Critical ThinkingCritical ThinkingKnowledge SkillsKnowledge Skills

By: Sevana SoulakhianBy: Sevana Soulakhian

Critical Thinkers Are..Critical Thinkers Are..

Intellectually curiousIntellectually curious

Open mindedOpen minded

Avoid “Red Herrings”Avoid “Red Herrings”

Able to use anecdotes effectivelyAble to use anecdotes effectively

Able to handle confusionAble to handle confusion

Able to control EmotionAble to control Emotion

Sensitive to the needs of othersSensitive to the needs of others

Able to differentiate between conclusions that they feel is true from Able to differentiate between conclusions that they feel is true from one that they would want to be trueone that they would want to be true

Can easily come forward and admit the fact that they do not know Can easily come forward and admit the fact that they do not know somethingsomething

Able to find dialogical approach when arguingAble to find dialogical approach when arguing

Intellectually CuriousIntellectually CuriousAn active critical thinker always asks who, what, An active critical thinker always asks who, what,

where, when, and how.where, when, and how.

Always looks for ways to solve problemsAlways looks for ways to solve problems

Open MindedOpen MindedThe open minded person is someone who is not only eager The open minded person is someone who is not only eager to listen to fresh ideas, but will alter a previously modified to listen to fresh ideas, but will alter a previously modified

position if the new information dictates. Open minded people position if the new information dictates. Open minded people are supple, eager to modify their standards and viewpoint, are supple, eager to modify their standards and viewpoint, and are able to admit the fact that they were once wrong and are able to admit the fact that they were once wrong

about ideas they now accept. about ideas they now accept.

Avoid “Red Herrings”Avoid “Red Herrings”

Avoid unimportant issues that are Avoid unimportant issues that are being argued being argued

Use Anecdotes Use Anecdotes Successfully Successfully

Using stories successfully permit us to aid to explain Using stories successfully permit us to aid to explain and understand complication involved in our and understand complication involved in our

environment. However, a good story does not mean environment. However, a good story does not mean that it will credit any strength for excellent decision that it will credit any strength for excellent decision

making; therefore critical thinkers must view all making; therefore critical thinkers must view all accessible data, and then in result make a decision. accessible data, and then in result make a decision.

Able to control confusionAble to control confusion

Making a quick choice with the Making a quick choice with the information available to the person information available to the person

will limit confusionwill limit confusion

Able to control emotionAble to control emotionThe one thing that will ruin our critical thinking The one thing that will ruin our critical thinking

process is our interfering emotions. (anger, process is our interfering emotions. (anger, sadness, fear, etc). Therefore learning to sadness, fear, etc). Therefore learning to

control emotions will allow one to become an control emotions will allow one to become an active critical thinkeractive critical thinker

Sensitive to the Needs Sensitive to the Needs of othersof others

You have to be aware of the You have to be aware of the desires your audience has if you desires your audience has if you

want to persuade them in anythingwant to persuade them in anything

Able to differentiate between Able to differentiate between conclusions that they feel is true conclusions that they feel is true from one that they would want to from one that they would want to

be truebe true

One conclusion may be put to test but One conclusion may be put to test but the second can not be put to a test the second can not be put to a test

which means it lacks value in critical which means it lacks value in critical thinkingthinking

Can easily come forward and Can easily come forward and admit the fact that they do not admit the fact that they do not

know somethingknow something

If you can admit you do not know If you can admit you do not know something, you can ask questions something, you can ask questions

about it, and therefore learn something about it, and therefore learn something you once did not know!you once did not know!

Able to find dialogical Able to find dialogical approach when arguingapproach when arguing

Putting yourself in other people’s shoes Putting yourself in other people’s shoes allows you to analyze, synthesize, allows you to analyze, synthesize,

compare/contrast, evaluate, justify, and compare/contrast, evaluate, justify, and recognize valid and invalid conclusions.recognize valid and invalid conclusions.

By achieving all of these By achieving all of these skills you can develop into skills you can develop into a more intelligent person a more intelligent person

allowing you to become an allowing you to become an active critical thinkeractive critical thinker