What is critical thinking (a definition).
How to think critically.
Video: 5 tips to improve your critical thinking.
Don't forget to grab our free ebook to learn how to grow your wellness business exponentially.
Learn what critical thinking skills are, why they’re important, and how to develop and apply them in your workplace and everyday life.
We often use critical thinking skills without even realizing it. When you make a decision, such as which cereal to eat for breakfast, you're using critical thinking to determine the best option for you that day.
Critical thinking is like a muscle that can be exercised and built over time. It is a skill that can help propel your career to new heights. You'll be able to solve workplace issues, use trial and error to troubleshoot ideas, and more.
We'll take you through what it is and some examples so you can begin your journey in mastering this skill.
Critical thinking is the ability to interpret, evaluate, and analyze facts and information that are available, to form a judgment or decide if something is right or wrong.
More than just being curious about the world around you, critical thinkers make connections between logical ideas to see the bigger picture. Building your critical thinking skills means being able to advocate your ideas and opinions, present them in a logical fashion, and make decisions for improvement.
Critical thinking is useful in many areas of your life, including your career. It makes you a well-rounded individual, one who has looked at all of their options and possible solutions before making a choice.
According to the University of the People in California, having critical thinking skills is important because they are [ 1 ]:
Crucial for the economy
Essential for improving language and presentation skills
Very helpful in promoting creativity
Important for self-reflection
The basis of science and democracy
Critical thinking skills are used every day in a myriad of ways and can be applied to situations such as a CEO approaching a group project or a nurse deciding in which order to treat their patients.
Critical thinking skills differ from individual to individual and are utilized in various ways. Examples of common critical thinking skills include:
Identification of biases: Identifying biases means knowing there are certain people or things that may have an unfair prejudice or influence on the situation at hand. Pointing out these biases helps to remove them from contention when it comes to solving the problem and allows you to see things from a different perspective.
Research: Researching details and facts allows you to be prepared when presenting your information to people. You’ll know exactly what you’re talking about due to the time you’ve spent with the subject material, and you’ll be well-spoken and know what questions to ask to gain more knowledge. When researching, always use credible sources and factual information.
Open-mindedness: Being open-minded when having a conversation or participating in a group activity is crucial to success. Dismissing someone else’s ideas before you’ve heard them will inhibit you from progressing to a solution, and will often create animosity. If you truly want to solve a problem, you need to be willing to hear everyone’s opinions and ideas if you want them to hear yours.
Analysis: Analyzing your research will lead to you having a better understanding of the things you’ve heard and read. As a true critical thinker, you’ll want to seek out the truth and get to the source of issues. It’s important to avoid taking things at face value and always dig deeper.
Problem-solving: Problem-solving is perhaps the most important skill that critical thinkers can possess. The ability to solve issues and bounce back from conflict is what helps you succeed, be a leader, and effect change. One way to properly solve problems is to first recognize there’s a problem that needs solving. By determining the issue at hand, you can then analyze it and come up with several potential solutions.
You can develop critical thinking skills every day if you approach problems in a logical manner. Here are a few ways you can start your path to improvement:
Be inquisitive about everything. Maintain a neutral perspective and develop a natural curiosity, so you can ask questions that develop your understanding of the situation or task at hand. The more details, facts, and information you have, the better informed you are to make decisions.
Utilize active listening techniques, which are founded in empathy, to really listen to what the other person is saying. Critical thinking, in part, is the cognitive process of reading the situation: the words coming out of their mouth, their body language, their reactions to your own words. Then, you might paraphrase to clarify what they're saying, so both of you agree you're on the same page.
This is perhaps a more abstract task that requires practice and long-term development. However, think of a schoolteacher assessing the classroom to determine how to energize the lesson. There's options such as playing a game, watching a video, or challenging the students with a reward system. Using logic, you might decide that the reward system will take up too much time and is not an immediate fix. A video is not exactly relevant at this time. So, the teacher decides to play a simple word association game.
Scenarios like this happen every day, so next time, you can be more aware of what will work and what won't. Over time, developing your logic and reasoning will strengthen your critical thinking skills.
Learn tips and tricks on how to become a better critical thinker and problem solver through online courses from notable educational institutions on Coursera. Start with Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking from Duke University or Mindware: Critical Thinking for the Information Age from the University of Michigan.
University of the People, “ Why is Critical Thinking Important?: A Survival Guide , https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/why-is-critical-thinking-important/.” Accessed May 18, 2023.
Coursera staff.
Editorial Team
Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...
This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.
Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms
gawrav/Getty Images
Critical thinking is the process of independently analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information as a guide to behavior and beliefs.
The American Philosophical Association has defined critical thinking as "the process of purposeful, self-regulatory judgment. The process gives reasoned consideration to evidence , contexts , conceptualizations, methods, and criteria" (1990). Critical thinking is sometimes broadly defined as "thinking about thinking."
Critical thinking skills include the ability to interpret, verify, and reason, all of which involve applying the principles of logic . The process of using critical thinking to guide writing is called critical writing .
Ad Misericordiam
Appeal to Authority
Appeal to Force
Appeal to Humor
Appeal to Ignorance
Appeal to the People
Begging the Question
Circular Argument
Complex Question
Contradictory Premises
Dicto Simpliciter , Equivocation
False Analogy
False Dilemma
Gambler's Fallacy
Hasty Generalization
Name-Calling
Non Sequitur
Poisoning the Well
Red Herring
Slippery Slope
Stacking the Deck
by Kaelyn Barron
Critical thinking skills allow us to process and understand information, then draw our own conclusions based on the available facts. That might seem like a pretty simple task, but in this Information Age often characterized by misinformation, it can be very hard to tell fact from fiction,
Critical thinking can help you determine which facts you should consider in an argument, how to do effective research, and much more—but you first need to identify key critical thinking skills and learn how to develop them.
Critical thinking is the ability to find, understand, and build connections between different ideas. It requires an ability to reason, and also question the information you consume, rather than just passively listen and absorb it.
In other words, critical thinking requires a deeper analysis than just surface-level comprehension. In addition to understanding “what,” “when,” or “where,” you should seek to understand the “how” or “why” behind an idea.
Ideally, this type of thinking is done objectively, meaning you’re able to draw your own conclusions without being influenced by your biases or the opinions of others. You don’t just accept as fact the first thing anyone tells you.
There are several key critical thinking skills that can make you a more informed decision-maker and a better analyst. Let’s look at each skill below, along with tips that can help you build and improve those skills:
The first step to critical thinking is to observe and identify key details. Learn to observe situations and identify problems yourself, so you don’t have to rely on others describing the problem for you.
By being more observational, you can also learn to predict future problems, since you’ll have a better understanding of the situations that lead to them. interrogative
Being able to conduct your own research is a very important skill, especially when it comes to comparing two sides of an argument.
Start by understanding that arguments are meant to be persuasive . You probably remember being taught to back up your claims with facts when writing your persuasive essays in school; but which facts did you use? All the facts, or the facts that supported your argument?
Don’t assume that the facts presented in an argument paint the full picture (or that they’re even facts at all). Learn how to conduct your own research and identify the most relevant facts so you can form your own opinions about an issue.
It’s definitely not easy to identify biases, but the first step is to be aware that they exist, and that everyone has them. In fact, the hardest biases to identify are usually your own!
So since everyone has biases, identifying their presence is just the first step; you have to also ask yourself how those biases affect the way the information is being presented.
Challenge yourself to examine the evidence on both sides of the argument. Try to look objectively at your side, and ask yourself if the evidence really holds up. Are you looking at all of the evidence, or just the points that support your claims?
Also challenge yourself to consider the other side’s points, as objectively as you can. Remember the “counter-argument” paragraph your teachers had you write for persuasive essays? That was an early practice in critical thinking!
Looking at things from a different perspective will help you think critically, but it can also help you develop a stronger argument of your own if you’re able to address those counter-points.
When looking at the information presented to you, assessing the relevance of each point is also important.
A piece of information might be true and accurate, but that doesn’t mean it’s relevant to the argument or case in question.
However, irrelevant details aren’t always obvious. In many cases, they’re craftily snuck into an argument to make it look like there is a lot of supporting evidence, when really the support that’s provided isn’t relevant to the main question. (You’ll see this trick used a lot during political debates!)
To get better at determining relevance, you should start with a clear idea of what you need to figure out and what your end goal looks like. Do you hope to arrive at a yes or no answer? Are you looking to see if there’s a trend or correlation?
Staying focused on a clear goal will help you weed out details that are not important to your evaluation, so you can focus on the ones that actually matter.
Communication is an important skill for critical thinking because you need to be able to put your thoughts into words and find the information you need.
Also, you might not be doing your critical thinking alone, but in collaboration with others, which means you must be able to effectively describe often complex ideas and problems, and work out solutions together.
As we get older, that curiosity with which he asked so many questions as young children tends to diminish. We become embarrassed about asking questions for fear of looking silly or dumb, and we don’t want to risk offending others with questions.
But curiosity is a big part of critical thinking, because those questions can lead to important insights about the facts being presented.
Wondering what critical thinking looks like in practice? Here are some examples of critical thinking in action at work and in one’s personal life.
The following questions can be helpful for practicing your critical thinking skills and looking at things more analytically.
Critical thinking is important because it allows you to make your own decisions, without relying on others to interpret information for you.
This, in turn, will guide you to better and more thoughtful decisions that will lead to results you choose, not ones that someone else wants.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
| » » » , updated on is thinking that questions itself. That is to say, it's a process of thinking that self-corrects errors using evidence and systematic elimination of biases, unstated assumptions and invalid reasoning. The following are common examples of critical thinking. | ||
Open-mindedness, socialization, emotion & culture, abstraction, thought experiment, formal methods, design thinking, systems thinking, first principles.
Overview: Critical Thinking Examples | ||
» » » » » » |
» |
Imagination, visual thinking, abstract concept, rational thought, benefit of doubt, intrapersonal, logical argument, rational choice theory, reflective thinking, new articles.
Critical thinking is, well, critical. By building these skills, you improve your ability to analyze information and come to the best decision possible. In this article, we cover the basics of critical thinking, as well as the seven steps you can use to implement the full critical thinking process.
Critical thinking comes from asking the right questions to come to the best conclusion possible. Strong critical thinkers analyze information from a variety of viewpoints in order to identify the best course of action.
Don’t worry if you don’t think you have strong critical thinking abilities. In this article, we’ll help you build a foundation for critical thinking so you can absorb, analyze, and make informed decisions.
Critical thinking is the ability to collect and analyze information to come to a conclusion. Being able to think critically is important in virtually every industry and applicable across a wide range of positions. That’s because critical thinking isn’t subject-specific—rather, it’s your ability to parse through information, data, statistics, and other details in order to identify a satisfactory solution.
Various scholars have provided definitions of critical thinking, each emphasizing different aspects of this complex cognitive process:
Michael Scriven , an American philosopher, defines critical thinking as "the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication as a guide to belief and action."
Robert Ennis , professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, describes critical thinking as "reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do."
Diane Halpern , a cognitive psychologist and former president of the American Psychological Association, defines it as "the use of cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome."
In this ebook, learn how to equip employees to make better decisions—so your business can pivot, adapt, and tackle challenges more effectively than your competition.
Critical thinking is essential for success in everyday life, higher education, and professional settings. The handbook "Foundation for Critical Thinking" defines it as a process of conceptualization, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of information.
In no particular order, here are eight key critical thinking abilities that can help you excel in any situation:
Analytical thinking involves evaluating data from multiple sources in order to come to the best conclusions. Analytical thinking allows people to reject cognitive biases and strive to gather and analyze intricate subject matter while solving complex problems. Analytical thinkers who thrive at critical thinking can:
Identify patterns and trends in the data
Break down complex issues into manageable components
Recognize cause-and-effect relationships
Evaluate the strength of arguments and evidence
Example: A data analyst breaks down complex sales figures to identify trends and patterns that inform the company's marketing strategy.
Open-mindedness is the willingness to consider new ideas, arguments, and information without prejudice. This critical thinking skill helps you analyze and process information to come to an unbiased conclusion. Part of the critical thinking process is letting your personal biases go, taking information at face value and coming to a conclusion based on multiple points of view .
Open-minded critical thinkers demonstrate:
Willingness to consider alternative viewpoints
Ability to suspend judgment until sufficient evidence is gathered
Receptiveness to constructive criticism and feedback
Flexibility in updating beliefs based on new information
Example: During a product development meeting, a team leader actively considers unconventional ideas from junior members, leading to an innovative solution.
Effective problem solving is a cornerstone of critical thinking. It requires the ability to identify issues, generate possible solutions, evaluate alternatives, and implement the best course of action. This critical thinking skill is particularly valuable in fields like project management and entrepreneurship.
Key aspects of problem-solving include:
Clearly defining the problem
Gathering relevant information
Brainstorming potential solutions
Evaluating the pros and cons of each option
Implementing and monitoring the chosen solution
Reflecting on the outcome and adjusting as necessary
Example: A high school principal uses problem-solving skills to address declining student engagement by surveying learners, consulting with higher education experts, and implementing a new curriculum that balances academic rigor with practical, real-world applications.
Reasoned judgment is a key component of higher order thinking that involves making thoughtful decisions based on logical analysis of evidence and thorough consideration of alternatives. This critical thinking skill is important in both academic and professional settings. Key aspects reasoned judgment include:
Objectively gathering and analyzing information
Evaluating the credibility and relevance of evidence
Considering multiple perspectives before drawing conclusions
Making decisions based on logical inference and sound reasoning
Example: A high school science teacher uses reasoned judgment to design an experiment, carefully observing and analyzing results before drawing conclusions about the hypothesis.
Reflective thinking is the process of analyzing one's own thought processes, actions, and outcomes to gain deeper understanding and improve future performance. Good critical thinking requires analyzing and synthesizing information to form a coherent understanding of a problem. It's an essential critical thinking skill for continuous learning and improvement.
Key aspects of reflective thinking include:
Critically examining one's own assumptions and cognitive biases
Considering diverse viewpoints and perspectives
Synthesizing information from various experiences and sources
Applying insights to improve future decision-making and actions
Continuously evaluating and adjusting one's thinking processes
Example: A community organizer reflects on the outcomes of a recent public event, considering what worked well and what could be improved for future initiatives.
Strong communication skills help critical thinkers articulate ideas clearly and persuasively. Communication in the workplace is crucial for effective teamwork, leadership, and knowledge dissemination. Key aspects of communication in critical thinking include:
Clearly expressing complex ideas
Active listening and comprehension
Adapting communication styles to different audiences
Constructing and delivering persuasive arguments
Example: A manager effectively explains a new company policy to her team, addressing their concerns and ensuring everyone understands its implications.
Critical thinkers with strong research skills gather, evaluate, and synthesize information from various sources of information. This is particularly important in academic settings and in professional fields that require continuous learning. Effective research involves:
Identifying reliable and relevant sources of information
Evaluating the credibility and bias of sources
Synthesizing information from multiple sources
Recognizing gaps in existing knowledge
Example: A journalist verifies information from multiple credible sources before publishing an article on a controversial topic.
Effective decision making is the culmination of various critical thinking skills that allow an individual to draw logical conclusions and generalizations. It involves weighing options, considering consequences, and choosing the best course of action. Key aspects of decision-making include:
Defining clear criteria for evaluation
Gathering and analyzing relevant information
Considering short-term and long-term consequences
Managing uncertainty and risk
Balancing logic and intuition
Example: A homeowner weighs the costs, benefits, and long-term implications before deciding to invest in solar panels for their house.
Critical thinking is a skill that you can build by following these seven steps. The seven steps to critical thinking help you ensure you’re approaching a problem from the right angle, considering every alternative, and coming to an unbiased conclusion.
There’s a lot that goes into the full critical thinking process, and not every decision needs to be this thought out. Sometimes, it’s enough to put aside bias and approach a process logically. In other, more complex cases, the best way to identify the ideal outcome is to go through the entire critical thinking process.
The seven-step critical thinking process is useful for complex decisions in areas you are less familiar with. Alternatively, the seven critical thinking steps can help you look at a problem you’re familiar with from a different angle, without any bias.
If you need to make a less complex decision, consider another problem solving strategy instead. Decision matrices are a great way to identify the best option between different choices. Check out our article on 7 steps to creating a decision matrix .
Before you put those critical thinking skills to work, you first need to identify the problem you’re solving. This step includes taking a look at the problem from a few different perspectives and asking questions like:
What’s happening?
Why is this happening?
What assumptions am I making?
At first glance, how do I think we can solve this problem?
A big part of developing your critical thinking skills is learning how to come to unbiased conclusions. In order to do that, you first need to acknowledge the biases that you currently have. Does someone on your team think they know the answer? Are you making assumptions that aren’t necessarily true? Identifying these details helps you later on in the process.
At this point, you likely have a general idea of the problem—but in order to come up with the best solution, you need to dig deeper.
During the research process, collect information relating to the problem, including data, statistics, historical project information, team input, and more. Make sure you gather information from a variety of sources, especially if those sources go against your personal ideas about what the problem is or how to solve it.
Gathering varied information is essential for your ability to apply the critical thinking process. If you don’t get enough information, your ability to make a final decision will be skewed. Remember that critical thinking is about helping you identify the objective best conclusion. You aren’t going with your gut—you’re doing research to find the best option
Just as it’s important to gather a variety of information, it is also important to determine how relevant the different information sources are. After all, just because there is data doesn’t mean it’s relevant.
Once you’ve gathered all of the information, sift through the noise and identify what information is relevant and what information isn’t. Synthesizing all of this information and establishing significance helps you weigh different data sources and come to the best conclusion later on in the critical thinking process.
To determine data relevance, ask yourself:
How reliable is this information?
How significant is this information?
Is this information outdated? Is it specialized in a specific field?
One of the most useful parts of the critical thinking process is coming to a decision without bias. In order to do so, you need to take a step back from the process and challenge the assumptions you’re making.
We all have bias—and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Unconscious biases (also known as cognitive biases) often serve as mental shortcuts to simplify problem solving and aid decision making. But even when biases aren’t inherently bad, you must be aware of your biases in order to put them aside when necessary.
Before coming to a solution, ask yourself:
Am I making any assumptions about this information?
Are there additional variables I haven’t considered?
Have I evaluated the information from every perspective?
Are there any viewpoints I missed?
Finally, you’re ready to come to a conclusion. To identify the best solution, draw connections between causes and effects. Use the facts you’ve gathered to evaluate the most objective conclusion.
Keep in mind that there may be more than one solution. Often, the problems you’re facing are complex and intricate. The critical thinking process doesn’t necessarily lead to a cut-and-dry solution—instead, the process helps you understand the different variables at play so you can make an informed decision.
Communication is a key skill for critical thinkers. It isn’t enough to think for yourself—you also need to share your conclusion with other project stakeholders. If there are multiple solutions, present them all. There may be a case where you implement one solution, then test to see if it works before implementing another solution.
This process of communicating and sharing ideas is key in promoting critical thinking within a team or organization. By encouraging open dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, you create an environment that fosters the development of critical thinking skills in others.
The seven-step critical thinking process yields a result—and you then need to put that solution into place. After you’ve implemented your decision, evaluate whether or not it was effective. Did it solve the initial problem? What lessons—whether positive or negative—can you learn from this experience to improve your critical thinking for next time?
By engaging in this metacognitive reflective thinking process, you're essentially teaching critical thinking to yourself, refining your methodology with each iteration. This reflective practice is fundamental in developing a more robust and adaptable approach to problem-solving.
Depending on how your team shares information, consider documenting lessons learned in a central source of truth. That way, team members that are making similar or related decisions in the future can understand why you made the decision you made and what the outcome was.
Imagine you work in user experience design (UX). Your team is focused on pricing and packaging and ensuring customers have a clear understanding of the different services your company offers. Here’s how to apply the critical thinking process in the workplace in seven steps:
Your current pricing page isn’t performing as well as you want. You’ve heard from customers that your services aren’t clear, and that the page doesn’t answer the questions they have. This page is really important for your company, since it’s where your customers sign up for your service. You and your team have a few theories about why your current page isn’t performing well, but you decide to apply the critical thinking process to ensure you come to the best decision for the page.
Part of identifying the problem includes understanding how the problem started. The pricing and packaging page is important—so when your team initially designed the page, they certainly put a lot of thought into it. Before you begin researching how to improve the page, ask yourself:
Why did you design the pricing page the way you did?
Which stakeholders need to be involved in the decision making process?
Where are users getting stuck on the page?
Are any features currently working?
In addition to understanding the history of the pricing and packaging page, it’s important to understand what works well. Part of this research means taking a look at what your competitor’s pricing pages look like.
Ask yourself:
How have our competitors set up their pricing pages?
Are there any pricing page best practices?
How does color, positioning, and animation impact navigation?
Are there any standard page layouts customers expect to see?
You’ve gathered all of the information you need—now you need to organize and analyze it. What trends, if any, are you noticing? Is there any particularly relevant or important information that you have to consider?
In the case of critical thinking, it’s important to address and set bias aside as much as possible. Ask yourself:
Is there anything I’m missing?
Have I connected with the right stakeholders?
Are there any other viewpoints I should consider?
You now have all of the information you need to design the best pricing page. Depending on the complexity of the design, you may want to design a few options to present to a small group of customers or A/B test on the live website.
Critical thinking can help you in every element of your life, but in the workplace, you must also involve key project stakeholders . Stakeholders help you determine next steps, like whether you’ll A/B test the page first. Depending on the complexity of the issue, consider hosting a meeting or sharing a status report to get everyone on the same page.
No process is complete without evaluating the results. Once the new page has been live for some time, evaluate whether it did better than the previous page. What worked? What didn’t? This also helps you make better critical decisions later on.
As the importance of critical thinking continues to grow in academic and professional settings, numerous tools and resources have been developed to help individuals enhance their critical thinking skills. Here are some notable contributions from experts and institutions in the field:
Mind mapping is a visual technique that helps organize and structure information. It's particularly useful for synthesizing complex ideas and identifying connections between different concepts. The benefits of mind mapping include:
Enhancing creativity by encouraging non-linear thinking
Improving memory and retention of information
Facilitating brainstorming and idea generation
Providing a clear overview of complex topics
To create a mind map:
Start with a central idea or concept.
Branch out with related sub topics or ideas.
Use colors, symbols, and images to enhance visual appeal and memorability.
Draw connections between related ideas across different branches.
Mind mapping can be particularly effective in project planning , content creation, and studying complex subjects.
The Socratic Method, named after the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, involves asking probing questions to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas. This technique is widely used in higher education to teach critical thinking. Key aspects of the Socratic Method include:
Asking open-ended questions that encourage deeper reflection
Challenging assumptions and preconceived notions
Exploring the implications and consequences of ideas
Fostering intellectual curiosity and continuous inquiry
The Socratic Method can be applied in various settings:
In education, to encourage students to think deeply about subject matter
In business, it is important to challenge team members to consider multiple points of view.
In personal development, to examine one's own beliefs and decisions
Example: A high school teacher might use the Socratic Method to guide students through a complex ethical dilemma, asking questions like "What principles are at stake here?" and "How might this decision affect different stakeholders?"
SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis is a strategic planning tool that can be applied to critical thinking. It helps in evaluating situations from multiple angles, promoting a more thorough understanding of complex issues. The components of SWOT analysis are:
Strengths: internal positive attributes or assets
Weaknesses: internal negative attributes or limitations
Opportunities: External factors that could be beneficial
Threats: External factors that could be harmful
To conduct a SWOT analysis:
Clearly define the subject of analysis (e.g., a project, organization, or decision).
Brainstorm and list items for each category.
Analyze the interactions between different factors.
Use the analysis to inform strategy or decision-making.
Example: A startup might use SWOT analysis to evaluate its position before seeking investment, identifying its innovative technology as a strength, limited capital as a weakness, growing market demand as an opportunity, and established competitors as a threat.
The Foundation for Critical Thinking : Based in California, this organization offers a wide range of resources, including books, articles, and workshops on critical thinking.
The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking : This council provides guidelines and standards for critical thinking instruction and assessment.
University of Louisville : Their Critical Thinking Initiative offers various resources and tools for developing critical thinking skills.
The New York Times Learning Network provides lesson plans and activities to help develop critical thinking skills through current events and news analysis.
Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework : Developed by Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder, this framework provides a comprehensive approach to developing critical thinking skills.
Bloom's Taxonomy : While not exclusively for critical thinking, this classification system is widely used in education to promote higher-order thinking skills.
The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) : This assessment tool measures the disposition to engage in problems and make decisions using critical thinking.
The Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test : Developed by Robert Ennis, this test assesses a person's ability to appraise an argument and to formulate a written argument.
By incorporating these tools and techniques into regular practice, individuals can significantly enhance their critical thinking capabilities, leading to more effective problem-solving, decision-making, and overall cognitive performance.
Critical thinking takes time to build, but with effort and patience you can apply an unbiased, analytical mind to any situation. Critical thinking makes up one of many soft skills that makes you an effective team member, manager, and worker. If you’re looking to hone your skills further, read our article on the 25 project management skills you need to succeed .
It’s fair to say that Einstein was using critical thinking skills during the 10 years that it took him to create his Theory of General Relativity. Other physicists assumed that the differences in the ways that bodies fall were too small to be of significance, but Einstein—a 28-year-old clerk at a patent office—could see that these details deserved further investigation.
He had to come up with another, more creative, solution.
“Suddenly a thought struck me,” he recalled. “If a man falls freely, he would not feel his weight… This simple thought experiment… led me to the theory of gravity.”
From this he predicted the existence of gravitational waves, which control how every sun, planet, and object in our universe behaves.
In 2016, the LIGO collaboration proved him right: they announced their first direct detection of gravitational waves in “the scientific breakthrough of the century.” Professor Stephen Hawking said the discovery had “the potential to revolutionize astronomy.”
“Being bold enough to let your mind go where good arguments take you, even if it’s to places that make you feel uncomfortable, may lead you to discoveries about the world and yourself.” (Critical Thinking: The Art of Argument, by George W. Rainbolt and Sandra L. Dwyer)
Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity places him among the most influential nonconformists, mavericks, and free-thinkers in history. Charles Darwin might also spring to mind. Maybe Galileo, Marie Curie, or Simone de Beauvoir.
We know them as geniuses, eccentrics, independent spirits, or even rebels. But what they all have in common is the ability to think creatively and critically about the world, putting aside their peers’ ignorance or assumptions to see new connections in the most mundane situations and change our view of the universe. They are critical thinkers.
C.P. Snow put it best: “One of [Einstein’s] greatest intellectual gifts, in small matters as well as great, was to strip off the irrelevant frills from a problem.”
(From Einstein: The First Hundred Years )
If you take one critical thinking tip from Einstein, make it…
If something looks wrong, then it’s probably worth finding out why. Trust your own judgement based on the facts, not the assumptions of others, and look for a solution within the details.
Darwin’s ability to see new connections in mundane situations led him to map out a new theory—evolution—that changed the way we saw the world.
If you take one critical thinking tip from Darwin, make it…
Sometimes the most profound discoveries are hidden in seemingly unlikely places; look where others don’t, and enjoy the sense of discovery and excitement.
Pioneering astronomer, philosopher, and—after his discoveries caused uproar in lazy thinkers within religious circles—“ defender of truth in the face of ignorance. ”
If you take one critical thinking tip from Galileo, make it…
Great critical thinkers evaluate arguments to see how they stand up, putting to one side the conclusions and assumptions of others—and filter for themselves what resonates as right or wrong.
Inspired millions with his talent for argument; his “I have a dream” speech—a rallying cry for equal rights—still resonates 50 years on.
If you take one critical thinking tip from Martin Luther King Jr, make it…
Developing a strategy, organizing an argument, and learning the art of persuasion are the keys to changing the world.
The most radical feminist thinker of the 20th century; The Second Sex was the first work to argue for equality that respected a woman’s individuality and voice.
If you take one critical thinking tip from Simone de Beauvoir, make it…
Don’t be afraid to think differently, even if that means challenging the basis of society itself.
Discovered galaxies beyond the Milky Way—and proved that they were expanding—simply by gathering and analyzing more data than anyone else.
If you take one critical thinking tip from Edwin Hubble, make it…
Evidence, evidence, evidence. The more you have, and the more you can filter it to get to what’s really going on, the better your conclusion will be.
Paved the way for x-rays and cancer treatment; her sense that pitchblende must include unknown radioactive elements led to the discovery of polonium and radium.
If you take one critical thinking tip from Marie Curie, make it…
Critical thinking is nothing to do with negativity or nitpicking. It’s about asking questions—the right questions. It’s about not accepting things on trust.
Discovered universal gravitation “by thinking on it continually.” A genius known for a relentless passion for putting everything to rigorous test.
If you take one critical thinking tip from Sir Isaac Newton, make it…
Persistence in thinking and questioning the world around you is the key to more creative solutions where others see only masses of information.
Saved the world from a nuclear disaster during the Cold War; Petrov spotted a false computer report of an American missile strike and, trusting the facts at hand, halted a mistaken counter strike.
If you take one critical thinking tip from Stanislav Petrov, make it…
Form your own judgement based on the facts, and—once you’re sure of your ground—be willing to back it against all comers.
Inspired American civil rights movements by refusing to accept that some inequality could be exchanged for legal rights—a view held by other black intellectuals—and publishing his ideas in The Souls of Black Folk .
If you take one critical thinking tip from W. E. B. Du Bois, make it…
Critical thinking is important because it is what makes us adaptable, enables us to act independently, and allows us to move beyond what we already know or guess.
Can you suggest any other great critical thinkers or examples of great critical thinking? Let us know in the comments section below:
How To Manage Talent Effectively?
How Can Learning Gains For Pupils Be Measured?
Stockholm’s advertising ban: what should be censored and who gets to decide?
Max 8 min read
Your team is dealing with a sudden decrease in sales, and you’re not sure why.
When this happens, do you quickly make random changes and hope they work? Or do you pause, bring your team together , and analyze the problem using critical thinking?
In the pages ahead, we’ll share examples of critical thinking in the workplace to show how critical thinking can help you build a successful team and business.
Ready to make critical thinking a part of your office culture?
Let’s dive in!
Critical thinking is the systematic approach of being a sharp-minded analyst. It involves asking questions, verifying facts, and using your intellect to make decisions and solve problems.
The process of thinking critically is built upon a foundation of six major steps:
First, you gather “knowledge” by learning about something and understanding it. After that, you put what you’ve learned into action, known as “application.” When you start looking closely at the details, you do the “analysis.”
After analyzing, you put all those details together to create something new, which we call “synthesis.” Finally, you take action based on all your thinking, and that’s the “creation” or “action” step.
Even if the tasks are repetitive, or even if employees are required to follow strict rules, critical thinking is still important. It helps to deal with unexpected challenges and improve processes.
Let’s delve into 13 real examples to see how critical thinking works in practice.
Are you unsure which choice is the best? Critical thinking helps you look at the good and bad sides of each option. This ensures that you make decisions based on facts and not just guesses.
Product development : For example, a product development team is deciding whether to launch a new product . They must evaluate the pros and cons of various features, production methods, and marketing strategies to make an informed decision. Obviously, the more complete their evaluation is, the better decisions they can make.
In the face of complex problems, critical thinkers are able to make the problem easier to solve. How? They create a step-by-step process to address each component separately.
Product deliveries and customer support . Imagine you work in a customer service department, and there has been a sudden increase in customer complaints about delayed deliveries. You need to figure out the root causes and come up with a solution.
So, you break down the problem into pieces – the shipping process, warehouse operations, delivery routes, customer communication, and product availability. This helps you find out the major causes, which are:
So, when you focus on smaller parts, you can understand and address each aspect better. As a result, you can find practical solutions to the larger issue of delayed deliveries.
In today’s world, information is power. Using it wisely can help you and your team succeed. And critical thinkers know where to find the right information and how to check if it’s reliable.
Market research : Let’s say a marketing team is conducting market research to launch a new product. They must find, assess, and use market data to understand customer needs, competitor tactics, and market trends. Only with this information at hand can they create an effective marketing plan.
Are you great at noticing small things? But can you also see how they fit into the larger picture? Critical thinking helps you do both. It’s like zooming in and out with a camera. Why is it essential? It helps you see the full story and avoid tunnel vision.
Strategic planning . For instance, during strategic planning, executives must pay attention to the details of the company’s financial data, market changes, and internal potential. At the same time, they must consider the bigger picture of long-term goals and growth strategies.
Ever made a choice without thinking it through? Critical thinkers gather all the facts before they decide. It ensures your decisions are smart and well-informed.
Data analysis . For example, data analysts have to examine large datasets to discover trends and patterns. They use critical thinking to understand the significance of these findings, get useful insights, and provide recommendations for improvement.
Too many workplaces suffer from unfair and biased decisions. Make sure yours isn’t on this list. Critical thinkers are self-aware and can spot their own biases. Obviously, this allows them to make more objective decisions.
Conflict resolution . Suppose a manager needs to mediate a conflict between two team members. Critical thinking is essential to understand the underlying causes, evaluate the validity of each person’s opinion, and find a fair solution.
Hiring decisions . Here’s another example. When hiring new employees, HR professionals need to critically assess candidates’ qualifications, experience, and cultural fit. At the same time, they have to “silence” their own assumptions to make unbiased hiring decisions.
Critical thinking examples in the workplace clearly show how teams can improve their processes.
Customer service . Imagine a company that sells gadgets. When customers have problems, the customer service team reads their feedback. For example, if many people struggle to use a gadget, they think about why that’s happening. Maybe the instructions aren’t clear, or the gadget is too tricky to set up.
So, they work together to make things better. They make a new, easier guide and improve the gadget’s instructions. As a result, fewer customers complain, and everyone is happier with the products and service.
Discovering problems in your company isn’t always obvious. Sometimes, you need to find what’s not working well to help your team do better. That’s where critical thinking comes in.
Training and development . HR professionals, for instance, critically analyze skill gaps within the organization to design training programs. Without deep analysis, they can’t address specific needs and upskill their employees .
In a workplace, everyone needs to join meetings by saying what they think and listening to everyone else. Effective participation, in fact, depends on critical thinking because it’s the best shortcut to reach collective decisions.
Team meetings . In a brainstorming session, you and your colleagues are like puzzle pieces, each with a unique idea. To succeed, you listen to each other’s thoughts, mix and match those ideas, and together, you create the perfect picture – the best plan for your project.
Effective problem-solving typically involves critical thinking, with team members offering valuable insights and solutions based on their analysis of the situation.
Innovative SaaS product development . Let’s say a cross-functional team faces a challenging innovation problem. So, they use critical thinking to brainstorm creative solutions and evaluate the feasibility of each idea. Afterwards, they select the most promising one for further development.
Understanding critical thinking examples is essential in another aspect, too. In fact, critical thinking allows companies to prepare for what’s coming, reducing unexpected problems.
Financial forecasting . For example, finance professionals critically assess financial data, economic indicators, and market trends to make accurate forecasts. This data helps to make financial decisions, such as budget planning or investment strategies.
Without effective risk management , you’ll constantly face issues when it’s too late to tackle them. But when your team has smart thinkers who can spot problems and figure out how they might affect you, you’ll have no need to worry.
Compliance review . Compliance officers review company policies and practices to ensure they align with relevant laws and regulations. They want to make sure everything we do follows the law. If they find anything that could get us into trouble, they’ll suggest changes to keep us on the right side of the law.
Who else wants to minimize damage and protect their business? During a crisis, leaders need to think critically to assess the situation, make rapid decisions, and allocate resources effectively.
Security breach in a big IT company . Suppose you’ve just discovered a major security breach. This is a crisis because sensitive customer data might be at risk, and it could damage your company’s reputation.
To manage this crisis, you need to think critically. First, you must assess the situation. You investigate how the breach happened, what data might be compromised, and how it could affect your customers and your business. Next, you have to make decisions. You might decide to shut down the affected systems to prevent further damage. By taking quick, well-planned actions, you can minimize the damage and protect your business.
According to Payscale’s survey, 60% of managers believe that critical thinking is the top soft skill that new graduates lack. Why should you care? Well, among these graduates, there’s a good chance that one could eventually become a part of your team down the road.
So, how do you create a workplace where critical thinking is encouraged and cultivated? Let’s find out.
First things first, make sure your employees know why critical thinking is important. If they don’t know how critical it is, it’s time to tell them. Explain why it’s essential for their growth and the company’s success.
Do your employees ask questions freely? Encourage them to! A workplace where questions are welcomed is a breeding ground for critical thinking. And remember, don’t shut down questions with a “That’s not important.” Every question counts.
Encourage your team to keep growing. Learning new stuff helps them become better thinkers. So, don’t let them settle for “I already know enough.” Provide your team with inspiring examples of critical thinking in the workplace. Let them get inspired and reach new heights.
Rethink your management methods, if you hand your employees everything on a silver platter. Instead, challenge them with tasks that make them think. It might be tough, but don’t worry. A little struggle can be a good thing.
Do you only like ideas that match your own? Well, that’s a no-no. Encourage different ideas, even if they sound strange. Sometimes, the craziest ideas lead to the best solutions.
Mistakes happen. So, instead of pointing fingers, ask your employees what they learned from the mistake. Don’t let them just say, “It’s not my fault.”
Are you a critical thinker yourself? Show your employees how it’s done. Lead by example. Don’t just say, “Do as I say!”
As we’ve seen, examples of critical thinking in the workplace are numerous. Critical thinking shows itself in various scenarios, from evaluating pros and cons to breaking down complex problems and recognizing biases.
The good news is that critical thinking isn’t something you’re born with but a skill you can nurture and strengthen. It’s a journey of growth, and managers are key players in this adventure. They can create a space where critical thinking thrives by encouraging continuous learning.
Remember, teams that cultivate critical thinking will be pioneers of adaptation and innovation. They’ll be well-prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s workplace with confidence and competence.
Manage your remote team with teamly. get your 100% free account today..
PC and Mac compatible
Teamly is everywhere you need it to be. Desktop download or web browser or IOS/Android app. Take your pick.
No credit card required. completely free.
Keep reading.
Project Management
Project Closeout: The Final Piece of the Project Management PuzzleHave you ever felt the thrill of crossing the finish line after a long, hard race? That’s the feeling many project managers yearn for when they reach the project closeout phase. Project closeout, the final phase in the project management lifecycle, is the process of finalizing …
Continue reading “Project Closeout: The Final Piece of the Project Management Puzzle”
Max 13 min read
Help! A Mistake Was Made at Work. What Should I Do?We’ve all been there. You’re cruising along at work, feeling good about yourself and your career… when suddenly, you make a mistake. A big mistake. And it feels like the whole world is crashing down around you. What do you do when you’ve made a …
Continue reading “Help! A Mistake Was Made at Work. What Should I Do?”
Max 10 min read
Tears and Joy: 8 Emotional Marketing Examples to Engage People and Make Them BuyThink about the last time you bought something. Maybe it was a pair of sneakers that made you feel like you could conquer the world. Or a chocolate bar that took you back to your childhood. Your buying decision, whether you admit …
Continue reading “Tears and Joy: 8 Emotional Marketing Examples to Engage People and Make Them Buy”
Trello vs asana.
Get Teamly for FREE Enter your email and create your account today!
You must enter a valid email address
You must enter a valid email address!
Mike Simpson 0 Comments
Ah, critical thinking skills. As a candidate, it’s vital to understand that pretty much all employers are on the hunt for job seekers with critical thinking skills. Why? Because it’s universally helpful on the job.
When employees know how to think critically, they are more effective in their positions. They’ll be more productive and self-sufficient. In the eyes of employers, that matters a ton.
But what are critical thinking skills exactly? And, if you don’t have them, what can you do to improve your ability to think critically?
If you’re asking yourself questions like those, you’re in luck. After all, you’re here, and we’re about to tell you all about the characteristics of critical thinking and how to get better at it. So, if you’re ready to dig in, here’s what you need to know.
If we’re going to talk about critical thinking skills, it’s best to begin by answering a crucial question: what are critical thinking skills?
Well, to figure that out, it’s helpful to know what critical thinking means. According to the Cambridge Dictionary , critical thinking is “the process of thinking carefully about a subject or idea, without allowing feelings or opinions to affect you.” That’s actually a pretty solid place to start.
In many ways, critical thinking is a two-fold process. First, it focuses on information-gathering and fact-analysis. It’s all about understanding a subject thoroughly.
Second, it’s about setting your feelings aside. With critical thinking, it isn’t about what you want the facts to say; it’s about the reality of the situation. It’s a very Vulcans-from-Star-Trek approach to topics. Emotions and personal preference simply aren’t part of the equation in the vast majority of cases. Instead, objectivity reigns.
Alright, so what are critical thinking skills then? Well, critical thinking skills are the soft skills and hard skills that help you assess situations, collect data, analyze information, identify solutions, determine the viability of solutions, and make decisions without letting your emotions run the show. Any capability or trait that makes it easier to do those things can qualify.
In many cases, thinking critically plays a bigger role in your day-to-day than you’d expect. When you approach any task, you usually spend a moment analyzing it. That way, you can find the best path toward success.
When a task is simple, it doesn’t take much time to do a quick critical thinking once over, so you probably don’t even notice you’re doing it. It’s only when an activity is challenging or when something unexpected occurs that your thought process really stands out. As a result, you probably spend far more time thinking critically than you realize.
Okay, we’ve given you a solid overview of what critical thinking skills are. Now it’s time to talk about the importance of critical thinking during a job search.
When you’re hunting for new opportunities, critical thinking skills are immensely valuable. For example, they can help you figure out if a job opening is genuinely a good fit for your capabilities and career.
When you find a job ad, do you just apply without seeing if it matches your skills and aligns with your goals? Of course not. Instead, you take a look at the requirements, examine the job ad for potential, and decide whether or not that opportunity really fits. That’s critical thinking.
But that’s not the only way these skills make a difference during your job search. They may also help you identify what points to include in your resume and cover letter to stand out to a hiring manager or what to talk about when you’re answering specific job interview questions.
How can it do all of that? Well, when you decide what to list in your resume or cover letter, or add to an interview answer, you have to do some analysis. You consider the hiring manager’s needs. Next, you find a matching accomplishment that highlights what they are after. Then, you figure out present it in an engaging way. That’s all critical thinking, too.
Plus, thinking critically can also make a difference post-interview. You’ll have an easier time assessing your own performance, allowing you to identify areas for improvement. Good stuff, right?
When it comes to why hiring managers prefer candidates with these skills, there are actually several reasons. The biggest is that employees with strong critical thinking skills tend to be more self-sufficient and productive. They are better equipped to assess situations and find their own solutions, and that matters, particularly in faster-paced environments.
Plus, workers that know how to think critically may have an easier time collaborating. They can separate their emotions from the situation, allowing them to focus on what’s best for the team and company.
So, which critical thinking skills are they after? Well, that can depend on the hiring manager. However, most want to see you possess capabilities in four core areas: information-gathering, analysis , problem-solving, and creativity. If you tap into all of those, you usually have what it takes to think critically.
Okay, at this point, you probably understand the importance of critical thinking skills. Now onto the next part of the equation: how to show off your capabilities during a job search.
Let’s start with the earliest part of the job search: your resume and cover letter. When you’re writing a resume or creating a cover letter , the best thing you can do is focus on achievements.
Highlighting accomplishments where you put your critical thinking skills to work lets you “show” the hiring manager you have what it takes instead of just telling them. After all, anyone can say, “I’m an excellent critical thinker,” even if they aren’t. By having examples, you prove that you have those capabilities. That matters.
How do you pick the right achievements? By using a winning strategy, like the Tailoring Method . The Tailoring Method focuses on relevancy. It helps you choose accomplishments that showcase the skills the hiring manager wants to see, increasing the odds that they’ll view you as an excellent match for their needs.
Now that your resume and cover letter are squared away, it’s time to talk about the interview. Luckily, you can use the Tailoring Method here, too. It’s a great technique for straightforward job interview questions , as well as behavioral interview questions .
When you’re dealing with behavioral interview questions, couple the Tailoring Method with the STAR Method . That way, your answers are engaging and relevant, making them even more impactful.
Some people may think that they don’t have any critical thinking skills. In reality, that probably isn’t true.
Nearly everyone develops some critical thinking capabilities over the course of their lives; they just may not realize it. Luckily, that’s a good thing. It means you probably have a solid foundation, even if you don’t know it.
Why does that matter? Well, it means you can focus more on developing what you have. You aren’t actually starting from scratch, which can make it easier.
Ready to take your critical thinking skills to the next level? Great! Here’s how you can.
When it comes to how to think critically, there is actually a core process involved. By understanding the steps, you can make sure you approach situations properly.
Usually, the critical thinking process involves:
Typically, you start by observing the issue at hand. Next, you do some research, helping you gather more information. After that, you focus on brainstorming ideas on how to proceed. Then, you consider each option, identifying the best one. Finally, you decide to proceed, taking actions based on what you’ve learned.
It’s a systematic way to address a range of scenarios. By learning the process, you can put it into use more often, allowing you to increase your skills.
Many hobbies actually require quite a bit of critical thinking. For example, if you want to have a thriving garden, you need to take several factors into account. Soil condition, water availability, the amount of sunlight, aesthetics… those are just some of the points you need to analyze if you want to succeed.
Arts and crafts can also help you boost critical thinking. When you’re making something, you have to evaluate your options for materials, techniques, and more, ensuring you choose a path that leads to the best final product.
If you’re looking for possibly one of the best critical thinking examples around, debate is probably it. That means, if you want to take your skills up a notch, joining a debate club can be a great option.
You have to support a position – at times one that doesn’t align with your personal beliefs – and try to convince others that your side is correct. You’ll dive into unfamiliar topics, gather data to support the perspective you’re assigned, and choose how to present information in a convincing way.
While you might think that, if you aren’t in high school, that this isn’t an option, that isn’t the case. There are many meetups that focus on debate, giving people of all ages a place to boost their skills.
There are quite a few characteristics and capabilities that support critical thinking. By knowing which skills fall into that category, you can decide what to showcase during your job search.
So, let’s dig in. Here is a quick list of critical thinking skill examples:
Now, these aren’t the only skills that can help you think critically. Practically anything that enables you to navigate the process can count.
Additionally, you don’t have to fit all of these skills on your resume to show that you know how to think critically. Instead, you want to highlight a range, demonstrating that you have what it takes to navigate situations effectively and accomplish your goals.
Spend some time reflecting on your work history or educational experiences. Then, identify moments where you used critical thinking to accomplish something noteworthy. Once you have, think about the skills that came into play, and make sure to mention them as you describe what led up to the achievement.
If you’re looking for more skills to put on a resume , we’ve actually taken a deep dive into that topic before. Along with various critical thinking skills, we tap on a ton of other areas, making it easier for you to figure out what you should feature during your job search.
In the end, critical thinking skills are essential for nearly every member of the workforce. By elevating yours as much as possible and showcasing them during your job search, you won’t just be a stronger candidate but also a more capable employee. That’s all great stuff. It’ll help you have your ideal career and, ultimately, isn’t that what it’s all about?
Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.
His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.
Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .
Mike simpson.
Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .
Copyright © 2024 · TheInterviewguys.com · All Rights Reserved
Posted on May 17, 2019
Critical thinking is the ability to make informed decisions by evaluating several different sources of information objectively. As such, critical thinkers possess many other essential skills, including analysis, creativity, problem-solving and empathy.
Employers have always found critical thinking extremely valuable – after all, no boss wants to constantly handhold their employees because they are unable to make their own judgements about how best to proceed.
However, all too often people talk about critical thinking in theory, while never really explaining what that knowledge looks like in practice. As a result, many have never really understood the importance of thinking critically in business. Which is why we’ve created this list of examples of how critical thinking skills are used in the workplace.
Imagine you’re at work. Someone, potentially your manager, presents you with a problem. You immediately go off and start looking for solutions. But do you take a step back first to analyse the situation, gathering and reviewing as much information as possible? Do you ask each of the different people involved what their opinion is, or how the problem affects their and the broader business’ day-to-day? And do you decide to run with the first solution you find, or take the time to come up with a number of different options and test each before making your final judgement?
While a lot of people may think they have problem-solving skills, if you aren’t taking the time to follow the above steps, you’re not really being a critical thinker. As such, you may not find the best solution to your problem.
Employing critical thinking skills when solving a problem is absolutely essential – what you decide could impact hundreds of people and even have an effect on the financial health of the business. If you’re not looking at it from multiple perspectives, you’re never going to be able to understand the full impact of a decision.
Economic uncertainty, climate change, political upheaval … risks abound in the modern workforce, and it’s an employee’s critical thinking skills that will enable a business to assess these hazards and act on them.
Risk assessment occurs in a number of different scenarios. For example, a construction company has to identify all potential hazards on a building site to ensure its employees are working as safely as possible. Without this analysis, there could be injuries or even deaths, causing severe distress to the workforce and negatively impacting the company’s reputation (not to mention any of the legal consequences).
In the finance industry, organisations have to assess the potential impacts of new legislation on the way they work, as well as how the new law will affect their clients. This requires critical thinking skills such as analysis, creativity (imagining different scenarios arising from the legislation) and problem-solving (finding a way to work with the new legislation). If the financial institution in this example doesn’t utilise these critical thinking skills, it could end up losing profit or even suffering legal consequences from non-compliance.
In the digital age critical thinking has become even more, well, critical. While machines have the ability to collate huge amounts of information and reproduce it in a readable format, the ability to analyse and act on this data is still a skill only humans possess.
Take an accountant. Many of their more mundane tasks have passed to technology. Accounting platforms have the ability to produce profit and loss statements, prepare accounts, issue invoices and create balance sheets. But that doesn’t mean accountants are out of a job. Instead, they can now focus their efforts on adding real value to their clients by interpreting the data this technology has collated and using it to give recommendations on how to improve. On a wider scale, they can look at historic financial trends and use this data to forecast potential risks or stumbling blocks moving forward.
The core skill in all of these activities is critical thinking – being able to analyse a large amount of information and draw conclusions in order to make better decisions for the future. Without these critical thinkers, an organisation may easily fall behind its competitors, who are able to respond to risks more easily and provide more value to clients.
One of the most important aspects of the critical thinking process is being able to look at a situation objectively. This also happens to be crucial when making a new hire. Not only do you have to analyse a large number of CVs and cover letters in order to select the best candidates from a pool, you also need to be able to do this objectively. This means not giving preferential treatment to someone because of their age, gender, origin or any other factor. Given that bias is often unconscious, if you can demonstrate that you are able to make decisions like this with as little subjectivity as possible, you can show that you possess objectivity – a key critical thinking skill.
Hiring the right talent is essential for a company’s survival. You don’t want to lose out on top candidates because of someone’s unconscious bias, showing just how essential this type of knowledge is in business.
As you can see, critical thinking skills are incredibly important to organisations across all industries. In today’s constantly changing world, businesses need people who can adapt and apply their thinking to new situations. No matter where you’re at in your career, you need critical thinking skills to complete your everyday tasks effectively, and when it comes to getting your next promotion, they’re vital.
But the problem with critical thinking skills, just like all soft skills, is that they are hard to prove. While you can show your employer you have a certificate in computer programming, you can’t say the same of critical thinking.
Until now. Enter Deakin’s professional practice credentials. These are university-level micro-credentials that provide an authoritative assessment of your proficiencies in a range of areas. This includes critical thinking, as well as a number of other soft skills, such as communication, innovation, teamwork and self-management.
Find out more about our credentials here or contact a member of the team today to find out how you can prove your critical thinking skills and take your career to the next level.
Work from home (WFH) has created many problems for people such as long working hours, neck and back pain, and…
Work from home (WFH) has created many problems for people such as long working hours, neck and back pain, and even having multiple cups of coffee every day. Now that organizations are prioritizing fully remote or blended working models, such scenarios are impossible to ignore.
An extremely unhealthy habit that is a product of working at home is the high consumption of coffee. Studies suggest that several coffee aficionados use the beverage as a substitute for breakfast. Drinking coffee may seem harmless but search the internet and you will find a long list of its disadvantages—from restlessness and insomnia to weight gain, anxiety and risk of heart attacks in young adults. But then you will find as many links listing the advantages of drinking coffee (if it’s within a certain limit).
Does that sound confusing? Which source should you trust then? By thinking critically, you can come to a conclusion that is logical.
This is just one of the examples of critical thinking in everyday life and its importance. We face many more small and big critical thinking examples in real life.
If you think it may not always be possible to apply critical thinking, you can follow the Ladder of Inference framework from Harappa Education’s Thinking Critically course. It is a four-step approach to understand how you can process information. The course covers several examples of critical thinking to explain it in detail.
Critical thinking examples in the workplace.
Here are some common examples of critical thinking that will help you understand why it’s an essential skill in professional life:
As a team leader, the job of encouraging your team to work towards solving a problem falls on your shoulders. But every individual in a team may come up with different inputs and points of view.
You must logically analyze team members’ inputs. And then offer constructive criticism while sharing your own opinion on the situation. This is one of the common critical thinking examples in the workplace.
Imagine that your chief operating officer creates a new target for the organization. Now it’s your right and responsibility to use critical thinking skills examples and evaluate your contribution to reach the target.
Knowing how your contribution is important will help you discover ways to improve your performance. The result will show the impact your work has made, whether it’s solving a critical bug or coming up with a creative way to approach possible clients. Studying a few critical thinking skills examples will help you analyze your situation better.
This is among the most common critical thinker examples you can find and follow in every organization.
It’s evident from these examples of critical thinking that it’s a valuable skill every employee should strengthen. From efficient decision-making to navigating conflicts, thinking critically help you evaluate situations better instead of jumping to hasty and half-baked conclusions.
Choosing a Career Path
Should I go for a full-time college or enroll in an online course? Which stream do I choose? Should I try to get a job in a private organization, work as a consultant, or move towards opening a start-up? We all face such dilemmas in our lives at some point or the other. But every option comes with its pros and cons and, therefore, it’s important to choose carefully.
Such critical thinking examples in everyday life highlight the importance of this process. Choosing the right career path certainly takes time. So as a critical thinker, you weigh the pros and cons of every option.
Also, consider the professional, financial and social context in the form of some critical thinking examples in real life. Know your interest and skill set. Answer questions such as “What is important for me?” and “Why is this important for me?”
Don’t go ahead right after making a choice. If you look at some critical thinker examples, you will understand the impact your chosen path will have in the next one, five and 10 years. Accordingly, you may like to rethink your career path. To be able to do this, some critical thinking will be required.
There are other examples of critical thinking in everyday life as well. There are hundreds of fake news items that we come across every day on the internet or social media. How do we find the truth among so much noise? Critical thinking can come to your aid.
We come across these and many more critical thinking skills examples in the digital world. With the exchange of information increasing by the minute, the need for critical thinking skills is only increasing.
Who published the article?
What are their sources of information?
What are their intentions?
Are they representing themselves or someone else?
Don’t you think if most social media users ask themselves these questions, social media wars will reduce?
Critical thinker examples and applications can be found inside as well as outside classrooms and meeting rooms. So start working on your critical thinking skills now. Join Harappa Education’s Thinking Critically course, which explains the essential techniques with the help of a few great critical thinker examples. Empower yourself to make qualified decisions.
Explore topics such as Critical Thinking , How to Improve Critical Thinking & Ladder of Inference from our Harappa Diaries blog section and develop your strategic thinking skills .
Explore your training options in 10 minutes Get Started
Critical thinking has been studied since ancient times. Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato provided us with good critical thinking examples and the foundations for this field. Socrates is widely regarded as one of the fathers of critical thinking and deductive reasoning, a valuable skill in a world plagued with fake news and overwhelming amounts of information.
However, what is critical thinking? How can we use it in everyday life? In this article, we will explain what critical thinking is and why it is important, provide tips for improving your critical thinking skills, and offer the best examples of critical thinking.
What is critical thinking.
Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and logically about what to do or believe. To do so, you must establish logical connections between ideas, evaluate arguments, approach problems systematically, and reflect on your values and beliefs. Logical thinking and scientific thinking are types of thinking that depend on these skills.
Additionally, the critical thinking process involves challenging knowledge to discover the truth. It involves reviewing knowledge and information to make an informed decision. You can improve your critical thinking skills by becoming more adept at analyzing problems, identifying biases, practicing active listening and inductive reasoning, and avoiding emotional reasoning.
Critical thinking is important because it allows you to better synthesize, analyze and interpret information. Other critical thinking skills like problem-solving , observation, and communication, can help you advance in your career. All of these skills can enable you to understand yourself better and make better life decisions.
Many people believe they are critical thinkers. However, when drawing conclusions in real life most people rely on common sense and numerous fallacies. To avoid this, we must have critical thinking dispositions to gain more insight, learn to identify a weak argument, and make better decisions. Understanding critical thinking concepts is crucial if you want to understand your thoughts, emotions, or live a better life.
People live their lives based on the choices they make. As a result, they require critical thinking skills and a constructive approach to problem-solving to make their lives easier. For example, if you need to deliver to multiple locations, don’t just go there by chance.
To save time, determine which location is closest and devise an efficient pattern for the next locations you will need to visit. This is just one of many examples of critical thinking for the following section. Below are more critical thinking examples.
Critical thinking example 1: self-evaluation of your actions.
Self-evaluation is essential for improving your overall performance. When you use reflective thinking or try to evaluate yourself, you analyze what went wrong and how you can improve in the future. You attempt to understand what happened and figure out what you need to change to get different results.
Many universities and schools use special questionnaires that test critical thinking abilities. For example, Cambridge, a school with over 20 years of experience in assessing critical thinking, uses a student self-assessment critical thinking questionnaire .
Employees have disagreements in every organization. In many cases, it is the HR manager who steps in to solve the problem. However, the HR manager must first listen to both sides, determine the source of the problem, assess the situation, and decide how to proceed. As a result, a soft skill such as problem-solving or management is essential for HR.
A military officer working on tactical plans for extracting fellow soldiers in a dangerous military zone is another example. In this case, the military officer must find an effective way to get the soldiers out of the danger zone while minimizing casualties, which requires logical thinking.
Creative questioning is an interesting process because it can promote critical thinking. By asking creative open-ended questions, the professor makes students think more deeply about a subject. Therefore, they need to discern what information to pick and share. Analysis of arguments is another way to foster analytical thinking among students.
Writing a master’s thesis requires applying critical thinking. You seek and gather information, conduct research, perform calculations, analyze data, and draw conclusions. You also demonstrate what critical skills you used to create the thesis by explaining all of the steps and methodology you used in the research process.
In some cases, if the match does not go well, the basketball coach may call a timeout to reassess the team’s strategy. During the timeout, a basketball coach looks for new tactics that reveal the vulnerabilities of the opposing team. The coach needs to find a way to assess the potential risks and provide a new strategy that will lead the team to victory.
When writing articles, writers must distinguish between good and bad information. They must also make the article flow. To accomplish this, writers must adhere to the core concept of writing format: title, introduction, body, and conclusion. This means that they have to choose certain information to insert in certain sections of the text.
If you apply for a job and go to the interview blindly, there is a high chance you will not be hired. It is preferable to arrive prepared and apply critical thinking to the interview. One tip for interview preparation is to ask yourself outcome-based questions about the job. Before going to the interview, practice answering questions and acting quickly.
It can be difficult to find a job. Some stats show that on average it takes 100 to 200 applications to get a job. To improve your chances, you should put your critical thinking cap on. Logical thinking can help you consider how you will approach employers, devote time to updating your resume, skills, and create an effective cover letter .
As a police detective, you must have strong critical thinking skills as well as excellent observational abilities to analyze a crime scene. You need logical inquiry and deduction skills to analyze the evidence. A police detective must have probable cause to obtain a search warrant from a judge to search a suspect’s home, which is another example of critical thinking.
Your next step in your critical thinking learning journey should be to actively use it in your everyday life. In real life, people encounter many opportunities to solve problems. With critical and careful thinking, you can afford to lead a better life and make more accurate decisions.
Using analytical and objective reasoning are some of the intellectual virtues that critical thinking offers to get a better job. If you use it in self-evaluation you can become a better version of yourself.
Advancing this skill can improve your professional life, problem-solving, and improve in developing and executing solutions. If you want to have well-informed opinions and deal with your biases, advance your critical thinking skills.
Yes, critical thinking is a skill. The interesting part is that critical thinking is a learned skill. If it can be learned then it can be taught. However, the problem is that in many cases an experienced instructor is needed to transfer the skill. It is also one of the 21st-century skills you need to add to your resume.
Developing your critical thinking skills is a gradual process that requires deliberate effort. Changing your thought patterns and practices is a long-term project that you should commit to for the rest of your life.
No, IQ tests don’t measure critical thinking. Intelligence and critical thinking are not the same. If you want to test your critical thinking ability, you need a specialized critical thinking test. One example is the Cornell critical thinking test .
The bandwagon fallacy is about creating an opinion based on what the majority thinks. If everyone says the same thing, then it must be true. The problem with this notion is that the opinion of the majority is not always valid or a real form of knowledge. To avoid the bandwagon fallacy, you need to have a critical thinking disposition.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .
"Career Karma entered my life when I needed it most and quickly helped me match with a bootcamp. Two months after graduating, I found my dream job that aligned with my values and goals in life!"
Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot
Ask a question to our community, take our careers quiz.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
If you’re working on improving your critical thinking, nothing will serve you better than a collection of critical thinking examples . And you’re in luck because we’re going to take things a step further.
In this article, we will answer the following questions:
Let’s begin!
Critical thinking is the process of skillfully conceptualizing, applying, and evaluating information gathered from observation, experience, reflection, or communication.
To summarize, critical thinking is the ongoing application of intellectual honesty in the examination of information.
The unexamined life is not worth living because they realize that many unexamined lives together result in an uncritical, unjust, dangerous world. – Linda Elder
The best way to apply critical thinking is to know what questions to ask in any area of life. Using the questioning techniques below will allow you to get more information and open up a better flow of communication.
The following are examples of critical thinking in the process of questioning:
The process of becoming a better critical thinker also allows the process of personal growth to accelerate. When you start getting a better and more objective viewpoint, you start to see where you, yourself can improve and grow.
When the following examples are applied to your everyday life, you can begin to really think critically and discover the magic of questioning everything.
This video can help to show you the immense power of knowing how to question everything:
The following are examples of where critical thinking affects your everyday life:
1. teamwork: promoting group problem-solving.
As the team leader in your department, you have to come up with a strategy to improve a specific product. You allow the entire team to list all concerns, recommend a solution, and openly yet constructively criticize other solutions.
All the while you have someone take notes. At a certain point, you stop the discussion and list all the notes on the board as perspectives and obstacles. You and your team can now create a solution based on all the information given by your team.
Your company has an aim to achieve a certain target by the end of the year. You analyze your position in the company and in what way you can contribute to this target.
Then, you list all the ways in which your actions help achieve this target and then attribute the impact of each action and to what person or area it is impacting. You think of ways you can do more of the most impacting action, increase the impact or do something else within your position to make more impact on reaching this target.
1. albert einstein.
Albert Einstein was faced with great opposition when he questioned the current beliefs of certain scientific principles of his time. Einstein used critical thinking to challenge and debunk these principles and create more useful ones of his own.
One of [Einstein’s] greatest intellectual gifts, in small matters as well as great, was to strip off the irrelevant frills from a problem. – C.P. Snow
Charles Darwin was able to come up with his theories by making connections between certain situations. He used a critical thinking mindset to link seemly unrelated parts of information.
His theory of evolution was a perfect case of questioning and connecting the aspects of his field of study to others.
Martin Luther King Jr. inspired millions with his speech “I have a dream”. He used the ability of critical thinking to structure his arguments and present his point of view.
Sir Isaac Newton researched, applied, revised, and tested everything he learned thoroughly. This sequence of learning is a great example of a critical thinking mindset.
There are probably thousands of critical thinking examples in your life where you have applied critical thinking to either solving a problem, creating a new perspective, or presenting yourself in a clear and relevant way.
Begin your path to greatness with free quest lessons, guided meditations, special community events, and more Get started
Mindvalley is committed to providing reliable and trustworthy content.
We rely heavily on evidence-based sources, including peer-reviewed studies and insights from recognized experts in various personal growth fields. Our goal is to keep the information we share both current and factual.
To learn more about our dedication to reliable reporting, you can read our detailed editorial standards .
(To review the IF I APPLY checklist steps, scroll past the example in the next section to the green boxes below.)
The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health
: : Check the credentials of the authors. Do they have degrees in psychology, psychiatry, or a related field? Are they affiliated with reputable institutions? : The authors are professors at a well-known university with numerous publications on adolescent psychology. : : Determine if the article aims to inform and educate or if it has a particular bias. : Read the abstract and introduction to understand the research objectives and checks for any funding disclosures that might indicate a conflict of interest. : : Assess the credibility of the journal. Is it peer-reviewed? What is its impact factor? : Confirm that the article is published in a high-impact, peer-reviewed journal. : : Evaluate the references used in the article. Are they from credible and recent sources? : Checks a few key references and find that they are from reputable journals and are relevant to the study. : : Consider the publication date. Is the information still current? : The article was published within the last two years, making the findings relevant to current social media trends. | : : Check the author's qualifications. Do they have relevant education or experience in psychology or mental health? : The author is a journalist with no formal training in psychology but has interviewed several experts for the article. : : Assess the intent behind the article. Is it to inform and educate, or is there an underlying motive? : Notice that the article is written in a sensational tone, aiming to attract more readers rather than providing balanced information. : : Determine the credibility of the website. Is it a well-known health resource or a commercial site? : Discovers that the website is a popular news outlet known for its clickbait headlines and sensational stories. : : Examine the sources cited in the article. Are they reputable and relevant? : Find that the article references some credible sources like research studies but also includes several anecdotal stories and expert opinions without proper citations. : : Check the publication date. Is the information still applicable? : The article was published two years ago. Check for more recent research and find updated studies that provide new insights into the topic. |
: this article would be appropriate for a college essay due to its credible authors, peer-reviewed publication, and well-referenced content. | : this article would be less appropriate for a college essay due to its sensational tone, lack of author expertise, and reliance on anecdotal evidence and non-scholarly sources. |
Personal steps.
Source steps.
Inference is the art of deducing information not explicitly stated. It’s vital for deep comprehension in reading and everyday life. Effective teaching methods include gradual skill-building from visual cues to text analysis. Solutions like LANGUAGE! Live ® and Voyager Passport ® offer structured interventions to enhance inference skills. Continuous practice through various exercises is key to mastery and promoting critical thinking and problem-solving abilities essential for academic and personal success.
Inference is a fundamental aspect of comprehension that allows readers to glean meaning beyond the surface of the text. This skill involves deducing information not explicitly stated, contributing to deeper insight and critical thinking. In both reading and daily life, inference plays a pivotal role in understanding context and making informed decisions. This blog post explores the significance of inference, effective teaching methods, and structured interventions aimed at bolstering this essential skill.
An inference involves deducing and anticipating missing information based on existing evidence. Essentially, it is the process of making educated guesses to arrive at evidence-based conclusions. For instance, when someone steps outside and observes cloudy, gray skies, they might infer that rain is likely and grab an umbrella. Inference is a skill honed through life experience, comprehension of literature, and the ability to hypothesize based on historical patterns.
In reading, an inference is applied when the reader combines previous knowledge and historical context with what is being read to draw logical conclusions from information not explicitly stated in the text. This process involves using background knowledge and textual clues to "read between the lines" and understand deeper meanings or implications.
This differs from general inference, which involves deducing known information into a prediction or conclusion based on overall understanding and life experience. In reading, inferences are more specific: They require readers to use prior knowledge and textual evidence to form critical interpretations. Writers often purposefully omit detailed information, encouraging readers to infer and fill in the gaps, enhancing the intrigue and engagement of the text. This active engagement fosters deeper comprehension and a more enriching reading experience.
Making logical inferences while reading text is the result of deep comprehension and immersion within the text. Comprehensive reading involves actively engaging with the text, such as annotating or noting questions as one works their way through the document, book, and text in hand. Actively reading will help students learn to infer effectively, increasing their overall inference skill set in the classroom, as well as in outside environments.
How to make an inference is not easily taught in one single lesson, because it is a fundamental reading process that involves steady developmental progression. To strengthen this skill in comprehensive reading, educators can apply the Silhouette Head concept, which is a five-step process to better understand how to execute inference comprehension instruction. The five steps include reading the text, understanding the inferential question at hand, noting the relevant details, gathering all thoughts together, and ultimately determining what the inferred information means.
There are many ways an educator could teach inference skills; however, the educator may need to consider age and if the students have had prior difficulties in comprehension. Teaching methods include showing visual clues or pictures, creating mystery games, using picture books, and encouraging an inference journal. Once students can make an inference about a picture, they can advance into inferring from actual text. To help advance the student from visuals to texts, educators can play games. For example, an educator may place a sandwich, blanket, water bottle, and board game into a basket. The students can work to infer the teacher is going on a picnic.
When students infer, they make a guess about what is happening in the current moment. This current inference turns into a logical prediction or educated hypothesis. When students have progressed to making logical conclusions, a tool to help the student reinforce and hone in on their skill set is to annotate or write out their suspected inferences.
Students learn inference skills at various ages, depending on their progress or exposure in early childhood. Educators can use different techniques when teaching inference development, tailored to the students' grade levels.
LANGUAGE! Live ® is an intensive reading intervention program for adolescents available through Voyager Sopris Learning ® . This program helps students dig deeper into the intended meanings in the text base. Instruction fosters inference-making and integration of ideas so students walk away with an elaborated mental model of what they have read. The program offers both online and teacher-led lessons to enhance teacher responsiveness and effective assignment adjustments through high-quality texts.
This program fosters deeper connection because students are taught question words to formulate questions and insight about the text. Initially, these question words include who, what, when, where, and how. In later units, students are taught to direct words often found in test questions or assignments—for example, infer, describe, contrast, prove, and create. Using these question words strengthens the student’s ability to infer in an efficient manner due to consistent exposure to vocabulary. Students are prompted to cite/quote textual evidence when answering questions and drawing inferences in the program, which enables them to engage with the text in greater detail and depth.
Voyager Passport ® is a K–5 reading program available through Voyager Sopris Learning, where students are actively involved in building meaning as they connect new concepts to prior knowledge, make predictions, make inferences, integrate their ideas in the text, and unlock vocabulary as words convey meaning and ideas. Educators take a layered approach including modeling how to complete a specific task, providing guided feedback-based practice sessions, giving students the space to independently practice, reviewing cumulative concepts and curriculum while incorporating new concepts, and assessing student accuracy within the lessons to ensure success.
Voyager Passport is structured to help students identify key structures or text features before reading the text, to then grow into reading the text and organize their thinking patterns through questioning, ultimately building the skill of retelling and summarizing the themes and evaluations of the text that was read.
Developing strong inference skills in students requires consistent and varied practice. Here are some effective exercises that can be used in the classroom to stretch students' inference skills, along with the importance of practice in mastering this essential reading comprehension ability.
Group activities such as discussions and collaborative exercises help students learn from one another and see different ways to make inferences. It also encourages them to articulate their thought processes and build confidence in their skills. On the other hand, independent exercises, such as journals and text analysis, allow students to practice making inferences on their own. This reinforces their ability to independently apply inferential thinking in various contexts.
Voyager Sopris Learning has unique reading solutions that provide students of various ages with guided practice. LANGUAGE! Live and Voyager Passport use inference in reading explicit, systematic instruction in the essential components of reading. These intervention solutions include comprehension and writing lessons incorporating making inferences, integrating ideas, and creating a closer connection to text. Both are evidenced-based, effective, and tailored with age-appropriate content.
Literacy is life-changing. When students are confident readers, their overall ability to create opportunities and build self-esteem in college, careers, and personal life is truly impactful. To help students become strong readers, teachers should continue consistently integrating inference-based lessons into their reading curriculums to enhance the long-lasting literary impact on their students. Inference is an essential skill that helps individuals decipher and reach conclusions to extract meaning behind words, schemas, or text in daily life. It plays a significant role in the development of our future leaders.
Reinforce Literacy Foundations (Grades 5–12)
Research-Based Reading Intervention (Grades K–5)
Subscribe to EDVIEW360 to gain access to podcast episodes, webinars and blog posts where top education thought leaders discuss hot topics in the industry.
Home > Graduate Research and Creative Practice > Culminating Experience Projects > 456
The importance of critical thinking skills in secondary classrooms.
Clinton T. Sterkenburg , Grand Valley State University Follow
Graduate degree type, degree name.
Education-Instruction and Curriculum: Secondary Education (M.Ed.)
College of Education
Sherie Klee
According to research, many students lack effective critical thinking skills. The ability to think critically is crucial for individuals to be successful and responsible. Many students have difficulties understanding this important skill and especially lack the ability to initiate and apply the process. Although a difficult task, educators have the responsibility to teach critical skills to students and to discern when certain instructional methods or activities are not helping students. Each student is different, and their needs must be considered, this correlates with how they learn and process information. Research has shown that traditional teaching methods that require students to regurgitate information do not prove helpful in teaching students to apply and understand the critical thinking process. Therefore, effective teachers expand upon traditional teaching methods and differentiate instructional and activity design for imparting critical thinking skills to students. This project presents some of the possible reasons students have difficulties thinking critically and provides examples of instructional and lesson design methods that are proven to help students understand critical thinking. The goal of this project is to provide a guide for secondary teachers to address the lack of critical thinking skills in many students. The ability to think critically will greatly benefit students and help them become productive members of society.
Sterkenburg, Clinton T., "The Importance of Critical Thinking Skills in Secondary Classrooms" (2024). Culminating Experience Projects . 456. https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gradprojects/456
Since August 05, 2024
Curriculum and Instruction Commons , Secondary Education Commons
Advanced Search
Home | About | FAQ | Contact | My Account | Accessibility Statement
Privacy Copyright
Authored by.
Donna D. Ignatavicius , MS, RN, CNE, CNEcl, ANEF, FAADN
Linda Silvestri , PhD, RN, FAAN
The nursing process has been used for over 50 years as the systematic, stepwise method for problem solving to make safe, client-centered clinical decisions. Originally, there were four nursing process steps, published in the late 1960s. These were:
In the early 1970s, the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA, currently called NANDA-I) was formed to develop a common language to identify standardized nursing diagnoses based on a nurse’s interpretation of assessment data. As a nurse educator, you likely include this additional step of Diagnosis as part of the nursing process, referred to as ADPIE:
Using a problem-solving approach as a basis for nursing practice requires the use of critical thinking and decision-making. Some experts have referred to that thinking more recently as clinical reasoning. The 2020 NCLEX-RN® Test Plan identifies the nursing process as one of five integrated processes which is defined as “a scientific, clinical reasoning approach to client care that includes assessment, analysis, planning, implementation, and evaluation” (NCSBN, 2019, p.5). Note that this definition does not include Diagnosis; rather the second step of the nursing process is labeled as Analysis.
The NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN® do not measure the nursing graduate’s knowledge of nursing diagnoses (NDs) because NDs are not universally used as originally intended as a standardized language, even in the United States where the NANDA nursing diagnosis list began. Yet many faculty continue to teach the nursing process as a five-step ADPIE approach.
While the nursing process has been taught in prelicensure programs for many years, nurses continue to make serious errors in practice, including failure-to-rescue clinical situations that sometimes result in sentinel events. Based on these errors and employer dissatisfaction with the clinical-decision ability of new graduates, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) developed a model of clinical judgment that is built on and expands the nursing process. Officially entitled the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (NCJMM), this evidence-based model identifies six cognitive skills needed to make appropriate clinical judgments. These skills include:
The NCJMM will be the basis for the Next-Generation NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN (NGN) new test items that will be presented most often in an unfolding case format . These cases will present clinical situations in which the test candidate will need to use clinical judgment skills to answer questions about how to manage the presented client’s care.
If you are teaching in a state, province, or territory in which the nursing process is required as a regulation for prelicensure nursing education, follow these guidelines to help transition from the nursing process to clinical judgment:
As you and your students transition from the nursing process to clinical judgment, remember that clinical judgment is more closely aligned with how nurses in practice actually think to make the best possible decisions about client care. Also recall that clinical judgment in nursing is not a new concept. For example, Tanner, the National League for Nursing, and others have posited for almost 15 years that clinical judgment is a better problem-solving approach than the nursing process.
The NCJMM cognitive skills can be aligned with the nursing process steps and phases of Tanner’s clinical judgment model as illustrated below:
Comparison of the Nursing Process with Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model and the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (NCJMM)
Assessment | Noticing | Recognize Cues |
Diagnosis/Analysis | Interpreting | Analyze Cues |
Diagnosis/Analysis | Interpreting | Prioritize Hypotheses |
Planning | Responding | Generate Solutions |
Implementation | Responding | Take Action |
Evaluation | Reflecting | Evaluate Outcomes |
While these models may look very similar, the thinking processes differ. For example, in the Assessment step of the nursing process, the nurse collects subjective and objective client data using a systematic approach. By contrast, the Recognize Cues cognitive skill of clinical judgement requires the nurse to collect client data and then decide “What matters most?”—which client data (findings) are relevant in a specific contextual clinical situation and which data are not relevant? Two other examples comparing the nursing process steps and the cognitive skills of the NCJMM are described below:
: The nurse identifies the actual and potential client problem(s) based on review and interpretation of the client data. | : The nurse reviews the client data and determines what they mean. For example, the nurse may identify certain data that are consistent with common diseases or disorders. Or, the nurse may identify potential complications for which the client is at risk based on the assessment data. |
The nurse performs appropriate interventions to meet the desired client outcomes. For example, if the client reports acute postoperative ORIF pain of 8/10, the nurse might administer an analgesic. | : The nurse performs an action which could be an intervention or an assessment. For example, if a client reports acute postoperative ORIF pain of 8/10, the nurse might perform a neurovascular assessment of the extremity to determine if the pain is due to decreased peripheral perfusion or the surgical incision. While that action is an assessment, it is also an action or intervention. |
As you begin or continue making the transition of building on the nursing process to emphasize clinical judgment in your program, remember that clinical judgment will be the focus of the new test item types for the NGN by no sooner than 2023. You still have time to begin the transition journey, but we suggest that you start it soon! More NGN resources are available on www.ncsbn.org and the Elsevier Evolve Faculty Resources webpage.
Reference :
National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). (2018). NCLEX-RN® Examination: Test plan for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. Chicago, IL: Author.
Southern university at new orleans launches bsn program with elsevier 360, webinar: building clinical judgment skills with reverse case studies, using screen-based virtual patient simulation to meet competencies.
Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.
We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.
In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.
If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.
Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.
When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).
OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.
When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).
The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.
The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:
Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):
Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.
Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.
Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.
The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.
Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.
Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).
You may have noticed the confidence with which ChatGPT described the ideas of brain lateralization and how the brain operates, without citing any sources. I asked for a list of sources to support those claims and ChatGPT provided five references—four of which I was able to find online. The fifth does not seem to be a real article; the digital object identifier given for that reference belongs to a different article, and I was not able to find any article with the authors, date, title, and source details that ChatGPT provided. Authors using ChatGPT or similar AI tools for research should consider making this scrutiny of the primary sources a standard process. If the sources are real, accurate, and relevant, it may be better to read those original sources to learn from that research and paraphrase or quote from those articles, as applicable, than to use the model’s interpretation of them.
We’ve also received a number of other questions about ChatGPT. Should students be allowed to use it? What guidelines should instructors create for students using AI? Does using AI-generated text constitute plagiarism? Should authors who use ChatGPT credit ChatGPT or OpenAI in their byline? What are the copyright implications ?
On these questions, researchers, editors, instructors, and others are actively debating and creating parameters and guidelines. Many of you have sent us feedback, and we encourage you to continue to do so in the comments below. We will also study the policies and procedures being established by instructors, publishers, and academic institutions, with a goal of creating guidelines that reflect the many real-world applications of AI-generated text.
For questions about manuscript byline credit, plagiarism, and related ChatGPT and AI topics, the APA Style team is seeking the recommendations of APA Journals editors. APA Style guidelines based on those recommendations will be posted on this blog and on the APA Style site later this year.
Update: APA Journals has published policies on the use of generative AI in scholarly materials .
We, the APA Style team humans, appreciate your patience as we navigate these unique challenges and new ways of thinking about how authors, researchers, and students learn, write, and work with new technologies.
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
Comments are disabled due to your privacy settings. To re-enable, please adjust your cookie preferences.
Subscribe to the APA Style Monthly newsletter to get tips, updates, and resources delivered directly to your inbox.
Welcome! Thank you for subscribing.
Browse APA Style writing guidelines by category
Full index of topics
IMAGES
COMMENTS
There are many resources to help you determine if information sources are factual or not. 7. Socratic Questioning. This way of thinking is called the Socrates Method, named after an old-time thinker from Greece. It's about asking lots of questions to understand a topic.
Critical thinking skills examples. There are six main skills you can develop to successfully analyze facts and situations and come up with logical conclusions: 1. Analytical thinking. Being able to properly analyze information is the most important aspect of critical thinking. This implies gathering information and interpreting it, but also ...
Critical thinking is the ability to effectively analyze information and form a judgment. To think critically, you must be aware of your own biases and assumptions when encountering information, and apply consistent standards when evaluating sources. Critical thinking skills help you to: Identify credible sources. Evaluate and respond to arguments.
These skills enable individuals to analyze complex situations, make informed decisions, and find innovative solutions. Here, we present 25 examples of problem-solving and critical thinking. problem-solving scenarios to help you cultivate and enhance these skills. Ethical dilemma: A company faces a situation where a client asks for a product ...
For example, if they are studying a phenomenon that occurs infrequently, they may need to extrapolate from the data they do have in order to form a hypothesis. Here, the scientist is engaged in critical thinking: they use the limited data to come up with a tentative judgment. 3. Moderating a Debate.
The exact definition of critical thinking is still debated among scholars. It has been defined in many different ways including the following: . "purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or ...
Critical thinking skills are used every day in a myriad of ways and can be applied to situations such as a CEO approaching a group project or a nurse deciding in which order to treat their patients. Examples of common critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills differ from individual to individual and are utilized in various ways.
Critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment. It involves the evaluation of sources, such as data, facts, observable phenomena, and research findings. Good critical thinkers can draw reasonable conclusions from a set of information, and discriminate between useful and less useful ...
Critical thinking is a kind of thinking in which you question, analyse, interpret , evaluate and make a judgement about what you read, hear, say, or write. The term critical comes from the Greek word kritikos meaning "able to judge or discern". Good critical thinking is about making reliable judgements based on reliable information.
Critical thinking is the process of independently analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information as a guide to behavior and beliefs. The American Philosophical Association has defined critical thinking as "the process of purposeful, self-regulatory judgment. The process gives reasoned consideration to evidence, contexts, conceptualizations ...
Critical thinking is the ability to find, understand, and build connections between different ideas. It requires an ability to reason, and also question the information you consume, rather than just passively listen and absorb it. In other words, critical thinking requires a deeper analysis than just surface-level comprehension.
Objectivity First and foremost, critical thinking requires objectivity, the process of seeking authoritative evidence and weighing such evidence in an honest way that is not motivated by an agenda.For example, a news reporter who reports on an environmental problem using authoritative scientific publications as a source without giving much weight to non-authoritative and biased sources.
Example: A journalist verifies information from multiple credible sources before publishing an article on a controversial topic. 8. Decision-making. Effective decision making is the culmination of various critical thinking skills that allow an individual to draw logical conclusions and generalizations.
Guide to Critical Thinking: Learn to Use Critical Thinking Skills. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 2 min read. Many decision-making and problem-solving tasks require critical thinking skills, which entail the ability to analyze information to reach a rational conclusion. Explore.
They are critical thinkers. 1. Albert Einstein. C.P. Snow put it best: "One of [Einstein's] greatest intellectual gifts, in small matters as well as great, was to strip off the irrelevant frills from a problem.". (From Einstein: The First Hundred Years) If you take one critical thinking tip from Einstein, make it….
Examples of Critical Thinking in the Workplace. Even if the tasks are repetitive, or even if employees are required to follow strict rules, critical thinking is still important. It helps to deal with unexpected challenges and improve processes. Let's delve into 13 real examples to see how critical thinking works in practice. 1.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, critical thinking is "the process of thinking carefully about a subject or idea, without allowing feelings or opinions to affect you.". That's actually a pretty solid place to start. In many ways, critical thinking is a two-fold process. First, it focuses on information-gathering and fact-analysis.
Examples of critical thinking applications in the workplace Below is a list of examples where critical thinking can be very valuable in the workplace, both for you and the organisation itself: Contributing to company goals All companies have certain goals that they're working towards. Mission and vision documents can outline these, or they may ...
Transferable skills such as critical thinking can help you reach your potential. Consider these basic critical thinking skills to develop to help you become an accomplished critical thinker: Observation: Fundamental to critical thinking, observant people are vigilant and alert to their surroundings and often begin to identify a problem before it fully develops.
Critical thinking example 3: Data analysis. In the digital age critical thinking has become even more, well, critical. While machines have the ability to collate huge amounts of information and reproduce it in a readable format, the ability to analyse and act on this data is still a skill only humans possess. Take an accountant.
Examples Of Critical Thinking At The Workplace & In Real Life. Work from home (WFH) has created many problems for people such as long working hours, neck and back pain, and…. Work from home (WFH) has created many problems for people such as long working hours, neck and back pain, and even having multiple cups of coffee every day.
This is just one of many examples of critical thinking for the following section. Below are more critical thinking examples. Self-evaluation of your actions. HR manager resolving conflict between staffs. A military officer working on tactical plans. Professor guiding students to fresh ideas with creative questioning.
The following are examples of where critical thinking affects your everyday life: 1. Self-reflection: analyzing your personal shortcomings. Researching an issue on racial differences and inequality, you start seeing things from other cultural perspectives and begin to see where you hold certain cultural biases.
Personal Steps. Identify emotions attached to the topic: Reflect on your own biases or strong feelings related to the topic.This helps you recognize how your emotions might influence your research. Find unbiased reference sources for proper review of the topic: Consult neutral reference materials (like encyclopedias or fact-checking websites) to gain a balanced understanding of the topic.
Continuous practice through various exercises is key to mastery and promoting critical thinking and problem-solving abilities essential for academic and personal success. ... For example, an educator may show young learners a picture of a family at the beach, from which the students may infer that this is a vacation or trip. ...
According to research, many students lack effective critical thinking skills. The ability to think critically is crucial for individuals to be successful and responsible. Many students have difficulties understanding this important skill and especially lack the ability to initiate and apply the process. Although a difficult task, educators have the responsibility to teach critical skills to ...
Using a problem-solving approach as a basis for nursing practice requires the use of critical thinking and decision-making. Some experts have referred to that thinking more recently as clinical reasoning. ... For example, fever is a more commonly used term in nursing and health care than hyperthermia. A nurse can take a client's body ...
Let's explore 18 examples where the education system contradicts American values, from stifling creativity to widening the inequality gap. Standardized Testing Over Critical Thinking.
We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test, and we know our roles in a Turing test.And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we've spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT.