XI Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2019

Critical thinking comes naturally to you, but how you think does not. Thinking about thinking is the key to thinking.

The word “critically” does not mean taking a negative view or finding fault. It is an attitude. If you face life with curiosity, you are a critical thinker. If you do not believe everything, you read or hear, you are a critical thinker. If you enjoy the puzzle of conflicting theories and facts, you are a critical thinker.

What are steps in the critical thinking process?

Analyze: consider the whole text and then break it into component parts to that you can examine them separately

Summarize: extract and restate the materials main message at the literal level.

Interpret: think of unstated assumptions implied by the material.

Synthesize: put together what you have summarized, analyzed and interpreted to connect it to what you already know.

Answer critically: judge the quality or the material itself and compare it with the related materials.

The full meaning of a text develops on three levels: the literal, the inferential and the evaluative. Most students stop reading ant the literal level, but unless you more to the next too stager, you will not understand what you read.

Reading for literal meaning understanding what the text is about, i.e key facts, the central point in an argument and the minor details in the text.

Reading for making inferences is understanding what is implied or what is indicated indirectly, but not stated. Often you have to infer information or background, or the auditor’s purpose.

Evaluative reading is necessary for critical thinking and if occurs after you know an author’s literal meaning and you have drawn as many inferences as possible from the text.

A major evaluative reading skill is making the difference between facts and opinions. Sometimes it is easy but at other times telling facts from opinion can be tricky. Keep in mind that facts can be proven, but opinions reflect individual biases.

While reading a critical response essay students should keep in mind that these two missions are to be fulfilled: to summarize what a text says and then to discuss the idea by giving your thoughts and opinions and – written critical response accomplish these too missions with grace and style.