1.3: Forms of Critical Thinking

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Forms of Critical Thinking and Evaluating Information with Critical Thinking

Critical thinking encompasses various forms, each contributing to a comprehensive approach to analyzing and understanding information. In the context of college-level creative reading and writing, these forms can enhance the depth and clarity of your work, allowing you to engage more thoughtfully with texts and arguments.

"Rodin's The Thinker/Le Penseur" by sansplans is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Forms of Critical Thinking

Definition: Four Forms of Critical Thinking

1. Analytical Thinking
   • This involves breaking down complex information into smaller parts to understand how they interrelate. In creative reading and writing, analytical thinking helps dissect themes, characters, and plots, revealing underlying structures and meanings.
2. Creative Thinking
   • Creative thinking encourages seeing things in new ways, generating original ideas, and finding novel solutions. For writers, this form of thinking aids in developing unique storylines and innovative approaches to common themes.
3. Logical Thinking
   • Logical thinking ensures coherence and consistency in reasoning. It is crucial for constructing sound arguments and identifying logical fallacies in texts. Writers use logical thinking to build persuasive narratives and support their claims effectively.
4. Reflective Thinking
   • Reflective thinking involves looking back on experiences and evaluating them critically. It helps writers refine their work by assessing what has been effective and what needs improvement, fostering continual growth and learning.Evaluating Information with Critical Thinking

Evaluating information is a multifaceted process that is essential in the academic environment. Here are four strategies to effectively evaluate information using critical thinking:

1. Read for Understanding Using Text Coding
   • Text coding is a strategy to track your thoughts while reading. By marking important arguments and key facts, and noting where you agree or disagree, you can monitor your comprehension and enhance your long-term understanding of the material.
   • Examples of Text Coding:
     • Highlighting or underlining key points.
     • Writing questions or comments in the margins.
     • Using symbols like “?” for confusion, “!” for surprising points, and “✓” for agreement.
   • This method helps you engage actively with the text, ensuring you grasp the concepts and intentions behind the writing.
2. Examine Arguments
   • When evaluating an argument, your goal is to identify and examine the hard facts. The spectrum of authority strategy helps distinguish between emotionally-driven arguments and those based on scientific evidence.
   • Steps to Examine Arguments:
     • Identify the main claim or thesis.
     • Assess the evidence supporting the claim.
     • Determine whether the argument relies more on emotions or facts.
     • Evaluate the credibility of the sources cited.
   • This critical examination ensures that you base your conclusions on solid evidence rather than unfounded assertions.
3. Clarify Thinking
   • Clarifying your thinking involves asking and answering probing questions to ensure you understand the purpose, point of view, assumptions, facts, concepts, conclusions, and implications of the information you are evaluating.
   • Questions to Clarify Thinking:
     • What is the purpose of this information?
     • What question are we trying to answer?
     • What point of view is being expressed?
     • What assumptions are we making?
     • What are the facts and data, and how do we know them?
     • What are the conclusions, and do they make sense?
     • What are the implications of these conclusions?
   • This process helps you articulate your thoughts clearly and ensures that your understanding is thorough and well-founded.
4. Cultivate “Habits of Mind”
   • "Habits of mind" refer to the personal commitments, values, and standards that support good thinking. These include being open-minded, fair-minded, independent, and inquisitive.
   • Good Habits to Cultivate:
     • Being receptive to changing your opinions based on new evidence.
     • Respecting others’ viewpoints and the pursuit of truth.
     • Maintaining an independent stance, not accepting claims without sufficient evidence.
     • Always questioning your own conclusions and assumptions.
   • Cultivating these habits fosters an intellectual work ethic that is crucial for critical thinking and effective problem-solving.

By integrating these forms of critical thinking and strategies for evaluating information into your creative reading and writing practices, you can enhance your analytical abilities, produce more compelling arguments, and engage more deeply with the texts and ideas you encounter. This approach not only improves your academic performance but also equips you with valuable skills for lifelong learning and informed decision-making.

Examples of the Theory

Analytical Thinking

Example: In your literature class, you are assigned to analyze a novel. You use analytical thinking to break down the story into its core components: themes, characters, and plot. By examining how the protagonist's actions reflect the overarching theme of redemption, you gain a deeper understanding of the novel's message. This detailed analysis allows you to write a compelling essay that reveals the intricate connections between the characters' development and the plot's progression.

Creative Thinking

Example: For a creative writing assignment, you are tasked with developing a short story. Creative thinking enables you to conceive a unique storyline that deviates from conventional themes. Instead of writing a typical love story, you decide to set your narrative in a futuristic world where emotions are regulated by technology. This innovative approach captivates your readers and demonstrates your ability to think outside the box, producing a story that stands out for its originality.

Logical Thinking

Example: In a philosophy course, you need to construct an argument about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. Logical thinking helps you ensure that your reasoning is coherent and consistent. You carefully structure your essay, beginning with a clear thesis statement, followed by logically connected points that support your argument. You also identify and address potential counterarguments, demonstrating a thorough and reasoned approach that strengthens your overall position.

Reflective Thinking

Example: After receiving feedback on a research paper, you engage in reflective thinking to evaluate your performance. You consider the comments made by your professor about the strengths and weaknesses of your argument. Reflecting on this feedback, you realize that your paper lacked sufficient evidence to support some of your claims. You decide to conduct additional research and revise your paper, ensuring that future assignments are better supported and more persuasive. This process of reflection helps you improve your critical thinking and writing skills over time.

Conclusion

Each form of critical thinking—analytical, creative, logical, and reflective—plays a crucial role in different aspects of college life. By developing these skills, students can enhance their ability to understand complex materials, generate innovative ideas, construct sound arguments, and continually improve their work. These examples illustrate how critical thinking can be applied effectively in academic settings, leading to greater success and intellectual growth.

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Attributions

The content above was assisted by ChatGPT in outlining and organizing information. The final material was curated, edited, authored, and arranged through human creativity, originality, and subject expertise of the Coalinga College English Department and the Coalinga College Library Learning Resource Center and is therefore under the CC BY NC SA license when applicable. To see resources on AI and copyright please see the United States Copyright Office 2023 Statement and the following case study on using AI assistance but curating and creating with human originality and creativity.

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The above section was remixed from the following Open Educational Resources:

• Introductory Composition, Basic Reading and Writing by Lumen, Module 1: Success Skills, Section 1.3 Critical Thinking by Lumen Learning, under CC BY NC SA.
• • 1.3: Critical Thinking is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lumen Learning.
• Advanced Composition, Critical Thinking by Andrew Gurevich, Section 1.2 Creative and Critical Thinking, under CC BY
  • 1.2: Week 2 - Creative and Critical Thinking is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Andrew Gurevich (MHCC Library Press)
• 1.3: Critical thinking is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Melissa Ashman (KPUOpen) .
• 1.3: Glance at Critical Response- Rhetoric and Critical Thinking is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by OpenStax via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.

• 9.5: Writing Process- Thinking Critically about Rhetoric is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by OpenStax via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.