Critical Thinking in Action Assignment Background: What is Critical Thinking? The head of your organization pulled you aside and asked you to review a workplace dispute (which is attached below). She said, “Apply your best critical thinking to figure out what happened and a what decision is called for to remedy this situation.” She wants your analysis in the next two weeks. To begin, let’s consider what it means to engage in critical thinking. While the application of critical thinking may vary across disciplines, the steps are universal. Adapted from the writings of Bassham, Irwin, Nardone, and Wallace (2011); Lau (2011); and Lau and Chan (2015), critical thinking involves thinking clearly and systematically, and encompasses Formulating ideas succinctly and precisely Identifying the relevance and importance of ideas Understanding the logical connections between ideas Identifying, constructing and evaluating arguments, claims, and evidence Recognizing explicit and implicit assumptions, arguments, and biases Detecting inconsistencies and common mistakes in reasoning Formulating clear defensible ideas and conclusions Evaluating the pros and cons of decisions Reflecting on one’s own beliefs and values Applying ethical decision making The steps involved in critical thinking can be employed universally, in the analysis of all thoughts and actions —whether you are analyzing documents, ideas, assertions, or the quality of decisions/solutions. The Assignment Step 1: Review the TGS Critical Thinking Rubric (found in its own module on the class’s Content page). This rubric is intended to serve as a framework for critical thinking. Use it to structure your thinking for this assignment and for others in your studies at UMUC. The framework (as delineated in the rubric) is based on FOUR key steps, each of which has several sub-steps. Identify and clearly explain the main issue or problem under critical consideration. Gather and analyze information to explore/investigate the issue or problem. Consider and analyze other possible viewpoints, conclusions or decision/solutions to the issue or problem Develop well-reasoned ideas, conclusions and/or decisions/solutions, checking them against relevant criteria and benchmarks Step 2: Read the attached case, and analyze it using the framework provided by the TGS Critical Thinking Rubric. Use the rubric’s four key steps as the format framework of a short position paper (details in the “Deliverables” section). Employ the sub-steps within each of the four key steps to further direct your analysis. Assignment Deliverables Write a short paper (no more than 4 pages/1,000 words, excluding the cover page and references) that critically analyses the ideas or position presented in the case reading. The major sections of your paper should include the following: Introduction Explanation of the Issue or Problem Analysis of the Information Analysis of Alternative Viewpoin.

1. Critical Thinking in Action
Assignment
Background: What is Critical Thinking?
The head of your organization pulled you aside and asked you
to review a workplace dispute (which is attached below). She
said, “Apply your best critical thinking to figure out what
happened and a what decision is called for to remedy this
situation.” She wants your analysis in the next two weeks.
To begin, let’s consider what it means to engage in critical
thinking. While the application of critical thinking may vary
across disciplines, the steps are universal. Adapted from the
writings of Bassham, Irwin, Nardone, and Wallace (2011); Lau
(2011); and Lau and Chan (2015), critical thinking involves
thinking clearly and systematically, and encompasses
Formulating ideas succinctly and precisely
Identifying the relevance and importance of ideas
Understanding the logical connections between ideas
Identifying, constructing and evaluating arguments, claims, and
evidence
Recognizing explicit and implicit assumptions, arguments, and
biases
Detecting inconsistencies and common mistakes in reasoning
Formulating clear defensible ideas and conclusions
Evaluating the pros and cons of decisions
Reflecting on one’s own beliefs and values
Applying ethical decision making
The steps involved in critical thinking can be employed
universally, in the analysis of all thoughts and actions —
whether you are analyzing documents, ideas, assertions, or the
quality of decisions/solutions.
The Assignment

2. Step 1: Review the TGS Critical Thinking Rubric (found in its
own module on the class’s Content page). This rubric is
intended to serve as a framework for critical thinking. Use it to
structure your thinking for this assignment and for others in
your studies at UMUC.
The framework (as delineated in the rubric) is based on FOUR
key steps, each of which has several sub-steps.
Identify and clearly explain the main issue or problem under
critical consideration.
Gather and analyze information to explore/investigate the
issue or problem.
Consider and analyze other possible viewpoints, conclusions
or decision/solutions to the issue or problem
Develop well-reasoned ideas, conclusions and/or
decisions/solutions, checking them against relevant criteria and
benchmarks
Step 2: Read the attached case, and analyze it using the
framework provided by the TGS Critical Thinking Rubric. Use
the rubric’s four key steps as the format framework of a short
position paper (details in the “Deliverables” section). Employ
the sub-steps within each of the four key steps to further direct
your analysis.
Assignment Deliverables
Write a short paper (no more than 4 pages/1,000 words,
excluding the cover page and references) that critically analyses
the ideas or position presented in the case reading. The major
sections of your paper should include the following:
Introduction
Explanation of the Issue or Problem
Analysis of the Information
Analysis of Alternative Viewpoints, Conclusions or

3. Solution
s
Personal or Summarized Conclusions and Proposed Decisions
Conclusion
Follow these guidelines:
Use the TGS Critical Thinking Rubric to guide your analysis.
Use the TGS Written Communications Rubric to guide your
writing.
Draw in references from at least one reputable outside resource
related to the topic to support your conclusions or proposed
decisions.
Employ APA Style 6ed for format and citation guidance.
Include a cover sheet with your name and the Turnitin.com
originality score.
Remember: Even though I have suggested the major sections for
your short paper, you should still follow best practices for
structuring the paper.
An effective introduction grabs the reader’s attention and sets
the tone and direction for the rest of the paper. In reading an
introduction, the reader should have a clear idea of what will

4. follow. Supporting paragraphs move the reader from the
general introduction to the more specific aspects of your
analysis in the paper.
The body paragraphs show how the information you are
providing supports and relates to your thesis. Paragraphs across
and within sections need to effectively transition from one to
the next.
Each paragraph should include a topic sentence, which contains
the main point of the paragraph.
The Conclusion (#6) brings to a close what you have presented
in your paper.
You have moved the reader from the general introduction (“The
intent of this paper is to critically analyze…) to the specific
supporting paragraphs (the details under headings #2-5), and
now to the conclusion, which briefly summarizes the issue or
intent and restates the main points of your analysis (“detail
analysis of the issue of … resulted in conclusions that
indicate… and suggest proposed decisions to…”).
Assignment Submission:
Submit your essay to your Assignment Folder on the due date.
Label it in this manner: LAST NAME_Analysis_Spring 2016.
Please upload a copy of your Originality Report to your LEO
assignment folder as well.

5. References
Bassham, G.; Irwin, W.; Nardone, H.; & Wallace, J. (2011).
Critical thinking: A student's introduction. 4th Ed. New York,
NY: The McGraw Hill Companies.
Fisher, A. (2011). Critical thinking: An introduction. New
York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Hereford, Z. (2015). How to think critically and problem solve.
Retrieved from
http://www.essentiallifeskills.net/thinkcritically.html
Lau, J. (2011). An introduction to critical thinking and
creativity: Think more, think better. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
Lau, J., & Chan, J. (2015). What is critical thinking? Retrieved
from http://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php
Melillo, N. (2010). What is the relationship between critical
thinking and ethics? Retrieved from
http://www.triadsearchmarketing.com/

6. Case StudyResponsibility for Accident
On June 7, John Schmidt, one of the company’s employees,
seriously injured his hand while pushing a large piece of wood
through a table saw in the production shop.There is now a
dispute over who is to blame for the accident, the company or
the employee.The injured employee claims that he followed all
the company’s safety procedures and that the company is at
fault because it did not guarantee that the machine was as safe
as possible for use. The company shop manager, David Donald,
asserts that the machine was in safe condition, because if it
hadn’t been, the shop foreman, Harry Hiller, would have
informed him.The foreman, Harry Hiller, insists that the
machine was maintained satisfactorily; he has produced the
written maintenance records.The foreman also claims that prior
to the accidenthe saw the employee “joking, laughing and
goofing around” with his co-workers.A co-worker supports the
claim of the injured employee, insisting that despite regular
maintenance on the table saw, it was not safe because the safety
guard was poorly designed and didn’t function well.The co-
worker claims that shop workers informed the foreman about
the issues with the safety guard.A health and safety report
determined and reported that the safety guard was poorly
designed to protect operators in a number of circumstances

7. Looking at the four key steps of the critical thinking rubric,
which do you believe is the most important one? (there is no
"right" answer!) From your observation, which is the one most
difficult for (or most neglected by) most people? Why?"
Identify and clearly explain the main issue or problem under
critical consideration.
Gather and analyze information to explore/investigate the issue
or problem.
Consider and analyze other possible viewpoints, conclusins or
decision/solutions to the issue or problem
Develop well-reasoned ideas, conclusions and/or
decisions/solutions, checking them against relevant criteria and
benchmarks.
Paper instructions
Introduction
Begin by clearly identifying the ethical issues.
Describe in strong terms why the issue is the most critical issue
that management must address.
Include a thesis statement that contains your main argument.
Supporting (Body) Paragraphs
Briefly define the five ethical approaches before you use the
ethical approaches to evaluate the options you have identified
Keep in mind the 'one idea to one paragraph' rule: each

8. supporting paragraph should contain one idea and its supporting
details. If you start writing about a new idea, you need to begin
a new paragraph.
Make sure each body paragraph has a topic sentence that holds
the main point of the paragraph and that directly supports the
thesis statement.
Conclusion
Write a conclusion that clearly summarizes and ends the paper.
Do not introduce new topics in the conclusion.
Restate your thesis and sum up your arguments
References (not Bibliography, Reference List, or Works Cited,
which are terms from styles other than APA)
Must be on its own page
Must agree with your text citations and include only entries that
were cited within the body of the paper. Do not introduce
sources here that you have not referenced in the body of the
paper.
Follow these guidelines: