{"id":704,"date":"2020-08-17T10:39:56","date_gmt":"2020-08-17T14:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/scld\/?page_id=704"},"modified":"2025-07-04T11:27:43","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T15:27:43","slug":"critical-thinking","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/scld\/learning-skills\/academic-skills\/critical-thinking\/","title":{"rendered":"Critical Thinking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As students, you will engage with new information all the time! From preparing for lecture by completing readings, to researching topics for your next paper, it is important to know how to critically think about the information you take in and present. What does it mean exactly to think critically? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Critical Thinking IS...<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Used in academic work to assess or develop an\u00a0\u200b\u201cargument\u201d. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Asking questions, relevant to a subject area,\u00a0\u00a0field of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø or discipline\u200b.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Finding evidence to address questions.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Evaluating the evidence, to arrive at a\u00a0conclusion and\/or new questions to explore.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Objective, impersonal, and evidence-based<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n

    Critical Thinking IS NOT...<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Just\u00a0describing\u00a0or\u00a0explaining\u00a0a concept or\u00a0\u200btheory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • About attacking, finding fault or \u201ccriticizing\u201d in the\u00a0way we normally use the word\u200b.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Based on emotions, personal values or belief\u00a0systems\u200b.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
      \n
      \n
      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

      \n

      The Critical Thinking Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      1. Identify the argument (claim, conclusion or theory) being made.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Look for assumptions behind key claims or theories.\u00a0If you find some, ask:\u200b Are these assumptions reasonable?\u200b Do they need to be supported by evidence, rather than\u00a0just assumed?\u00a0\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Assess the evidence and ask; does the evidence support the claim? Is it sufficient? Is it from a trustworthy source?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
        <\/div>\n\n\n\n
        \n
        \n
        \n
        \n

        Practice Critical Thinking by: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        1. Find a news article that interests you<\/li>
        2. Identify the Argument <\/li>
        3. Look for Evidence that supports the argument<\/li>
        4. Asses the Evidence and Ask Questions, such as: Who wrote this article? Are their sources reliable? What bias might they have? Whose voice has been left out? When and how was this evidence collected? <\/li>
        5. Draw your conclusion<\/li>
        6. Now, try this again with an article you disagree with! <\/li><\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
          \n
          \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

          Additional Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
          Resource<\/th>Download<\/th>Decsription<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
          Critical Reading Strategies<\/td>PDF<\/a>
          Word<\/a> <\/td>          		Worksheet for identifying the structure and important information about your readings. <\/td><\/tr>
          Become a Critical Thinker<\/a><\/td><\/td>Tips to develop your critical thinking skills<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
          \n
          \n
          \n

          Connect with Student Community & Leadership Development<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
          <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          As students, you will engage with new information all the time! From preparing for lecture by completing readings, to researching topics for your next paper, it is important to know how to critically think about the information you take in and present. What does it mean exactly to think critically? Critical Thinking IS... Critical Thinking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":0,"parent":702,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"secondary-page.php","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-704","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nCritical Thinking - Student Community & Leadership Development<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/scld\/learning-skills\/academic-skills\/critical-thinking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Critical Thinking - Student Community & Leadership Development\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As students, you will engage with new information all the time! 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