How to Hone Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is a different way of reacting to and evaluating information in reading, writing, and thought processes. When reading, or watching a spy, action, or crime drama, critical thinking allows one to figure out the story plot or who the criminal is before it is revealed. When writing, use of critical thinking in the editing process assists the writer to examine each sentence for vagueness and ambiguity; ensure the ideas put forth are clear and concise; and assist in avoiding stereotypes, passivity and generalizations.

One uses critical thinking skills on a daily basis to process information, most of the time without even realizing it, such as how much of a house payment one can comfortably afford; which bills need to be paid from which paycheck; deciding to change jobs or locations; what one wants to major in; and even where to go on vacation. Critical thinking is used in conversations with others, to evaluate whether information is credible, fictitious, or whether something is believable but should be investigated further before action is taken.

Critical thinking is useful in evaluate articles and advertising by determining how credible the author is; what credentials the author has; and whether the author is biased or prejudiced as well as whether the author has used rhetoric, fallacies, biases, vagueness, or ambiguity; taking notice when these devices are used and focusing on the motivations for their use is classic critical thinking skills.