Developing Your Critical Thinking Skills

Assumptions aren't inherently bad. They're necessary to help us make sense of our world. Our brains are bombarded with so much information we simply couldn't function if we didn't each have some basic premises to work from. That said, the critical thinker knows assumptions can get in the way of rational decision making. In this book, you'll learn how to use questions to identify and check assumptions, distinguish relevant facts from opinion, and seek perspectives from others in managing assumptions. Arguments are an expected part of the critical-thinking process. Without them, you can't make well thought-out decisions or reach logical conclusions. You regularly make arguments because you want to make a point or move an issue forward. Your ability to recognize and evaluate their validity determines your aptitude for thinking critically. In this book, you'll learn how to identify arguments, recognize persuasion techniques, explore arguments for accuracy, precision, and logic, and make strong arguments of your own. Drawing conclusions is about analyzing, and weighing the information, and sources that support taking action. It's about questions too. You can only be confident that your conclusion is sound when you've closely queried its clarity, accuracy, specificity, relevance, logic, and depth. In this book, you will learn how to recognize the critical-thinking activities associated with reaching a sound conclusion. Employ effective questions, use tools to help you conclude findings, and create an action plan for putting conclusions into practice.