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Critical Thinking

The document provides guidance on developing critical thinking skills when reading texts. It emphasizes the importance of not just passively accepting information but actively thinking about what is read by asking questions, evaluating claims, and finding relationships between ideas. Specific techniques mentioned include identifying facts versus opinions, recognizing cause-and-effect relationships, comparing and contrasting information, and making inferences and predictions based on stated details.

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47 views16 pages

Critical Thinking

The document provides guidance on developing critical thinking skills when reading texts. It emphasizes the importance of not just passively accepting information but actively thinking about what is read by asking questions, evaluating claims, and finding relationships between ideas. Specific techniques mentioned include identifying facts versus opinions, recognizing cause-and-effect relationships, comparing and contrasting information, and making inferences and predictions based on stated details.

Uploaded by

Soap MacTavish
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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 Give someone a fish  They will eat that day

 Teach someone how to fish  They will never


get hungry.

DEPENDENCE SELF-RELIANCE
 not just thinking passively and accepting
everything you see and hear
 thinking actively
 asking questions about what you see and
hear, evaluating, categorising, and finding
relationships
 Interpreting according
Predicting
to a framework

 Describing
 Relating theory to  Analysing
practice
 Synthesising
 Making a claim and  Categorising
supporting it  Establishing cause
 Using appropriate and effect
evidence  Comparing and
 Making links between contrasting
ideas  Identifying problems
 Asking questions and solutions
 Evaluating
 What are the main points of this text?
 Can you put them in your own words?
 What sorts of examples are used? Are they
useful? Can you think of others?
 What factors (ideas, people, things) have been
included? Can you think of anything that has
been missed out?
 Is a particular bias or framework apparent?
Can you tell what 'school of thought' the
author belongs to?
 Can you work out the steps of the argument being
presented? Do all the steps follow logically?
 Could a different conclusion be drawn from the
argument being presented?
 Are the main ideas in the text supported by reliable
evidence (well researched, non-emotive, logical)?
 Do you agree or disagree with the author? Why?
 What connections do you see between this and other
texts?
 Where does it differ from other texts on the same
subject?
 What are the wider implications—for you, for the
discipline?
 When you take notes, divide your notepad into two
columns. Jot down the main ideas in the left hand column,
and the supporting comments in the right hand column.
Add your own comments in another colour, or in brackets.
 Talk to other people (anyone who is interested!) about
what you have read.
 Relate this text to others by looking for similar or
contrasting themes.
 Think of how you might explain what the text means to,
say, a high school student. What would you have to add to
make it intelligible? (This will help you to see the
underlying, unstated assumptions.)
 Ask yourself: 'Is it possible to disagree with any of this?'
 Ask yourself: 'How can I convince my peers/teachers that I
understand what this is about?'
Many school subjects deal with what happened to cause an end result.
For example, when you study the American Revolution, you will look at
events that caused this conflict. Then you will study the effects of those
causes—the war itself. Recognizing cause-and-effect relationships
leads to clearer understanding.
 A fact is a statement that can be proved right
or wrong. An opinion is an expression of
beliefs or values. You can disagree with an
opinion. A critical reader sees the difference
between statements of fact and of opinion.
It’s also important to recognize the difference
when you are the writer.
 A good way to organize information is by
pointing out similarities (comparing) and
differences (contrasting). Comparing and
contrasting something new with something
familiar usually helps understanding.
 Information may be organized in a sequence,
or logical order. Details in stories are often
presented in order of time (chronological
order).
 At times you will be asked to summarize what you have read. A
teacher may ask you to write a summary of a textbook chapter. A
boss might ask you to summarize a training manual. Like an
outline, a summary briefly describes the key points in a large
amount of information. In a summary, however, main points are
written out in paragraph form.
 THE FOUR STEPS OF SUMMARIZING
 1. Read (or listen to) the original material.
 2. Identify important points. (Omit ideas that are not important,
such as lengthy examples, explanations, and comments.)
 3. Write the summary. (Write in paragraph form in your own
words. Make it short, but be sure to include all key points.)
 4. Compare your summary with the original. (Check to see that
you did not omit a main point. If you did, revise your summary to
include it.)
 When results are not clearly stated, you can
make inferences—draw conclusions—based
on what you read. You can use the details at
hand to figure out what is not directly stated.
You already make inferences in daily life. For
example, if you hear the squeal of brakes, a
loud crash, and the wail of sirens, you can
probably infer that there has been an auto
accident.
 An inference is a conclusion about something
that has already happened. A prediction is a
guess about what will happen. Both
inferences and predictions are based on
details from the information stated.
 Develop your frame of reference, your starting point,
by listing what you already know about the subject
 What opinions and prejudices do you already have about this?
What have you been told, or read about, this topic?
 What resources
are available to you for research
When gathering information, keep an open mind
Look for chance resources that pop up!
Play the "reporter" and follow leads
If you don't seem to find what you need, ask librarians or your
teacher.
 How does your timeline and due dates affect your research?
Keep in mind that you need to follow a schedule.
Work back from the due date and define stages of development,
not just with this first phase, but in completing the whole
project.

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