The document outlines the significance of critical thinking, emphasizing the importance of asking the right questions and distinguishing between passive and active engagement with information. It discusses the methods of evaluating arguments, recognizing issues and conclusions, and understanding ambiguity and assumptions within reasoning. Additionally, it differentiates between weak-sense and strong-sense critical thinking while providing a checklist to enhance critical analysis skills.

1. CRITICAL THINKING
The Benefit of Asking the Right Questions
Dr. Sidra Majeed; PT

2. What is critical thinking
1. Awareness of a set of interrelated critical questions
2. Ability to ask and answer critical questions at appropriate times
3. Desire to actively use the critical questions.
• Critical thinking consists of an awareness of a set of interrelated
critical questions, plus the ability and willingness to ask and answer
them at appropriate times.

3. Where does critical thinking help
you?
• Critical thinking helps a person to improve his/her own reading &
writing skills and assists in:
1. React critically to an essay or to evidence presented in a textbook, a
periodical, or on a Web site
2. Judge the quality of a lecture or speech
3. Form an argument
4. Write an essay based on a reading assignment
5. Participate in class.

4. The Sponge and Panning for Gold: Alternative
Thinking Styles
The Sponge
• more information you absorb
about the world
• it is relatively passive, quick and
easy
• Does not require strenuous
mental effort
• Does not provide any method to
judge between different
opinions
• User becomes mental puppet
Panning for Gold
• Decides between what to absorb
and what to ignore
• a question asking attitude
• requires active participation
• stresses active interaction with
knowledge

5. Cont…
• User memorizes the reasoning. • User analyze the reasoning.

6. MENTAL CHECK: Am I Panning for Gold
 Did I ask "why" someone wants me to believe something?
 Did I take notes as I thought about potential problems with what was
being said?
 Did I evaluate what was being said?
 Did I form my own conclusion about the topic?

7. Which approach do you people
use??????

8. The Myth of the "Right Answer"
• Questions about physical world are easy to answer
• Questions about human behaviors are probabilistic and
difficult to answer
• Depending upon the situation, appropriate questions must
be asked
• Where necessary detailed description must be added

9. Thinking and Feeling
• Emotional attachments must be given less importance while
reading, listening or answering a question
• All the statements must be accepted or rejected after proper
reasoning
• Best conclusion is only made when “Thinking ” is given priority
over “ Feelings”
• Critical thinkers, are not machines
• Critical thinker’s ideas are always open to revision.
• “Who cares” …………Before choosing a question to think about,
what will be the benefit of thinking about this

10. Weak-Sense and Strong-Sense
Critical Thinking
• Weak-sense critical thinking is the use of critical thinking to
defend your current beliefs
• Strong-sense critical thinking is the use of the same skills to
evaluate all claims and beliefs, especially your own.
• All the time get ready to ask critical question from different
perspectives
• Critical thinking improves your way of communication

11. Question Checklist for Critical Thinking
1. What are the issue and the conclusion?
2. What are the reasons?
3. Which words or phrases are ambiguous?
4. What are the value conflicts and assumptions?
5. What are the descriptive assumptions?
6. Are there any fallacies in the reasoning?
7. How good is the evidence?
8. Are there rival causes?
9. Are the statistics deceptive?
10. What significant information is omitted?
1 1. What reasonable conclusions are possible?

12. WHAT ARE THE ISSUE AND THE
CONCLUSION?
• An issue is a question or controversy responsible for the conversation
or discussion
• It is the stimulus for what is being said
• Two main types of issues:
1. Descriptive issues:
• Descriptive issues are those that raise questions about the accuracy of
descriptions of the past, present, or future.
2. Perspective issues:
• Prescriptive issues are those that raise questions about what we
should do or what is right or wrong, good or bad.

13. • Background information about the author and his opinion must be
checked
• While finding an issue, do admit that there can be more than one
issue in the statement
• Find the conclusion of the author and of your own in order to
identify any issue
• A conclusion is the message that the speaker or writer wishes you
to accept

14. Con…
Conclusions which are not supported by appropriate ideas are
considered “mere opinions”

15. Clues to Discovery: How to Find the
Conclusion
CLUE NO. 1: Ask what the issue is:
It can be found in:
• Title
• Opening paragraphs
• Otherwise skim several pages of the document.
Clue No. 2: Look for indicator words
• The conclusion will frequently be preceded by indicator words that
announce a conclusion is coming.
• e.g. consequently, suggests that, hence, therefore, points to the
conclusion that,
• Thus, the point I'm trying to make is.

16. Clue No. 3: Look in likely locations:
• In the beginning
• At the end
Clue No. 4: Remember what a conclusion is not:
Conclusions will not be any of the following:
• examples
• statistics
• definitions
• background information
• evidence

17. Clue No. 5: Check the context of the communication and the
author's background:
• background of authors can be especially valuable clues when
the conclusion is not explicit
Clue No. 6: Ask the question, "and therefore?”:

18. WHAT ARE THE REASONS?

19. • Reasons provide answers for our human curiosity about why
someone makes a particular decision or holds a particular opinion.
• Reasons are beliefs, evidence, analogies, and other statements
offered to support or justify conclusions
• A solid reason must be given to defend one’s conclusion
• You cannot determine the worth of a conclusion until you identify the
reasons.
• Reasons + Conclusion = Argument :
• Several reasons for one conclusion
• Or only one reason can be enough to defend one conclusion

20. Characteristics of an argument
• They call for a reaction, either by “sponge” or “panning for
gold” approach
• Quality must be assessed….. Critical thinking is required to
determine the extent of quality in an argument
• Two essential visible components—a conclusion and
reasons

21. • Initiating the Questioning Process :
• Start with the “Why” question
• Words That Identify Reasons :
a)as a result of d)for the reason that
b)because of the fact that e)in view of
c)is supported by f)because the evidence is
• Conclusions satisfied by appropriate reasons becomes evidence

22. Clues for Identifying and Organizing the Reasoning of a
Passage
1. Circle indicator words.
2. Underline the reasons and conclusion in different
colors of ink, or highlight the conclusion and underline
the reasons.
3. Label the reasons and conclusion in the margin.
4. After reading long passages, make a list of reasons at
the end of the essay.
• Fresh reasons always keep your knowledge up to
date
• Clearly define your conclusion & reasons

23. WHAT WORDS OR PHRASES ARE
AMBIGUOUS?
• Ambiguity refers to the existence of multiple possible meanings
for a word or phrase.
• We often misunderstand what we read or hear because we
presume that the meaning of words is obvious.
• A term or phrase is ambiguous when its meaning is so uncertain
that we need further explanations for that particular term.
• So, look for them in the reasons and conclusion

24. Summary of Clues for Locating Key
Terms
1. Review the issue for possible key terms.
2. Look for crucial words or phrases within the reasons and
conclusion.
3. Keep an eye out for abstract words(unclear &unexplained) and
phrases.
4. Use reverse role-playing to determine how someone might define
certain words and phrases differently(Place yourself at a position
opposite to that of the author)

25. Checking for Ambiguity :
Replace the word with an alternative word and read
again…..to check if there is another meaning for that
sentence.
Context and Ambiguity :
Try to understand the context of the author in which he has
talked about.
Ambiguity, Definitions, and the Dictionary:
Meanings usually come in one of three forms:
• synonyms
• examples
• definition by specific criteria

26. • Ambiguity and Loaded Language:
• Be vigilant towards the use of emotional words
used by the author.

27. Ambiguous Political Language
Term
• Extreme
• Reform
Emotional Impact
• Undesirable, unreasonable
• Desirable changes

28. WHAT ARE THE VALUE CONFLICTS AND
ASSUMPTIONS?
• An assumption is an unstated belief that supports the
explicit reasoning.
• Assumptions are:
• 1. hidden or unstated (in most cases)
• 2. taken for granted
• 3. influential in determining the conclusion
• 4. potentially deceptive.
• Can be found in “reason” and “conclusion” portion

29. • Values are the unstated ideas that people see as worthwhile.
They provide standards of conduct by which we measure the
quality of human behavior.
• Common Values
• generosity
• harmony
• Honesty
• justice
• novelty
• order
• peace
• rationality