Critical
thinking is the ability to think clearly
and rationally and understand
the reasonable links between
ideas. At universities, critical thinking is an important skill enabling
students to learn efficiently. Instructors expect their students to adopt this approach However,
critical thinking is different from regular or everyday thinking. A person
thinks critically by following these three steps, namely, analyzing, evaluating
and developing a position.
First of all, critical
thinking starts with analyzing. Careful thinkers focus on complexities and they
try to see different sides of an issue . People compare and contrast to explain similarities
and differences. In addition, they categorize information and identify it by breaking it into parts.
Therefore, the process
of analyzing is not
a quick and passive activity.
Secondly, the following
step of critical thinking is evaluating. The evaluation process enables people to see the value of information and whether
it is good or bad. People eliminate most useful and reliable information by
using this method. Moreover, confirming relevance and considering arguments are
the key parts of evaluation. By dint of these, critical thinking allows people
to protect themselves from manipulation and bias.
Thirdly, the last step is
developing a solution or position to think critically. Asking basic questions
helps people to find simple solutions. Critical thinkers formulate the
question, gather and apply the information, consider implications and finally
explore other points of view. This process allows a person to explain why he or
she is agrees or
disagrees.
Furthermore, being aware of personal prejudices and influences enables people to make
the best decision.
To sum up, critical
thinking is a purposeful, reasoned and well directed activity which increases the
probability of a desirable outcome. It involves solving problems, formulating
inferences, calculating likelihoods and making decisions. It is necessary
for college students but everybody can use it in
daily life.
