STUDENT ORIENTATION 2011

Aims of session

• Identify how you use critical reasoning in your daily life

• Find out what is meant by analytical thinking at university

• Reflect on how you can translate your everyday critical reasoning into analytical thinking for your academic studies

Why consider everyday critical reasoning?

• Adult learners process/practice a range of experiences, qualities and skills that involve critical reasoning, particularly involving family and work

• These current skills/qualities are of great value for university studies

Tip: Decisions are rarely straightforward, they overlap. Analytical thinking at university is similar, it does not see things as ‘black or white’

Think about the following

How did you make the decision to study a particular course at Birkbeck?

What factors were involved in your decision?

a) Job opportunities /promotion

b) Desire to return to learning

c) Financial concerns

d) Time constraints

e) Course subject

f) Other reasons

Analytical thinking at university

• Analytical thinking at university takes place across a variety of related activities/study skills- reading, note taking, writing essays, presentations

• Involves thinking analytically about yours and other peoples work/ideas

Tip: Engage actively with these activities –

the longer study skills workshops deal with these skills in greater detail

Think about the following

You have been asked to read an article in preparation for a lecture. In order to undertake a critical reading of the article, what questions might you ask of the article?

1. What is the main argument of the article?

2. What are the reasons given to justify the argument?

3. What evidence has been used?

4. What do you know about the author?

5. What audience is the author addressing?

6. What sources has the author used?

S = What are the strengths of the article/your writing? Is there an understanding of the soundness of the key arguments?

W = What are the weaknesses of the article/your writing? Is there a consideration of the flaws of the key arguments?

O = What opportunities does the article/your writing suggest for the topic? In what ways do the key arguments provide an insight into the topic?

T = What threats does the article/your writing pose for the topic? In what ways do the key arguments challenge the existing understanding of the topic?

Recap of session

• Identified your everyday critical reasoning (known as a study skills audit) – S.W.O.T. analysis

• Introduced what is meant by analytical thinking at university – argument, reasoning, evidence, author, audience, sources

• Reflected on how to translate your everyday critical reasoning into analytical thinking for your academic studies

Cottrell, S. (2008) The Study Skills Handbook, 3rd Edition (London, Palgrave) chapter 12 ‘Critical analytical thinking’ pp.275-292

Cottrell, S. (2005) Critical Thinking Skills (London, Palgrave)

http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/mp3s.asp#Critical

(a 12 minute audio file based on Cottrell’s Critical Thinking Skills book)

http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/services/facilities/support/critical-thinking

(several online resources available on the Birkbeck Library website) http://www.bbk.ac.uk/mybirkbeck/get-ahead-stay-ahead/skills/critical-thinking

(a 5 minute interactive tutorial supporting this Student Orientation programme)