Student Learning Development Leicester Learning Institute Critical thinking

Student Learning Development Leicester Learning Institute Critical thinking Staff name www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/slc www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Critical analysis and note-making • Identifying arguments • Questioning assumptions • Identifying and evaluating reasoning • Evaluating the evidence • Critical thinking/note-making exercise www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Critical analysis • Identifying arguments • Questioning assumptions • Identifying and evaluating reasoning • Evaluating the evidence www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

His argument is that more money should be invested in drug rehabilitation programmes, as a large proportion of offending is linked to drug use. What is an argument? • A position or point of view • An attempt to persuade others to accept that point of view • Reasons given to support the point of view [from Cottrell, S. Critical Thinking Skills: Developing effective analysis and argument, Basingstoke: Palgrave Mac. Millan] www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Identifying the main argument and supporting reasons A human skeleton was found near the river late last month by a senior couple walking their dog. They believed it was a murder caused by a troublesome local family. The police interviewed the family but ruled out their involvement. The bones are believed to be several hundred years old. Historians confirm that the river Marle passes close to ancient burial grounds and that there are records of other bodies being carried away by the river in the distant past. This was the first for over 150 years. Recent storms have caused the river to rise by half a metre. It is probable that the skeleton was dislodged from its resting place by the river rather than by the local family. [from Cottrell, S. Critical Thinking Skills: Developing effective analysis and argument, Basingstoke: Palgrave Mac. Millan] www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Critical analysis • Identifying arguments • Questioning assumptions • Identifying and evaluating reasoning • Evaluating the evidence • Applying critical analysis www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Identifying assumptions Assumptions are ideas or beliefs taken for granted when presenting an argument. It is desirable to reduce the rate of offending Drug rehabilitation programmes are effective in reducing drug use Drug use contributes to the rise in offending His argument is that more money should be invested in drug rehabilitation programmes, as a large proportion of offending is linked to drug use. Investing more money in drug rehabilitation programmes will: - make them available to more patients AND/OR - increase their effectiveness www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Critical analysis • Identifying arguments • Questioning assumptions • Identifying and evaluating reasoning • Evaluating the evidence www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Evaluating reasoning Whenever ancient pots are discovered, there archaeologists around. Therefore, archaeologists must put the pots there. ? Creative commons image: https: //upload. wikimedia. org/wikipedia/commons/a/a 5/Archaeologist_Andrew_Nicholson, _Sharon_Mc. Kee, _David_Bartholomew_%26_Martin_Mc. Sweeney_at_discovery_of_second_level_hoard. jpg www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Flawed reasoning 1: Correlations and assuming a causal link • Correlations with third causes: Between November and February the rates of people wearing boots and consuming hot drinks increase. X The wearing of boots causes people to consume more hot drinks X Consuming hot drinks causes people to wear boots There is a third factor, the cold weather between November and February, which causes these events to occur independently. www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Flawed reasoning 2: false/weak analogies • Employees are like nails. Just as nails must be hit in the head in order to make them work, so must employees. • A school is like a business. It needs a clear competitive strategy that will lead to profitable growth. www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Critical analysis • Identifying arguments • Questioning assumptions • Identifying and evaluating reasoning • Evaluating the evidence www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Evaluating evidence To evaluate whether the evidence is appropriate, ask yourself : * Is it… • valid? (Does it prove what it claims to prove? ) • current? (Is it up to date? ) • accurate? • relevant? • reliable? (Can you trust it? ) • complete? • sufficient? (Is there enough evidence to prove something? ) * From Drew, S. and Bingham, R. (2001) The Student Skills Guide, 2 nd ed. , Aldershot: Gower Publishing www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Note-making/critical thinking exercise www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester

Relevant resources What is critical reading? study guide What is critical writing? study guide What it means to be a critical student video tutorial Critical thinking guide (from Plymouth University) www. le. ac. uk/succeedinyourstudies www. le. ac. uk/learnatleicester