CRITICAL THINKINGWORKSHOP

Presented by The Counseling Center

of Gulf Coast State College

WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING?

Critical Thinking is thoughtful, systematic, and careful examination of ideas (Metzoff, 1998). Thinking critically improves the ability to learn to retain new information. It may change your mind on a subject or enable you to back-up what you believe. It also means “thinking deeper, being skeptical, questioning strongly held beliefs, or taking no information or opinion for granted” (Bacon, 1999).

BLOOM’S HIERARCHY OF THINKING SKILLS

BENJAMIN BLOOM – 1956

SIX LEVELS OF LEARNING

1 – Memorization – Knowledge– Learn course concepts and facts. Related skills – recognize, recall, recite, define, describe.

2 – Comprehension – Show understanding of course concepts and facts. Related skills – restate, explain, interpret, discuss, summarize, defend.

3 – Application – Extend course concepts and facts in new directions. Related skills – classify, apply, produce, discover, modify, prepare.

LEVELS OF LEARNING

CONTINUED

4 – Analysis – Break idea apart and relate to other ideas. Related skills – compare, contrast, connect, relate, categorize, analyze

5 – Synthesis – Create new organizations of ideas, integrate ideas, analyze interconnections, draw conclusions, summarize information. Related skills – design, organize, construct, compose, revise, develop.

6 – Evaluation – Make well, reasoned judgments and decisions, forma a conclusion or judgment, know something’s worth. Related skills – recommend, judge, critique, decide, evaluate, support.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOODCRITICAL THINKERS

Critical thinkers… ► practice honesty. They acknowledge what

they do not know, recognize their limitations, and are watchful of their own errors.

► regard problems and controversial issues asexciting challenges.

► strive for understanding. They keepcuriosity alive, remain patient with complexity, and are ready to invest time to overcome confusion.

► base judgments on evidence rather thanpersonal preferences. They defer judgment whenever evidence is insufficient and revise judgment when new evidence reveals error.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOODCRITICAL THINKERS

Critical thinkers…

► show interest in other people’s ideas andwillingness to read and listen attentively, even when they tend to disagree with the other person.

► recognize that extreme views are seldomcorrect. They practice fair-mindedness and a balanced view.

► practice restraint. They control theirfeelings rather than allow their feelings to control them. They think before they act.

THE PROCESS OF DECISION MAKING

1. Identify the Problem –• exactly what is the problem• why is it a problem• who is affected by the problem• what type of problem is it

2. Research –• gather information necessary for you to make

an informed decision• narrow down the subject• have at least three or more sources

supporting your claim or thesis• use a variety of resources• make sure the source of information is valid

THE PROCESS CONTINUED

3. Determine your options – systematicallygather and explore alternative solutions.

• Major decisions seldom have one solution• Look beyond the obvious – examine

details & explore all possibilities• Break the problem up into smaller pieces• Be careful not to let your emotions take

over the thought process• Weigh the evidence and ask all the “what

if’s” questions.

THE PROCESS CONTINUED

4. Take Action – your actionwill be based on informedcritical thinking. Reviewyour decision andconsider all theconsequences.

FACT VS

OPINION

Fact – a statement that can be proven, verified, or checked for accuracy

Opinion – a statement that is an evaluation based on a personal judgment or a belief that may or may not be verified – there is no proof

Guidelines for Fact VS Opinion

• Ask questions and listen for solid proof anddocumentation to support the statement

• Listen for what is not said in the statement• Be careful not to be swayed by those that you

assume are loyal and trustworthy• Don’t let those that you consider untrustworthy

sway you toward the negative – have an openmind.

• If you are still unsure as the credibility of thesource, assume it is an opinion.

FALLACIES

A fallacy is a pattern of incorrectreasoning. It “results in getting anindividual or a group of people to

believe something, to act a certainway, or to hold certain truths that

seem true, but are not” (Montgomery, 1999).

TYPES OF FALLACIES

◙ False Analogy – compares two things that reallycannot be compared. Example: I like apples,apples are fruit, so therefore I like all fruit.

◙ Hasty Generalization – takes traits from oneperson or group and makes an assumption abouteveryone or everything in that group. Example:Gail is walking along the beach. A man has manytattoos on his body and yells obscenities at her asshe passes him. Lisa concludes that all men whohave tattoos must be jerks.

TYPES OF FALLACIES CONTINUED

◙ Slippery Slope – assumes, without evidence,that a given event is the first in a series of stepsthat will lead inevitably to some outcome. Oneaction will initiate a chain of events that will leadto another event later. Example: If I allow mydaughter to pierce her ears, it will be the firststep in her running away from home.

◙ False Cause – assumes that because two eventsare associated in time, one event must havecaused the other. Example: Money makes peoplearrogant. (Not all people who have money arearrogant and some people who have no moneyare arrogant. One does not make the other.)

CORNERSTONES FOR CRITICAL THINKING

Strive for objectivity in thought, action, and decisionmaking. Reserve judgment until all the facts are known. Seek truth, even if the answers are painful andunpopular. Use only credible and reliable sources for research. Ask questions. Do not assume. Avoid rigid, concrete thoughts; strive for flexibility inthinking. Use emotional restraint Work hard to identify fact from opinion. Avoid generalizations.

REFERENCES USED

Cornerstone – Building on Your Best, Montgomery, Moody, &Sherfield, 1999, Allyn & Bacon Publishing Company, MA.

http://www.accd.edu/sac/history/keller/ADDCitg/SSCT.htm

Practicing College Learning Strategies, 3rd edition, Carolyn H.Hopper, 2004, Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company, pp 37-44.

Your Guide to College Success – Strategies for Achieving Your Goals, Santrock and Hulonen, 1999, Wadsworth PublishingCompany, pp 205-216.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

CONTACT

LEIGH BAILEY 769-1551 X4861 CINDY BOSHELLE 769-1551 X2829