The document discusses the importance of critical thinking skills for college students and in everyday life. It defines critical thinking as the ability to think independently and make well-reasoned decisions. The document advocates asking questions, considering multiple viewpoints, drawing conclusions carefully, and practicing critical thinking both in school and outside of school.

1. Thinking Critically: The Basis
of a College Education

2. Your Turn
In your own words, define liberal
education. Why would a “free” mind be
an asset for you now and in the future?

3. What Is Critical Thinking
and Why Is It Important?
• The ability to think for yourself and to reliably and
responsibly make the decisions that affect your life
• Shoddy thinking can be costly
• People who do not think for themselves tend not to have
much control or possess any real power in business or
society
• Critical thinkers
• Investigate problems
• Ask questions
• Pose new answers
• Discover new information

4. Your Turn
On the basis of the explanation, how
would you rate yourself as a critical
thinker?

5. Becoming a Critical Thinker
• Ask questions
• Engage curiosity and question statements and
assertions
• Consider multiple points of view
• Be fair and open-minded to all ideas
• Draw conclusions
• Examine the outcome of your inquiry in a more
demanding, critical way

6. Your Turn
Think of a problem you had to solve in
the past. How did you do it? How can
you draw on that experience to
improve your ability to solve academic
problems?

7. Your Turn
Imagine that your state has just
approved a license plate design
incorporating a cross and the slogan “I
Believe.” Almost immediately, a
number of organizations begin
protesting that this is a violation of the
First Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution. What kinds of questions
will you ask to get at the truth?

8. How Collaboration Fosters
Critical Thinking
• Having more than one student involved in the
learning process generates a greater number of
ideas
• Can happen not only face to face, but also over
the Internet
• Collaborative weblogs
• Teamwork improves ability to think critically

9. Your Turn
If you have never worked with a study
group, now is the time to try it and
discover how much more learning can
take place in a shorter period of time.
How do you think you could benefit
from joining a study group? What
reasons might you give for not joining
one?

10. Thinking Critically about
Arguments
• Challenge assumptions
• Some assumptions should be examined more
thoughtfully
• Helps to gain better understanding
• Examine the evidence
• Be careful to check that the evidence supporting an
argument is of the highest possible quality
• Beware of logical fallacies
• Make sure that an argument hasn’t been compromised
by faulty reasoning

11. Your Turn
What, if anything, is wrong with making
decisions purely on the basis of your
emotions?

12. Your Turn
Have you ever used any fallacies to
justify a decision? Why was it wrong to
do so? Can you think of other errors of
logic that might push you farther from
the truth?

13. Critical Thinking in College and
Everyday Life
• Practice critical thinking so it can become a
natural part of your life
• Not only in your academic work but also in your
everyday interactions with friends and family
• Use critical thinking to figure things out instead
of depending on how you feel or what you’ve
heard

14. Your Turn
Suppose you’re shopping for a surround-
sound system. One good friend urges you to
buy the top of the line. Another well-meaning
friend steers you to a different brand,
claiming it’s just as good as the more
expensive brand leader. Now all you know is
that two of your good friends have offered
information that might or might not be true.
How do you think critically about which
system to choose?

15. Tech Tip: Research Wisely
• How to evaluate the types of information found
on the Web
• Portals
• News
• Corporate and marketing
• Informational
• Blogs
• Wikis