Isabel Deus
11/14/2015
Critical thinking
Introduction
Critical thinking as manifested throughout academic literature as a term, which is seldom, has
clear or comprehensive definition. Most definitions available in various articles and journals
seem to be quite disparate and are narrowly field dependent.
Most definitions are broad and are not always helpful in the sense of defining the concrete
content of critical thinking. For a term, which is crucial to solid thinking and has clear
expression, acceptable and comprehensive give a useful meaning and easy to understand. This
article offers for thought and debate a brief literature review related to critical thinking. This
review will be assembled by combining other sources’ definitions into this article.[ CITATION
Lor15 l 1033 ] Users of this term do not wish utilize possible definition aspect of critical
thinking in their work and anywhere in their conversation but in case of application of broad
definition resource, it can be valuable to scholars.[ CITATION Pau14 l 1033 ]
First and foremost, one of the definitions of critical thinking found in a general psychology text
is defines "Critical thinking“ as an examination of assumption that discerns hidden values,
evaluation of evidences and ascension of conclusion.[ CITATION Fur14 l 1033 ] The definition
do not explain how to examine assumptions, how to discern hidden values and how to assess
those conclusions. While considering conversant listeners, authors and readers experience;
education; social and this political proclivities may accomplish assessing assumptions, hidden
values, and conclusions.[ CITATION Lor15 l 1033 ]
According to Warnick and Inch, communication scholars, they defined critical thinking as an
involving ability to explore a problem, question or situation and integration of all information
that concerns it by arriving to the solution to a certain hypothesis and justifying on a position.
Their definition was found to not mentioning specific ways to explore a problem and do not
provide room for integration of the available information.[ CITATION Fur14 l 1033 ] In this
definition we find that any problem either in business sector or in another field of study, can be
effectively be explored by seeking parsimony. The lesson learnt from their definition is that it is
only through scientific methods that are a good start in arriving of quality solutions or hypothesis
of a problem.[ CITATION Fur14 l 1033 ]
Ken Petress also a, communication scholar and journalist, adds defined critical thinking by
giving the characteristic of a good critical thinker as follows:[ CITATION Ken13 l 1033 ]
i.
ii.
iii.
Being sufficiency – is there inadequate amount of support for claims?
Relevant – is the evidence presented pertinent to the issue at hand?
Reliable – does the support for arguments have a good track record? Does evidence relied
iv.
upon emanate from expert sources?
Consistent – are supporting elements internally and externally consistent with each other
v.
vi.
and with what we know from other experiences, observations, and sources?
Recence – is offered support current rather than being out-of-date?
Be accessible – are supporting materials open for receivers’ verification? Are secret or
anonymous sources avoided?
vii.
Visionary – are supporting materials fair and undistorted? Does support originate from
expert sources?
According to Philosopher Richard Paul and educational psychologists Linda Elder they wrote
extensively on this subject matter and put their definition for critical thinking as a method of
thinking that takes any subject, content or a problem whereby the thinker improve on his / her
quality of his / her thinking capacity by using charge of the structures inherent in thinking and
imposing some intellectual standards.[ CITATION Pau14 l 1033 ]. The two emphasized on
communicating effectively, thinking open-mindedly, gathering relevant information, recognizing,
and assessing as the critical tool for critical thinking. The weakness of Paul and Elder was failing
to specify the type of question to ask or raise.[ CITATION Pau14 l 1033 ].
Two scholars Michael Scriven and Richard Paul, provide definition of critical thinking in their
journals by suggesting that it is a disciplined process, which actively and skillfully conceptualize,
apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information that has been gathered from an observation.
Scriven and Paul noted that critical thinking is a process, which has no end with a methodical,
which is thought out but not random.[ CITATION Pau14 l 1033 ]
.
Diane F. Halpern, educator, defined critical thinking as the use cognitive skills that increase the
chances of having a positive outcome.[ CITATION Dia14 l 1033 ] It describes thinking that is
reasonable and goal oriented. They also stated that critical thinking involves evaluation of the
process of thinking, reasoning in which conclusion is arrived at after consideration of various.
Diane stated that critical thinking is the same as directed thinking as it focusses on the desired
outcome.[ CITATION Dia14 l 1033 ]
Definitions of critical think by almost every scholar or psychologist emphasizes that critical
thinking takes time , skills , energy and dedication that’s why it is known to be frustrating but it
teaches the critical thinkers to remain aware. Communication in critical thinking is a dialogic
event, which requires a certain level of mutual awareness and cooperation among parties
involved in communication.[ CITATION Dav14 l 1033 ]
S. Ferrett, Media educator, defined critical thinking by listing features of a critical thinker as
follows:[ CITATION Fer13 l 1033 ]
Always try to ask pertinent questions in a problem situation.
One who can assess statements and arguments.
Admit a lack of understanding or information.
Should possess a sense of curiosity.
Have interest in finding new solutions.
Define a set of criteria for analyzing ideas.
Should examine beliefs, assumptions, and opinions and weigh them against facts.
One who can listen carefully to others and are able to give feedback.
Do not make judgment until all facts have been gathered and considered.[ CITATION
Fer13 l 1033 ]
Use evidence to support assumptions and beliefs.
Should be able to adjust opinions when new facts are found.
Always look for proof.
Analyze and examine problems closely.
Should reject information that is incorrect or irrelevant.
Be able to see that critical thinking is a lifelong process of self-assessment.[ CITATION
Fer13 l 1033 ]
The Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center stated that critical thinkers should
possess the following: set solutions from a set of facts, make comparative judgment from data,
make analysis of data from accuracy, recognizes and accepts ones limitation or weakness,
analyzes a problem from a set of data and observation, correct discrepancies, they make decision
based on large and small amount of information, some of which may seem to be ambiguous. The
authors suggested that generating new ideas could be done by applying the following; use
imagination feely, combining ideas or information in new ways, making connections between
seemingly unrelated ideas and reshaping goals in ways that revel new possibilities. [ CITATION
Dav14 l 1033 ]
The Center for education development makes some suggestions to conclude that the critical
thinkers should make choices within the structure of a music, they must value practice to
improve their skills, they also need to value cooperation in learning and accept competition as a
healthy activity, lastly thinkers have to realize that the product of one’s success are judged by
other people.[ CITATION Lor15 l 1033 ]
Conclusion
In conclusion, it has been shown that Critical thinking has a variety of definition. The term has
several aspects in terms of its sources and in each discipline, it has a unique feature. This essay
has been designed, to give users a diverse sense of what critical thinking means and stand for in
various field of studies and context in which they are used. This resource, essay will be more
helpful to scholars and will act as a tool to both speakers, listeners, readers and even to authors
and finally this work I have presented will never be intended to be an end point in discussion and
analysis of critical and creative thinking it will keep on rejuvenating and motivating people as
they further in their field of profession.
Works Cited
Elder, Paul and. "The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking." (2014): 1. Document.
Ferrett, S. Peak Performance. Cited in GED 20902:. September 2013. November 2015.
<http://www.ket.org/ged2002/critical/cr3. htm.>.
Furgol, Mary. Teaching History. February 2014. document. 14 November 2015.
<http://www.doit.gmu.edu/>.
Halpern, Diane F. "Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical thinking." 2 July 2014: 12.
Inch, Barbara Warnick and Edward . "Critical Thinking ." (2013): 11. Document.
Johannesen., Richard L. "Ethics in Human Communication." (2013): 55-76.
Lorin W. Anderson, David R. Krathwohl, and Benjamin S. Bloom. "A Taxonomy for Learning Teaching, and
Assessing:." A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: (2015): 23-27.
Myers., David G. "Exploring Psychology, 5th ed.New york." Worth (2014): 11. Document.
Petress., Ken. "What Is Critical Thinking ." University times (2013): 8,9,10.
