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Before beginning a critical thinking essay its a good idea to come up to speed on critical thinking and what it is.
The process of thinking critically begins with an open mind. Its quite alright to already have an opinion on an
issue but you must be willing to at least consider objectively ideas that differ from your own.
Someone who tends to think critically would probably agree with statements like the following.
o I hate talk shows where people shout their opinions but never give any reasons at all.
o Figuring out what people really mean by what they say is important to me.
o I always do better in jobs where I'm expected to think things out for myself.
o I hold off making decisions until I have thought through my options.
o Rather than relying on someone else's ideas, I prefer to read the material myself.
o I try to see the merit in anothers opinion, even if I reject it later.
o Even if a problem is tougher than I expected, I will keep working on it.
o Making intelligent decisions is more important than winning arguments.
A person who does NOT tend to think critically would be more likely to agree with the following.
o I prefer jobs where the supervisor says exactly what to do and exactly how to do it.
o No matter how complex the problem, you can bet there will be a simple solution.
o I don't waste time looking things up.
o I hate when teachers discuss problems instead of just giving the answers.
o If my belief is truly sincere, evidence to the contrary is irrelevant.
o Selling an idea is like selling cars, you say whatever works.
Read Peter Facione's Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts, especially pages 4-6. [It's a PDF and loads
slowly.]
Developing the ability to think critically can be difficult because it is easier to make hasty judgments based on
opinions and biases than it is to evaluate facts and arguments. For example, your friends might think that the
death penalty is just, and you might also think so just because your friends do. Without hearing any arguments to
the contrary, your viewpoint, based solely on the opinions of others, would be weak.
The approaches to life and living which characterize critical thinking include the following.
o inquisitiveness with regard to a wide range of issues
o concern to become and remain well-informed
o alertness to opportunities to use critical thinking
essay starts with a question, not a thesis. Your essay shows how your thinking changes
as you research a topic. For example, when you begin researching capital punishment, you may be in favor of the
death penalty because it is a deterrent. Then you may find some studies that question whether it has a deterrent
effect and that may influence your thinking. You don't have to know what you think about your topic when you start
writing your critical thinking essay.
CRITICAL THINKING ESSAY FORMAT
Essays are shorter pieces of writing. Therefore, essays are (by nature) concise and require you to be clear and to
the point. This means that there is no room for your thoughts to wander or stray you must be deliberate and
stay on topic.
Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If you and I were
discussing whether or not there should be a death penalty in the US, there would be a beginning, middle and end
to our conversation. As with a conversation, your essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving no doubt as to
your intent or argument. However - again, think of this as a conversation - your essay shouldn't be formal.
Remember, you're talking about your ideas and thought processes ... don't try to do that in third person!
To help you stay on topic, your critical thinking essay should be organized in keeping with the outline below.
ESSAY OUTLINE
Introduction (1-2 paragraphs)
Focus on explaining the topic.
Body (minimum of 3 paragraphs but use as many as necessary ... several short paragraphs are better than 1-2
overly long paragraphs)
Write your body before your write your introduction and conclusion.
Examine all aspects of the topic. Show your knowledge and grasp of the material you have read.
Discuss the differing opinions of the topic as reflected in the research.
Discuss any issues or problems.
Did you have enough information?
Did the research raise issues you hadn't considered?
Did the research contain confusing, incomplete or contradictory information?
Explain how your research influenced your thinking.
If your thinking has changed, what changed it?
If your thinking has not changed, how did what you learned support your original opinion?
If you're not sure about your opinion, what information might you need to form an opinion?
Conclusion (generally 1 paragraph)
The conclusion rounds off the essay.
Refer back to your main ideas or points and reiterate your answer to the question.
NEVER introduce new information in your conclusion.
The conclusion moves from specific to general.