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Critical Thinking Review

Critical Thinking Review

Critical Thinking Review

HUM/111

The course, Critical and Creative Thinking taught by Manuel Durazo has provided me a
firm foundational understanding of what defines thinking, specifically critical thinking. Critical
thinking goes beyond the brain devising an idea or thought. An individual uses critical thinking

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Critical Thinking Review

during the judgment phase of thinking. Ruggiero (2012) states that the mind examines and
evaluates what it has produced, makes its judgments, and, where appropriate, adds refinements.
At the beginning of this course we were challenged to read an article by Linda Elder and
Richard Paul, Critical Thinking: A Stage Theory of Critical Thinking. This reading described
the theory behind strategies of improving ones critical thinking skills. Elder and Paul described
critical thinking as an ability that should be evaluated and can be honed with effort and practice.
They describe six stages of critical thinking that begins with an unreflective thinker or, noncritical thinker, and ends with the individual being described as a master thinker. (Elder &
Paul, 1996).
As a class we were challenged by Instructor Durazo to perform a self-assessment on our
critical thinking skill level. I placed myself at the second stage: The Challenged Thinker. This
meant that even though I understood that there were problems with the strategies behind my
thinking process I had difficulties discovering what those problems were how to fix them. Then
and now it was an understanding that it was not ego which prevented me from understanding
those difficulties but a lack of knowledge. It was stated that in order to progress to the next level
of thinking I needed to overcome defensiveness and internal prejudices about the perfection (or
imperfection) of my thoughts.
This class has concluded after nine weeks of studying the strategies behind developing
critical and creative thinking skills. I have learned a great deal about how to really not just about
an idea or solution, but how to present that information and persuade an audience to agree with
me. Asked to re-evaluate my stage of critical thinking it is my opinion that I advanced to the
fourth level, which is the practicing thinker. This type of thinker has the proficiency to accept
that their thinking continues to need work and the perseverance to doggedly pursue the solution

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Critical Thinking Review

to those problems. As a practicing thinker, as the name implies, I continue to hone my critical
thinking skills on a regular basis and strive to remember that my thoughts often have faults.
In conclusion, I would like to add that this class has taught me a great deal about how to
approach information from more than a casual thought process. When working on writing or
presentations professionally, academically or even personally it is important to consider how and
why ones thoughts form the way that they do. If I were to propose an idea or solution to a group
of people than what good would it do me if what I presented was only half-thought out and full
of easily avoidable flaws? This course has shown me that respecting my audience is extremely
important when working to persuade them to my point of view, as well as the importance of
preparing for their objections. I never thought so much about thinking as a strategy, just
something that one did. By focusing more on how to channel my thoughts and disregarding
information that is irrelevant to the topic at hand I believe I am well suited to achieve success in
my academic and professional paths.

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Critical Thinking Review

References
Ruggiero, V. R. (2012).The art of thinking: A guide to critical and creative thought (10th ed.). New
York, NY:

Pearson Longman.

Elder, L. & Paul, R. (1996). Critical thinking: A stage theory of critical thinking. Journal
of Developmental Education, 20(2), 34
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