Critical thinking Definitions In short, critical thinking is about taking a step back and thinking logically and carefully

about the information you have, rather than believing everything you read, see and hear. Critical thinking is about questioning and evaluating the information available to you. Helen Aveyard, Pam Sharp and Mary Woolliams, 2011 First published 2011, Printed in the UK by Bell & Bain Ltd, Glasgow. Kamhi (2011) describes how false beliefs that we develop can lead to the making of wrong or badly judged decisions. In other words, if we are not critical of the beliefs we hold, this can lead to poor decision-making. Facione (1990: 2) explains why critical thinking is important: Critical thinking is essential as a tool of inquiry. As such, critical thinking is a liberating force in education and a powerful resource in ones personal and civic life. While not synonymous with good thinking, critical thinking is a pervasive and self-rectifying human phenomenon. Price and Harrington (2010: 8) have recently defined critical thinking as the gathering, sifting, synthesizing and evaluating of information which enables the practitioner to act as a: knowledgeable doer someone who selects, combines, judges and uses information in order to proceed in a professional manner. Wade and Tarvis (2008: 7) define critical thinking as: the ability to assess claims and make objective judgments on the basis of well supported reasons and evidence rather than emotion and anecdote. Critical thinkers are able to look for flaws in argument and resist claims that have no support. In other words, if you are a critical thinker, you think carefully about what you read, see and hear. When you hear a news story or listen to a discussion among friends, you question the quality of the evidence and the conclusions drawn from that evidence. If the topic is important to you, you endeavor to find out more information which will help to make sense of the facts. This enables you to form an overall view and then apply it to the situation at hand. The ancient roots of critical thinking date back to the ideas of the Greek philosopher Socrates, who is credited with pioneering a questioning and rational approach to problem-solving and encouraging people to reject statements made on the basis of confused meaning and inadequate evidence. Critical thinking requires that you look beyond the initial headline that catches your eye.

We consider Faciones (1990: 2) criteria for a critical thinker and apply these to the situation described. Facione describes the characteristics of a critical thinker as being someone who does not accept things at face value: The ideal critical thinker is habitually inquisitive, well-informed, trustful of reason, open-minded, flexible, fair-minded in evaluation, honest in facing personal biases, prudent in making judgements, willing to reconsider, clear about issues, orderly in complex matters, diligent in seeking relevant information, reasonable in the selection of criteria, focused in inquiry, and persistent in seeking results which are as precise as the subject and the circumstances of inquiry permit. Critical thinking is when you adopt a questioning approach and thoughtful attitude to what you read, see or hear, rather than accepting things at face value. It relates to both academic work and professional practice. Critical thinking involves a critical appraisal of the information available to you. Critical appraisal (valoracin crtica) is when you consider the strengths and limitations of the evidence you read see and hear, depending on the type of evidence you have. The types of questions you need to ask yourself are: Where does this information come from? What is being said? How did they write this? Who is telling me this? When was this written? Why has this been written? This means making a judgment about the facts and the quality of evidence on which these facts are based. Critical appraisal involves critical analysis. Critical analysis is when you break down or explore in depth all the information available relating to an issue or question. This may involve exploring what is happening and the reasons why (see Examples 1, 2 and 3). You may need to consider and access alternative perspectives, including theory. Six questions to trigger critical thinking Where did you find the information? Did you just come across it? Or did you access it through a systematic search? What is it and what are the key messages or results/findings?

Is it a research study, professional opinion, discussion, website or other? How has the author/speaker come to their conclusions? Is their line of reasoning logical and understandable? If it is research or a review of research, how was it carried out, was it done well and do the conclusions refl ect the fi ndings? Who has written/said this? Is the author/speaker an organization or an individual? Are they an expert in the topic? Could they have any bias? How do you know? When was this written/said? Older key information may still be valid, but you need to check if there has been more recent work. Why has this been written/said? Who is the information aimed at professionals or patient/client groups? What is the aim of the information?

References
1. Aveyard, H. Sharp P and et al. (2011) A Beginners Guide to Critical Thinking and Writing in Health and Social Care, Glasgow UK, Bell & Bain Ltd. 2. Kamhi, A.G. (2011) Balancing uncertainty and uncertainty in clinical practice, Language, Speech and Hearing in Schools, 15: 22634. 3. Facione, P.A. (1990) Critical Thinking: A Statement of Expert Consensus for Purposes of Educational Assessment and Instruction. Executive Summary The Delphi Report. Millbrae, CA: The California Academic Press. 4. Price, B. and Harrington, A. (2010) Critical Thinking and Writing for Nursing Students Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. 5. Wade, C. and Tarvis, C. (2008) Psychology, 9th edn. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 6. Moore P, Brooke Noel. (2009) Critical thinking 9th ed. p. cm.

Critical Thinking, the Long Version

In the text, we give a couple of brief characterizations of critical thinking, and as shorthand they will serve well enough. But the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Project of the Council for Aid to Education has come up with a list of skills that covers almost everything your authors believe is important in critical thinking. If you achieve mastery over all these or even a significant majority of them, youll be well ahead of most of your peersand your fellow citizens. In question form, here is what the council came up with: How well does the student determine what information is or is not pertinent; distinguish between rational claims and emotional ones; separate fact from opinion; recognize the ways in which evidence might be limited or compromised; spot deception and holes in the arguments of others; present his /her own analysis of the data or information; recognize logical flaws in arguments; draw connections between discrete sources of data and information; attend to contradictory, inadequate, or ambiguous information; construct cogent arguments rooted in data rather than opinion; select the strongest set of supporting data; avoid overstated conclusions; identify holes in the evidence and suggest additional information to collect; recognize that a problem may have no clear answer or single solution; propose other options and weigh them in the decision; consider all stakeholders or affected parties in suggesting a course of action; articulate the argument and the context for that argument; correctly and precisely use evidence to defend the argument; logically and cohesively organize the argument; avoid extraneous elements in an arguments development; present evidence in an order that contributes to a persuasive argument? <http: // www.aacu.org /peerreview /pr_sp07_analysis1.cfm> Thinking about thinking Reasoning is something we already do: all of us have learnt, in one way or another, to think and to reason, to make connections and see relationships between various events and attitudes in our world. So, being a smart thinker is not about becoming a different sort of person, but about improving skills that you already have.

DEFINITION (Paul 1992)

Critical thinking is the disciplined mental activity of evaluating arguments or propositions and making judgments that can guide development of beliefs and taking action. Until the skills and values of critical thinking become common in our society, we will not achieve a democratic or just society. We will continue to use prejudice, stereotype, distortion, rationalization, and self deception in our thinking. The result of our actions in the world will continue to be unnecessary waste, suffering, and injustice. Foundation for Critical Thinking 5 STEPS TO EFFECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING 1. Define and limit the problem 2. Formulate relevant approaches 3. Recognize stated and unstated assumptions 4. Select pertinent information for the solution 5. Draw conclusions, and judge the validity of your inferences

Cornell Critical Thinking Test Guide Cornell Critical Thinking Test Summary What: The Cornell Critical Thinking Test series helps evaluate and predict student skills in critical thinking. Who: The test is geared at students in grades five and up. Where: Tests are administered in schools. When: The test can be given at any time after the fifth grade. How: The test is multiple-choice. Type: Exams are offered in paper and computer format. Why: The test series can help place students in classes and determine future performance. Time: Fifty minutes. Language: English

Preparation: Students can prepare by working on developing skills in logic, reasoning and other critical thinking areas. By: Erin Hasinger, Tests.com The Cornell Critical Thinking Test is an exam that helps teachers to determine the critical thinking abilities of their students. First developed in 1985 by Robert Ennis of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Jason Millman of Cornell University, the Cornell Critical Thinking Test series offers two levels of testing: level X for grades five through twelve and level Z for grades ten through twelve. The tests may also be used at the college level as well. Both tests help teachers, parents and administrators to predict students future performance in honors and advanced placement classes, critical thinking classes, state proficiency exams, college admission and even in a career situation. The tests may also be used to help place students in gifted or advanced placement programs. Level X includes 71 multiple-choice questions that evaluate student skill in - Induction - Deduction - Credibility - Identification of Assumptions For example, students may be presented with a short passage to read, and then must answer questions related to fact statements in regard to the passage, such as whether the fact statements support the argument the passage has made, go against the argument or do neither one. Level Z includes 52 multiple-choice questions covering: - Induction - Deduction - Credibility - Identification of Assumptions - Semantics - Definition - Prediction in Planning

On a Level Z exam, students may be presented with a passage in which certain conclusions are underlined. Students are asked to determine if the conclusions follow logically, contradict or do neither. Test takers are given 50 minutes to complete the exam. The Cornell Critical Thinking Tests are available in both computerized and paper formats. Test kits, including software and answer sheets, are available for purchase through the Critical Thinking Co. The Cornell Critical Thinking Test is typically administered in a classroom, and the school will purchase the test. A set of ten individual tests costs $29.99, while licenses can be purchased for sets of 50 tests for $99.99, 100 tests for $149.99, 200 tests for $239.99 and 1,000 tests for $499.99. To prepare for the Cornell Critical Thinking Test, numerous workbooks and other materials are available for purchase. Parents and students should locate test prep materials that help children develop skills in logic and reasoning; identifying valid claims and arguments, evidence, generalizations and fact and opinion; and making deductions and inferences. To learn more about the Cornell Critical Thinking Test and to find test preparation materials for Level X and Level Z tests, please visit the Cornell Critical Thinking Test Directory. Sources: Critical Thinking Co., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign