This is a presentation that I'll be giving to some community college students.

1. Critical Thinking
Presented by Curtis McQueary
CCAC South Campus Learning
Commons

2. Possessing the ability to think critically is an
essential skill for all of us—regardless of
what we do in life. Today we are going to talk
about the basic principles of critical thinking,
with an emphasis on applying these to
analyzing texts.

3. What is Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking consists of seeing both sides of an
issue, being open to new evidence that disconfirms your
ideas, reasoning dispassionately, demanding that claims
be backed by evidence, deducing and inferring
conclusions from available facts, solving problems, and
so forth.
Then too, there are specific types of critical thinking
that are characteristic of different subject matter: . . .
‘thinking like a scientist’ or ‘thinking like a historian.’
Daniel Willingham, 2007:8.

4. Two Perspectives
Critical Thinking = General Skill Set
 General reasoning, logic, and problem solving.
Critical Thinking = Specific Skill Set for a
Discipline
 Specific types of problem solving for one’s
academic discipline/career field. Example:
triage procedures for nurses.

5. Dr. Peter Facione’sActionable Critical
Thinking Skills

6. Skill #1: Interpretation
Having the ability to understand
the information you are being
presented with and being able to
communicate the meaning of that
information to others.

7. Skill #2: Analysis
Having the ability to connect
pieces of information together in
order to determine what the
intended meaning of the
information was meant to
represent.

8. Skill #3: Inference
Having the ability to understand
and recognize what elements you
will need in order to determine an
accurate conclusion or hypothesis
from the information at your
disposal.

9. Skill #4: Evaluation
Being able to evaluate the
credibility of statements or
descriptions of a person’s
experience, judgment or opinion in
order to measure the validity of the
information being presented.

10. Skill #5: Explanation
Having the ability to not only restate
information, but add clarity and
perspective to the information, so it
can be fully understood by anyone
you are sharing it with.

11. Skill #6: Self-Regulation
Having the awareness of your own
thinking abilities and the elements that
you are using to find results. In other
words, being aware of your strengths,
weaknesses, and any potential biases
that you may carry as you approach a
problem (or text).

12. Critical Thinking Exercise: Fact or Opinion?
Do you always know fact from opinion? It's not so easy to do
sometimes. Recent developments in the media have made it easy for
groups with political agendas to masquerade as impartial sources, and
for fake web sites to offer fake information-and that makes it more
important than ever for students to develop critical thinking. You must
use trustworthy sources in your school work!
If you don't learn the difference between fact and opinion, you'll get
stuck reading and watching things that only reinforce beliefs and
assumptions you already own. And that is the opposite of learning!
Try to determine whether each statement sounds like a fact or an
opinion, and discuss with a friend or study partner.

13. Fact or Opinion?
 My mom is the best mom on earth.
 My dad is taller than your dad.
 My telephone number is difficult to memorize.
 The deepest part of the ocean is 35,813 feet deep.
 Dogs make better pets than turtles.
 Smoking is bad for your health.
 Eighty-five percent of all cases of lung cancer in the U.S. are caused by
smoking.
 If you flatten and stretch out a Slinky toy it will be 87 feet long.
 Slinky toys are fun.
 One out of every hundred American citizens is color blind.
 Two out of ten American citizens are boring.

14. You may not realize it but you instinctively apply some of these Critical
Thinking principles in your daily lives. For example, when you explain
things to your children, interpret those odd looks that your friends
sometimes give you, or when you evaluate which type of car best meets
your needs and price range. Applying these principles in an academic
setting takes extra effort, focus, and diligence. Now, I will discuss some
tips for critically reading the various types of texts that are assigned to you
by your professors/instructors.

15. Guidelines for Being a Critical Reader
I. Read as a believer and as a doubter.
Approach your reading with an open mind.
Try the “believing and doubting game” to see a piece of writing from
different perspectives.
II. Access the writer(s)’ qualifications.
Get into the habit of checking the author(s)’ qualifications for everything
you read.
Does the writer have special expertise on a subject from either personal
experience or academic training?
A lack of expert qualifications doesn’t necessarily invalidate a writer’s
arguments, but it should make you examine the evidence with extra care.

16. Guidelines for Being a Critical Reader (2)
III. Look carefully at the evidence presented.
A strong academic argument must adequately back up its claims.
How much evidence does the writer present?
Where does the evidence come from?
Is the evidence fairly and fully presented?
Critical thinkers guard themselves against the tendency we all
have to gravitate towards arguments that confirm our own beliefs
and to avoid those that don’t. So, when you’re researching an
issue, seek out readings that reflect different perspectives.

17. Guidelines for Being a Critical Reader (3)
IV. Assess whether the writer(s)’ claims go beyond what the evidence actually
supports.
Closely related to the quality of the evidence in an argument is how the writer applies
that evidence.
Does the writer draw conclusions that go beyond what his/her support warrants?
V. Look for what’s NOT there: the unstated assumptions, beliefs, and values that
underlie the argument.
Does the writer take it for granted that he/she and the audience share certain
knowledge or beliefs when in fact they don’t?
If what someone takes for granted in an argument can be reasonably disputed, then
you should challenge the author(s)’ claims.
VI. Note any contradictions: Look for places where pieces of an argument don’t fit
together.

18. Guidelines for Being a Critical Reader (4)
VII. Examine the writer(s)’ word choice to identify any (potential)
underlying biases: Be alert to when writers overload their prose with what
rhetoricians call “god terms” (words like democratic, responsible, natural) or
“devil terms” (words like destructive, immoral, and selfish—for example).
VIII. Be skeptical of simple solutions to complex problems and resist
black-and-white thinking.
Be wary of arguments or explanations that offer quick, easy answers to
difficult problems.
As you read an argument, look for evidence that the writer(s) has neglected
to consider the long-term implications of his/her position.

19. References
Fleming, Grace. Critical Thinking Exercises.
http://homeworktips.about.com/od/paperassignments/a/Critical-Thinking-Exercises.htm
Gonzales, Anita. Teaching Critical Thinking. PowerPoint Presentation.
Kinney, Sarah. The Benefits of Critical Thinking. PowerPoint Presentation.
Tiluson, Grant. 6 Critical Thinking Skills You Need to Master Now.
http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/main/critical-thinking-skills-you-need-to-master-now/