ELO-CC-2.1 Flashcards
Critical Thinking
the art of analyzing and evaluating thinking with a view to improve it.
Universal Intellectual Standards
Clarity, Accuracy, Precision, Relevance, Depth, Breadth, Logic, Significance, Fairness
Clarity
Could you - elaborate further, give me an example, illustrate what you mean?
Accuracy
How could we - check on that, find out if that is true, verify or test that?
Precision
Could you be - more specific, more exact? Could you give me more details?
Relevance
How does that - relate to the problem, bear on the question, help us with the issue?
Depth
What factors make this a difficult problem? What are some of the - complexities of this question, difficulties we need to deal with?
Breadth
Do we need to look at this - from another perspective, in other ways? Do we need to consider another point of view?
Logic
Does all this make sense together? Does your first paragraph fit in with your last? Does what you say follow from the evidence?
Significance
Is this the - most important problem to consider, central idea to focus on? Which of these facts are most important?
Fairness
Do I have any vested interest in this issue? Am I sympathetically representing the viewpoints of others?
Elements of Thought (thinking)
Purpose (objectives), Question at issue (problem), Information (data, experiences), Interpretation and Inference (solutions), Concepts (laws, principles), Assumptions (presuppositions), Implications and Consequences, Point of View (perspectives).
Purpose
What is the purpose for the reasoner? Is the purpose clearly stated or clearly implied? Is it justifiable?
Question
Is the question at issue will-stated? Is it clear and unbiased?
Information
Does the writer cite relevant evidence, experiences and/or information essential to the issue? Is the information accurate?
Concepts
Does the writer clarify key concepts when necessary? Are the concepts used justifiably?
Assumptions
Does the writer use questionable assumptions without addressing problems which might be inherent in those assumptions?
Inferences
Does the writer develop a line of reasoning explaining well how s/he is arriving at the main conclusions?
Point of View
Does the writer show a sensitivity to alternative relevant points of view or lines of reasoning?
Implications
Does the writer show a sensitivity to the implications and consequences of the position s/he is taking?
Three Levels of Thought
Level 3: Highest order thinking (explicitly reflective, routine use of CT tools, consistently fair); Level 2: Higher order thinking (selectively reflective, lacks CT vocabulary, inconsistently fair); Level 1: Lower order thinking (unreflective, frequently relies on gut intuition, largely self-serving/self deceived)
