What is critical thinking for college students?

What is critical thinking? Why is it important? How can you use it to make better decisions.?

Critical thinking refers to a detailed analysis of a problem before making a decision. It involves the gathering of data, assessment and evaluation. Critical thinking is essential in personal and business activities.

Critical thinking leads to innovation by “thinking outside the box”. According to Epstein, a critical thinker increases their work productivity, gets promoted often, has higher job opportunities and is happier. Happiness comes from the success of the choices made. Critical thinking helps a manager makes sound decisions on investment, the combination of skills and technology, job division and production process.

Critical thinking is an important component in making good decisions. The four aspects of critical thinking are Logic, truth, concept and alternatives. Logic evaluates the potential effect solutions on individuals and systems. Truth, the decision made is based on facts and not on intuition. Context assesses the effects of an action on the affected external elements. Alternatives, every solution needs to have options in case conditions change. The four factors result in sound decisions.

Enabling students to think deeply about the process of reasoning is necessary to find the most effective approach to solving problems. Someone with critical thinking skills will be able to understand the logical connections between ideas.

In essence, critical thinking requires you to use your ability to reason. It is about being an active learner rather than a passive recipient of information.

Critical thinkers rigorously question ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face value. They will always seek to determine whether the ideas, arguments and findings represent the entire picture and are open to finding that they do not. Critical thinkers will identify, analyse and solve problems systematically rather than by intuition or instinct.

Someone with critical thinking skills can:

·        Understand the links between ideas.

·        Determine the importance and relevance of arguments and ideas.

·        Recognise, build and appraise arguments.

·        Identify inconsistencies and errors in reasoning.

·        Approach problems in a consistent and systematic way.

·        Reflect on the justification of their own assumptions, beliefs and values.

Critical Thinking is:
A way of thinking about particular things at a particular time; it is not the accumulation of facts and knowledge or something that you can learn once and then use in that form forever, such as the nine times table you learn and use in school.

The Critical Thinking Process

You should be aware that none of us think critically all the time. Sometimes we think in almost any way but critically, for example when our self-control is affected by anger, grief or joy or when we are feeling just plain ‘bloody minded’. Once you understand the theory of critical thinking, improving your critical thinking skills takes persistence and practice.

Try this simple exercise to help you to start thinking critically.

Think of something that someone has recently told you. Then ask yourself the following questions:

Who said it?

Someone you know? Someone in a position of authority or power? Does it matter who told you this?

What did they say?

Did they give facts or opinions? Did they provide all the facts? Did they leave anything out?

Where did they say it?

Was it in public or in private? Did other people have a chance to respond an provide an alternative account?

When did they say it?

Was it before, during or after an important event? Is timing important?

Why did they say it?

Did they explain the reasoning behind their opinion? Were they trying to make someone look good or bad?

How did they say it?

Were they happy or sad, angry or indifferent? Did they write it or say it? Could you understand what was said?

What are you Aiming to Achieve?

One of the most important aspects of critical thinking is to decide what you are aiming to achieve and then make a decision based on a range of possibilities.

The Benefit of Foresight

Perhaps the most important element of thinking critically is foresight.
Almost all decisions we make and implement don’t prove disastrous if we find reasons to abandon them. However, our decision making will be infinitely better and more likely to lead to success if, when we reach a tentative conclusion, we pause and consider the impact on the people and activities around us.
For instance, moving a business activity to a new location may improve potential output considerably but it may also lead to the loss of skilled workers if the distance moved is too great. Which of these is the more important consideration? Is there some way of lessening the conflict?