Critical thinking is an intellectual skill that involves identifying and resolving problems through information gathering, finding patterns, and logical reasoning as well as the analysis and evaluation of evidence. A student demonstrates critical thinking in writing and research by asking questions and refusing to take the old, accepted answers at face value. Critical thinking often results in the discovery of more effective answers to old questions.
It is particularly important in graduate-level writing because it shows that the student has something to contribute to the academic conversation. It also indicates that the student is capable of offering an informed assessment of the topic as well as producing new, original thoughts, ideas, or theories.
Students desirous of cultivating critical thinking skills are required to go beyond their existing knowledge to contemplate new information and alternative viewpoints. They must gather enough information about an idea or concept to understand it thoroughly and demonstrate proper judgment and reasoning while evaluating it. Cultivating the habit of critical thinking should be an important academic and professional goal for every student.
Tips to Infuse Critical Thinking into a Writing Assignment
Professors often require students to demonstrate critical thinking in their writing. This means that students are expected to write more than just a summary of the textbook or their opinions about the topic under discussion.
Here are some tips to help students showcase critical thinking skills in a writing assignment.
1. Reading
The goal of a college student is to engage with lectures and assigned reading to achieve specific learning objectives such as gaining foundational knowledge about the topic. Before they begin their reading and research for an assignment, students must review the directions provided by the professor. This helps them focus on the key points that need to be addressed in their writing.
2. Researching
Students gain elemental knowledge of their subject through textbooks. This knowledge needs to be pondered upon more deeply to develop critical thinking skills.
Students are also expected to go beyond textbooks and supplement their knowledge with what other subject matter experts and academicians have to say about the topic. They must explore a wide variety of scholarly sources for information that matches the purpose and context of the assignment. This information is valuable because it has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated by fellow scholars who have ample knowledge of the subject.
3. Evaluating
Once they intensively research the topic, students must logically and thoroughly apply the information by observing, weighing, analyzing, and evaluating it. They will find that changing the way they consider and process information can add to the structure, clarity, and strength of their arguments and conclusions.
How to Critically Evaluate Scholarly Sources
- Students must first learn to distinguish between fact, hypothesis, and opinion. Facts are truths supported by evidence; hypotheses are ideas or theories that must be tested by intellectual inquiry; opinions are personal and highly subjective impressions and experiences, sometimes supported by limited research.
- They must then observe how information is presented by the source – is it in the form of a map, a graph, a chart, an illustration, a table, or paragraphs? Are there better ways to present the same information? What would be an appropriate format for this information?
- Students must also reflect on the content itself – does they agree with it? Does it surprise them or merely confirm what they already knew? Does it link to prior information available to them? Do they disbelieve it? If yes, why? What would persuade them to believe or agree with it?
- They must also consider the reputation, abilities, and skills of the sources of information. Could the source be biased in any way? Is it accurate and reliable and how can they be sure of this?
- They should then compare the new information with prior knowledge – does it confirm or extend their prior knowledge on the subject? How does it do this? Does it provide additional examples or contradict it with different results?
With practice, this seemingly tedious task permeates students’ thought process and becomes second nature.
4. Writing
A lot of groundwork evidently needs to be done before students can actually begin writing critically. Before they start writing a research paper or responding to a discussion question, they must sit back and consider what they have learned. If they have built a strong foundation in the topic through reading, research, and evaluation, their thoughts will flow easily and they will be able to come up with a well-articulated response.
Things to Keep in Mind while Writing
- Writing with a purpose – Students must reflect on the assignment directions and determine the thesis. What information does the assignment need to convey? What should the key points be? How will the student structure their thoughts? Professors want to know if students have thoroughly understood a concept and know how to apply it.
- Explaining and articulating – The idea, concept, model, or theory in question must be expressed in the student’s own words. Explaining the topic or conveying meanings through quotes or dictionary definitions should be avoided at all costs. It is important to share knowledge gained through research but not merely by summarizing or regurgitating the textbook or a scholarly source. One way of doing this is to explain using real life examples, experiences, and the student’s own observations. How does it apply to the student’s own life or to the real world? Are there any moral or spiritual aspects to it?
The opinions and statements articulated in the assignment must be supported by evidence culled from scholarly sources. Through research, the student has gained sufficient knowledge of the topic to produce an informed response. It is, however, important to take care that their own voice is not dominated by outside sources.
While direct quotes and paraphrases are permitted in academic writing, too much reliance on outside sources is a strict no-no. Replacing original thoughts with those borrowed from other sources should also be avoided. Scholarly sources must be carefully curated when they are used to back up claims and assertions. A submission must possess at least 80% undiluted originality or it would defeat the very purpose of the assignment.
While every writing assignment does not necessarily require students to present a full-fledged argument, it certainly expects them to think critically, research thoroughly, and present an argument using reason and logic. A well-written thesis, paper, or essay judiciously uses synthesis and evaluation to find creative solutions to problems or to make defensible value judgments.
