Running Head: REFLECTION FALL 2012

Reflection Fall 2012 Troy Cook T e Ro!ert "# $iller College L"AR %00 & 0' In(tructor Ta))i La*rence+ $A ,e-te)!er 1.+ 2012

REFLECTION FALL 2012 Reflection Fall 2012 /u(t after recei0ing )y A((ociate 1egree Co)-uter Net*orking in t e (-ring of 2012 fro) 2ellogg Co))unity College+ I ad to deal *it fa)ily court o0er )y c ildren and t eir

)ot er# "ecau(e of t i(+ I decided to c ange )y occu-ation# T ere i( not ing like !eing told you a0e to -ay )oney for !eing a good fat er+ and not a dead!eat dad# 3it t at !eing (aid+ I decided to furt er )y education and *ork to*ard( entering la* (c ool and !eco)ing an attorney# T e ne4t fall I !egan )y 5ourney again+ t i( ti)e at $iller College# In t e legal *orld+ critical t inking (kill( are needed to !e (ucce((ful# A( an attorney+ t o(e (kill( can )ake t e difference !et*een a guilty or not guilty 0erdict for )y client# For )e+ t e !igge(t 0alue (tated in t e $iller College )i((ion (tate)ent i( critical t inking# Critical t inking i( al(o an outco)e of )y !ac elor6( degree in general (tudie( ere at $iller+ * ic (tand( out a( an i)-ortant c aracteri(tic in any adult6( life# T e fir(t a(-ect of critical t inking i( cogniti0e (kill(# Cogniti0e (kill( -ertain to t e )ental -roce((e( of -erce-tion+ )e)ory+ 5udg)ent+ and rea(oning# "eing ( ar- in t e(e area( can only el- )e (ucceed at !eing an attorney# 3it out cogniti0e (kill(+ I *ould not a0e t e a!ility to c oo(e or re-re(ent ca(e( *it t e confidence needed to (ucceed# All a(-ect( of cogniti0e (kill( are a -art of t e critical t inking I *ill gain# T e ne4t a(-ect of critical t inking i( organi7ational (kill(# Nancy 8elo(i once (aid+ 9Organi7e+ don6t agoni7e#: To !e a (ucce((ful la*yer one *ould a0e a lot of client(+ and *it client( co)e -a-er*ork and lot( of it# If I *ere not organi7ed+ it *ould !e 0ery agoni7ing+ if not i)-o((i!le to andle client( effecti0ely# In order to t ink critically you a0e to !e a!le to keet e infor)ation organi7ed (o)e* ere+ (o)e o*#

REFLECTION FALL 2012 In addition to t e(e -art( of critical t inking+ t ere i( al(o analytical (kill( a(-ect# ,o)e de(cri!e t i( (kill a( logic ;of a -ro-o(ition< nece((arily true !ecau(e it( denial in0ol0e( a

contradiction+ a( 9All u(!and( are )arried#: 8art of !eing a (ucce((ful attorney in0ol0e( finding contradiction( *it in t e infor)ation t at i( !eing gi0en# T i( i( a 0ery i)-ortant a(-ect of critical t inking# T e la(t -art of critical t inking i( e0aluati0e (kill(# T i( (kill i( defined a( 9to e4a)ine and 5udge carefully:# "eing a!le to e0aluate all t e infor)ation I a) gi0en i( t e only *ay t at I can decide if I *ant to acce-t a ca(e and if (o+ o* I a) going to *in t e ca(e# A( an attorney+ I only *ant to acce-t all ca(e( !a(ed on -rinci-le+ and )o(t ca(e( on t e -o((i!ility of *inning t e)# ,o)e )ig t (ay t at t i( critical t inking (kill i( t e )o(t i)-ortant (kill to )aintaining a (olid track record a( a (ucce((ful attorney+ = out of 10 ti)e( *inning t e ca(e# >ndou!tedly+ a0ing t e critical t inking (kill( I a0e )entioned *ill el- )e (ucceed at !eco)ing an attorney# Furt er)ore+ t e(e (kill( *ill el- )e c ange t e (y(te) one ca(e at a ti)e? T u( !eing t e rea(on for )y c ange in career -at a( *ell a( !eing long o0erdue# 1e0elo-ing )y critical t inking (kill( e0en furt er *ill en(ure t at I do *ell once I get t ere# For )e t e !igge(t ad0antage in t e $iller College $i((ion ,tate)ent related to )y general (tudie( degree i( critical t inking#