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Critical Thinking
is "the careful, deliberate
determination of whether we should
accept, reject, or suspend judgment
about a claim, and the degree of
confidence with which we accept or
reject it."
From Critical
Thinking by Moore and
Parker.
Strategies
for Critical Reading
Ask yourself the following
questions:
- What is the issue?"
- What conclusion does the author
reach about the issue?"
- What are the author's reasons
for believing as he does?"
- Be alert to bad
reasoning (i.e. pity, fear,
misuse of statistics etc.)
that can fool you.
- Has the author used facts or
opinions?
- Facts can be proven.
- Opinions cannot be
proven and may or may not be
based on sound reasoning.
- Has the author used neutral
words or emotional words?
- Critical readers look
beyond the language to see if
the reasons are clear.
Characteristics
of Critical Thinkers
- They are honest with themselves
- They resist manipulation
- They overcome confusion
- They ask questions
- They base judgments on evidence
- They look for connections
between subjects
- They are intellectually
independent
Adapted from Vincent Ryan
Ruggiero: Critical
Thinking
See also: Ruth
Sunda & Kyrene
de las Brisas: Bloom’s
Critical Thinking/Questioning
Strategies (9/26/02)
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The Study Guides and Strategies web site was created and is
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of St. Thomas (UST), St. Paul, Minnesota. It is collaboratively
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September 04, 2002 .
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