Material on the topic: Critical thinking skills. How to develop critical thinking skills

In order to act meaningfully and reason about something, do not limit yourself to your own experience. The argument “it has always been done this way” has rapidly fallen out of fashion with the spread of universal literacy and mass printing, so it also does not work as well as it used to. Today our actions are largely determined by what we have heard or read somewhere.

But even experts make mistakes every now and then, not to mention the fact that there will always be many who want to take advantage of our gullibility: from enterprising traders with healing bracelets and unique healing techniques to unscrupulous politicians who need public support. Therefore, each of us, to the best of his ability, tries to filter the surrounding information, to separate the true from the false and inaccurate.

The golden rule of journalism is "first simplify, then exaggerate." According to one story, in the 50s, the editor-in-chief of The Economist issued this rule to his employees. Today it is used more widely than ever before, and it is not only used by journalists.

Everyone is trying to work out rules of behavior for himself that would allow him to maneuver in the information flow without picking up too harmful thought viruses along the way. Some do it carefully and constantly, others do not pay much attention to such protection and prefer to drift smoothly with the flow. But it would be wiser to be guided by at least a primitive safety technique - rules of thinking that can be used consciously and systematically.

Very often we come across statements in which some kind of flaw is felt. "Something is wrong here" - we think and decide that it is better to stay away from these statements. Critical thinking skills help to understand what is wrong with dubious reasoning, justify your criticism and put forward your own arguments.

What does it mean to think critically and can it be taught?

Critical thinking is one of the basic academic disciplines in higher education in many English-speaking countries. Students are taught to read the texts carefully, to show methodological doubt (that is, according to Descartes, to discover what “it is logically possible to doubt”), to find weaknesses both in strangers and in their own arguments, to work with concepts, to clearly and reasonably express their thoughts.

An important component of such training is the ability to ask the right questions. Issues can be given much more attention than is customary for the domestic education system.

Critical thinking as an academic discipline is based on the rules of formal logic, theory and practice of argumentation, rhetoric and scientific epistemology (a branch of philosophy that deals with the tools and limitations of cognitive activity). One of the prominent theorists in this area was Karl Popper, who considered critical thinking to be the basis of all rationality. Knowledge, according to Popper, does not exist without the practice of putting forward hypotheses, justifying them or refuting them. The question of the source here does not matter at all: it is the method and the relation to the original data that are important.

In one of the major critical thinking manuals, The Art of Asking the Right Questions, the authors describe two ways of thinking that anyone with a mind uses. You can, like a sponge, absorb all the surrounding information. This path is quite simple and is necessary for everyone: only having received a sufficient number of facts, you can make the world around you meaningful.

A person who is closer to the first way of thinking will try to remember any material as correctly as possible, without missing a single detail. He reproduces in his head the thought paths of the author, but does not evaluate or examine them critically. This does not necessarily lead to dull cramming and retelling without deviating from the original text: this approach can also be quite meaningful. But it lacks critical distance: you stay within the given original framework, instead of expanding it and moving on.

Another method is similar to sifting through sand in search of gold. This requires active engagement with the knowledge you are absorbing. Independent thinking without this mechanism would be impossible, all your opinions would be determined by what you last heard and read.

A person who has fully mastered the art of sifting sand understands that arguments are needed not in order to remember them, but in order to appreciate their strength. For this it is necessary to transfer this task from the unconscious plane to the conscious one. What do we actually do when we try to argue and disagree with someone else's position?

Real and fake criticism

The basic structure of any argument is given by the following model: things are X because Y. There is what they are trying to prove to us, and there is something with the help of which they do it. To be critical of the material means to learn to separate one from the other and to be attentive to their relationship. Can you draw other conclusions based on the same data? To what extent do these arguments justify the author's opinion?

Rejecting someone else's inference simply because we don't like it does not mean being critical of it. It means simply not understanding its essence.

Sometimes even the most intelligent and enlightened people succumb to the temptation to look at things oversimplified. This is often associated with stigmatization and division into “us” and “foes” - this is what builds a significant part of our everyday social experience, in which there is a place for everyday racism, gender discrimination, and intellectual snobbery.

Another mistake that often underlies our false inferences is the "correct answer" myth.

There really is only one relatively accurate answer to many questions. For example, there is no need to argue about the distance to the Moon - you can just find it out in the reference book. But most questions require reflection, and the answers to them can be very different. Therefore, it is not enough just to make inquiries in an authoritative source: you need to assess how convincingly the given data are justified and try to build your own chain of reasoning.

How to read texts: basic structure of reasoning

Any text - written or oral - must contain some basic elements, without which the author risks not getting his message across to the addressee.

Of course, in the texts of the media or our everyday conversations, we can easily cope without them. But if we want to have a meaningful conversation, from which certain conclusions will follow, we should at least turn our attention to how reasoning is constructed. Below are the main of these elements. This list can be used as a grid that can be superimposed on any expanded reasoning. And it really makes life a lot easier.

• Target
  Any text is written or pronounced with a specific purpose. Who is the author addressing, what is he trying to convince the audience to? If you write the text yourself, check if you have deviated from the set goal. And first, understand whether it has any real meaning for you, and whether it is worth the effort at all.
• Problem
  The problem is not what the author gave a blunder, but the questions that he intends to answer. It is necessary to separate those issues that have a clear solution from those that need to be considered from different points of view. In addition, large questions need to be divided into smaller parts so as not to go into empty abstractions.
• Assumptions
  These are the premises that the author takes for granted. Unconscious assumptions can put the author or the audience in an awkward situation, which is illustrated by the famous anecdote in which the person is asked if he stopped drinking cognac in the morning. When we write or read something, we need to think about what these assumptions are and how true they are.

• Point of view
  We all look at things from a limited and private point of view. Achieving absolute objectivity is impossible, not only because we are all people with our own characteristics, but also because any thing can be interpreted from different angles. The "trick of God", that is, the claim to complete and impartial knowledge, remains precisely an unfair trick: no one simply has enough resources to attain knowledge of this level and quality.
• Data
  Any statement must be supported by relevant, that is, relevant data. For example, when speaking about the dangers of GMOs, it is necessary to refer to scientific research or their popular scientific transcriptions, and not to the opinions of neighbors at the entrance. It is also necessary to check how the given data relate to the problem that we are considering - have we gone somewhere else?

• Concepts and Ideas
  Concepts are thought tools that we can't do without. No matter how much we want to talk about "real things", for this we in any case need artificial models and invented concepts. The only problem is that they must be chosen correctly and clearly defined - this is the key difference between objective knowledge and opinions and subjective observations.
• Conclusions and interpretations
  These are the ways in which you make meaning out of the data. Note that there is often another way to make sense of the same information. If so, the data may simply not be sufficient to draw a meaningful conclusion. In this case, it is better to say about it directly than to put forward unfounded assumptions.
• Consequences
  What will happen if we take the main points and conclusions of the author seriously? What are the positive and negative consequences of them? It is often possible to see that seemingly reasonable arguments cause contradictory or meaningless consequences - this is exactly what the rhetorical technique of "bringing to the point of absurdity" is based.

Bertrand Russell in the "Philosophical Dictionary of Mind, Matter, Morality" gives only three rules, which, in his opinion, can significantly improve the intellectual climate of the planet, if they are accepted by a significant part of people who are trying to think and reason about something.

1. if the experts agree, the opposite opinion cannot be considered true;
2. if they do not agree, non-experts should not take any opinion as correct;
3. when all the experts have decided that there is not sufficient basis for a definite opinion, it is best for the average person to refrain from judgment.

These rules would really save us from a huge amount of what Russell calls "intellectual junk." But is there something unfair in such strict regulations?

As we have already said, experts can also be wrong, and far from every situation there is a clear position based on reinforced concrete truth. As for the third point, life often forces us to act in conditions of uncertainty: we can not always just stoically abstain from judgment, waiting for wise experts who will put everything in its place.

Relying only on expert opinions, sweeping aside everything else, is to welcome the intellectual passivity of all but a handful of the select few who have "true knowledge." It would be much wiser to take advantage of the skills and principles of critical thinking that anyone can truly master.

Anyone makes hundreds of decisions a day, so whether you like it or not, we are all critically-minded creatures. The difference is only in the quality of our critical thinking. When we weigh options, prioritize, and think ahead, we are using this skill. However, it is made up of others that ultimately shape its quality.

The first step to developing critical thinking is to understand the importance of taking precedence over. Therefore, study the contradictions in order to make better decisions. And also practice and cultivate the following skills.

Collection of information

Many people make completely stupid decisions just because they believe they are right. Their information is out of date, and they have no desire to update it. Therefore, do not forget how quickly our world is changing. Collect all available information, since there is no shortage of it in our world.

Observation

You need to be curious. Notice the things that were always under your nose, and you took them for granted. Moreover, it can be not only objects, but also the manner of your and someone else's behavior, a variety of ironic situations and unusual constructions of phrases. When you observe, your inner voice temporarily calms down and does not censor what your eyes see.

Inferences

In order to make correct inferences, you need to study logic. It has its own laws, exceptions and contradictions, but nevertheless it is a great way to prove your point in any discussion. You will learn to notice other people's inconsistencies and point them out if the situation allows.

Rationalization

This means applying the laws of reason: induction, deduction and analogy. With these tools, you can evaluate an argument and find its strengths and weaknesses.

Reflectivity

Regularly take a step back from the details of your problem and look at the big picture. Note what you have learned and what experiences you have gained.

Creation

Comparison and Contrast

Learn to identify how two or more objects, situations, problems are similar and different. Make a list of pros and cons, and then pick one.

Cause and Effect Analysis

Ironically, many people are unable to tell one from the other. Therefore, your first step will be precisely the skill of determining what is cause and effect. Sometimes cause and effect may not be related, which means you missed something.

Synthesis

Collect a variety of pieces of information and combine them in order to get a new unpredictable result. They say that this is how any creativity functions.

Evaluation

Learn to weigh two or more solutions to a problem and evaluate which one works best.

Forecasting

This is a complex process that people usually don't bother with. They spend a few seconds “analyzing” and making decisions based on the future they just thought of. Don't be like that, collect and analyze information carefully. Of course, there are thousands of factors in the world, but at least you can account for most.

Prioritization

Study in order to understand what you will be spending your time on and why. Remember that time spent on something meaningless can be spent on something meaningful, something that will turn your life around and make you happy.

Summarizing

This skill is usually cumulative and final. You must realize what exactly you understood, what experience you gained, what conclusions you made and summarize all this.

You probably won't be able to master all of these skills at the same time. However, you can combine them in order to make better decisions and act boldly. With every skill you learn, your way of thinking will change and improve dramatically. We wish you good luck!

Critical thinking skills

Focusing skills.

1. Determination of the problems contained in an explicit or implicit form in the new information.

2. Identification of goals: determination of the direction and goals of learning new information.

Information gathering skills.

3. Observation: obtaining information using one or more sensory systems.

4. Formation of questions, search for new information through questions.

Memorization skills.

5. Coding: storing information in long-term memory.

6.Call: recovery of information from long-term memory.

Organization skills.

7. Comparison: identifying features of similarity and differences between different objects.

8.Classification: grouping and designation of objects based on their identified features.

9. Presentation: Presentation of new information.

Analyzing skills.

10. Identification of attributes and components: the identification of characteristics or parts of the main ideas or concepts contained in the new information.

11. Identification of relationships and concepts: determination of cause-and-effect relationships.

12. Identification of main ideas: identification of the central element; for example, a hierarchy of key messages in a message, or an ordering of causes.

13. Identification of errors: Identifying logical misconceptions and other errors and, where possible, identifying options for their correction.

Generation skills.

14. Conclusions: summarize, identify the most important information or ideas.

15. Prediction: Anticipating events or consequences based on available information.

16. Development: explaining additional details, examples, or other relevant information.

Integration skills.

17. Effectively combine information to form new ideas.

18. Reconstruction: reformulating information and ideas, or changing the logic contained in information to formulate new ideas.

Assessment skills.

19. Formulation of criteria for evaluating information or ideas.

20. Validation: Verification of the correctness of the statements.

Some conditions necessary for development

Critical thinking

In order for you to take advantage of your capabilities as a critical thinker, it is important to develop a number of important qualities in yourself, including:

1. Willingness to plan.

2. Flexibility.

3. Perseverance.

4. Willingness to correct mistakes.

5. Awareness.

6. Search for compromise solutions.

Thinking people:

1) are able to solve problems;

2) show a certain persistence in solving problems;

3) control themselves, their impulsivity;

4) are open to other ideas;

5) are able to solve problems by cooperating with other people;

6) know how to listen to the interlocutor;

7) they are empathic;

8) are tolerant of uncertainty;

9) are able to consider problems from different points of view;

10) are able to establish multiple connections between phenomena;

11) they are tolerant of points of view other than theirs

Own views;

12) they may consider multiple decision possibilities

Some kind of problem;

13) they often ask the questions "what if ...?"

14) they know how to build logical conclusions;

15) they reflect on their feelings, thoughts - evaluate them;

16) know how to make forecasts, justify them and set deliberate goals for themselves;

17) they can apply their skills and knowledge in various situations;

18) they are curious and often ask "good questions";

19) they actively perceive information.

On the subject: methodological developments, presentations and notes

Use of technology for the development of critical thinking

Understanding the development trends of modern society, I gradually began to introduce the technology for the development of critical thinking in the classroom. In my opinion, the most important thing in this technology is a large independent ...

The use of critical thinking technologies in literary reading lessons in primary grades.

“The learning process is understood not only as the assimilation of a system of knowledge, abilities and skills that constitute the instrumental basis of the competencies of students, but also as a process of personal development, acquiring a spiritual disposition ...

In the first lesson of the course on critical thinking, we will talk about what skills and competencies you need to have in order to successfully develop and use it in your daily and professional life. In particular, we will talk with you about what critical thinking is, and consider the skills and properties that make up its foundation. You will also learn about the benefits of its use in study and work and take a test from which it will become clear what place it occupies in your life at the moment. This information will be extremely useful for you, and it is with it that you should start your training in critical thinking.

What is critical thinking

Many people find it difficult to reason logically and consistently. But it is very important to understand that reasoning skills, like any others, can and should be developed in oneself. Initially, for this it is worthwhile to understand what critical thinking is in general, and begin to apply its techniques in practice.

If you turn to the book by Diana Halpern, an American psychologist and specialist in the psychology of thinking, you can see that critical thinking is a whole set of fundamental skills, such as the ability to make assessments, make conclusions, interpret and analyze, observe, etc. In addition, critical thinking uses logic and is based on a number of criteria for intelligence: clarity, believability, accuracy, depth, significance, outlook and fairness. The constituent parts, albeit to a lesser extent, are also value attitudes and creative imagination.

In a slightly different and simpler way, critical thinking can be characterized as a cognitive activity associated with the use of reason and intellectual abilities. When a person thinks critically, evaluates and analyzes the received data, he uses attention, categorization, choice, judgment and other similar mental operations. The use of critical thinking imposes a number of requirements on a person.

Critical Thinking: Skills, Abilities and Competencies

Considering critical thinking as a process of deliberation, we will see that it requires a considerable amount of skills from a person. These include:

• Ability to determine the position of another person, his arguments and conclusions
• Ability to evaluate evidence of an alternative position
• Ability to impartially and objectively evaluate opposing arguments and evidence
• Ability to identify false and false opposites, see pitfalls, read between the lines
• The ability to recognize techniques used to make a particular position more attractive than others, for example, all kinds or false logic
• Ability to think in an organized way and supplement the thinking process with logic and insight
• Ability to determine the validity and validity of conclusions, guided by reasonable assumptions and solid evidence
• Ability to summarize information and combine judgments about evidence to form your own opinion
• Ability to present your point of view in an informed, organized and persuasive manner

In 1987, one of the best American educators, Robert Ennis, also managed to identify the abilities and attitudes associated with critical thinking. They are:

• The ability to be skeptical about things
• Reasoning ability

A conversation about developing critical thinking will be incomplete if we do not mention skepticism. From the standpoint of critical thinking, skepticism implies that a person questions absolutely everything he encounters. This does not mean that he does not believe everything he hears or sees - he simply admits the fact that his views can change if he receives any additional information.

Critical thinking invites you to apply doubt and skepticism constructively, evaluating all the information you have. This allows us to make more informed and objective judgments about what we believe to be productive, right, right, and vice versa. It also significantly increases the efficiency of our decisions.

There are people who seem more gullible than others, and there are those who are more skeptical. The reason lies both in personal qualities and in the life experience of a person. But critical thinking is neither an innate trait nor a character trait - it is a specific method that allows you to interpret events in a certain way. Skeptics can take an orderly approach, while gullible people can simply question things constructively.

As for reasoning, here we are mostly talking about rational thinking. Rationality presupposes the use of reasons to explain phenomena, events, facts. And the reasoning, as a rule, always starts from oneself. It looks like this:

• Initially, a person finds reasons: why he believes in something or does something (while he realizes what exactly these reasons are)
• Then he critically evaluates his actions and beliefs.
• As a result, he can explain the reasons for his actions and beliefs to others.

At first glance, all this is very simple, because it seems to us that we know why and what exactly we believe. But in some cases, doubts begin to overcome us, as a result of which our own beliefs no longer seem so true. The fact that, in reality, we have no idea about the completeness of the information that we own, begins to catch our eye, and we begin to think: maybe everything that we hear or see is just one of the variations?

There are also cases when we are not sure whether we are explaining something correctly and whether we are acting correctly. Therefore, it is necessary to resort to the development of observation and study the foundations of your own reasoning, beliefs and actions, because only they will help us to carry out any kind of critical analysis.

But we must not forget that critical thinking is mainly a critical analysis of the reasoning of others. To carry it out, we must not only be able to find the main argument of the other person, but also be able to analyze and evaluate its details.

Any reasoning, both one's own and someone else's, consists of an analysis of evidence and conclusions drawn from it. The evidence supports the conclusions. For example, you think it's cool today. You tell someone about this, but he does not agree with you, and he wonders where you got this from. As proof, you can cite thermometer readings and your own observations of the weather outside. In this case, ice on the ground and a low thermometer will be your evidence.

And when we critically analyze the judgments of other people, we can and should carry out the following mental operations:

• Define reasoning and conclusions drawn from it
• Analyze how the interlocutor chose, combined and ordered judgments (this is how we define the course of reasoning)
• Assess the extent to which reasoning supports conclusions
• Evaluate the validity and evidence of reasoning
• Identify inaccuracies in the reasoning process

Reasoning similar to the weather example we have considered, we apply literally hourly in everyday life. But at school or at work, we need a slightly different reasoning - with a formal structure (for example, reports, reports). And to form such reasoning requires additional skills, namely:

• Skill in choosing and structuring reasoning (needed to confirm the conclusion)
• The skill of consistent argumentation
• The skill of applying logical order
• The skill of effective use of speech means (needed to represent the process of reasoning)

Anyone interested in developing critical thinking should pay particular attention to developing the three core competencies on which all others are based. Among these competencies:

• Ability to think. Critical thinking is the ability to order, categorize, select, differentiate, compare and contrast (we recommend that you familiarize yourself with interesting material on this topic).
• Controlling emotions. Critical thinking is an impartial process, but emotions can prevail at any moment. This is normal, as you often have to choose between different positions and points of view. Sometimes testimonies that are unacceptable to us, or unexpected arguments can be unsettled. In most cases, emotional instability only makes the situation worse, and the ability to control your emotional state is a useful and effective skill, because it allows you to calmly make logical arguments and convince the interlocutor (we recommend that you study our materials on managing emotions - you will find them).
• Research and knowledge. Even with the ability to think critically, it is not always possible to find good and convincing evidence without understanding the subject. Critical thinking is also the skill of doing your own research. Remember that the ability to find data on any issue will make your life easier, because you will be able to record important information and provide alternative evidence, evidence and explanations (in addition to this, be sure to read our article about - from it you will get a lot of useful information, which will certainly be useful to you in practice).

Critical thinking, among other things, requires a person to have accuracy and precision, as well as an irrepressible desire to find the right answer. So this is what:

• Be objective, i.e. be able to compromise your personal preferences, beliefs and interests in the course of a conversation in order to better understand the topic and come to a more accurate result
• Consider the subject from different angles, i.e. examine information from different points of view
• Repeat, i.e. discuss the same issue several times in order to take into account the maximum number of details
• Be attentive to detail, i.e. develop observation and devote time to discovering even the smallest details that can lead to clarification of the issue as a whole
• Determine trends and patterns, i.e. analyze, organize information and identify repetitions and similarities
• Consider long-term prospects and possible outcomes, i.e. keep in mind that what appears to be true now may be questioned after a while

Introspection is another critical competence that contributes to the development of effective critical thinking. The ability to think critically, as we have said, means the ability to make accurate judgments. This process is influenced by many factors, and you should definitely know about them, because to get objective information about what is happening without this knowledge is very, very problematic.

These factors can be completely different. So, you can highlight beliefs, addictions, prejudices, stereotypes, inclinations, assumptions; all that is acceptable and normal for us, and all those concepts and personal qualities that we never doubt.

A person who knows how to think critically is extremely susceptible to his weaknesses and strengths. He is able to reflect and evaluate his interests, knowledge, motivation, level of competence, etc. He does not neglect doubting his views and checking the evidence supporting them.

It always takes courage to realize your shortcomings. Learning something new (and not always pleasant) about yourself can be painful. most people tend to think of themselves only in a positive way. The same applies to his own system of beliefs and values ​​- a person perceives what he believes in as part of his nature, and it is difficult to question this.

It will not be superfluous to note that as a result of critical thinking, a person runs the risk of being on the other side of the barricades, which means that there is also a risk of diverging views from relatives, friends, colleagues. Defending your point of view is the prerogative of courageous and courageous people, especially when your point of view is likely to be wrong.

Proceeding from all this, the ability to conduct qualitative and objective self-analysis, along with other skills and abilities discussed above, is one of the most important competencies from the perspective of critical thinking. And first of all, you need to be sober and impartial about your shortcomings and negative features, and if possible, if you do not eliminate them, then seriously work out - to do so that they do not interfere with your analysis of events, phenomena and facts.

Critical thinking, when developed correctly and sufficiently, offers a person serious personal advantages over others. A critically thinking person can make the correct and deliberate choice much easier, always and everywhere has his own opinion and knows how to defend and justify it, is able not only to listen, but to hear the people around him. Such a person can draw conclusions based on an analysis of his own experience and the experience of others, never draws conclusions based on unverified information, much from the outside.

Developing the above skills and competencies, a person not only learns to think critically, he learns to carefully and clearly assess the consequences of his decisions, correctly formulate tasks and ways to implement them, becomes open to new information and calmer when faced with something unknown. And, no less important, a critically thinking person knows how to admit his mistakes and the erroneousness of his opinion, and respects the opinion of other people, even if it goes against his own.

The benefits of critical thinking are manifested not only in personal life, but also in the professional sphere of activity and study, influencing the communication of a person with others, and on understanding things, and on personal effectiveness, and on many other components. And, taking into account the importance of this issue, we want to offer you several recommendations for the development of critical thinking and its application in study and work (in fact, these tips will also be indispensable in the personal sphere).

Learn to understand

Critical thinking is an excellent tool for gaining a deeper understanding of the things we face. For example, in studies it can be a certain discipline, its main theories and arguments; in work - the field of research, field of activity, etc. Quite often, such objects of attention are discussed at seminars, presentations, and other events aimed at obtaining an assessment and interpreting the results.

One of the best methods to achieve understanding is to do it yourself or to repeat (reproduce) research. But, as it should be assumed, in educational institutions and at work (as, indeed, in everyday life) we do not always have time to study everything that we are faced with. Therefore, an alternative to the deep understanding that comes through time and is achieved through experimentation and life experience can be the use of a critical analysis of the research and work of other people.

All that is required to implement this method is to learn to critically analyze what other people have done. But for someone it is quite simple, but for someone it is difficult, and without a doubt, without checking and analyzing, he takes any results on faith. Critical thinking training involves a simple way out of such situations and is applicable to any field. You just need to ask two questions: "How did I know this?" and "Why do I believe this to be so?"

This approach is effective both for a student, and for a manager, and for a businessman, and for any ordinary person who unconditionally trusts research based on outdated data, false reasoning, inaccurate sampling, etc. Many data that have fallen out of context and become irrelevant are often taken as true for decades, but have nothing to do with the current state of affairs, and this must be taken into account (we will talk in more detail about working with data and sources in the sixth lesson).

Explore the pros and cons

Criticism, in whatever context we consider it (academic, professional, everyday), means analyzing both the positive and negative sides of something. It is necessary to learn to find both disadvantages and advantages, as well as convincing arguments in favor of both. Only this will make it possible to adequately assess what is effective, correct and efficient, and what is not.

A competent critical appraisal provides a person with a conclusion as to why something is considered good or bad, why it does not work or, on the contrary, is successful. Remember that a banal listing of the pros and cons will not work here - they all need to be scrupulously studied.

Don't Miss Nothing and Strive for Comprehensiveness

In almost every area of ​​human activity, it is necessary to strive for a critical assessment of everything seen, heard, read, etc. And this is true even in cases with generally accepted scientific theories, proven facts, irrefutable evidence. This is what can be called professional critical thinking.

Try to question and criticize absolutely everything: theories, facts, research areas, opinions, data, methodology, tools, etc. But don't forget that there may be exceptions. For example, almost everything about religion is never questioned or debated. This is atypical, but it still takes place. However, there are people who think critically even here.

Evaluate reasoning and action, but not the person

It must be understood that ideas, works, theories and actions should not be identified with the people who are associated with them. Critical analysis can never be free from people's personal attention, because people always take comments, criticism and praise for their creations personally.

When thinking critically about the product of someone else's activities, strive to resort to tact and a constructive approach. Any comments, especially those that may be unpleasant to the addressee, should be presented in such a way that he understands and accepts them.

Avoid Extremes

Both in everyday life and in school and at work, people often go to extremes and perceive everything only as right and wrong, good and bad, white and black. But in most situations, in everything that concerns the professional sphere, science or education, one should take things as a set of phenomena or probabilities.

For example, one of the tasks of higher education is to teach a person to ask difficult questions that involve a complex and detailed answer. This can be found in most specialties.

Based on this, remember that it is impossible to answer many things unequivocally, as well as to evaluate them as the only good or bad. The more we study something, the clearer it becomes the fact that it is very difficult to give an unambiguous answer to a question. Remember the words: "I only know that I know nothing."

Work with doubt and ambiguity

Today we can go to the Internet and in a matter of seconds get an answer to any question asked. But in the same scientific disciplines, there are questions (especially in new areas), the answers to which specialists have been looking for for years and even decades (and there is no guarantee of getting answers). So if you are an adherent of ready-made answers, you may be uncomfortable with using critical thinking.

At the same time, one should not assume that ambiguous and vague answers are something unacceptable. For example, if you write articles for websites or magazines, you simply have to look for verified information, based on all the nuances of the subject, studied in detail and in detail. It is the same in academia - if you are a student, you must learn to work with data obtained by scientists and specialists in order to be able to reason your reasoning.

In any academic activity and work (this can also include professional scientific research, including for the spheres of industry and business), as a researcher, you should keep in mind that:

• There may not be an exact answer
• It can take years to find an answer.
• The answer found can only clarify a small aspect of the whole question.

In the case of teaching, if you are a student, critical thinking will mean to you:

• Search for the most accurate and reliable evidence on an issue of interest
• Assessment of the quality of evidence capable of proving certain statements
• Drawing intermediate conclusions based on facts
• Building a line of reasoning that can lead listeners, interlocutors or readers to conclusions through evidence
• Finding and selecting the most effective examples
• Using hard facts to illustrate evidence

Learning critical thinking is, of course, not an easy process. Regardless, it is very addicting and interesting, especially if you haven't done it before. There will be many interesting discoveries on your way, because you will begin to notice changes in your own thought process, reactions to information coming to you, interactions with people in everyday life.

And in order to understand how prepared you are for the development of critical thinking, and also to determine whether you are using it now, we suggest that you go through a short questionnaire and get acquainted with the results.

Critical Thinking Questionnaire

So, the questionnaire consists of 25 statements regarding your self-esteem. All that is required of you is to give one of the suggested answers and rate it on a four-point scale:

• "Strongly agree" - 4 points
• "Agree" - 3 points
• "Partially agree" - 2 points
• "Disagree" - 1 point
• "Strongly disagree" - 0 points

Review the statements and write the responses on the flyer:

1. I do not hesitate to identify weaknesses in the work of professionals and experts
2. It is easy for me to stay focused on the requirements of the current task.
3. I understand the difference in the interpretation of the word "argument" from the perspective of critical thinking
4. I am able to analyze the structure of argumentation
5. I can criticize someone without feeling like a "bad" person
6. I understand what the line of reasoning is
7. I am aware that my real beliefs are capable of influencing the problem under discussion.
8. I am able to determine the course of reasoning in a discussion
9. I am able to recognize signs of any stage in an argument.
10. I highlight the key points in the studied material without a problem.
11. I easily build my position, put the facts in the right sequence
12. I can identify inappropriate persuasion methods
13. I can read between the lines
14. I can easily assess the facts supporting an opinion
15. As a rule, I am always attentive to the smallest details.
16. I am able to competently consider different positions
17. If I do not have enough information, I can refer to additional materials.
18. I am able to correctly present my arguments
19. I can recognize the structure of the arguments
20. It's easy for me to distinguish between descriptive and analytical material.
21. It's easy for me to see inconsistency in an argument.
22. I see patterns and trends
23. It is very clear to me that my upbringing and internal attitudes can create prejudices against any opinion.
24. I am able to assess the sources of materials
25. I understand why there are terms in scientific works that can be interpreted in different ways.

Now rate your answers on the indicated scale and count the number of points (the total amount should not exceed 100 points).

Interpretation of results

When evaluating statements and scoring, you may be faced with additional questions about what you know about critical thinking and what you don't. Keep in mind that the lower your score, the more it indicates that your critical thinking skills require training.

MORE THAN 75 POINTS: Most likely, you are already confidently applying critical thinking. This quality is very valuable, and it helps you in your life and the activities that you do. However, if your result is less than 100 points, you have something more to work on. Our course will help you!

FROM 45 TO 74 POINTS: Critical thinking is certainly inherent in you, but you need to systematically hone your skills and master new skills. Introduce yourself regularly, look for your weaknesses, and work on yourself. Be sure to keep taking our course.

LESS THAN 45 POINTS: Your critical thinking skills are very weak, and you need to collect as much information as possible on this topic and devote as much time as possible to learning. Read the materials on the topic, study the subtleties and features of critical thinking, instill in yourself the missing skills, master new competencies. Take this course as carefully as possible.

You now have a rough estimate of how serious you are in critical thinking, as well as knowledge of the basic skills and competencies required to master critical thinking. That's enough for a start. Next, we will continue the course by talking about the scientific method: in the second lesson you will learn what it is, how it is related to critical thinking, why it is useful to use it in life and how to learn it.

Do you want to test your knowledge?

If you want to test your theoretical knowledge on the topic of the course and understand how it suits you, you can take our test. In each question, only 1 option can be correct. After you have selected one of the options, the system automatically proceeds to the next question.

What tasks does a modern teacher set himself in preparation for a lesson? Of course, training, profile. But this, of course, is not enough. The task of the intellectual development of the individual comes to the fore, first of all, the ability to assimilate new information, flexibility of thinking, intellectual sensitivity, i.e. what is the most important condition for a person to adapt to the changing circumstances of life.

Dynamic social progress, the expansion of the network of information sources, the growing and extremely important role of the media in the life of every person lead to the need to develop analytical skills, the ability to think critically and even be able to create a personal information blocker or shield.

The international educational program "Reading & Writing for Critical Thinking" allows you to solve some of the problems of the modern school.

Can you learn to think critically? Of course, you can, if you are not afraid to face many solutions to the same problem, if you want to reduce the number of actions that you often have to regret.

• Critical thinking is an active and interactive learning process.
• Critical thinking is the ability to analyze information from a logical perspective.
• Critical thinking is the ability to argue your point of view, refuting the unconvincing evidence of the opponent.
• Critical thinking is the ability to admit your mistakes and take responsibility for your own decisions or actions.
• Critical thinking allows a person to become an independent, thinking, free person.
• Critical thinking fosters a culture of dialogue through collaborative action.

If you are ready for informed changes in the learning process, making non-standard and responsible decisions, if you want to be successful and work creatively, then the technology for the development of critical thinking is for you.

Speech development lesson
The main idea of ​​the text
Preparing to write a review

Speech development lesson
Preparation for writing an essay in grade 7

Lesson type: working with info text

Lesson Topic: There are universal lists of books to read

(there is no sign, because there may be a period, an exclamation mark or a question mark)

Purpose: Creation of conditions for a personality-oriented orientation of teaching by means of technology for the development of critical thinking

Lesson Objectives:

• teach the presentation of their thoughts in accordance with the norms of the literary language;
• teach generalized knowledge, abilities, skills and ways of thinking;
• improve the skill of critical comprehension of the text;
• develop communication skills, tolerance, motivation for creative processing of knowledge.

Technological lesson map

I. Call stage

Students' opinions are listened to.

Brief analysis of the survey by students of "adult" readers (the task was given in advance to a group of students)

II. Comprehension stage

A drawing of the color of the hats in the lesson, a reminder for students on using the technique in the hands of students.

2. No more than 10 minutes are allotted for the preparation of the groups, then each group, in accordance with the memo, presents its developments. As a rule, a discussion arises, which is led by the teacher, without imposing his point of view and without drawing conclusions.

Students' opinions are listened to.

III. Reflection stage

Homework: Create a rough version of the essay, edit it (if there are no questions, the essay can be rewritten as a clean copy).