Part 10- Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking

What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is a kind of thinking that involves questioning, analyzing, interpreting, evaluating, and making judgements, about what you read, hear, see, do, or say. Productive critical thinking occurs when reliable judgements are based on reliable information.

Applying critical thinking does not mean being negative or focusing on the faults of the information obtained or presented. It means being able to clarify your thinking so that you can break down a problem or a piece of information and interpret it. That interpretation can be used to arrive at an informed decision or judgement. For example, selecting a strategy that you can use daily to manage stress that is attainable, beneficial to various domains of your health, and works with daily schedule.

People who apply critical thinking consistently are said to have a critical thinking mindset. This mindset is learned and can be improved through practice and consistent application.

To become a better critical thinker it is necessary to learn how to:

1. Clarify your thinking purpose and context

2. Question the source of the information

3. Identify arguments

4. Analyze sources and arguments

5. Evaluate the arguments of others

6. Create your own arguments

Critical thinking skills are interconnected. Using one skill independently is not effective for building a critical thinking mindset. All must play a role.

https://www.monash.edu/learnhq/enhance-your-thinking/critical-thinking/what-is-critical-thinking

The Six Key Steps for Developing a Critical Thinking Mindset

1. Clarify your thinking purpose and the context. We live in a world with an overabundance of information of varying relevance and quality. To be an effective critical thinker, you need to focus on your purpose and context. This helps to avoid an overload of information.

2. Question your sources. Not all sources are credible, relevant, or accurate. As a result, it is important to question your sources in order to select the most appropriate information and to move to further interpretation and analysis. This is especially important with information pertaining to your health and wellness. Following advice provided by an inaccurate or unreliable source can lead to negative health consequences across all domains of health.

3. Identify arguments. When someone is trying to prove or persuade someone to agree with them, an argument is made in an attempt to reinforce their thoughts, ideas, or beliefs. The ability to identify what the actual argument is plays a major role in the critical thinking process.

4. Analyze sources and arguments. This step is an extension of questioning and identifying. Analyzing means to examine something in detail with an attempt to explain or interpret it. For critical thinking you need to be able to examine the sources, arguments, theories and processes, and explain how they work. Thorough analysis also involves examining, interpreting and explaining evidence, reasoning, assumptions, methodologies, claims and arguments.

5. Evaluate the arguments of others. Evaluation should consider and explain the relative strengths and weaknesses of your sources and the arguments presented by them. It is important to be able to evaluate arguments, the claims that support them, the evidence that supports the claims and the reasoning that connects them all.

6. Create your own arguments. Creating arguments involves bringing together evidence, reasoning, and claims and then developing your own claim. This is also called synthesis, which means “putting things together.” When you create arguments, you bring together the insights you gained from your analysis and evaluation. You also consider how your critical thinking might apply in the broader context and to other situations and circumstances. This can bring new perspectives and insights.

Examples of Critical Thinking Skills

Questioning Skills

How do I apply questioning skills?

· I question the relevance and reliability of what I hear, read or see.

· I question the authority and purpose of what I hear, read or see.

How do I apply a questioning mindset?

· I am inquisitive and curious with a desire to learn.

· I seek the truth and question concepts and ideas.

What does good questioning look like in practice?

· A student reads a medical research journal article and decides it is suitable to include in their essay as it was published recently by an expert in that specific field. The article displays in detail the method used to study the topic. The data shared and explained appears to be reliable and valid.

· A person reads a newspaper article editorial claiming that there are no negative health consequences related to consuming alcohol heavily on a regular basis. The person realizes the author is not an expert in the field of health and is only writing the editorial based on their limited personal experience.

· A dietitian advises their patient against the advice the patient has read on the internet stating the significant nutritional benefits of peanut butter cups. The dietitian recognizes that the research was conducted by a candy manufacturer and acknowledges that the information is not reliable due to for-profit motives.

Analytical Skills

How do I apply analytical skills?

· I carefully examine the ideas and information presented or obtained.

· I consider all components of a problem and look at each element in a broad context.

How do I apply an analytical mindset?

· I connect ideas

What does analysis look like in practice?

· A student reads various academic research articles pertaining to the use of marijuana for anxiety and begins to consider the benefits of this type of treatment and also the negative implications of this type of treatment.

· A person reads a news editorial and compares each claim the journalist makes with evidence generated by not-for-profit organizations, which clearly state their agenda to provide accurate data related managing depression with regular physical activity.

Evaluation Skills

How do I apply evaluation skills?

· I recognize flaws and problems in reasoning.

· I look at what is implied in the information I obtain.

How do I apply an evaluation mindset?

· I compare different viewpoints and arguments and point out their strengths and flaws.

What does evaluation look like in practice?

· When listening to a radio commentator’s response about healthcare disparities related to race and ethnicity, a person realizes the commentator criticizes the advocate of the policy and never clearly addresses their argument.

· A health scientist collects data from thousands of young adults in previous studies to prove the hypothesis about a correlation between gun violence and video games. The scientist discovers that the hypothesis was not properly supported by the data in some of the previous studies.

Synthesis Skills

How do I apply synthesis skills?

· I use logic and reason to formulate my conclusions and arguments.

· I use strong evidence that is based on analysis and evaluation, to support my conclusions.

How do I apply a synthesis mindset?

· I consider the broader picture or context and use strong evidence and reason to formulate my conclusions, decisions, judgements and arguments.

What does synthesis look like in practice?

· A student conducts a literature review comparing the arguments for and against the use of roadside testing for driving under the influence of marijuana. They develop the argument that an objective and reliable test is necessary, and logically connect their argument to several recent academic papers and research pertaining to the influence of marijuana use on driving ability.

· A parent chooses to vaccinate their child against COVID-19 after reading about the benefits and risks in a piece written by a well-respected immunologist in an academic journal and after discussing the decision with their child’s pediatrician.

https://www.monash.edu/learnhq/enhance-your-thinking/critical-thinking/what-is-critical-thinking

Review Questions:

1. The D.A.R.E. program was described as an incredibly popular program in schools across the United States despite the fact that research consistently suggests that this program is largely ineffective. How might one explain this discrepancy?

2. Healthcare professionals cite an enormous number of health problems related to obesity, and many people have an understandable desire to attain a healthy weight. There are many diet programs, services, and products on the market to aid those who wish to lose weight. If a close friend was considering purchasing or participating in one of these products, programs, or services, how would you make sure your friend was fully aware of the potential consequences of this decision? What sort of information would you want to review before making such an investment or lifestyle change yourself?^[1]

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