CRITICAL THINKING

INTRODUCTION: critical thinking means the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in
order to form a judgement. Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally about
what to do or what to believe. It includes the ability to engage in reflective and
independent thinking. Someone with critical thinking skills is able to do the following :

 understand the logical connections between ideas

 identify, construct and evaluate arguments
 detect inconsistencies and common mistakes in reasoning
 solve problems systematically
 identify the relevance and importance of ideas

DEFINITION:

 Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully

conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information
gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or
communication, as a guide to belief and action.
 Critical thinking is the skillful application of a repertoire of validated general techniques
for deciding the level of confidence you should have in a proposition in the light of the
available evidence. -- Tim van Gelder
 Critical thinking is reasonable, reflective thinking that is focused on deciding what to
believe or do. -- Robert Ennis
 Critical thinking is reflecting on a situation, a plan, an event under the rule of standard
and antecedent to making a decision.
Examples of Critical Thinking: The circumstances that demand critical thinking vary from
industry to industry. Some examples include:

 A triage nurse analyzes the cases at hand and decides the order by which the patients
should be treated.
 A plumber evaluates the materials that would best suit a particular job

PURPOSES OF CRITICAL THINKING

 To raise vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely;
 To gather and assess relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively comes
to well-reasoned conclusions and solutions, testing them against relevant criteria and standards;
 To thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as
need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and
 To communicate effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.

CHARACTERISTICS
 It is multi-dimensional cognitive process.it requires a skilful application of knowledge and
experience for the sophisticated judgement and evaluation needed in complex situations
 It is process oriented
 It uses structure as a means rather than an end
 It is a framework within which to interpret knowledge. Challenge assumptions of theory and
practice generate contradictory hypothesis, and develop modifications.
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS:

Analysis: Part of critical thinking is the ability to carefully examine something, whether it is a
problem, a set of data, or a text. People with analytical skills can examine information,
understand what it means, and properly explain to others the implications of that information.

 Asking Thoughtful Questions

 Data Analysis
 Research
 Interpretation
 Judgment
 Questioning Evidence

Communication: Often, will need to share conclusions with employers or with a group of
colleagues. then need to be able to communicate with others to share ideas effectively. 

 Active Listening
 Assessment
 Collaboration
 Explanation
 Interpersonal
 Presentation
 Teamwork

Creativity: Critical thinking often involves creativity and innovation. it might need to spot

patterns in the information are looking at or come up with a solution that no one else has thought
of before.

 Flexibility
 Conceptualization
 Curiosity
 Imagination
 Drawing Connections
 Inferring
 Predicting

Open-Mindedness: To think critically, need to be able to put aside any assumptions or

judgments and merely analyze the information received. then need to be objective, evaluating
ideas without bias.

 Diversity
  Fairness
 Humility
 Inclusive
 Objectivity

Problem Solving: Problem solving is another critical thinking skill that involves analyzing a
problem, generating and implementing a solution, and assessing the success of the plan.
Employers don’t simply want employees who can think about information critically. They
also need to be able to come up with practical solutions.

 Attention to Detail
 Clarification
 Decision Making
 Evaluation
 Groundedness
 Identifying Patterns
 Innovation

More Critical Thinking Skills:

 Inductive Reasoning
 Deductive Reasoning
 Brainstorming
 Optimization
 Restructuring
 Accuracy
 Risk Management

NEED OF CRITICAL THINKING IN NURSING:

 Need to make accurate and appropriate clinical decisions

 Need to solve problems and find solutions
 Need to plan care for each unique client and client problem
 Need to seek knowledge and use it to make clinical decisions and problem solving
 Need to be able to think creatively when planning care for clients
ASPECT OF CRITICAL THINKING: Aspects of Critical Thinking To develop into an expert
critical thinker the nurse needs to use:

1. Reflection
2. Language
3. Intuition

1.Reflection-Purposely thinking back or recalling a situation to discover its purpose or meaning.

Looking back and reflecting on a client situation helps the nurse to have insight and meaning in
the situation. • Reflection allows the nurse to look at a situation honestly and do some self
 evaluation of the situation. • When reflecting, important to remain open to new information,
knowledge, ways of doing things.

2.Language- The ability to use language and express is a reflection of the ability to think
meaningfully. Nurses must be able to use language effectively (clearly and precisely). When
language is not well developed and the spoken word is not clear and distinct it is a sign of sloppy
thinking. • it must communicate (speak) clearly and distinctly with all of those around us, peers,
nurses, patients and families. To critically think must be able to organize and focus own
thoughts.

3.Intuition- To have an understanding of the particulars in a situation without conscious

deliberation. It is an inner sensing about a situation. • This ability to have intuition about clients
come with time and experience. Book points out that intuition can be the spark that starts the
flame of analytical thinking (the nurse seeks more info that will confirm what they have been
feeling and concerned about for the patient. Can not use only intuition must use all types of
knowledge, cognitive and emotional cues to assess clients and seek more info. Nurses also need
to be aware of what they do not know, and seek help appropriately.

PROCESS OF CRITICAL THINKING: The critical thinking process, as described by

Wolcott and Lynch , includes four steps. Students generally begin their critical thinking at step
one and, with practice, progress to step 2 and up the ladder.

Step 1: Identify the problem, the relevant information, and all uncertainties about
the problem. This includes awareness that there is more than one correct
solution. (low cognitive complexity)

Step 2: Explore interpretations and connections. This includes recognize one's own
bias, articulating the reasoning associated with alternative points of view, and
organizing information in meaningful ways. (moderate cognitive complexity)

Step 3: Prioritize alternatives and communicate conclusions. This includes

thorough analysis, developing the guidelines used for prioritizing factors, and
defending the solution option chosen. (high cognitive complexity)

Step 4: Integrate, monitor, and refine strategies for re-addressing the problem.
This includes acknowledging limitations of chosen solution and developing an
ongoing process for generating and using new information. (highest cognitive
complexity)

IMPORTANCE OF CRITICAL THINKING:

Critical thinking is a domain-general thinking skill. The ability to think clearly and rationally
is important whatever choose to do. If work in education, research, finance, management or the
legal profession, then critical thinking is obviously important. But critical thinking skills are not
restricted to a particular subject area. Being able to think well and solve problems systematically
is an asset for any career.

Critical thinking is very important in the new knowledge economy. The global knowledge
economy is driven by information and technology. One has to be able to deal with changes
quickly and effectively. The new economy places increasing demands on flexible intellectual
skills, and the ability to analyse information and integrate diverse sources of knowledge in
solving problems. Good critical thinking promotes such thinking skills, and is very important in
the fast-changing workplace.

Critical thinking enhances language and presentation skills. Thinking clearly and
systematically can improve the way to express our ideas. In learning how to analyse the logical
structure of texts, critical thinking also improves comprehension abilities.

Critical thinking promotes creativity. To come up with a creative solution to a problem

involves not just having new ideas. It must also be the case that the new ideas being generated
are useful and relevant to the task at hand. Critical thinking plays a crucial role in evaluating new
ideas, selecting the best ones and modifying them if necessary.

Critical thinking is crucial for self-reflection. In order to live a meaningful life and to structure
our lives accordingly, we need to justify and reflect on our values and decisions. Critical thinking
provides the tools for this process of self-evaluation.

Good critical thinking is the foundation of science and democracy. Science requires the
critical use of reason in experimentation and theory confirmation. The proper functioning of a
liberal democracy requires citizens who can think critically about social issues to inform their
judgments about proper governance and to overcome biases and prejudice..

METHODS / TECHNIQUES OF CRITICAL THINKING

Here are 16 basic techniques of critical thinking.
1. Clarify:- State one point at a time. Elaborate. Give examples. Ask others to clarify or give
examples. If not sure what talking about, you address it.
2. Be accurate:- Check facts.
3.Be precise:- Be precise, so able to check accuracy. Avoid generalizations, euphemisms, and
other ambiguity.
4. Be relevant:- Stick to the main point. Pay attention to how each idea is connected to the main
idea.
5. Know purpose:- What are trying to accomplish? What‘s the most important thing here?
Distinguish purpose from related purposes.
6. Identify assumptions:- All thinking is based on assumptions, however basic.
7. Check your emotions:- Emotions only confuse critical thinking. Notice how emotions may be
pushing thinking in a certain direction.
8. Empathize: Try to see things from opponent‘s perspective. Imagine how they feel. Imagine
how sound to them. Sympathize with the logic, emotion, and experience of their perspective.
9. Know own ignorance: Each person knows less than 0.0001% of the available knowledge in
the world. Even if know more about relevant issues than opponent, still might be wrong. Educate
as much as possible, but still: be humble.
10. Be independent: Think critically about important issues . Don‘t believe everything read.
Don‘t conform to the priorities, values, and perspectives of others.
11. Think through implications:- Consider the consequences of viewpoint.
12. Know own biases. : biases muddle thinking. Notice how they might be pushing thought
toward a particular end, regardless of the logical steps it took to get there.
13. Suspend judgment: Critical thinking should produce judgments, not the other way around.
Don‘t make a decision and then use critical thinking to back it up. If anything, use the method of
science: take a guess about how things are and then try to disprove it.
14. Consider the opposition. :Listen to other viewpoints in their own words. Seriously consider
their most persuasive arguments. Don‘t dismiss them.
15. Recognize cultural assumptions. :People from different times and cultures thought much
differently than do. In fact, ideas might have arrived only in the last 50 years of human history!
Why is perspective better than that of everyone else in the world today and throughout history?
16. Be fair, not selfish:- Each person‘s most basic bias is for themselves.

ADVANTAGES OF CRITICAL THINKING

Critical thinking involves many useful abilities:
 The ability to think clearly and rationally
 The ability to analyze information objectively
 The ability to understand the logical connection between ideas
 The ability to make reasoned judgments, etc.
  Save time with a Critical Thinking mindset. It provide all information is appropriate to
decision-making.
  Decision-making capabilities are converted with a Critical Thinking approach and made
a lot easier
Critical Thinking can make a superior communication.
BARRIERS OF CRITICAL THINKING:

1 Egocentric nature and thinking patterns: Egocentric nature or behavior is a natural tendency
and is many a time difficult to overcome. Such a barrier is making the person think about himself
and leads to the inability to not to sympathize with others to understand their issues and
problems. And one’s ego can be one of the most significant Barriers to Critical Thinking.

2 Group Thinking: Group Thinking is yet amongst the harmful Barriers to Critical Thinking,
plus it is also quite unhealthy. In such a case, the person doesn’t have his own opinion or
decision in any given case or situation. To overcome the same, it requires the individuals of the
group to stand apart and question and formulate their thoughts, opinions, and ideas.
3 Social Conditioning: Many of people have a habit of thinking within our comfort zones, and
we refrain to even think outside our spectrum as we are taught to think in a certain way and
manner owing to the various social conditions. Barriers to Critical Thinking owing to social
conditioning involves stereotyping things and people around us and having unwanted
assumptions that make it quite difficult for people around us in the organization to work.

4 Biased nature and experiences: Having a personal bias is one of the biggest Barriers to
Critical Thinking as its curbs and prohibits a person from making decisions that are fair, open-
minded, and transparent. It also prevents the person to use logical reasoning, experience, and the
basic common sense to make decisions that are informed and valid.

5.work pressure: Quite many numbers of times at our workplace, due to overloaded with
stringent deadlines, and it does affect our skill of critical thinking. But the silver lining is that a
person can also sharpen his critical thinking skills and abilities amidst the tough and tight
deadlines. When the time is short, and a deadline needs to be met, we often go for an option of
completing the work without any strategic thinking and long term vision. And here is when the
barrier arises to thinking critically.

6. Arrogance: Arrogance is a bad attitude and often hinders with critical thinking abilities. It

makes a person with a closed mindset and with an opinion that he knows everything and there is
no further need for learning new things. Arrogance makes the person fail on a long term basis as
he has closed his channels of learning and is unable to assess the rewards and benefits of critical
thinking.
7. Stubborn Nature:: One of the Barriers to Critical Thinking to stubborn nature as a person
with such a nature has his own set of beliefs and ideologies. And such a barrier is not very
welcomed in the world of business, especially the corporate world as it is ever-evolving and
dynamic in nature and its approach. The person has to be open to changes and come out from his
present beliefs understanding that the world of business is quite fluid and fast-paced and
demands flexibility and adaptability.
8.fear: Fear often acts as a barrier not only critical thinking but also for the overall growth and
development of a person. Fear makes him unconfident, demotivated, and not very agile to think
out of the box and come up with the ideas and strategies. Fear can arouse out of the various
reasons such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem issues, and other such personal reasons affecting
a person’s professional life as well.

9. laziness: Critical thinking requires a person to do a lot of research, study literature that is
work-related, and be open to learning new things for growth and development. But when a
person is lazy, it acts as one of the Barriers to Critical Thinking.

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