Critical thinking: Knowledge, skills and attitudes

Self-evaluation
For e a c h o f t h e f o l l o w i n g s t a t e m e n t s , rate y o u r responses as o u t l i n e d b e l o w .
N o t e t h a t ' s t r o n g l y d i s a g r e e ' carries n o score.
4 = 'strongly

agree'

3 = 'agree'

2 = 'sort of agree'

1 = 'disagree'

0 = 'strongly

disagree'

1 feel c o m f o r t a b l e p o i n t i n g o u t p o t e n t i a l w e a k n e s s e s in t h e w o r k o f e x p e r t s

1 c a n r e m a i n f o c u s e d o n t h e e x a c t r e q u i r e m e n t s o f an a c t i v i t y

1 k n o w t h e d i f f e r e n t m e a n i n g s of t h e w o r d ' a r g u m e n t ' in critical t h i n k i n g

1 c a n analyse t h e s t r u c t u r e o f an a r g u m e n t

1 c a n o f f e r c r i t i c i s m w i t h o u t f e e l i n g this makes

m e a bad person

1 k n o w w h a t is m e a n t b y a line of r e a s o n i n g

1 a m a w a r e of h o w m y c u r r e n t beliefs m i g h t p r e j u d i c e f a i r c o n s i d e r a t i o n of an issue

1 a m p a t i e n t in i d e n t i f y i n g t h e line of r e a s o n i n g in a n a r g u m e n t

1 a m g o o d a t r e c o g n i s i n g t h e signals used t o i n d i c a t e stages in an a r g u m e n t

10

1 f i n d it easy t o separate l<ey p o i n t s f r o m o t h e r m a t e r i a l

11

1 a m v e r y p a t i e n t in g o i n g o v e r t h e facts in o r d e r t o r e a c h an a c c u r a t e v i e w

12

1 a m g o o d at i d e n t i f y i n g u n f a i r t e c h n i q u e s used t o p e r s u a d e readers

13

1 a m g o o d a t r e a d i n g b e t w e e n t h e lines

14

i f i n d it easy t o e v a l u a t e t h e e v i d e n c e t o s u p p o r t a p o i n t of v i e w

15

1 usually p a y a t t e n t i o n t o s m a l l details

16

1 f i n d it easy t o w e i g h u p d i f f e r e n t p o i n t s o f v i e w fairly

17

If 1 a m n o t sure a b o u t s o m e t h i n g , 1 w i l l research t o f i n d o u t m o r e

18

1 c a n p r e s e n t m y o w n a r g u m e n t s clearly

19

1 u n d e r s t a n d h o w t o s t r u c t u r e an a r g u m e n t

20

1 c a n tell d e s c r i p t i v e w r i t i n g f r o m a n a l y t i c a l w r i t i n g

21

1 c a n s p o t inconsistencies in an a r g u m e n t easily

22

1 a m g o o d at identifying p a t t e r n s .

23

1 a m a w a r e of h o w m y o w n u p - b r i n g i n g m i g h t p r e j u d i c e fair c o n s i d e r a t i o n of an issue

24

1 k n o w h o w t o e v a l u a t e source m a t e r i a l s

25

1 u n d e r s t a n d w h y a m b i g u o u s l a n g u a g e is o f t e n used in research p a p e r s

' ^^BBHHEfl^

1 Rating 4 - 0

S c o r e o u t of 1 0 0

Interpreting y o u r score
G o i n g t h r o u g h t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e m a y have raised s o m e q u e s t i o n s a b o u t w h a t y o u k n o w or d o n ' t k n o w
a b o u t critical t h i n k i n g . T h e l o w e r t h e score, t h e m o r e likely y o u are t o n e e d t o d e v e l o p y o u r critical t h i n k i n g
skills. A score o v e r 75 suggests y o u are v e r y c o n f i d e n t a b o u t y o u r critical t h i n k i n g ability. It is w o r t h c h e c k i n g
this against o b j e c t i v e f e e d b a c k such as f r o m y o u r t u t o r s o r c o l l e a g u e s . If y o u r score is less t h a n 1 0 0 , t h e r e is
still r o o m f o r i m p r o v e m e n t ! if y o u r score is u n d e r 4 5 a n d r e m a i n s so after c o m p l e t i n g t h e b o o k , y o u m a y f i n d
it h e l p f u l t o speak t o an a c a d e m i c c o u n s e l l o r , y o u r t u t o r or a s u p e r v i s o r t o r o o t o u t t h e d i f f i c u l t y .

9Stella Cottrell {2005,2011) Cri/fca/WmWnff SWs, PalgravB Macmillan

W h a t Is critical t h i n k i n g ?

Priorities: Developing critical thinking abilities

o

A
Want to know
more?

Aspects 1 w a n t t o d e v e l o p
further

Rate f r o m 0 to 5
5 = 'very
important'

In c o l u m n A, i d e n t i f y w l i i c h aspects of critical t h i n k i n g y o u w a n t t o k n o w m o r e a b o u t . Give a r a t i n g

1 want to:

b e t w e e n 5 a n d 0, g i v i n g 5 f o r ' v e r y i m p o r t a n t ' a n d 0 f o r ' n o t i m p o r t a n t a t all',

o

In c o l u m n B, c o n s i d e r h o w essential it is t h a t y o u d e v e l o p this aspect s o o n . G i v e a r a t i n g b e t w e e n 5 a n d 0,

17

recognise implicit a r g u m e n t s

w h e r e 5 is ' v e r y essential' a n d 0 is ' n o t essential a t a l l ' ,

18

u n d e r s t a n d w h a t is m e a n t

A d d scores in c o l u m n s A a n d B t o g a i n an idea of w h e r e y o u r priorities are likely t o lie.

C o l u m n D directs y o u w h e r e t o l o o k f o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n t h a t p o i n t .
Aspects 1 w a n t t o d e v e l o p
further

1 want to:
1

A
Want to know
more?
Rate f r o m 0 to 5
5 = 'very
important'

B
H o w essential
t o d e v e l o p it
now?
Rate f r o m 0 to 5
S = 'very
essential'

D
See C h a p t e r

C
P r i o r i t y score

21
1

'22
23

remain focused o n the exact

r e q u i r e m e n t s of an a c t i v i t y

pay better a t t e n t i o n t o small

25

recognise flawed reasoning

6 and 7
1 and 8

u n d e r s t a n d w h a t is m e a n t

u n d e r s t a n d w h a t is m e a n t b y

^^27

'triangulation'
~28~ c h e c k f o r levels of p r o b a b i l i t y

>

a p p l y critical t h i n k i n g w h e n

I 9

8
9, 1 0

making notes
4

30~ use l a n g u a g e m o r e e f f e c t i v e l y t o
structure a r g u m e n t

Tr

background information
32

5, 1 0

3, 10 a n d 11

present m y o w n a r g u m e n t s
clearly in w r i t i n g / f o r essays

1 0 , 11

be able t o u n d e r t a k e

12

g o o d critical r e f l e c t i o n f o r

of an a r g u m e n t
e v a l u a t e w h e t h e r a r g u m e n t s are

explanations

11

recognise t a u t o l o g y

disagreement

be a b l e t o analyse t h e s t r u c t u r e

6, 7

reliability

summaries, descriptions and

10

i d e n t i f y unfair t e c h n i q u e s used
t o p e r s u a d e readers

e v a l u a t e w h e n samples are
representative

3 a n d 10

r e c o g n i s e t h e w o r d s used t o

pick o u t t h e key p o i n t s f r o m

s i g n a l stages in an a r g u m e n t

"9

be able t o c h e c k f o r 'necessary

' 2 4 ' be able t o evaluate source

materials

1>6

i d e n t i f y t h e c o m p o n e n t parts of

distinguish a r g u m e n t f r o m

be a w a r e o f h o w cause, e f f e c t .

by authenticity, validity, and

an a r g u m e n t f o r critical t h i n k i n g

and sufficient conditions'

reasoning-

"7

be c o n f u s e d
20

u n d e r s t a n d t h e b e n e f i t s of

distinguish a r g u m e n t f r o m

A d d scores for
columns
A and B.

correlation and coincidence can

A d d scores for
columns
A and B.

k n o w w h a t is m e a n t b y a line of

D
See C h a p t e r

meanings
19

details

C
Priority score

by denoted and connoted

critical t h i n k i n g
"2

B
H o w essential
t o d e v e l o p it
now?
Rate from 0 to 5
5 = 'very
essential'

,,

assignments or m y j o b
5

internally consistent
12

u n d e r s t a n d w h a t is m e a n t b y an
intermediate conclusion

13

be a b l e t o s t r u c t u r e a n

5, 10 a n d 11

15
16

JI

Look back o v e r t h e p r i o r i t i e s t a b l e a b o v e . I d e n t i f y t h e t h r e e aspects t o w h i c h y o u g a v e t h e h i g h e s t scores.

If m o r e t h a n t h r e e have t h e h i g h e s t score, select t h r e e t o start w i t h .

argument
" l 4 ~ be b e t t e r at r e a d i n g b e t w e e n
t h e lines

Priorities f o r a c t i o n

W r i t e t h e t h r e e priorities here as a c t i o n s s t a r t i n g w i t h 'I w i l l . . .', u s i n g w o r d s t h a t are m e a n i n g f u l t o y o u e.g. 'I w i l l f i n d o u t w h a t t a u t o l o g y m e a n s . '

1

1 will

assumptions

Iwill

r e c o g n i s e w h e n an a r g u m e n t is
based o n false p r e m i s e s

Iwill

recognise underlying

Critical T l i i n k i n g Skills

6
6

Stella Cottrell (2005,2011) Critical Thinking Siiills, Palgrave Macmillan

Stella Cottrell (2005,2011) Critical Timing

Skills. Palgrave Macmillan

W h a t is critical t h i n k i n g ?