Inside Track to Critical Thinking and Analysis

✍ Scribed by Mary Deane, Erik Borg

• Publisher: Longman
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 145
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book is designed for students to use independently to enhance their critical thinking skills.  It contains advice and examples of students’ writing to illustrate poor performance and demonstrate how to produce effective critical discourse.  As university study requires students to demonstrate critical insight, this book shows how to develop this skill by breaking down the thinking and writing processes into steps.  It also points out that critical thinking is valued in post-university employment and discusses how to prepare for professional writing. 

 

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Critical thinking and analysis
Brief Contents
Contents
Preface
Introduction
About the authors
Acknowledgements
Reading
Everyday critical thinking
Introduction
What is critical thinking?
Definitions
Key elements in critical thinking
Critical thinking in daily life
Asking questions
Asking the right questions
Scepticism
Critical thinking in an academic context
The demands of academia
Critical thinking is not the same as criticising
Critical thinking as your contribution
Summary
References
Joining a conversation
Introduction
Reading for references
References in a sample article
Quiz
Examining references
Noticing the names
Noticing the dates
Putting the information together
Moving forward
The SQ3R technique for reading efficiently
Summary
Reference
Building on scholarship
Introduction
Who me? building on scholarship
Reading and action
Mind the gap
Student writers
Thinking outside the box
Students’ knowledge
Too descriptive!
Examples of critical thinking
Sample assignment 1
Sample assignment 2
Sample assignment 3
Where do you stand? stance in academic writing
Sample assignment 4
Summary
References
Planning
Components of critical thinking
Introduction
Components of critical thinking in academia
Connections
Reflectivity
Independence
Time Management
Intellectual Development
Context
Analysis
Long-term planning
Summary
A strategy for analysis
Introduction
Generating disciplinary knowledge
Using your judgement in academia
Descartes’ critical thinking method
Errors of understanding
Errors of academic practice
Applications of descartes’ theories
Doubt Everything
Examine other people’s ideas
Scepticism is useful
Critique your own ideas
Analyse texts
Revise your writing
Talk about your ideas
Edit your writing
See beyond the surface level
Summary
References
Writing
Preparing to write
Introduction
Academic assignments
Analysing a task
Locating and selecting sources
Previewing sources
Skimming
Scanning
Writing and disciplinary specificity
Conducting research
Why read journal articles to inform your writing?
Why persevere?
The structure of different journal articles
Referencing sources
Summary
Scholarly writing
Introduction
Journal article abstracts
Key features of abstracts
Key features of articles
Analysis of a sample article
Introduction
Literature review
Method
Limitations
Discussion
Results
Conclusion
To sum up
Summary
References
Reflection
Reflective critical thinking
Introduction
Four steps to help your thinking
1 look at your questions
2 do not be closed-minded
3 clarify your thinking
4 stick to the point
Summary
References
Your career
Introduction
Transferable critical thinking skills
Reflectivity
Independence
Connections
Criticality and your career
The job description
Reading the job description critically
Reading the person specification critically
Relating the person specification to yourself
Your career ambitions
Skills
Knowledge
Experience
Summary
References
Conclusion
Reading
Planning
Writing
Reflection
Summary
References
Index