William Golding on Critical Thinking   Emotional Reaction—Ninety percent of people will respond with a gut-level emotional reaction when asked to think about a situation.

William Golding on Critical Thinking   Emotional Reaction—Ninety percent of people will respond with a gut-level emotional reaction when asked to think about a situation. Critical Reaction—About ten percent will be able to respond to a situation by assessing the problems and shortcomings in a meaningful way.

William Golding on Critical Thinking   Emotional Reaction—Ninety percent of people will respond with a gut-level emotional reaction when asked to think about a situation. Critical Reaction—About ten percent will be able to respond to a situation by assessing the problems and shortcomings in a meaningful way. Creative Reaction—Only a few people can move beyond these levels to see the situation in new and creative ways.

Bloom’s Taxonomy for Critical Thinking   Knowledge—Memorizing of facts (who, what, when, where)

Bloom’s Taxonomy for Critical Thinking   Knowledge—Memorizing of facts (who, what, when, where) Comprehension—Restating the ideas in your own words (paraphrasing the message, identifying important symbols)

Bloom’s Taxonomy for Critical Thinking   Knowledge—Memorizing of facts (who, what, when, where) Comprehension—Restating the ideas in your own words (paraphrasing the message, identifying important symbols) Application—Applying the principles of one case to another and different situation

Bloom’s Taxonomy for Critical Thinking   Knowledge—Memorizing of facts (who, what, when, where) Comprehension—Restating the ideas in your own words (paraphrasing the message, identifying important symbols) Application—Applying the principles of one case to another and different situation Analysis—Identifying the key elements of an event or process (relationships, underlying assumptions, causes, effects)

Bloom’s Taxonomy for Critical Thinking   Knowledge—Memorizing of facts (who, what, when, where) Comprehension—Restating the ideas in your own words (paraphrasing the message, identifying important symbols) Application—Applying the principles of one case to another and different situation Analysis—Identifying the key elements of an event or process (relationships, underlying assumptions, causes, effects) Synthesis—Fitting separate events into a coherent whole, drawing a conclusion (generalizations, larger patterns, other interpretations)

Bloom’s Taxonomy for Critical Thinking   Knowledge—Memorizing of facts (who, what, when, where) Comprehension—Restating the ideas in your own words (paraphrasing the message, identifying important symbols) Application—Applying the principles of one case to another and different situation Analysis—Identifying the key elements of an event or process (relationships, underlying assumptions, causes, effects) Synthesis—Fitting separate events into a coherent whole, drawing a conclusion (generalizations, larger patterns, other interpretations) Evaluation—Determining whether an event is good or bad (assessing according to a certain standard, measuring against the four theories of politics)

Cartoon Analysis   KNOWLEDGE 1. To what event does the cartoon refer? 2. Who are the characters portrayed? COMPREHENSION 3. Explain the message of the cartoon. 4. How does the cartoonist view the main characters? 5. Describe the event to which the cartoon refers. 6. Explain what a major symbol in the cartoon represents.    ANALYSIS 10. What clues reveal the opinion of the cartoonist? Explain. 11. What is the relationship between two important characters or symbols in the cartoon? Explain. 12. What does the cartoonist assume about the way things ought to be? Explain. 13. What is the most powerful element in conveying the message of this cartoon? Explain. SYNTHESIS 14. What interpretation of this event other than that presented in the cartoon could you suggest? Explain. 15. What generalization could be supported by this event? Explain. 16. What conclusion can you draw about this event or this character based on the message of this cartoon? Explain. 17. Of what larger pattern is this event a part? Explain. EVALUATION 18. Do you feel the cartoonist’s interpretation of this event is valid? Why? 19. Do you feel the cartoonist’s portrayal of this character is accurate? Why? 20. Do you agree or disagree with the political position presented in the cartoon? Why? 21. How does this cartoon affect your thinking about this event or this character? Explain.