GET AHEADSUMMER PROGRAMME 2011

Critical thinking skills

Sara Steinke

Aims of the session

• To identify your everyday critical reasoning skills

• To translate your everyday critical reasoning skills into analytical thinking in academic studies

• To become familiar with analytical thinking at university

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 to university study

Think about the followingConsider a major purchase/decision thatyou have made/thought about within the past year, for example, changing jobs, moving house, new car, starting a degree.

How did/will you go about making that decision?

consider the issue in

detail

evaluate the

evidence in favour

assess the reasons against

think about the

implications of the

decision

monitor your

decision

Translating everyday critical reasoning into analytical thinking

• analytical thinking at university takes place across a variety of activities

• including reading for learning, writing essays, note-taking, presentations and active listening (these are related study skills)

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

• key link is engaging actively with these activities

Think about the following

You have been asked to read an article in preparation for a lecture.

In order to undertake acritical reading of the article, what questions might you ask of the article?

Critical questions to ask

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/your writing? Is there an understanding of the soundness of the key arguments?

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

O = What opportunities does the/your writing suggest for an the topic? How do the key arguments provide a further insight into the topic?

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

Analytical thinking at university involves

Distinguishing between

• Facts: ‘true’ statements, note supporting evidence/research

• Opinions: note ‘educated’ opinions by the author, be careful of personal opinion

• Examples: used to illustrate/explain arguments

Recap

• We started to identify your everyday critical reasoning skills (known as a study skills audit)

• We thought about how to translate your everyday critical reasoning skills into analytical thinking in academic studies – S.W.O.T. analysis

• We have introduced to analytical thinking at university – argument, reasoning, evidence, author, audience, sources

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.palgrave.com/skills4study/pdfs/critical%20analysis%20.pdf(transcript of the audio file) 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 Get Ahead Summer programme)