1. CRITICAL THINKING

2. What is Critical thinking?
“Thinking that is purposeful, reasoned, and goal-directed—the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions.”
Diane Helpern

3. You make the decision
Do not believe everything you see, read, or hear.
Decide for yourself what you are going to believe.

4. Components of critical thinking
PURPOSEFUL
REASONED
GOAL-ORIENTED
SOLVES PROBLEMS
CLEARLY EXPRESSES CONCLUSIONS GATHERED FROM FACTS
DETERMINE REASONABLE POSSIBILITIES
ARRIVE AT REASONABLE, REALISITC CONCLUSIONS AND DECISIONS

5. A THOUGHT…
Events in our lives are driven by the thought processes involved when we make the initial decision.

6. How does Critical thinking help you?
Allows you to focus on issues.
Assists you in gathering relevant, accurate information.
Helps you remember facts.
Aids you in organizing thoughts logically.
Encourages you to analyze questions and problems.
Supports priorities.

7. Do you use critical thinking?
It helps you solve problems AND
It helps you control your emotions.
You are able to make rational judgments.

8. Critical thinkers are…
Attractive socially,
Able to resist manipulation,
Able to overcome confusion,
Able to see connections between subjects and events, and
Able to base judgments on evidence and facts.

9. Critical thinkers are …
Able to acknowledge that truth is not simple.
There are gray, foggy areas.
Henry Ford once said, “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is the probable reason why so few engage in it.”

10. Seven steps to a critical thinking plan
1. Do not let emotions dictate your response to a situation; remain objective.
2. Elevate your thinking to a new level.
3. Analyze the issue; it’s a puzzle with many pieces.
4. Ask questions—there’s no such thing as a dumb question.

11. Seven steps to a critical thinking plan
5. Requires you to address problems AND solve them!
6. Forces you to identify facts from opinions.
7. Requires you to work through arguments and persuasive speaking to find the truth.
Create an acronym for this plan: EEAAAIA!

12. Nine types of tests
Review the handout of the different types of tests.
There are key words you will encounter when taking essay exams. Check out the handout for a definition of what each word means!
Bloom’s Taxonomy (pyramid) takes you through the different levels of thinking. We begin at the bottom and work our way up to the top. Just like Mazlow’s Hierarchy of Needs!