ARISE ROBY

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

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What are critical thinking skills? “Critical thinking is deciding RATIONALLY what

to or what not to believe.” Stephen Norris It is purposeful and goal directed, increasing

the likelihood of a desired outcome. Critical Thinking involves: 1. problem solving 2. formulating inferences 3. calculating probability 4. making decisions. 5. evaluating the thought process

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Attributes of a critical thinker Asks pertinent questions Assesses statements and arguments Able to admit lack of understanding or

information Interested in finding a solution Listens carefully & gives feedback Looks for proof Able to adjust opinions when new facts are

found Rejects information that is incorrect or

irrelevant Suspends judgment until all the facts are in

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Critical Readers are: Willing to spend time reflecting on the ideas presented Able to evaluate and solve problems while reading Seeks alternative views to a topic Open to new ideas Able to identify arguments and issues Diligent in seeking the truth Eager to express their views on a topic Recognizes faulty logic Able to see connections between topics and use

knowledge from other disciplines to enhance learning experiences.

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Critical reading and commenting

Select and article Why did you choose this article? What is the source of the author’s information? Is it reliable?

Is the information up to date? Does this matter? What is the author’s purpose? What is the tone of the article? Does the author use emotional language? Are statements chiefly fact or opinion? Give examples. Are there weakness in the authors reasoning? Did you point of view change because of what you read? Did the article interest you? Why?

Adapted by Ruth Vilmi from worksheet 2 Newsweek Supplement

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Bloom’s Taxonomy

Level 1 Knowledge -exhibits previously learned material by recalling facts, terms & basic concepts.

Level 2 Comprehension - demonstrating understanding of facts and ideas by organizing, comparing, interpreting and stating main ideas.

Level 3 Application – Solves problems by applying acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different way.

Level 4 Analysis - examining and breaking information into parts by identifying motives or causes; making inferences and finding evidence to support generalizations.

Level 5 Synthesis - compiling information together in a different way, proposing alternative solutions.

Level 6 Evaluation – presenting and defending opinions by making judgments about information, validity of ideas or quality of work based on a set of criteria.