The document provides an introduction to critical thinking, defining it as the disciplined process of analyzing and evaluating information to guide beliefs and actions. It outlines characteristics of critical thinkers, the standards for critical thinking, its benefits in academic and daily life, and common barriers that impede effective critical thinking. Additionally, it offers strategies for improving critical thinking skills.

1. Introduction to Critical Thinking
Lecture 1
January - 2020

2. Introduction to critical thinking
Table of content
• What is critical thinking?
• Characteristics of a critical thinking
• Critical thinking standards
• benefits to critical thinking
• barriers of critical thinking
• How to improve critical thinking

3. What is Critical Thinking
Critical thinking:
• Consists of a mental process of analyzing or evaluating
information, particular statement or propositions that people have
offered as true.
Critical thinking:
• Is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully
conceptualizing, applying, synthesizing, and/or evaluating
information gathered from, or generated by, observation,
experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to
belief and action .

4. What is critical thinking
 Critical thinking is general term given to a wide range
of cognitive and intellectual skills needed to :
Effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments.
Discover and overcome personal prejudices and biases
Formulate and present convincing reasons in support of
Conclusions
Make reasonable, intelligent decision about what to
believe and what to do

5. critical thinking standard
the standard of thinking
Bringing together the element of reasoning and
intellectual standards to asses your thinking.
The most significant critical (intellectual)
thinking standards
A collection of criteria that strength your claim
and evidence

6. clarity
relevance
Accuracy
depth
precision
breadth
significant
logicalness

7. THE STANDAR OF CRITICAL THINKING
Clarity –means the quality of being expressed
clearly
Accuracy-the state of being exact or correct the
ability to do something skillfully
Precision-the quality of being exactly, careful
Relevance-how this idea connected to the question
Depth-quality of knowing or understanding a lot of
details about something.
breadth –quality of a wide range (of
knowledge),interests

8. • Logicalness:
When the combined thoughts are mutually
supported and make sense in combination, the
thinking is logical.
• Significance:
When we reason through issues , we want to
concentrate on the most important information
in our reasoning and take into account the
most important ideas or concepts.

9. Characteristic of a critical thinker
If you are this property you are critical person
• Are you open minded about other people’s?
• Are you hones to yourself or others when you are
wrong?
• Do you have the courage and passion to take
initiative and confront problems and meet
challenges?
• Are aware of your own biases and
preconceptions?
• Do you welcome criticism from other people

10. Benefits of critical thinking
• Academic performance
understand the arguments and beliefs of others
critical evaluation those arguments and beliefs
Workplace
Helps us to reflect and get a deeper understanding of our own others’
decision
Encourage open-mindedness to change
aid us in being more analytical in solving problem
daily life
helps us to avoid making foolish personal decisions
capable of making good decisions on important social , political and
economic issues .

11. Barriers to critical thinking
• If critical thinking is so important, why is it that
uncritical thinking is so common?
• Why is that so many people including many highly
educated and intelligent people find critical thinking
so difficult?
Common barriers or pitfalls to critical thinking
1 Egocentrism means self-centered thinking only
self interested thinking
2 Wishful thinking-believing that something is true
because one wishes it were true

12. 3. Misunderstanding means this can arise due to
language or cultural differences, a lack of
awareness of the processes involved or
misunderstanding the critical thinking
4. Lack of detailed knowledge superficial
knowledge (not having read deeply enough
around the subject).

13. 1 Ask basic question sometimes an explanation become that
the original question get lost
2 be aware of your mental processes Human thought is
amazing, but the speed and automation with which it happens
can be a disadvantage when we’re trying to think critically
3 Try Reversing Things A great way to get “unstuck” on a
hard problem is to try reversing things. It may seem obvious
that X causes Y, but what if Y caused X?
Way is of more critically thinking

14. 4 Understand That No One Thinks Critically 100% of
the Time You can’t think critically all the time, and that’s okay.
Critical thinking is a tool that you should deploy when you need
to make important decisions or solve difficult problems,