The knowledge of your Learning Patterns provides you with an .docx

“The knowledge of your Learning Patterns provides you with an
explanation
of how you learn, not an excuse for failing to put forth the
effort to learn.”
—Christine A. Johnston (2010, p. 107)
4Developing an Adept Mind
keithpix/iStock/Thinkstock
Learning Outcomes
After reading this chapter, you should be able to
• Define the term adept mind.
• Explain the role critical thinking plays in becoming a
successful student.
• Demonstrate critical reading within the college learning
context.
• Describe how your Patterns affect your critical-reading skills.
• Demonstrate critical writing within the college learning
context.
• Describe how your Patterns affect your critical-writing skills.
• Explain how critical-thinking skills contribute to academic
integrity.

“In order to thrive in the 21st Century, intentional learners
should be
empowered through a mastery of intellectual and practical
skills, informed
about forms of inquiry, and responsible for their personal
actions.”
—J. Doherty and K. Ketchner (2005, p. 1)
Section 4.2Becoming a Critical Thinker
4.1 The Adept Mind
Chapter 3 was devoted to helping you understand how to use
metacognition, the learning
techniques known as decoding and FITing, and personalized
strategies to become a more
intentional learner. This chapter builds on that knowledge by
framing how to use your Learn-
ing Patterns to develop an adept mind.
The adept mind helps you succeed in all areas of life. It is one
that makes good decisions and
can discern the difference between fact and fiction. It studies a
situation’s complexity, weighs
the facts, examines the logic behind a choice, and determines
whether a choice is appropriate.
The adept mind is intentional, stable, and often methodical and
always seeks to improve its
efficiency and effectiveness. The adept mind is vital not only to
the work of a student, but also
to the experience of being a parent, employee, or volunteer. No
matter what you are called
on to do in life, you will need an adept mind to navigate the

change you encounter and the
growth you seek.
The adept mind uses the critical skills of thinking, reading, and
writing—skills this chap-
ter explores in depth—and uses them with integrity. The word
critical is not one students
embrace easily. It has a negative connotation and suggests that
someone has found fault with
something you have done. It conjures up images of a scolding
voice, red pen marks, or nega-
tive comments. When applied to thinking, reading, and writing,
however, the word critical
takes on a different meaning. To be critical means to delve
deeper into a topic to better under-
stand, evaluate, and take a position on it. As you will see at the
end of the chapter, being criti-
cal also means becoming able to use your research with honesty
and originality.
4.2 Becoming a Critical Thinker
When you engage in critical think-
ing, you embark on an ongoing quest
to improve how you think. Thinking
critically requires you to be willing to
expose your thoughts to questions and
criticism. When you think critically,
you do not simply accept what you
read or hear from others. Instead, you
examine multiple sources of evidence
to verify that your facts are accurate
(Hardy, Foster, & Zuñiga y Póstigo,
2015). This is not easy—and is often
uncomfortable—but it pays off: Being
a critical thinker better equips you to
make all kinds of important decisions,

whether about your future career, your
family, or your financial investments.
Being able to think critically allows you to better defend your
views, rise above emotional
reactions, and protect yourself from being manipulated (Hardy
et al., 2015).
Jacoblund/iStock/Thinkstock
Critical thinking is an important skill for academic
and personal success.
In terms of your academic success, thinking critically helps you
become a better reader and
writer and more likely to approach your academic career with
integrity. When it comes to
your life in general, being a critical thinker means you seek out
information regarding how to
build healthy relationships, parent your children, advocate for
others, and formulate inclusive
civic perspectives and socially informed positions. You become
adept at framing your outlook
and articulating your point of view. You express what you are
thinking and experiencing in
clear, relatable terms so others can understand your perspective
and talk with you in ways
that are both civil and enlightening.
Assessing Yourself as a Critical Thinker
So, are you a critical thinker? Paul and Elder (2001), who are
considered authorities on the
subject, describe in the following list how critical thinkers form

an opinion. How frequently
do you engage in the behaviors below? You can download this
list as a self-assessment in your
e-book.
• I restate my understanding of the issue in my own words. I
don’t let others define the
topic, but instead take the time to clarify my understanding by
putting the issue into
words that make sense to me.
• I formulate my own questions to delve deeper. I sift through
the questions being asked
and choose those that I feel need to be answered. I add my own
questions to help me
delve into the particulars of a topic.
• I read a variety of articles that represent differing views to
help me develop an
informed outlook. I don’t focus on one source or perspective. I
rely on sources of high
academic quality.
• I try to listen to various opinions on the topic. I don’t limit my
viewing or listening to
just one media source.
• I form an opinion about the topic based on my own thinking. I
list the pros and cons of
various views, evaluate the authority of each source, and
question each perspective’s
applicability to real life and ability to see the big picture.
• I use logic, reasoning, and facts to state the reasons I hold my
opinion. I can write or
speak my opinion in such a way that others can follow my

reasoning and accept the
case I’ve built based on facts as I present them.
• I remain open to exploring different perspectives on the topic.
I revisit and reconsider
previously held opinions, particularly when new information
comes to light.
Developing Critical-Thinking Skills
Critical thinking lies at the heart of all academic learning. It
forms the basis of what it means
to be well informed. However, it does not occur by luck or
chance. No one is born a critical
thinker. You must develop the skills and behaviors that produce
critical thinking and must
improve your skills by practicing them. When you think
critically, you are using all four of
your Learning Patterns with intention.
• Sequence provides a framework for examining the logic
behind an argument.
• Precision questions the accuracy and completeness of the data
used to support an
argument.
• Technical Reasoning challenges the reasonableness of an
argument by requiring it to
be accurate and applicable to the real world.
• Confluence views an argument from multiple perspectives,
weighing each against

the logic of Sequence, the accuracy of Precision, and the
grounding of Technical
Reasoning.
For example, suppose your assignment is to take a position on a
specific topic and build a con-
vincing case based on facts, figures, and logic. Table 4.1
decodes the assignment and outlines
critical-thinking skills that are, in fact, Pattern-based strategies
that you might use—either by
thinking them or recording them on a strategy card—for this
task. As you read Table 4.1, ask
yourself: “Do I use any, some, or all of the strategies? How can
I FIT my Learning Patterns to
become a better critical thinker and develop an adept mind?”
Table 4.1: Applying Pattern-based critical-thinking strategies
The task decoded Pattern-based critical-thinking strategies
Take a position on a specific
topic and build a convincing
case based on facts, figures,
and logic. (Sequence)
• Plan a line of reasonable thought by listing the key points of
your position.
• Formulate your position, moving through each step of your
logic.
and logic. (Precision)
• Read several articles, extended passages, and expert opinions

on the
assigned topic.
• Sort through the information you have researched and double-
check
that it is accurate, relevant, and applicable to the topic you were
assigned.
• Lay out your position (which you formed using your
Sequence).
• Select key information from your research and use it to help
you
state your position clearly and accurately.
• Build your case by explaining the rationale behind your
position;
weave in the facts you selected to support your opinion.
and logic. (Technical
Reasoning)
• Lay the foundation of your case using basic facts and support
it with
expert opinions, quotations, and real-world examples.
and logic. (Confluence)
• Identify the standard logic used to view the topic and generate
alternative positions. Where the logic of Sequence follows a

linear
path, the logic of Confluence reimagines the argument in a
nonlinear
manner.
• Recognize when your position is not steeped in logic. Accept
your
failure to defend an alternative logic and examine how and why
it
fell apart.
Source: Adapted from Marzano, 1992, p. 132; Paul & Elder,
2001, p. 152; Johnston, 2010, pp. 106–107.
Thinking critically is also a marketable skill to possess. In fact,
you might regard critical think-
ing as a major dividend you can expect from your investment in
a college education. Develop-
ing your skills as a critical thinker, reader, and writer gives you
a lifelong advantage—an adept
mind that will help you achieve greater satisfaction as a person
and a professional.
Section 4.3Becoming a Critical Reader
4.3 Becoming a Critical Reader
Think about how you approach reading. Do you read a page of
text from top to bottom? Do
you graze across the page looking for interesting words without
reading the text from begin-
ning to end? Do you read a passage word-for-word? Or do you
look for interesting nuggets
and disregard what to you seem like unnecessary words?

Your Learning Patterns immedi-
ately shape how you respond when
confronted with a page of text. Your
Sequence looks for headings and sub-
titles. Your Precision looks for capital-
ized and bold words. Your Technical
Reasoning looks away, silently groan-
ing, and your Confluence jumps in
looking for a new phrase or idea. As a
student, you are best served by looking
at the written page and thinking, “How
can I critically work my way through
this text?”
While the ability to read refers to an
individual’s skill in translating letters
into words and words into a message,
critical reading requires the reader to
drill down to the writer’s intention—
to discern his or her thoughts, ideas, feelings, and messages.
The critical reader sees words as
more than groups of letters, but rather as containers of thought
to be mined for deep mean-
ing (Mumford, 1968). Critical reading also involves engaging
with the material, analyzing its
soundness, and assessing its quality. Critical reading is thinking
critically while you read!
As an intentional learner, there is no more important thing you
can do than train yourself to
be a critical reader. Why? Because so much of what you read
requires you to think critically.
Critical reading requires engaging and exercising the mind in a
more robust and expansive
way than skimming for basic, literal meaning. It’s the difference

between training for a mara-
thon and taking a leisurely stroll. Critical reading takes energy,
focus, time, and intention. It
takes more than simply figuring out how to pronounce words,
but rather understanding what
they mean—and also what they don’t. It means getting the
message, both from the literal
words that appear on the page and their implied meaning.
Being a critical reader means you take an active role in the
reading process. In other words,
don’t just sit and stare at the page. Engage! Seek out clues
(found in headings and subheads)
and nuggets (in text boxes, summaries, graphics, and examples).
These special items serve a
specific purpose. They should make it easier to connect with the
text; their important con-
tent should attract your attention; their organization or visual
presentation should bring the
information, ideas, and data to life.
Wavebreakmedia/iStock/Thinkstock
Developing and honing your critical-reading skills
requires self-awareness, grit, and critical thinking.
Make sure you are using all four Learning Patterns
as you read.
Section 4.3Becoming a Critical Reader
A systematic way to approach critical reading is to break it
down into three different stages—
exploring, reading, and revisiting. Each stage makes use of all
four Patterns; no single Learn-
ing Pattern should dominate how you read. Critical reading

requires that you use each
Learning Pattern with intention.
Explore
In Chapter 1 you learned that “chance favors the prepared
mind.” So too does critical reading
—in fact, it requires it. What can you do to prepare your mind
to think and read critically?
For starters, explore the text before you begin reading. This will
help you get an overview of
the general message of the chapter, article, or book. Formulate
questions that will help you
understand the text’s deeper meaning. The following questions
will help you engage your
Learning Patterns as you explore the text.
1. What is the purpose of the reading? (Technical Reasoning)
2. Is the reading connected to a previous assignment?
(Sequence)
3. What do I already know about the topic? (Precision)
4. What new insights will this reading provide? (Confluence)
Read
Once you have explored the content, you are ready to do a more
thorough or close read-
ing. This time, focus on understanding and analyzing the
author’s central argument or
point. As you read, ask yourself the following questions:
1. What is the thread that connects one section to another?
(Sequence)
2. What new terms will I need to record, look up, and log for
review? (Precision)
3. Do the diagrams, graphics, or tables contain data that support
the author’s point of

view? (Technical Reasoning and Precision)
4. What overarching idea dominates the reading? (Confluence)
Revisit
The last step is to revisit the reading.
This is an important step that many
students skip! If you are not yet an
intentional learner, you may think
this is a waste of time. “I’ve already
read the text once! I have to read it
again?!” When learning new mate-
rial, you may in fact need to read it
multiple times. You may also need to
revisit those parts that remain unclear
or seem disconnected from the central
message. When considering multiple
viewpoints, you may need to return to
a reading to analyze where you agree
with the author, where you disagree,
and why. You may already have some
Jacoblund/iStock/Thinkstock
Although it may seem redundant to reread a text,
discussion board posting, or assignment rubric,
revisiting material reinforces your knowledge of its
content.
Section 4.4Case Studies in Critical Reading
idea whether you agree (or disagree) with what you are reading.
As you read, you likely
reacted to statements the author made. But it is only after you
have read the entire piece
that you can clearly and fairly evaluate the argument. Revisiting

the reading reinforces your
knowledge of its content and strengthens your critical-reading
skills.
Ask yourself the following questions when revisiting a reading:
1. What is the reading’s overarching message? (Confluence)
2. Are there gaps in the author’s logic? If so, where? (Sequence)
3. How well does the author use reason and logic to build a case
for his or her position?
(Technical Reasoning)
4. Do you agree with the author’s point of view? Why or why
not? (Precision)
5. What information is implied or inferred? What underpins the
likelihood that the
inference is correct? (Confluence and Precision)
Remember that there are many different purposes for reading.
While all require you to use
critical-reading skills, they do not require you to use them to
the same extent. Think about the
different types of reading you encounter every day. How would
you approach reading a new
sick leave policy being implemented at work? What about a
movie review? What questions
would you need to ask when reading a news article versus a
novel?
4.4 Case Studies in Critical Reading
Whatever your approach, recognize that critical reading requires
you to assess your method
and reconfigure your technique so that no single Learning
Pattern dominates how you read.
Each of your Patterns can contribute to your understanding of a

text. Critical reading requires
that you use each Learning Pattern with intention to extract
maximum understanding from
a passage. Don’t allow your Avoid Patterns to dismiss a reading
assignment; don’t use Avoid-
ance as an excuse for not engaging. If you are a Strong-Willed
learner, don’t mistake your
confidence for competence. Always double-check your
knowledge by reviewing key points,
terms, and overarching themes.
With this in mind, carefully read the following stories. See to
whom you most relate. Consider
how you can develop your critical-reading skills by learning
from the following models.
Sequence
Dani (S30, P23, TR20, C12) is the oldest
of four and the first in her family to go to
college.
With her Use First Sequence, she always fol-
lows the same order when reading a text-
book: headings, content, end-of-chapter
questions. She may read charts if they are clearly labeled but
often sees other features as
distractions. Dani likes the SQ3R method (see Figure 4.1)
because it gives her steps to fol-
low. However, to become a critical reader, Dani needs to tether
her Sequence and develop
“I read a textbook like I do a map. I look for
signs telling me what I can expect next.”
—Dani

strategies that go beyond a mere step-by-step approach. This is
because not all critical-
reading situations allow the time the SQ3R method requires.
For example, Dani’s methodical Use First Sequence becomes a
problem when taking timed
tests or quickly digesting a lot of written material. Her Use First
Sequence holds her back
from completing work in a timely fashion. Whereas others skip
to the next question or skim
the text, Dani lingers, rereading the material or figuring out the
correct answer before moving
on. When she is not being intentional, her Use First Sequence
and Avoid Confluence lock her
into a linear approach to reading material and completing
assignments. If you Use Sequence
First, check out the Tips & Tools box for some do’s and don’ts
when reading.
Figure 4.1: SQ3R
Use the SQ3R method to ensure you thoroughly read
assignments, papers, textbooks, and discussion
posts.
Precision
Rhys (S32, P35, TR18, C20) grew up in a
home where manual labor was valued and

taking time to read was considered a luxury.
Now well into his degree program, Rhys rel-
ishes the opportunity to read critically.
Rhys’s Precision thrives on access to infor-
mation. His attitude is, “Give me my tablet,
connect me to the world, and I’m a happy guy.” Whether it be
graphs, illustrations, text, or
captions, Rhys reads everything on a page. He doesn’t want to
miss a single piece of informa-
tion. He doesn’t just read the words but reads critically, seeking
to grasp the concepts pre-
sented. He weighs what he reads
against information from other
sources. When he was young, Rhys
read everything he could get his hands
on, but now he chooses his reading
materials more carefully, based on the
quality of the authorship and the repu-
tation of the publication. His critical-
reading skills serve him well as a stu-
dent and an employee; Rhys aspires to
become a member of his company’s
human resources team.
However, Rhys’s dependence on his
Use First Precision often causes him
frustration when he is completing a
timed exercise. He frequently spends
too long absorbing each piece of infor-
mation and runs out of time. When
Tips & Tools: Do’s and Don’ts for Use First Sequence
DO

• Move through a reading methodically.
• Focus on a reading’s main points.
• Reread material that didn’t “stick.”
• Look at any review or discussion questions that might be
available. Use them to guide
your first read through.
DON’T
• Fixate on text that is confusing. The materials you read next
may explain what is
currently unclear.
• Ignore your other Patterns. Let them help pull you out of the
place where you are mired
in thought.
“I could sit and read for hours! Nothing
satisfies my need to know like a steady
diet of information.”
—Rhys
Buz/iStock/Thinkstock
Though Rhys is adept at critical reading, it some-
times hinders his ability to complete an assignment
on time. What are some ways Rhys can continue to
read critically while also managing his time?
answering questions, he tends to over-explain or include too

many details. Too much infor-
mation (TMI) is the downside of Rhys’s use of Precision.
If you Use Precision First, check out the Tips & Tools box for
some do’s and don’ts when
reading.
Technical Reasoning
For years Drew (S22, P18, TR28, C14) viewed school as
a necessary evil. However, after his stint in the military,
he conceded that his career goal wasn’t achievable with-
out a college degree. He chose an online program, know-
ing that the biggest challenge would be the reading he
would be required to do.
Due to his Use First Technical Reasoning, words are not Drew’s
tool of choice. He uses them
sparingly. However, he has discovered that critical reading is
much more useful than merely
reading words. With critical reading, he can apply his Technical
Reasoning to see how the
author builds a case that can stand up under scrutiny. Drew
describes his approach to reading
as a “search and recover” mission. He gets into the reading,
searches for meaning, recovers
the important information, and gets out! He would be the first to
admit that he doesn’t read
every word. He uses the graphics and charts to gather
information in lieu of methodically
reading the text.
Drew’s primary challenge is to find a practical connection to
the assigned reading. If he has
no interest in the topic, he procrastinates, which leaves him
little time to critically read and
respond to the assignment. Drew needs strategies to complete

readings in a timely manner.
He should consider intensifying his Sequence to schedule time
to read, and build in time for
brief breaks. Both strategies could help Drew persevere and
avoid procrastinating.
If you Use Technical Reasoning First, check out the Tips &
Tools box for some do’s and don’ts
when reading.
Tips & Tools: Do’s and Don’ts for Use First Precision
DO
• Set a physical or internal timer to help monitor your pace
when reading.
• Record key terms for further study.
• Examine sidebars or other elements that support the main
point or author’s thesis.
• Question, challenge, and weigh the point of whatever you are
reading against what you
have read elsewhere.
DON’T
• Miss the overarching message by concentrating solely on
names, facts, and dates.
• Get bogged down in dense content. Break the reading into
smaller, absorbable pieces so
your mind can critically digest it.
“Reading for pleasure? I read
to get the job done!”

—Drew
Confluence
Chris’s (S14, P21, TR20, C33) teachers always saw
her as fun loving but not serious. As a result, she
performed at a level that reflected her teacher’s
low expectations. It wasn’t until she was working
as a shift manager in the fast-food industry that
she began to consider a career in business man-
agement. Her boss kept pointing out her ability to
absorb information quickly, handle crises, and not
let change stress her out. That was all the encouragement Chris
needed—she quickly began
her online college career.
Chris has no trouble keeping pace with her reading assignments.
When she looks at an
assigned reading, she doesn’t read the material word for word.
Instead, she studies the refer-
ences, identifies new vocabulary, and reads only the
information essential to complete the
assignment.
Her Confluence reads between the lines and connects the dots in
a reading. She frequently
receives positive feedback on her discussion posts, particularly
those that speculate on what
was implied in a reading but not explicitly stated.
Chris’s Confluence helps her read critically and not lose track
of a reading’s deeper message.
There are times, however, when material is dense and requires

close reading. Knowing when
to partner her Confluence with her Precision is key to her
success as a critical reader.
Tips & Tools: Do’s and Don’ts for Use First Technical
Reasoning
DO
• Explore and interact with the content, rather than passively
reading it word for word.
• Search for interesting elements (photos, tables, headings, and
feature boxes) to
motivate your Technical Reasoning to complete the reading.
• Use all of your Patterns so that Technical Reasoning (the
Pattern of the fewest words)
isn’t left to do all the work.
• Leverage the features of your e-book reading platform
(making notes and highlights,
reviewing the notebook) to help Technical Reasoning get the
most out of your reading
and reviewing experience.
DON’T
• Let Technical Reasoning convince you that critical reading is
solely about words and
that Precision is the only Pattern required. Technical Reasoning
plays an important role
in critical reading, too.
• Be tempted to read just a few headings and captions and skip
to the next chapter. Use

your Technical Reasoning to explore the text and deconstruct its
content and thesis.
“Reading is where my Confluence
goes to have fun. It’s my mental
playground.”
—Chris
Section 4.5Becoming a Critical Writer
If you Use Confluence First, check out the Tips & Tools box for
some do’s and don’ts when
reading.
4.5 Becoming a Critical Writer
Writing is a significant part of any student’s life but even more
so for a nontraditional college
student like yourself. Writing is the primary way you will
participate in your learning, whether
through journal entries, discussion posts, essays, or research
papers. It is important that you
write well, but it is even more important that you write
critically. Like critical reading, critical
writing is more than simply putting words on paper or forming
coherent sentences and para-
graphs. Critical writing is an academic
skill that prepares you to dig through
and evaluate multiple sources, formu-
late an opinion or well-reasoned per-
spective, and make a case based on a
balance of reliable sources. Critical

writing investigates the pros and cons
of different ideas and theories and
considers alternative perspectives and
explanations. The heart of critical writ-
ing is that it reaches an informed opin-
ion in the light of the evidence pre-
sented and offers reasoned arguments
for the conclusion reached. From this
description, it should be clear that crit-
ical writing doesn’t just describe or
report information: It transforms it
Tips & Tools: Do’s and Don’ts for Use First Confluence
DO
• Focus on a reading’s overarching message or big picture.
• Take note of new words, terms, and phrases (then use your
Precision to record them for
further study).
• Identify intriguing elements within the reading (then use your
Precision to pose the
critical questions you need answered in order to understand it).
DON’T
• Let your Confluence convince you to move too quickly
through the text. Take time to
pause, raise questions, and explore the content more fully.
• Stop after a quick skim of the reading. While skimming, or
surveying, is an important
first step, critical reading requires a more in-depth exploration
of the text.

• Hesitate to employ your other Patterns when critically reading.
They can help provide
the structure and close-reading skills needed to explore the text
in-depth.
Hakinmhan/iStock/Thinkstock
Learning to be a critical writer will help you develop
informed opinions and present them coherently.
into a thread of ideas and weaves together a bal-
anced presentation of a complex topic.
Critical writing is hard work and requires inten-
tion. It is not easy to present a balanced account
or address counterarguments. It requires you to be
discerning and to double-check that you have not
made any statements that can’t be substantiated
by reliable sources. (See the following Tips & Tools
box.) Critical writing is important because it provides the basis
for decisions made in busi-
ness, government, military, education, and everyday life.
Critical decisions are informed and
based on an accurate and well-balanced presentation of
information.
Outside the classroom, critical writing can take many forms,
including exchanges on social
media, blog posts, proposals, cover letters, letters to the editor,
editorials, white papers,
critiques, and policy statements. Regardless of the format, a
critical writer leads his or her

readers through a reasoned argument, notes the source of all
information and research,
and ultimately persuades the reader to reach an informed
verdict.
A systematic way to approach critical writing is to break it
down into stages. Start by
becoming informed. Then develop your perspective and make
your case. Finally, attend to
the details; polish and finalize your work. Critical writing
requires you to use your Learn-
ing Patterns with intention; no single Learning Pattern should
dominate how you write.
However, some stages of critical writing rely more heavily on
one specific Pattern.
Becoming Informed
Critical writing depends on critical reading. One aspect of
critical writing that differentiates
it from descriptive or personal writing is the use of sources.
Using the strategies presented
earlier in this chapter, explore multiple sources of information
before beginning to write. Use
“Words mean more than what is set
down on paper. It takes the human
voice to infuse them with deeper
meaning.”
—Maya Angelou (2009, p. 95)
Tips & Tools: The Do’s and Don’ts of Critical Writing
DO

• Develop your own line of thought on a subject.
• Express your opinion confidently and base it on multiple
sources that represent a
variety of perspectives.
• Summarize both the strengths and weaknesses of other
people’s ideas and perspectives.
• Reach a conclusion after careful thought based on the
available evidence.
• State the limitations to the argument you have presented.
DON’T
• Be one-sided or selective when stating evidence. State both
sides of an issue.
• Be judgmental or opinionated. Be fair and thoughtful and
make a well-reasoned case.
• Be arrogant or suggest there is only one correct perspective on
a complex topic.
your Precision to gather information and sort through facts—be
sure to keep a careful record
of your sources, as you will need to provide citations for any
ideas that are not your own
(more on this later). Your Technical Reasoning can help you
identify relevancy and logic and
let your Confluence connect the dots. Investigate the evidence
for, against, and behind dif-
ferent ideas, theories, arguments, and so on. Test the evidence
by creating columns of facts;
examine which are similar and which seem less reliable. Use the
following tips to help you

become more informed on your topic:
• Read multiple articles about the topic to understand it as a
whole. (Confluence)
• Logically organize the author’s points and intentions.
(Sequence)
• Jot down quotations that either persuade or dissuade you of
the author’s arguments.
(Precision)
Developing Your Perspective and Making Your Case
Being a critical writer requires you to have a specific
perspective that you develop through
critical reading and thinking. You may initially lack the
confidence to use your own judgment.
While it is important to acknowledge when you lack expertise
on a topic, know that you are
capable of presenting an informed argument if you read widely,
compare and contrast differ-
ent opinions, and use your adept mind to employ critical-
thinking skills to make sense of a
topic’s complexities. It is also important to lean on your
Sequence to organize your thoughts,
find focus, and plan to make your case. Be sure to do the
following:
• Formulate your perspective on the topic. (Technical
Reasoning)
• Draft an outline of your essay. This will help you spot holes in
your argument and
stay on track as you write. (Sequence)
• State your thesis or opinion. This should be the focus of your
writing. Beware of

being too broad or narrow, and be sure to put forth an actual
argument, not just a
statement of fact. (Sequence and Precision)
• Support your thesis or opinion. Your writing should feature
subpoints that will help
you defend your main argument. Each point should have its own
paragraph with
supporting evidence. (Precision and Sequence)
• Use your sources to make your case. Note what evidence
supports your perspective.
(Precision)
• Acknowledge alternative perspectives. You will make your
argument stronger by
showing you have considered all the evidence. (Confluence)
• Formulate your conclusion and point to ideas that warrant
further analysis and dis-
cussion. (Precision and Technical Reasoning)
Attending to the Details
Once you have written a first draft, you will need to review it.
This stage requires Precision,
as you will need to identify and correct errors and ensure you
have provided a citation where
you have quoted from or paraphrased a source. As you polish
and finalize your work, be sure
to do the following:
• Compose a page that lists your sources.
• Include each source that you used, either directly or indirectly.
• Proofread your paper for spelling and grammatical errors.

Section 4.6Case Studies in Critical Writing
4.6 Case Studies in Critical Writing
Like critical reading, critical writing relies on the development
of an adept mind—one that
operates with intention. What you write for college courses
needs to be accurate, logical, care-
fully reasoned, well researched, and thoughtfully crafted. One
way to learn how to write criti-
cally is to read other writers’ work. Use their methods and
strategies as models to improve
your own writing.
All four Patterns contribute to excellent writing, and you’ll
need to focus on any Patterns you
Avoid almost as strongly as those you Use First. Armed with
this knowledge, carefully read
the following experiences. See to whom you most relate.
Identify how you can develop your
critical-writing skills by learning from these models.
Sequence
Makayla is a quirky, funny, serious psy-
chology student and an identical twin
(S29, P20, TR17, C14).
Given her Use First Sequence, she did
not often succeed on timed tests, as she
often got stuck on an answer. Where
others would skip to the next question,
Makayla would linger. Where others
might jump around to answer ques-
tions, Makayla steadfastly answered
them in order. She became stymied if
the specific information she expected

to find on her online discussion board
was not yet posted. She found it diffi-
cult to move on to another task until
she could check back later.
Makayla’s Sequence ruled her, almost
to the point of paralysis. She frequently
e-mailed her instructor (usually as she
worked late into the night) for more
instruction on assignments. She’d sub-
mit paragraphs early to be sure she
was on the right track.
Makayla executed her papers well but
found she received lower grades for
“lacking originality” and being “unable
to present new or different ideas.”
Does this mean that people high in Sequence are not creative?
Absolutely not! It means it is
okay to tether your Sequence and let your Confluence offer up
ideas. For some tips, check out
the feature box Tips & Tools: Tethering Use First Sequence.
“You want me to fill out the inventory. Then you
want me to do this other form. Now you want
me to write. Which is more important? I can’t
get it all done.”
—Makayla (psychology major)
Diego_cervo/iStock/Thinkstock
Makayla finds that although her Sequence
allows her to complete assignments and essays
accurately, she has trouble thinking outside of

the box. Tethering her Use First Pattern will allow
Confluence to give her new and original ideas.
Precision
For families and friends with loved ones
who are deployed, letters and e-mails are
priceless. The boxed quotation from John
(S27, P32, TR21, C23) helped his family pic-
ture his room in the barracks when he was
first deployed—but the following one con-
fused them as they planned their reunion
with him in Germany.
Ok, at Shank finally. Sounds like Main Bodies 3 and 4 are being
put together
to fly (meaning we wait for a few extra days for them), so that
date SSG Smith
gave you is probably closer to correct than what I was thinking.
Everything
has/will change, so at this point don’t trust anything from me
and just buy the
tickets a day out from when he tells you. Sorry it’s chaotic.
Took me an hour
and change to fight my way to an MWR so I still won’t be
online much longer
than it takes to send this. Basically just wait until the absolute
last minute to
buy any tickets and late is better than early when it comes to
arriving. Who
knows how long I’ll be stuck somewhere beyond what we’ve
been told.

This quote illustrates how John’s extremely high Precision made
it difficult for him to write
a simple message. Someone low in Precision would have written
a much more direct mes-
sage, such as, “Wait to hear from SSG Smith to buy a ticket.
I’m not getting up-to-date info in
transit.” Our young, high Precision lieutenant, on the other
hand, feels almost compelled to
give details, including the use of acronyms unfamiliar to his
reader, and ends up crafting a
very convoluted message. Knowing your audience and purpose
is crucial for every writer, but
especially for those who are highly Precise.
Not surprisingly, Precision can get a writer into trouble,
especially in academic situations. If
asked to write a 1,500-word essay, a writer high in Precision
feels frustrated. “How am I
Tips & Tools: Tethering Use First Sequence
Use First Sequence writers can follow these tips to get started
(and keep up with) writing:
• Get past the idea that you need to write your opening
paragraph first. Essays and
reports can be written in sections and not necessarily in order.
Start in the middle.
Come back to the beginning and write an introduction once your
main points are
already down. Eventually, you will see your argument or story
as a whole, but for the
time being, be willing to develop sections as they unfold in your
mind. You can then put
them in the order that makes the story or argument flow and add
the introduction and

conclusion last.
• Free yourself from the rules that keep you grounded and
plodding. Just write. Get your
thoughts down first; then pay attention to spelling and
punctuation, verb tense, and
exact wording.
“Speaking of winning, I finally got my own
room. It has spiders and the AC is weak
and is right across from the port-a-potty
so outside my door smells horrible, but it is
a 6.5’ x 6.5’ space all my own.”
—John (U.S. Army scout). Used by permission.
supposed to fit all this into three pages? I didn’t even get a
chance to talk about X, Y, and Z!”
While others may struggle to fill a page, a person high in
Precision sees every detail as impor-
tant and doesn’t want to cut anything that has been written. If
you are Use First Precision,
check out the Tips & Tools box for some tips.
Technical Reasoning
Paul is a “grease monkey” and proud
of it. By his own admission, he never
took class notes. He contends that he
kept everything “in his head.” How-
ever, when Paul didn’t use his Learning

Patterns (S20, P16, TR33, C24) with
intention, he earned a failing grade.
He did not follow requirements for
his papers, which featured improper
headings, incorrect fonts, missing page
numbers, and other formatting gaps.
He also failed to provide enough sup-
port for his ideas. He finally made an
appointment to discuss his work with
his writing instructor.
Paul’s writing instructor advised him
to tone down (tether) some of his
Technical Reasoning. She helped him
recognize that his avoidance of struc-
ture and aversion to providing details
and explanation was causing him to
receive failing grades. Paul sheepishly
admitted that he hadn’t bothered to
thoroughly read the research he had
found in the library’s databases and
had only skimmed the abstracts.
Tips & Tools: Tethering Use First Precision
Use First Precision writers can use the following tips to get
started writing:
• Think of writing a tweet, where you only have a limited
number of characters, and then
pick your words carefully. Be clear, direct, and focused.
Remember that every word
should have a purpose.
• Think of each sentence and paragraph as if it were applying
for a job in your composi-

tion. Ask each word, “What do you bring to this position?”
“Why should I hire you?”
Decide whether they should be employed in your paper.
“In my mind, I see everything as a machine.
When I look at something, I see how it works
but I struggle to explain to others without
pictures or physically moving or pointing. I’m
usually the guy who tags along but contributes
little to the conversation.”
—Paul (physical science major)
Jupiterimages/Photos.com>>/Thinkstock
By getting helpful feedback and tethering his
Technical Reasoning, Paul will learn to read and
write critically.
By nature, Technical Reasoners like Paul would rather “show”
than “tell.” But if they are aware
of themselves as learners, that can inform how they approach
writing and help them build on
the experiences and practical application they bring to the
writing process. These become the
building blocks that make it possible for those high in Technical
Reasoning to express them-
selves in writing. If you are Use First Technical Reasoning,
check out the Tips & Tools box for
some tips.

Confluence
Raheem’s (S11, P16, TR28, C31) boxed quo-
tation was what he submitted as his first
essay in his writing course.
“Why such a short essay?” his instructor
inquired.
“Pretty much sums it up,” Raheem replied.
When asked about his philosophy of succeeding by chance, he
said, “It’s worked so far.”
Unfortunately, his devil-may-care attitude was only bolstered
by his Use First Confluence
and his high Technical Reasoning. Raheem was a “man of few
words” who decided to live by
chance, which put him at risk of compromising his academic
success.
A few weeks went by, and Raheem had not produced any
research. His Avoid Sequence (S11)
meant that when called on to research a topic, he needed to
forge Sequence and concentrate
on the sequential tasks of searching and taking notes. Group
work was a nightmare for both
him and his teammates. He was entertaining, but he rarely
contributed anything of substance.
Raheem dismissed his Patterns as “hocus-pocus” and continued
to let chance take care of him.
As more deadlines passed and the incompletes piled up, it
became clear he was not going to
pass the course. His decision caught up to him. If you are Use
First Confluence, check out the
Tips & Tools box for some tips.

Tips & Tools: Tethering Use First Technical Reasoning
Use First Technical Reasoning writers can use the following
tips to get started writing:
• Your chief issue is that you are a person of few words. This is
no time to accept that sta-
tus. Record three points you want to make in your paper. Build
a skeleton of information
to support each point, using a minimum of two sentences to
explain what you mean.
• Follow each point with an example to drive the idea home.
“I can be easily annoyed, but I don’t worry
very much. That’s what makes me differ-
ent. I plan to succeed by chance.”
—Raheem (sociology major)
Section 4.7Acting With Integrity
4.7 Acting With Integrity
When you critically think, read, and write, you become able to
evaluate others’ arguments and
defend your own point of view. You actively engage with your
learning and the world around
you. You become more informed and thoughtful, and others
might even turn to you for advice.
But critical thinking is not just about being a more thoughtful,
reasoned student. It shapes
your intentions and awareness of the ethical choices you are

called on to make. When you
think critically, you evaluate your decision making and ensure it
reflects who you are and
what you value. You become less prone to taking the easy way
out. In the classroom, this is
known as acting with academic integrity.
Call it what you like—academic dishonesty, lack of integrity, or
just plain cheating—but using
someone else’s work as your own is theft, pure and simple.
Writers and researchers make a
living with their words. When students cut and paste words—or
even paraphrase, or reword,
others’ ideas—without credit, they are stealing from that writer.
This is called plagiarism.
You wouldn’t think of walking out of a store without paying for
your items; the same applies
to words owned by someone else. It is important to note that
purchasing writing services
from online tutoring companies also constitutes plagiarism. Do
not justify a decision to pla-
giarize by citing your time constraints or Avoidance of
Precision. The bottom line is if the
words aren’t of your thinking and composing, do not submit
them as your work.
Students generally plagiarize for two reasons: laziness or lack
of information. What could be
easier than copying and pasting from the Internet? Even if a
student reorders the sentences or
changes a few words, plagiarism includes using someone else’s
ideas without acknowledging
their source (Council of Writing Program Administrators, 2003,
para. 4). If you are writing
critically, you are coming up with your own ideas. Therefore,
you are more likely to come up

with original content that will not have been plagiarized.
Tips & Tools: Tethering Use First Confluence
Use First Confluence writers can use the following tips to get
started:
• Don’t start writing until you have pinned down a focal point
for your paper. Otherwise,
you will wander from idea to idea without anchoring your
thoughts on a key point.
• After writing a draft of your paper, draw a map of the points
you made. See if they
connect to one another. If they don’t, either remove them from
the paper or add
transitions that connect them into a clearer line of thought.
Making Defining Decisions and Principled Choices
Most universities have strict academic
integrity policies that specify behav-
iors that are not tolerated. Such poli-
cies outline specific examples of what
is considered academically dishonest.
Critical thinking will help you act ethi-
cally and adhere to these policies—in
other words, make defining decisions
and principled choices.
A defining decision is when you use
reason to determine the right and
wrong things to do. A defining decision

that confronts you (and every other
college student) is whether to take the
time to research, read, and carefully
record the words, phrases, quotations,
and specific details you want to feature
in your writing. Another defining deci-
sion is whether to use your own words
when explaining a topic. A principled choice is when you act on
your defining decision based
on your values, beliefs, and moral standards.
The following example will help you recognize the important
role that critical thinking plays
in making defining decisions and principled choices as a college
student.
Beth and Sophia are both taking the same college course. Both
are mothers of small children,
work full time, and decided to enter college as adults. So far
their profiles are very similar.
Their main difference lies in their awareness of themselves as
learners and in the defining
decisions they each make as students.
Beth uses a high degree of Sequence and Precision. She takes
the time to read through the
information in the student handbook and acclimates herself to
the demands of college. She
recognizes that she needs to make space in her busy routine to
read, think, and write. She
makes the defining decision to pace herself and plan sufficient
time to do thorough, accurate,
and authentic work.
As a result, Beth makes a few key principled choices She sets

aside a minimum of 4 hours
of “Mom’s Study Time” on the weekend and 2 hours of
concentrated study time per night.
She uses her Learning Patterns to structure her time. She sets an
excellent example for her
children, modeling for them the actions of a committed student
who has the discipline of an
intentional learner. Most importantly, Beth makes the principled
choice to not surf the Inter-
net at the last minute and submit someone else’s work under her
name.
Sophia is a different story. Although her Patterns are similar to
Beth’s, she has never taken
the time to dig very deeply into who she is as a learner or how
she wants to fulfill her
Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock
A defining decision—including the choice either to
do your own work or plagiarize and present others’
work as your own—is anchored by the beliefs,
values, and traditions you have built up through
your life’s experiences.
responsibilities as a student. Sophia
does not use her Patterns with inten-
tion and simply goes with the flow.
At first she does all right. But in her
third course, when she is required to
write a lengthy paper that must fea-
ture multiple references to sources,

she begins to panic. Because she never
made a conscious plan for how to oper-
ate as a college student and simultane-
ously maintain her other responsibili-
ties, she finds herself faced with the
defining decision of either doing the
extensive and time-consuming work
the assignment requires or looking for
a quick fix.
Sophia lets her Confluence take over
and chooses to find a paper online that, when tweaked, can pass
as her original work. She
wants a good grade and rationalizes that she really doesn’t
know how to do the reading and
the writing required anyway. She thinks her best choice is to
submit something that repre-
sents what she would do if she had the right skills and time. She
chooses to not use criti-
cal thinking or intentional learning and makes the unprincipled
choice to cheat herself, her
instructor, and the college in which she is enrolled.
In neither instance did Beth’s or Sophia’s Learning Patterns
dictate their choices; however,
Sophia’s defining decision to not use her Learning Patterns with
intention contributed to her
finding herself in a stressful situation—in which she made an
unwise choice.
Writing Original Content
Some people think that plagiarism only occurs if you take an
entire paper and submit it as
your own. Of course, this is not true. Any information taken
from another source requires you
to give credit to the original author and include specifics such

as the title of the source, the
date it was published (online or in print), the author’s name,
and the page from which you
recorded a quotation or paraphrased an important point. If you
fail to do your work carefully
or do not consciously follow the rules of critical reading and
writing, you leave yourself open
to committing plagiarism, whether intentionally or
unintentionally.
It can be challenging to come up with original writing. As
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
contributors Stolley, Brizee, and Paiz (2014) observe,
sometimes the standards for a success-
ful paper can almost seem like contradictions. For example,
instructors frequently require
their students to do the following (Stolley et al., 2014):
Zhudifeng/iStock/Thinkstock
Using your Learning Patterns with intention helps
you make defining decisions and succeed as an
intentional learner.
Develop a topic based on
what has already been said and
written.
BUT Write something new and original.
Rely on experts’ and authorities’
opinions. BUT

Improve on and/or disagree with
those same opinions.
Give credit to previous
researchers. BUT
Make your own significant
contribution.
Build on what you hear and read. BUT Use your own words and
your own voice.
How do your Patterns respond to this challenge? Your Sequence
may not know where to
begin. Your Precision might be panicking. It reminds you that
you are not an expert—how
can you even think about using your own words and voice?
Your Technical Reasoning may
likewise be uneasy and make you worry you don’t have
anything worthwhile or original to
say. Meanwhile, your Confluence may be frothing at the mouth.
It has already started to spew
original ideas without vetting them to see if they connect to
what has already been written.
If you listen to these voices, you will rely too much on other
people’s words and plagiarize.
“Sure, in 10 years I might have something to contribute, but
right now I’m depending on oth-
ers’ quotes to help me make my case.” As a critical reader, it is
important to use your adept
mind to digest what you read. As a critical thinker, it is
imperative that you formulate your
own thoughts. As a critical writer, it is vital that you craft your
thoughts and use your own
words to explain your perspective.

Again, you need to take control of your metacognition. Let your
Precision say, “If I use and cite
a reputable source, I don’t need to be an expert!” and your
Technical Reasoning assert, “I need
to be authentic and not sell myself as something or someone I
am not.” Let your Sequence
soothe your concerns by saying, “Well, you can look at some
examples and see how others
expressed their thoughts. That will help.” You can advise your
Confluence to use some men-
tal super glue and stick to one original thought, and engage
Technical Reasoning to help you
build on it.
If you’re still unsure of whether you are plagiarizing, use Figure
4.2 to check your work.
Remember:
1. When in doubt, cite your sources.
2. Make time to write your paper so you avoid the temptation to
plagiarize at the last
minute.
3. Take notes as you read and record your sources. This will
make it easier to recognize
when and to whom you need to give credit.
4. Don’t be afraid to take risks in your work and show your
original thinking. As
Nietzsche said, “Think dangerously” (but support your
arguments).
5. Take ownership of your education. When you plagiarize, you
deny yourself the ability
to grow, learn, and develop (Ashford Writing Center, n.d.).

Figure 4.2: Are you plagiarizing?
Use this chart to determine whether you are plagiarizing.
Conclusion
Conclusion
An adept mind fosters success in college and in life. This
chapter has introduced you to
critical-thinking, critical-reading, and critical-writing skills and
has aimed to make you
aware of how your Learning Patterns can either help or hinder
your development of these
skills. Most importantly, you should now know how to develop
these skills. You can draw on
personalized strategies that speak specifically to who you are as
a learner. Using strategies
that address your Patterns can help you direct your mind’s
work, dig below the surface of
assigned readings, and formulate new insights.
As an intentional learner, you need to know how to think
clearly, build your case logically,
and undergird your thoughts using evidence-based sources.
Your employability and career
growth hinge on the degree to which you use these skills. The
jobs of the 21st century are
not so much based on what information you know but on your
ability to think—clearly,

rationally, deeply, accurately, and beyond the boundaries of
current thought. Armed with
your knowledge of how to use your Patterns to develop and
hone these skills, you are pre-
pared for the challenges that await you beyond the classroom.
Discussion Questions
1. Think of a person you admire with whom you would like to
have a conversation.
This person could be an author, a historic figure, someone
famous, or someone from
your area. What are three questions you would ask this person?
How would his or
her answers guide you as a critical thinker? Reader? Writer?
2. Think of a defining decision you have recently made. What
various aspects of critical
thinking did you use to arrive at your principled choice?
3. Think back to your first memories of being able to read.
What were your first
thoughts? Feelings? Actions? What made reading fun for you?
What made it a chore?
How have your Learning Patterns supported or challenged your
reading skills
throughout your life?
Additional Resources
Angelou, M. (2009). Wouldn’t take nothing for my journey
now. New York: Ballantine Books.
Through poetry, anecdotes, and short stories about her life and
observations she made along the way,
Angelou exposes her unique use of critical thinking and critical
writing to convey her message.

Ashford Writing Center. (n.d.). Home page. Retrieved from
https://awc.ashford.edu/index.html
The Ashford Writing Center website contains numerous tips for
grammar and usage, avoiding plagia-
rism, APA style, and more. If you are a current Ashford student,
you can also live chat with a writing
consultant, who can help you brainstorm and answer questions
about writing, or e-mail a draft of your
paper for review.
Feld, A. (2004, July/August). Helping soldiers to write the war.
Poets & Writers. Retrieved from http://www
.pw.org/content/helping_soldiers_write_war?cmnt_all=1
This article explains the work of the National Endowment for
the Arts project Operation Homecoming,
intended to help returning military personnel express their
thoughts and experiences through writing.
Graff, G., Birkenstein, C., & Durst, R. (2015). They say, I say:
The moves that matter in academic writing (3rd ed.).
New York: Norton.
This easy-to-read text offers instructions with examples on
writing. Chapter 14 is particularly helpful
guide to critical reading. The book also offers templates that
could help you with revising your papers.
Conclusion
OnePercentBetter. (2016). How to read a book by Mortimer
Adler: Animated book summary [YouTube video].

Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4p8JkI9lV8
Learn how to read a book in this animated book summary of
How to Read a Book based on the work of
Mortimer Adler.
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2011). The thinker’s guide for students on
how to study & learn a discipline. Tomales, CA:
Foundation for Critical Thinking.
A practical guide to understanding how to develop your critical
thinking, reading, and writing.
Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). Home page. Retrieved from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu
OWL is an excellent and easy-to-understand writing resource.
This up-to-date website can help you
with everything from questions about plagiarism to grammar. It
is easy to use and not text dense.
Key Terms
academic integrity policy A set of moral
and ethical standards set by universities
that students are expected to follow regard-
ing plagiarism, cheating, or general con-
duct, especially in the areas of research and
writing.
critical reading The act of digging deeply
into a text and thoughtfully identifying the
message of the prose, the quality of the
research, and the accuracy of its content.
critical thinking The act of using logic and

reasoning; an ongoing quest to improve
how you think.
critical writing The act of writing your
thoughts, opinions, perspectives, and argu-
ments in a clear and logical way.
defining decisions When a person uses
reason to determine right and wrong things
to do.
plagiarism Using someone else’s language
or ideas without acknowledging the source.
principled choices An individual’s actions
based on beliefs, values, moral standards, or
long-held personal convictions.

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