Critical thinking
Critical thinking is an essential skill for university study. It will bring you benefits such as improved attention and observation, more focused reading, improved ability to interpret and evaluate the intellectual work of others and improved ability to communicate your argument (Cottrell, 2011).
The term ‘critical’ in everyday life is often seen as being negative or obstructive. However, in academic life, it involves not accepting information at face value. A critical thinker uses logical and rational thinking to evaluate previous research, assess its strengths and weaknesses and look for evidence to support arguments being made. Three important principles underpin critical thinking. S[c]epticism means never taking anything for granted. Always question assumptions or conclusions, and consider whether they flow logically from the evidence presented. Do not accept an assertion merely because it is in print or is delivered by a person or authority. Being objective means taking an impartial and disinterested approach, setting aside any emotional reactions or personal views when considering an issue. Objectivity requires that you judge a researcher's arguments or conclusions according to the logic that underlies them and the evidence presented to support them, not on subjective beliefs or assumptions. Be open-minded about what you are examining. Consider all sides of an argument, even if you have personal opinions one way or another. Open-mindedness means never ignoring potential explanations or interpretations, being flexible and willing to accept evidence that might conflict with your own personal experience. (Quoted from Burton, 2017, p. 45) There are three stages in critical analysis: comprehension, analysis and evaluation. Understand what the author is saying. Summarise the author’s argument in your own words. This is the process of breaking down a text into component parts and examining their structure and the relationship between them. Ask yourself: Often writers argue from particular theoretical or political perspectives that are sometimes clear but are hidden at other times. What techniques does the author use to persuade us of their position? Once you have analysed the text using the above strategies, you are now in a better position to judge its quality and validity. You can use the following questions as a checklist to help you make a sound judgement. You should use these techniques to critically analyse your own assignments, as your markers will. (Quoted from Burton, 2017, p. 51) Burton, L. J. (2017). An interactive approach to writing essays and research reports in psychology (4th ed.). Wiley. Cottrell, S. (2011). Critical thinking skills: Developing effective analysis and argument (2nd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.S[c]epticism
Objectivity
Open-mindedness
Stage 1: Comprehension
Stage 2: Analysis
Stage 3: Evaluation