An introduction to critical thinking

1. Academic Achievement Team
Critical Analysis : What is it?

2. Lesson Aims
• Define and explain what critical analysis is
• Why it is an important part of your university work
• Practice using critical analysis

4. Are You a Critical Thinker?
Which of the following statements might be based on evidence (facts) or opinions?
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how would you test whether each statement is correct?
1. My friend is the best friend in the world
2. My telephone number is difficult to remember
3. The deepest part of the ocean is 35,813 feet deep
4. Cats make better pets than parrots
5. 85% of all cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking
6. If you stretch out a Yo-yo it will be 23 inches long
7. One person in four take addictive medicines
8. Two out of ten British citizens are Euro-sceptic

5. Heathrow Airport : what is happening?

6. So what is critical thinking?
• Standing back and thinking about all the
elements of a topic
• Not taking information at face-value (not
accepting it as true)
• Thinking about context (would another
situation be different?)
• Considering an issue from different
perspectives and comparing them
• Removing any emotion from the event
• Evaluate strengths and limitations before
making a judgement

7. Immigration out of
control !
Shall I go to the library or
stay in bed?

8. The Skills of Critical Thinking
Bloom’s 1956 Model
Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge

9. Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge
In thinking about the photograph, you probably used several of Bloom’s thinking triangle skills:
Knowledge and Comprehension: to describe the situation in the photo
Application: of this knowledge to reasons why the situation could occur
Analysis: of different elements of the picture that could be considered
Synthesis: Combining this with what else you know about the Heathrow Airport Protests
Evaluation: Weighing this up and coming to possible conclusions about what could be happening in
the photo.

10. Critical Thinking in Different Subjects

11. Which university activities require critical thinking?
Activity Required Not required How/why?
Buying/borrowing the core textbook for a module
Choosing sources for an assignment
Collecting evidence from journal articles
Actively reading the core textbook for a module
Summarising information
Choosing a masters course
Describing a model or theory
Comparing models or theories

12. Activity Required Not required How/Why?
Buying/borrowing the core textbook for a module Chosen by a lecturer and
you have been advised to
read it
Choosing sources for an assignment Selecting sources that
contain different
perspectives on your topic
Collecting evidence from journal articles Thinking how you could use
the evidence in your
assignment
Evaluating any limitations of
the research
Actively reading the core textbook for a module Making notes
Reading with purpose
Selecting as appropriate
Summarising information Reducing ideas that you
already have
Choosing a masters course Compare/assess before
making a decision
Describing a model or theory Description not analysis
Comparing models or theories Assessing
similarities/differences
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X
X
X
How/Why?
Chosen by a lecturer and
you have been advised to
read it
Selecting sources that
contain different
perspectives on your topic
Thinking how you could use
the evidence in your
assignment
Evaluating any limitations of
the research
Making notes
Reading with purpose
Selecting as appropriate
Reducing ideas that you
already have
Compare/assess before
making a decision
Description not analysis
Assessing
similarities/differences

13. Using critical analysis at university
• As you progress on your degrees you will be
expected to think and write critically in assignments
(check marking criteria if you are not sure)
• Reading texts and arguments :
- Assess if arguments are valid and if the evidence is used
effectively
- Assess how arguments compare with other texts on the same
subject
• Reading actively : engage, question, compare, reflect before making
judgment

14. Students and Critical Thinking

15. Over to you…………

16. Stop and Search Police Laws
What is happening in the photo:
What do you think?
What do people in your group think?

17. Remember Bloom’s Model?
Evaluation
Synthesis
Analysis
Application
Comprehension
Knowledge

18. Before you read more about the context and perspectives, watch the
Home Secretary, speaking in August about how Stop and Search will be
used:
Priti Patel, Home Secretary : Stop and Search
Stop and Search Police Laws

19. Read the texts and use them to inform your critical
analysis skills
Remember:
- Do not take things at face value
- Be open to different opinions (to inform your thinking)
- Remove emotive thinking
- Evaluate strengths, weaknesses
- Weigh up the evidence before giving judgements

20. What do you know about critical thinking?
Next lessons:
Critical Reading
Critical Writing
Reflect

21. Self-Study