Critical and Creative Thinking

DSM 224

CRITICAL &

CREATIVE THINKING

Section 4: Analyzing ideas 1

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate the knowledge and

understanding of the thinking skills of

Classification

Demonstrate the knowledge and

understanding of the thinking skills of

Compare and Contrast

2

Classification

Classification

Purpose of Classification

To help us select something we need.

To determine important relationships between

ideas/items

To protect things from harm or damage.

Classification involves putting particular things

in general categories because these things have

certain characteristics which we use to define

those categories.

Common Defaults in Classification

The way things are classified may not fit the purposes of classifying them (the category may be too broad or too narrow)

We may not know what defines the category and may put the wrong things in it. (fuzzy thinking)

We may know what defines the category but misperceive or misjudge that an individual thing has those characteristics, will result in us to misclassify it.

Common Default Scenarios

If I put all of my business expense receipts in a

folder but did not differentiate them in different

years, I would not be able to use this collection

easily in doing my year 2007 income tax

(classification too broad)

If I just keep year 2007 car expenses receipts,

I will have to search for other receipts to be

able to figure out my overall business

expenses. (classification too narrow)

Common Defaults Scenario

If I am confused about what a business receipt

is and put bills as well as receipts in the folder,

that may cause problems. (fuzzy)

I may think I see "2006" on a receipt but it was

actually a "2007" receipt. (Misperception)

If I classify a receipt for a meal as a business

receipt, but it fails to meet the requirements for

a legitimate business expense, it may cause

problems. (Misjudgment)

Types of Classification

Bottom Up Classification (Specific to Broad)

Top Down Classification (Broad to Specific)

Bottom-up Classification

Thinking Map Questions

What characteristics do the given items

have?

What classifications do these characteristics

define?

What purpose do we have for classifying the

items?

What way of classifying the items best serves

this purpose?

Which items fall into each category?

WAYS TO CLASSIFY THINGS

CATEGORIES TYPES OF CATEGORIES

pen Healthy food

Vegetables

Carnivore animals

Pink marker pen

Black & Blue pen

fruits

_________________________

_________________________

_________________________

Sample Bottom-Up Classification

Top-Down Classification

Thinking Map Questions What are the defining characteristics of the

categories under which I want to classify things?

Which items have these characteristics?

How do I classify these items into the given

categories?

Top-Down Classification

CATEGORY CATEGORY CATEGORY Defining

characteristics

Defining

characteristics

Defining

characteristics

Items

Items

Items

ITEMS TO BE

CLASSIFIED

characteristics

ITEMS TO BE

CLASSIFIED

ITEMS TO BE

CLASSIFIED

ITEMS TO BE

CLASSIFIED

characteristics characteristics characteristics

How Classified How Classified How Classified How Classified

Sample Top-Down Classification

Sample Top-Down Classification

Animal

Kingdom



Comparing and contrasting involves detecting

a variety of similarities and differences

between two or more objects, events,

organisms, institutions, or ideas in order to

achieve certain specific purposes.


What is the value of the skill of compare and

contrast?

To gain a deeper understanding of the ideas or

solutions being considered

Can lead to more effective choices and deeper

insights

Common Defaults when doing


Too little similarities and differences

Identify only a few similarities and differences.

Identify only superficial similarities and

differences.

Making rough and imprecise judgments of

similarity and difference.

Do no draw out the implications of the

similarities and differences we have identified.

2 basic ways to compare &

contrast skillfully

Open Compare and Contrast

Focused Compare and Contrast


Uses all possible similarities and differences

Select similarities and differences which are

most significant

Draw out the implications

Arrive at conclusion



How are they similar?

How are they different?

What similarities and differences seem

significant?

What categories or patterns do you see in the

significant similarities and differences?

What interpretation or conclusion is suggested

by the significant similarities and differences?

How are they alike?

How are they different?

Criteria Object B Object A

Object B Object A

Patterns of Significant Differences or Similarities

Conclusion or Interpretation

Focused Compare and Contrast

A more specific form of compare and contrast

where the criteria are already defined before

the compare and contrast is done.

Usually starts off with determining the purpose

or FOCUS of the compare and contrast


1. What kinds of similarities and differences are significant to the purpose of the comparison and contrast?

2. What similarities fall into these categories?

3. What differences fall into these categories?

4. What pattern of similarities and differences are revealed?

5. What conclusion or interpretation is suggested by the comparison and contrast that is significant to its purpose?

Object B Object A

Purpose

Factors to consider

How are they alike?

How are they

different?

Factors that are considered in

this activity

Conclusion or Interpretation

Advantages of Focused and Open


Go beyond merely listing similarities and

differences.

Bring more organization and depth to

comparing and contrasting than we ordinarily

find when we just list similarities and

differences.

Both generate a conclusion suggested by the

comparisons and differences.

Education

Critical and Creative Thinking