinking clearly
and intelligently. More
precisely, critical thinking is the general term given to a wide range of cognitive skills and
intellectual dispositions needed to effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth
claims; to discover and overcome personal preconceptions and biases; to formulate and present
convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and to make reasonable, intelligent decisions about
what to believe and what to do.
Put somewhat differently, critical thinking is disciplined thinking governed by clear intellectual
standards. Among the most important of these intellectual standards are clarity, precision,
accuracy, relevance, consistency, logical correctness, completeness, and fairness.

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The word Critical has its origin in a Greek word kritikos (discerning judgment) & criterion
(standards).
Thus Critical thinking = the ability to discern judgment based on standards.

Paul R. Elder through years of rumination and research has listed out the Elements of our
thought as:

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Let’s begin our introduction to criticalthinking by looking briefly at each of these important
critical thinking standards

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After acquainting ourselves with the standards and the elements which constitute thought let us
now focus on the framework of Essential dimensions of Critical Thinking:

Our conception of critical thinking is based on the substantive approach developed by Dr.

Richard Paul and his colleagues at the Center and Foundation for Critical Thinking over multiple
decades.

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It is relevant to every subject, discipline, and profession, and to reasoning through the problems
of everyday life. It entails five essential dimensions of critical thinking:
1. The analysis of thought.
2. The assessment of thought.
3. The dispositions of thought.
4. The skills and abilities of thought.
5. The obstacles or barriers to critical
thought.
At the left is an overview of the first three dimensions. In sum, the elements or structures of
thought enable us to "take our thinking apart" and analyze it. The intellectual standards are used
to assess and evaluate the elements. The intellectual traits are dispositions of mind embodied by
the fair-minded critical thinker. To cultivate the mind, we need command of these essential
dimensions, and we need to consistently apply them as we think through the many problems and
issues in our lives.
Everyone thinks. It is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased,
distorted, partial, uninformed, or downright prejudiced. Yet, the quality of our life and that of
what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy
thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be
systematically cultivated. 

A Definition 

Critical thinking is that mode of thinking — about any subject, content, or problem — in which
the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and
reconstructing it. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-
corrective thinking. It presupposes assent to rigorous standards of excellence and mindful
command of their use. It entails effective communication and problem-solving abilities, as well
as a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and socio-centrism.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A CRITICAL THINKER:
Now let us discuss what makes Critical thinkers different from all other types of thinkers. In the
process of making a comparison you will be able to get better insights into who exactly is a Critical
Thinker.

S. Critical Thinkers . . . Uncritical Thinkers . . .

No
1. Have a passionate drive for clarity Often think in ways that
precision, accuracy, and other critical are unclear, imprecise, and
thinking standards. inaccurate.
2. Are sensitive to ways in which Often fall prey to egocentrism,
critical thinking can be skewed by sociocentrism, relativistic
egocentrism, sociocentrism, wishful thinking, unwarranted
thinking, and other impediments. assumptions, and wishful
thinking
3. Are skilled at understanding, Often misunderstand or
analyzing, and evaluating arguments evaluate unfairly arguments and
and viewpoints. viewpoints.
4. Reason logically and draw Think illogically and draw
appropriate conclusions from unsupported conclusions from
evidence and data. evidence and data.
5. Are intellectually honest with Pretend they know more
themselves, acknowledging what they than they do and ignore their
don’t know and recognizing their limitations.
limitations.
6. Listen open-mindedly to Are closed-minded and
opposing points of view and resist criticisms of beliefs and
welcome criticisms of beliefs and assumptions.
assumptions.
7. Base their beliefs on facts and Often base beliefs on mere
evidence rather than on personal personal preference or selfinterest.
preference or self-interest.
8. Are aware of the biases and Lack awareness of their own
preconceptions biases and preconceptions.
that shape the way they
perceive the world.
9. Think independently and are Tend to engage in “groupthink,”
not afraid to disagree with group uncritically following the beliefs
opinion. and values of the crowd.
10. Are able to get to the heart of an Are easily distracted and lack
issue or a problem, without being the ability to zero in on the
distracted by details. essence of an issue or a problem.
11. Have the intellectual courage to face Fear and resist ideas that
and assess fairly ideas that challenge challenge their basic beliefs.
even their most basic beliefs.
12. Pursue truth and are curious about a Are often relatively indifferent

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 wide range of issues. to truth and lack curiosity.
Are often relatively indifferent
13. Have the intellectual perseverance Tend not to persevere when
to pursue insights or truths despite they encounter intellectual
obstacles or difficulties obstacles or difficulties.

Steps of Critical Thinking

 1. Identify the problem or question.
Be as precise as possible: the narrower the issue, the easier it is to find solutions or answers.
 
2. Gather data, opinions, and arguments.
Try to find several sources that present different ideas and points of view.
 
3. Analyze and evaluate the data.
Are the sources reliable? Are their conclusions data-backed or just argumentative? Is there
enough information or data to support given hypotheses?
 
4. Identify assumptions.
Are you sure the sources you found are unbiased? Are you sure you weren’t biased in your
search for answers?
 
5. Establish significance.
What piece of information is most important? Is the sample size sufficient? Are all opinions and
arguments even relevant to the problem you’re trying to solve?
 
6. Make a decision/reach a conclusion.
Identify various conclusions that are possible and decide which (if any) of them are sufficiently
supported. Weigh strengths and limitations of all possible options.
 
7. Present or communicate.
Once you’ve reached a conclusion, present it to all stakeholders.

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Benefits of Critical Thinking:
 Critical thinking is beneficial for many reasons. It can help students dobetter in school by
improving their ability to understand, construct, andcriticize arguments.
 It can help people succeed in their careers by improvingtheir ability to solve problems,
think creatively, and communicate theirideas clearly and effectively.
 It can also reduce the likelihood of makingserious mistakes in important personal
decisions, promote democratic processesby improving the quality of public decision
making, and liberate andempower individuals by freeing them from the unexamined
assumptions,dogmas, and prejudices of their upbringing, their society, and their age.
Few Conclusions on Critical Thinking:
• Everyone can be a critical thinker. Although some people are moreinclined to think critically
than others—and although some peoplebecome better at it than others—everyone can improve
how he or shethinks when tackling problems.
• We need to be trained. We all have the ability to think critically, but likemany skills, we need
to be taught to do it.
• We forget to think. We’re in automatic mode most of the time and justplain forget to tell
ourselves, “….maybe I should think about this abit.” I teach critical thinking for a, yet even I
sometimes forget touse it when it would be helpful.
• We need to practice. It’s like any new skill; if you don’t practice it, youdon’t get good at it.
Practice doesn’t have to take long, often just a fewminutes while you’re conducting your
everyday business activities. Youjust need to remember to do it.
• You must have a need to learn this stuff. It might be based on a desire forself-improvement,
more responsibility, or a promotion. You may havea crisis or an elusive goal to achieve. Maybe
it’s a corporate directive, or you’re looking for a breakthrough, looking just to survive, or
looking todo something very different.

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