What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is about taking nothing for granted – when you’ve asked the question, then it is good practice to question the answer.

Evaluating evidence and arguments for and against

Critical thinking is about examining arguments to see whether they are well-reasoned and logical – an argument is not a disagreement but a reason or set of reasons which leads to a conclusion.

Consider where the viewpoint leads – what the conclusions are and if they are logical

Examining in detail

Consider an issue carefully
Identify how arguments relate to each other

Checking for accuracy

Look for flaws in reasoning, evidence, or conclusions

Comparing the same issue from different authors’ opinions

Explain why different authors arrived at different conclusions
Be able to argue why one set of opinions is preferable to another

Looking for hidden assumptions

Critical thinking involves reading between the lines and looking for what is not being said as well as what is being made obvious.

Most of all, critical thinking is about keeping an open mind and being prepared to question your own points of view and understanding alternative ones.