Running head: SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

Solving Personal Problems: Applying the Five-Step Model

HUM/115 Critical Thinking in Everyday Life

SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

SolvingPersonalProblems:ApplyingtheFiveStepModel
This assignment contains two parts. You must complete both parts before saving and
submitting to the assignment link.
PartOne:DescribingtheFiveStepProcess
ListthefivestepsinthemodelforproblemsolvingfromChapter3ofCriticalThinking.Writea
descriptionofeach,usingyourownwords.Makesureeachdescriptionisatleast3sentences
long.Remembertocorrectciteandreferenceanysourceyouusetocompletethisassignment.
Step(providename)
Step1:Whatistheproblem?

Description(inyourownwords)
Therearethreesubstagesforthisstepofproblem
solving(Paul&Elder,2011).Firstistoidentifyhow
muchdoyouknowaboutthesituation,itcanbe
reachedmyaskingyourselfdifferentquestionsand
answeringthem.Secondiswhatresultsdoyouexpect
andintendtoget,itsagoodideatowritethemdown.
Andfinally,thethirdsubstageis:askingyourselfhow
youcandefinetheproblem:reviewprevioustwosteps,
doappropriateanalysisand,finally,identifythe
centralissue(Paul&Elder,2011).

Step2:Whatarethealternatives?

Inthisstepyoushouldcreatealistofpossibleactions
whichcouldsolvetheproblem.Thiscanbedoneintwo
stages:
1. Identifyboundariesoftheproblem.For
example,ifyouaimtofindajobonacertain
position,choosedesirablelocation,createalist
ofhardandsoftskill,forexample.Then

R4

SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

3
provideactionswhicharepossibletoimplement
withintheboundaries.

Step3:Whatarethe

Theaimofthestepistoidentifyadvantagesand

advantages/disadvantagesofeach

disadvantagesofeachalternative/action.Thisprovides

alternative?

evaluationofthemandintheendyoucanassesseach
ofalternativeandchoosethebestones.Youcanask
questionssuchas:WhatwillIgetifItakethis
action?,WhatifIdonottakeit?,Whatinfluenceit
willhaveonmeandmyfamily?.Thesearevery
general,however.Itisalsoimportanttoaskwhat
additionalinformationisneededtowriteadvantages
anddisadvantages.

Step4:Whatisthesolution?

Thisimpliestochoosewhichalternativesyouwill
implement.Evaluate,compareandperhapscombine
them,choosewhicharethebestinthegivencontext.
Thenthinkaboutwhichstepsyoucouldperformto
implementchosenalternatives.

Step5:Howwellisthesolution

Inotherwords,itmeanstoevaluatethesolution.This

working?

canbereachedbycomparingresultswithexpectations.
Questionshereare:Didsolutionworkwell?,Dothe
solutionmeetgoalsandalternatives?.Inaddition,itis
extremelyimportanttocollectfeedbackifotherpeople
wereinvolved.Thiscouldprovideanexteriorcriticism

R4

SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

4
inordertoseewhatwasgoodandwhatcouldbe
improvedinthefuture.

R4

SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

PartTwo:ApplyingtheFiveStepModel
UsingthefivestepsfromChapter3ofCriticalThinking:
1.
Selectapersonalproblem(fromyourownlife)fromthecategorieslistedbelow:
a. Finances
b. Health(nottoopersonalsomethinglikelosingweightorquittingsmoking
wouldwork)
c. Employment
d. Education
e. Askforpermission(beforetheweekend)touseanothertypeofproblem
2.
ApplytheFiveStepModeltosolvetheproblemyouselected.Yourapplicationshould
containatleast3sentencesforeachstep.
Problemchosen:quittingsmoking.Thisisaverycommonproblemforsmokingpeople,and
evenabitpersonalformeasItriedtodoit.

Step(providename)
Step1:Whatistheproblem?

ApplicationofSteptoYourPersonalProblem
Firststepistoidentifytheproblem.Themainstrategy
istobeasmuchspecific,e.g.theproblemIsmokeand
itisbadverygeneralanditwillnotwork.Betterto
askWhydoIsmoke?,Howdoessmokingaffect
health?,AmIinfluencedbyothersinsmoking?,
DoIsmokeregularlyoronlywhenIamdrunk.
Createalistofthesequestions,youcangooglethem,
writethemdownwithanswers.Nextistoidentifywhat
resultsyouwanttoachieve.Forexample:Iwillnever
smokeafter,evenwhenIamdrunk,becauseIhavebig
healthissues.IfIwillcontinuesmoking,myhealthwill
bemuchworse,Icanbefiredfromtheworkeven.
Thendoashortanalysisandidentifythecentralissue

R4

SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

6
amongthequestionsandanswers.

Step2:Whatarethealternatives?

Boundarieswhichshouldbecreateddependaloton
circumstancesandpersonalsituationinlife.However,a
personwhoisgoingtoquitsmokinghastobeawareof
possiblestressandsabotagesituationsinthefuture:
standingnexttoasmokermighttempttotakeapuffor
two,thesamesituationvalidiftogotosomeplace
wheresmokingisallowed,hangingwithfriendswho
smokeetc.Onceboundariesareset,itsatimetowrite
thealternatives:byusingbrainstormingortalkingto
peoplewhohavesuccessfullyquittedsmoking:
1. Transitiontoelectroniccigarettesmoking.
2. Appointameetingwithadoctorwithfurther
medicaltreatment.
3. Selftreatment.
4. Graduallylimitandreducethesmokingrateup
tothefullstop.

Step3:Whatarethe

1. Transitiontoelectroniccigarettesmoking.

advantages/disadvantagesofeach

Advantages:possiblythismethodisfasterand

alternative?

notsostressfulandhardtoimplementas
others;
Disadvantages:youwillstillsmoke,electronic

R4

SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

7
cigarettesmokingisstillnothealthyandyou
wouldwastemoneyforit.
2. Appointameetingwithadoctorwithfurther
medicaltreatment.
Advantages:doctorareexpertsintheirfields
andtheycancreateapersonalplanfor
treatment,assignwellworkingpills.Some
peoplegotodoctorsbecausetheyaresurethey
areexpertsandwilltreatthem(asortofplacebo
effect).
Disadvantages:thismaybequiteexpensive,
wouldnotfitpeoplewithlowincomes;thereis
achanceitwouldnotworkaswell,ifaperson
whowantstoquitsmokingwontputalotof
personaleffortstowardhisdesire.
3. Selftreatmentwithtakingpillsorwithout.
Advantages:notasexpensiveaswithadoctor;
Disadvantages:Incorrecttreatmentmaydamage
health,requireshighwillpower.
Graduallylimitandreducethesmokingrateuptothe
fullstop.

R4

SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

Step4:Whatisthesolution?

8
Nowitistimetochoosethealternative.IfIwere
constantlysmoking,Iwouldchoosethethirdone.Here
isapersonalaspect:Iusedtosmokealotbefore,nowI
justsmokewhenIamwithfriendshangingout,a
coupleoftimesperweek.AndIusedthethirdmethod.
WhatIdid,isaskedmyself:WhydoIsmokesomuch,
DoIneedtosmokethatmuch,DoIusuallysmoke
aloneorwithfriends?HowmuchmoneydoIspendfor
smoking?,WhydidIstartsmoking?.After
answeringIfoundarootoftheproblem:Iremembered
Istartedsmokingduetotheissueinpersonallifeand
stressperiod.Bythattimeafteritwaspassed,butIstill
smoked.ThenIsetagoalthatIdonotneedsomany
cigarettesperday,Iwasjustconstantlyreducing
amountofcigarettesIsmokeduringadayand,the
main,nottothinkaboutit.

Step5:Howwellisthesolution

Nowatthetimeofwritingthispassage,Ithinkit

working?

workedwellandIdidnothaveanystressorhard
transitionperiodsatthemeantime.NowIsmokequite
rarely,butIdonotfeelitisanobstacle.Idonothave
problemswithnosmoking,itisjustadesire,nota
habit.Idonoteventhinkofsmokingduringaday

R4

SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

9
whenIamalone.Thissuitsme,soIamsatisfied.

R4

SOLVING PERSONAL PROBLEMS

10
References
Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2011) Critical thinking: Tools for taking charge of your learning and your
life, 3rd Edition. Boston, MA. Pearson Learning Solutions

R4