Critical Thinking as a Methodology for the Writing

of Informative Essays in the Health Sciences Area

Silvia Rubín.silvia.rubin@upaep.mx

Puebla, Mexico. May, 2012.

The academic program of Language and Critical Thinking pretends that the students through the methodology of its five dimensions, can analyze, present, produce and discuss about expositive and argumentative texts.

Reading +Writing + Oral communication + Metacognition ______________=language skills needed in the area of Health

Sciences.

Different levels of thinking (automatic, systemic or critical one)

Initial level recognition: writing expository essay (guided diagnosis)

Analysis of models text of essay genreThinking on auditorium (reader)Pre-writing, writing and post-writingRubric for evaluation

a) Logical Dimension of Critical Thinking: Concepts: Which are the key concepts that we need to understand

the text? Are all well defined? Opinion: Is the opinion of the author clearly formulated? Is well

argue? Arguments: How does the author argues? What kind of arguments

presents the author (facts, data, examples, testimonials, etc.)? Are they enough? Are they well documented?

Fallacies: Are there fallacies? Assumptions: Which assumptions handles the author?, What is

assumed by the author but is not argue? Are assumptions of the author questionable and how far?

Implicaciones: ¿Qué consecuencias se desprenderían si consideráramos en serio los planteamientos del autor? ¿Qué consecuencias es probable afrontar de ignorar sus planteamientos?

Implications: What consequences will arise if we consider seriously the author approaches? What consequences we will face if we ignore the proposals?

b) Substantive Dimension of Critical Thinking: Is the author an expert in the subject, has enough

knowledge to say about the topic?

c) Dialogical Dimension of Critical Thinking: Does the author take other points of view? Is the

author able to front the own arguments convincingly?

 Pragmatic Dimension of Critical Thinking: Does the opinion of the author depend on a own

perspective? Is the author committed to any political, religious, posture, etc.?

Context Dimension of Critical Thinking: Do I agree or disagree with the author? Do I agree or

disagree with the thesis of the author because of my own perspective to the problem? Which could be the factors (education, family, personal interests, prejudice) that make me lean towards one view or another? Am I willing

to change my mind and to examine the thesis that the author proposes? Do I have knowledge that allows me to comment about the subject? Have I consulted other sources about the subject?

Topic selection (searching, national or international health criteria)

Justifing the selection (answering essential questions of critical thinking)

Searching and reaching for information (Vancouver style)

Lecture formatPlanning the structure and tematic secuence

of the essay, including informative resources Planning the argumentative structure

(Toulmin Model)

Self-evaluationCo-evaluationMetacogniton Review: argument, vocabulary, references, style Prepare an oral exposition (defense of the

text)

The proposed methodology establishes patterns of textual production, from introductory representation to the expositive and argumentative essay text, with the general characteristics of scientific communication.

Critical Thinking as a Methodology for the Writing

of Informative Essays in the Health Sciences Area

Silvia Rubín.silvia.rubin@upaep.mx

Puebla, Mexico. May, 2012.