Three people, three answers
The office Wi-Fi is slow. One person says, "Buy a new box." One says, "Too many people are on it." One says, "It is the cable in the wall."
Each sounds sure. A critical thinker does not pick the loudest. They follow steps.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Argument | a set of reasons that someone gives to support their view |
| Critical thinking | asking questions and weighing the evidence before you decide |
| Analyse | break information into parts and look at each one |
| Objective | based on facts, not on feelings |
| Evaluate | judge how good, useful or true something is |
| Conclusion | a decision you reach from the evidence |
| Bias | an unfair lean towards one side |
| Data | raw facts and numbers, with no meaning added yet |
| Information | data that has been put in order so it means something |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can follow the steps of critical thinking and record my conclusion.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
What each step asks
Identify: collect what is relevant. Look for different arguments, views and opinions. Do not use only the one you like.
Analyse: look for bias and ask what is objective. Find the links between data (the numbers) and information (what they mean).
Choose, judge, conclude and record
Select the right technique or tool for the question. The next lessons list them.
Evaluate the findings: how strong is the evidence? Then conclude. Record the conclusion in a clear order so another person can follow it.
Put the steps in order
Have a go
Put the steps in order
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.