introduction-to-critical-thinking1780.ppt

Zaid Ali Alsagoff
zaid.alsagoff@gmail.com
Module 1:
Introduction to
Critical Thinking

Question?
Why do YOU study
for a Degree?

Do You Agree With This Statement?
“Some people study all their life
and at their death they have
learned everything except to
THINK”
– Francois Domergue
Why?

Do You Agree?
Why is
Imagination
so Important?
I Need input
from you!

Why does UNITAR have this course?
To help you improve your Thinking
Skills 
HOW TO THINK!

Module 1: Introduction to Critical Thinking
1. What is Thinking?
6. Barriers to
Critical Thinking
2. Types of Thinking
4. Critical Thinking
Standards
5. Benefits of
Critical Thinking
7. Characteristics of
a Critical Thinker
3. What is
Critical Thinking?

1.1 What is Thinking?
Why doesn’t SHE like me?
Why doesn’t HE like me?
As you start asking questions and seek answers, you are in fact thinking.

1.1 What is Thinking?
Thinking is a purposeful, organized
cognitive process that we use to
make sense of our world.

1.2 Types of Thinking
Problem Solving
Decision Making
Critical
Thinking
• Analyzing
• Evaluating
• Reasoning
New
Ideas
Creative
Thinking
Right
Left

1.3 What is Critical Thinking?
WARNING: THIS MAN IS NOT THINKING CRITICALLY!!
Source: http://profmulder.home.att.net/introwhatis.htm

1.3 What is Critical Thinking? (2)
“Critical thinking consists of a mental process of analyzing or evaluating
information, particularly statements or propositions that people have
offered as true. It forms a process of reflecting upon the meaning of
statements, examining the offered evidence and reasoning, and
forming judgments about the facts.”
– Wikipedia
“Critical thinking is 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. “
- Michael Scriven & Richard Paul
More Definitions…

Critical Thinking is the general term given to a wide range
of cognitive and intellectual skills needed to:
Effectively identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments.
Discover and overcome personal prejudices and biases.
Formulate and present convincing reasons in support of
conclusions.
Make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe
and what to do.

Problem Solving
Decision Making
Critical
Thinking
• Analyzing
• Evaluating
• Reasoning
Right
Left
Don’t need to
memorize
definitions! Just
understand and
practice the core
critical thinking
skills emphasized
in this course.

CRITICAL
THINKING
SKILLS
Analyzing
Reasoning
Evaluating
Decision Making Problem Solving

1.4 Critical Thinking Standards (CTS)
The most significant critical (intellectual) thinking standards:
Clarity
Accuracy
Precision
Relevance
Depth
Breadth
Logic
Fairness

1.4 CTS - Clarity
Could you elaborate further on that point?
Could you express that point in another way?
Could you give me an illustration?
Could you give me an example?
Source: http://www.fctl.ucf.edu/tresources/content/Ruland-CriticalThinkingStandards.pdf
Clarity is the gateway standard
Help you
I can,
yes.

1.4 CTS – Accuracy
Is that really true?
How could we check that?
How could we find out if that is true?
This chicken
weighs over
300 pounds.
A statement can be clear but not accurate
Powerful you
have become,
the dark side
I sense in you.

1.4 CTS – Precision
Could you give more details?
Could you be more specific?
A statement can be both clear and accurate,
but not precise
Size
matter
s not.
Yao Ming is
TALL!

1.4 CTS – Relevance
How is that connected to the question?
How does that bear on the issue?
I studied hard all
semester, therefore I
should get A+.
A statement can be clear, accurate, and precise,
but not relevant to the question at issue.
You must
unlearn what
you have
learned.

1.4 CTS – Depth
How does your answer address the complexities
in the question?
How are you taking into account the problems in
the question?
Is that dealing with the most significant factors?
Grave danger
you are in.
Impatient
you are.
A statement can be clear, accurate,
precise, and relevant, but superficial.

1.4 CTS – Breadth
Do we need to consider another point of view?
Is there another way to look at this question?
What would this look like from a conservative standpoint?
What would this look like from the point of view of...?
That is
why you
fail.
A line of reasoning may be clear, accurate,
precise, relevant, and deep, but lack breadth.
Headache!
!!
You got 0 marks for
“Participation”, because you
didn’t participate in the
class discussion at all.

1.4 CTS – Logic
Does this really make sense?
Does that follow from what you said?
How does that follow?
But before you implied this and now you are saying that;
how can both be true?
Superman sees through anything.
Superman sees through walls.
Superman sees through You.
When the combination of thoughts are
mutually supporting and make sense in combination,
the thinking is "logical.“
May the
force be
with you.

1.4 CTS – Fairness
Critical thinking demands that our thinking be fair.
Open-minded
Impartial
Free of distorting biases and preconceptions
Difficult to
achieve, but
you must try!
Fair-mindedness is an essential
attribute of a Critical Thinker.

1.4 CTS – Good Thinking is…
CLEAR……….....rather than........UNCLEAR
ACCURATE…....rather than…….INACCURATE
PRECISE……....rather than…….VAGUE
RELEVANT…….rather than…….IRELEVANT
CONSISTENT….rather than……INCONSISTENT
LOGICAL……….rather than……ILLOGICAL
COMPLETE……rather than……INCOMPLETE
FAIR…………….rather than…....BIASED

1.5 Benefits of Critical Thinking
Examples:
Academic Performance
 understand the arguments and beliefs of others
 Critically evaluating those arguments and beliefs
 Develop and defend one's own well-supported arguments and beliefs.
Workplace
 Helps us to reflect and get a deeper understanding of our own and others’ decisions
 Encourage open-mindedness to change
 Aid us in being more analytical in solving problems
Daily life
 Helps us to avoid making foolish personal decisions.
 Promotes an informed and concerned citizenry capable of making good decisions
on important social, political and economic issues.
 Aids in the development of autonomous thinkers capable of examining their
assumptions, dogmas, and prejudices.

1.6 Barriers to Critical Thinking
If Critical Thinking is so important, why is it that
uncritical thinking is so common?
Why is that so many people including many
highly educated and intelligent people find
critical thinking so difficult?

Lack of relevant background
information
Poor reading skills
Poor listening skills
Bias
Prejudice
Superstition
Egocentrism
Socio-centrism
Peer pressure
Mindless Conformism
Mindless non-conformism
Provincialism
Narrow-mindedness
Closed-mindedness
Distrust of reason
Stereotyping
Unwarranted assumptions and
stereotypes
Relativistic thinking
Scapegoating
Rationalization
Wishful thinking
Short-term thinking
Selective perception / attention
Selective memory
Overpowering emotions
Self-deception
Face-saving
Fear of change
Common Barriers

Five Powerful Barriers to Critical Thinking:
Self-centered thinking
self-interested thinking
self-serving bias
Group-centered thinking
Group bias
Conformism
Beliefs that are presumed to be true
without adequate evidence or justification
Assumption
Stereotyping
Believing that something is true because
one wishes it were true.
The truth is “just a matter of opinion”
Relativism
 Subjectivism
 Cultural relativism
Egocentrism
Unwarranted
Assumptions
Sociocentrism
Relativistic
Thinking
Wishful
Thinking
I am
probably the
greatest
thinker since
Socrates!

In a 1989 international study of 13-year-olds, Koreans
finished first in mathematics and Americans finished
last. Yet when asked whether they thought they were
"good at mathematics," only 23 percent of Koreans said
"yes," compared to 68 percent of Americans.
Which critical thinking barrier do the American students
exhibit:
A) Self-interested thinking
B) Group bias
C) Self-serving bias
D) Conformism
1.6 Mini Quiz – Question 1

Which critical thinking barrier does Ali display in this
passage?
B) Group bias
C) Self-serving bias
D) Conformism
Muhammad Ali [speaking in Zaire, Africa]: "There's no country
as great as the smallest city in America. I mean [here in Zaire]
you can't watch television. The water won't even run right.
The toilets won't flush. The roads, the cars- there's nothing as
great as America."

Which critical thinking barrier does Lee exhibit?
B) Stereotyping
C) Group bias
D) Conformism
Adam: My friend Andy is a 1st year student at UNITAR. He is
cool, loves hanging out, and has a very laid-back
personality.
Lee: I bet he’s from KL.

Which critical thinking barrier does Suzie exhibit?
A) Stereotyping
B) Self-interested thinking
C) Wishful thinking
D) Relativistic thinking
Suzie: I can't believe I got a B- on this marketing paper. My friend Sarah
turned in this same paper in a different marketing class last semester,
and she got an A.
Ali : Don't you realize it's wrong to plagiarize someone else's work?
Suzie: That's your opinion. What's wrong for one person isn't necessarily
wrong for another, and I say there's nothing wrong with plagiarism-
as long as you don't get caught.

1.7 Characteristics of a Critical Thinker
Are you OPEN MINDED about other people’s view?
Are you HONEST to yourself (or others) when you are wrong?
Do you have the COURAGE and PASSION to take initiative and
confront problems and meet challenges?
Are you AWARE of your own biases and preconceptions?
Do you WELCOME CRITICISM from other people?
Do you have INDEPENDENT opinions and are not afraid to disagree?
The Force,
I sense is
with you.

1.7 Characteristics of a Critical Thinker
Critical Thinkers Uncritical Thinkers
Have a passionate drive for clarity, precision, accuracy,
relevance, consistency, logicalness, completeness, and
fairness.
Often think in ways that are unclear, imprecise,
inaccurate, etc.
Are sensitive to ways in which critical thinking can be
skewed by egocentrism, sociocentrism, wishful thinking,
etc.
Often fall prey to egocentrism, sociocentrism, wishful
thinking, etc.
Are intellectually honest with themselves, acknowledging
what they don’t know and recognizing their limitations.
Pretend they know more than they do and ignore
their limitations.
Listen open-mindedly to opposing points of view and
welcome criticisms of beliefs and assumptions.
Are close-minded and resist criticisms of beliefs and
assumptions.
Base their beliefs on facts and evidence rather than on
personal preference or self-interest.
Often base their beliefs on mere personal preference
or self interest.
Are aware of the biases and preconceptions that shape
the way they perceive the world.
Lack awareness of their own biases and
preconceptions.
Think independently and are not afraid to disagree with
group opinion.
Tend to engage in ‘group think’, uncritically following
the beliefs and values of the crowd.
Are able to get to the heart of an issue or problem,
without being distracted by details.
Are easily distracted and lack the ability to zero in on
the essence of a problem or issue.
Have the intellectual courage to face and assess fairly
ideas that challenge even their most basic beliefs.
Fear and resist ideas that challenge their basic
beliefs.
Love truth and curious about a wide range of issues. Are often relatively indifferent to truth and lack of
curiosity.
Have the intellectual perseverance to pursue insights or
truths, despite obstacles or difficulties.
Tend to preserve when they encounter intellectual
obstacles or difficulties.

Group Activity
Break into groups of 4-5, and then discuss, identify and rank the Top 10
characteristics/traits/behaviours of an EXCELLENT:
1. LECTURER
2. STUDENT
Choose one member of your group to take notes and be the group reporter.
10 min Brainstorm together and identify 10 characteristics for each item above.
(e.g. try to remember the best lecturer(s) you have ever had and then identify
their characteristics…). .
5 min Prioritize and rank the chosen characteristics of each item above according to
importance (e.g. Top 10).
15 min Group presentation & discussion
- The Group reporter must submit their findings in hard copy format after the
class (use template) or soft-copy format to the lecturer before next class.
Dr. Yoda was an
excellent teacher,
because he engaged our
mind, had activities, etc.

Summary
1. What is Thinking? Thinking is a purposeful, organized cognitive process that
we use to make sense of our world.
2. Types of Thinking Creative & Critical Thinking
3. What is Critical Thinking? Critical Thinking is the general term given to a wide range of
cognitive and intellectual skills needed to: Effectively
identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments; Discover and
overcome personal prejudices and biases; Formulate and
present convincing reasons in support of conclusions; and
Make reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to believe
and what to do. Critical thinking skills emphasized in this
course, include: Reasoning, Analyzing, Evaluating, Decision
Making and Problem solving.
4. Critical Thinking Standards Clarity, Accuracy, Precision, Relevance, Depth, Breadth,
Logic and Fairness
5. Benefits of Critical Thinking Academic performance, workplace and daily life.
6. Barriers to Critical Thinking Examples include Egocentrism, Sociocentrism,
Unwarranted Assumptions, Wishful Thinking, and
Relativistic Thinking
7. Characteristics of a Critical
Thinker
Open-mindedness, independent thinking, self-aware,
passionate, insightful, honest and intellectual humility,
intellectual courage, and welcome criticism, etc.

Contact Details
Zaid Ali Alsagoff
UNIVERSITI TUN ABDUL RAZAK
16-5, Jalan SS 6/12
47301 Kelana Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Malaysia
E-mail: zaid.alsagoff@gmail.com
Tel: 603-7627 7238
Fax: 603-7627 7246

References
Online Resources
Critical Thinking Standards (Judith P. Ruland PhD). URL:
http://www.fctl.ucf.edu/tresources/content/Ruland-
CriticalThinkingStandards.pdf
Books
Chapter 1 & 2:
G Bassham, W Irwin, H Nardone, J M Wallace, Critical
Thinking: A Student's Introduction, McGraw-Hill
International Edition, 2007
John Chaffee, Thinking Critically, 6th Edition, Houghton
Mifflin, Boston, 2000

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