1.3.1: Analytical and Creative Critical Thinking

Analytical and Creative Forms of Critical Thinking

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(The following is a remix of Andrew Gurevich Mt. Hood Community College via MHCC Library Press & Melissa Ashman Kwantlen Polytechnic University via KPU Open)

In the realm of critical thinking, two essential forms stand out: analytical and creative thinking. Both are crucial for developing a nuanced understanding of texts and crafting compelling, well-supported arguments in college-level reading and writing. While these forms of thinking are distinct, they complement each other, enabling a comprehensive approach to problem-solving and information evaluation.

Analytical Thinking

Analytical thinking involves breaking down complex information into its fundamental parts to understand how they interrelate. This form of thinking is systematic and methodical, focusing on logical reasoning and detailed examination of arguments. It plays a crucial role in critical reading and writing by allowing students to dissect texts and understand their underlying structures.

Key Components of Analytical Thinking:

• Interpreting: Understanding and explaining the meaning of information.
• Analyzing: Examining the components of a text to understand its structure and arguments.
• Evaluating: Assessing the credibility and logical consistency of arguments.
• Explaining: Clearly articulating your understanding and analysis of a text.
• Comparing: Identifying similarities and differences between various texts or arguments.
• Sequencing: Organizing information logically and coherently.
• Questioning: Asking probing questions to deepen understanding.
• Inferring: Drawing conclusions based on evidence and reasoning.
• Hypothesizing: Developing theories or explanations based on limited evidence.
• Appraising: Assessing the value or significance of information.
• Testing: Verifying the validity of hypotheses or arguments.
• Generalizing: Drawing broad conclusions from specific instances.

Application in Creative Reading and Writing:

• When reading critically, analytical thinking helps in identifying the author's main claims, evaluating the evidence provided, and examining the logical flow of the arguments.
• In writing, it aids in structuring arguments coherently, ensuring that each point is well-supported by evidence and logically connected to the overall thesis.

What Is Analysis?

Critical thinking skill analysis is the process of methodically breaking something down to gain a better understanding of it. Analysis also includes the ability to connect pieces of information as the basis for generalization or explanation. Analytical assignments in college often couple analysis with the critical thinking skills of interpretation and evaluation.

Analysis can be applied to content but can also cover form, function, and context. For example, an analysis assignment in an art appreciation class might ask you to analyze the subject and iconography of a painting, but also expect you to analyze the use of shape, space, color, and texture (form), as well as the artist’s intended purpose (function) and the culture or time period in which the work was created (context).

While each academic discipline characterizes the analytic process to suit its needs, the essential skills of analysis are the following:

1. Breaking down information or artifacts into component parts
2. Uncovering relationships among those parts
3. Determining motives, causes, and underlying assumptions
4. Making inferences and finding evidence to support generalizations

Figure: Analysis consists of breaking something down and taking a close look at each of its parts while looking for themes, patterns, and assumptions.

Creative Thinking

Creative thinking involves generating and applying new ideas, viewing situations from different perspectives, and finding innovative solutions to problems. It is characterized by flexibility, originality, and the ability to see connections between seemingly unrelated concepts. In academic contexts, creative thinking enhances the ability to approach texts and arguments in novel ways, fostering originality and depth in analysis and writing.

Key Components of Creative Thinking:

• Generating Ideas: Brainstorming and coming up with multiple solutions or interpretations.
• Applying New Ideas: Using fresh perspectives to address problems or analyze texts.
• Viewing Situations Differently: Seeing issues from various angles to gain a broader understanding.
• Identifying Alternative Explanations: Considering different possibilities and explanations for observed phenomena.
• Concept Formation: Comparing, contrasting, and classifying ideas to form new concepts.
• Intellectual Flexibility: Being open to changing one's mind and adapting to new information.
• Being Inquisitive: Having a natural curiosity and desire to explore and learn.
• Reasonable Skepticism: Questioning assumptions and looking for underlying reasons.

Application in Creative Reading and Writing:

• When reading creatively, students can approach texts with an open mind, exploring multiple interpretations and considering the broader implications of the arguments.
• In writing, creative thinking encourages the development of unique theses and innovative approaches to common themes, making arguments more engaging and original.

Creativity is the ability to make or do something new that is also useful or valued by others (Gardner, 1993). The "something" can be an object (like an essay or painting), a skill (like playing an instrument), or an action (like using a familiar tool in a new way). To be creative, the object, skill, or action cannot simply be bizarre or strange; it cannot be new without also being useful or valued, and not simply be the result of accident. If a person types letters at random that form a poem by chance, the result may be beautiful, but it would not be creative by the definition above. Viewed this way, creativity includes a wide range of human experience that many people, if not everyone, have had at some time or other (Kaufman & Baer, 2006). The experience is not restricted to a few geniuses, nor exclusive to specific fields or activities like art or the composing of music.

Especially important for teachers are two facts. The first is that an important form of creativity is creative thinking, the generation of ideas that are new as well as useful, productive, and appropriate. The second is that creative thinking can be stimulated by teachers' efforts. Teachers can, for example, encourage students' divergent thinking— ideas that are open-ended and that lead in many directions (Torrance, 1992; Kim, 2006). Divergent thinking is stimulated by open-ended questions— questions with many possible answers, such as the following:

• How many uses can you think of for a cup?
• Draw a picture that somehow incorporates all of these words: cat, fire engine, and banana.
• What is the most unusual use you can think of for a shoe?

Note that answering these questions creatively depends partly on having already acquired knowledge about the objects to which the questions refer. In this sense divergent thinking depends partly on its converse, convergent thinking, which is focused, logical reasoning about ideas and experiences that lead to specific answers. Up to a point, then, developing students' convergent thinking— as schoolwork often does by emphasizing mastery of content— facilitates students' divergent thinking indirectly, and hence also their creativity (Sternberg, 2003; Runco, 2004; Cropley, 2006). But carried to extremes, excessive emphasis on convergent thinking may discourage creativity.

Whether in school or out, creativity seems to flourish best when the creative activity is its own intrinsic reward, and a person is relatively unconcerned with what others think of the results. Whatever the activity— composing a song, writing an essay, organizing a party, or whatever— it is more likely to be creative if the creator focuses on and enjoys the activity in itself, and thinks relatively little about how others may evaluate the activity (Brophy, 2004). Unfortunately, encouraging students to ignore others' responses can sometimes pose a challenge for teachers. Not only is it the teachers' job to evaluate students' learning of particular ideas or skills, but also they have to do so within restricted time limits of a course or a school year. In spite of these constraints, though, creativity still can be encouraged in classrooms at least some of the time (Claxton, Edwards, & Scale-Constantinou, 2006). Suppose, for example, that students have to be assessed on their understanding and use of particular vocabulary. Testing their understanding may limit creative thinking; students will understandably focus their energies on learning "right" answers for the tests. But assessment does not have to happen constantly. There can also be times to encourage experimentation with vocabulary through writing poems, making word games, or in other thought-provoking ways. These activities are all potentially creative. To some extent, therefore, learning content and experimenting or playing with content can both find a place— in fact one of these activities can often support the other. We return to this point later in this chapter, when we discuss student-centered strategies of instruction, such as cooperative learning and play as a learning medium.

Evaluating Information with Critical Thinking

Evaluating information is a complex task that requires a combination of analytical and creative thinking. Here are four strategies to help you effectively evaluate information in a college setting:

1. Read for Understanding Using Text Coding
   • Text coding involves marking important arguments and key facts in the text, noting areas of agreement and disagreement, and recording questions or comments. This method helps you actively engage with the text, enhancing comprehension and retention.
   • Techniques:
     • Highlighting key points and arguments.
     • Writing questions and comments in the margins.
     • Using symbols to denote agreement, confusion, or the need for further research.
2. Examine Arguments
   • To examine arguments critically, identify the main claims, evaluate the supporting evidence, and assess the logical flow of the argument. Use the spectrum of authority strategy to distinguish between emotionally-driven and fact-based arguments.
   • Techniques:
     • Identify the claim or thesis.
     • Evaluate the evidence and sources.
     • Determine the balance between emotional appeals and factual information.
3. Clarify Thinking
   • Clarifying your thinking involves asking probing questions to ensure a thorough understanding of the text. Consider the purpose, assumptions, facts, and implications of the information.
   • Techniques:
     • Ask questions such as "What is the purpose?" and "What are the assumptions?"
     • Reflect on the conclusions and their implications.
     • Ensure your understanding is comprehensive and well-founded.
4. Cultivate “Habits of Mind”
   • Developing good habits of mind, such as open-mindedness, intellectual flexibility, and an inquiring attitude, is crucial for effective critical thinking. These habits help you approach problems and information with a balanced and thoughtful perspective.
   • Techniques:
     • Be open to changing your opinions based on new evidence.
     • Respect diverse viewpoints and the pursuit of truth.
     • Maintain an independent stance and question assumptions.

By integrating analytical and creative thinking into your critical reading and writing practices, you can enhance your ability to evaluate information, develop original ideas, and construct well-supported arguments. These skills are essential for academic success and lifelong learning.

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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.

Images without specific attribution were generated with the assistance of ChatGPT 2024 and are not subject to any copyright restrictions, in accordance with the United States Copyright Office 2023 Statement.

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

• 9.3: Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking is shared under a CC BY 3.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kelvin Seifert & Rosemary Sutton (Global Text Project) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.

  8.3: What Is Analysis? is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lumen Learning via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.

• 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.