Becoming A Critical Thinker

by Ruggiero, Vincent

• ISBN13: 9780618527830
• ISBN10: 0618527834
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-02-01
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

The Fifth Edition ofBecoming a Critical Thinkerhas increased its market appeal by enhancing sections on persuasive communication and evaluating arguments, while continuing to stress concrete and practical applications of critical thinking in everyday situations. Coverage of technology has also been enhanced. The text breaks up critical thinking into a series of cumulative activities, taking a "student-as-consumer-of-information" perspective that encourages students to apply the skills outlined to their own lives. This unique approach has made this text a staple of many critical thinking courses. The Fifth Edition strengthens the connection between critical thinking and career preparation with new material throughout the text that focuses on communication and the evaluation of evidence in the workplace. Additionally, a new section in Chapter 6 called "Thinking Critically about Careers" addresses practical ways to apply critical thinking to career decisions. With the goals of improving students' sense of self-empowerment and their ability to communicate effectively in any situation, this text helps create a flow from the fundamentals of thinking to the exploration of arguments and evidence. A concise structure makes the text a useful supplement to any student success course. "Good Thinking" boxesfeature profiles of individuals that underscore the role of critical thinking in achievement. These boxes appear throughout the text and offer students a variety of role models to emulate. Exercisesencourage students to put strategies to practical use in their daily lives. Students are also asked to analyze and compare real arguments and viewpoints on contemporary topics as a way of expanding their own reasoning capabilities. Quizzesat the end of each chapter allow students to test their understanding of chapter concepts.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	v
To the Instructor	xiii
Introduction: Strategies for Effective Learning	xv
Good Thinking! The Story of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth	xv
Plan your days	xvi
Good Thinking! The Story of Art Fry	xvi
View frustrations as opportunities	xvi
Tackle unpleasant tasks immediately	xvii
Chip away at big jobs	xviii
Take charge of your mind	xviii
Listen actively	xix
Refuse to tolerate confusion	xix
Study efficiently	xix
Capture insights	xx
Read for understanding	xx
Keep a journal	xxi
Turn these strategies into habits	xxi
Fundamentals of Thinking	1	(30)
What is intelligence?	2	(1)
Good Thinking! The Story of Albert Einstein	3	(1)
What is thinking?	4	(1)
Key principles of thinking	5	(5)
Truth is discovered, not created	5	(2)
A statement can't be both true and false at the same time and in the same way	7	(2)
All people make mistakes, even experts	9	(1)
Good Thinking! The Story of Elizabeth Loftus	10	(2)
Ideas can be examined without being embraced	11	(1)
Feeling is no substitute for thinking	11	(1)
Identifying facts and opinions	12	(3)
Checking facts and testing opinions	15	(6)
Consult everyday experience	17	(1)
Consider the opinion's likely consequences	17	(1)
Consider the implications	17	(1)
Think of exceptions	18	(1)
Think of counterexamples	18	(1)
Reverse the opinion	19	(1)
Look for relevant research	19	(2)
Evaluating evidence	21	(3)
Dare to change your mind	24	(1)
Good Thinking! The Story of Stanton Samenow	24	(2)
A comprehensive thinking strategy	26	(4)
Step 1: Identify facts and opinions	27	(1)
Step 2: Check the facts and test the opinion(s)	27	(1)
Step 3: Evaluate the evidence	27	(1)
Step 4: Make your judgment	27	(3)
Quiz	30	(1)
Persuasive Communication	31	(26)
What is persuasion?	32	(3)
Opportunities in the classroom	33	(1)
Opportunities in the workplace	33	(1)
Opportunities in the community	34	(1)
Opportunities in relationships	34	(1)
How is persuasion achieved?	35	(1)
Respect your audience	35	(1)
Understand your audience's viewpoint(s)	35	(1)
Begin on a point of agreement	35	(1)
Good Thinking! The Story of Dale Carnegie	36	(2)
Acknowledge unpleasant facts and make appropriate concessions	36	(1)
Apply the Golden Rule	37	(1)
Keep your expectations modest	37	(1)
Strategy for persuasive writing	38	(3)
Step 1: State what you think about the issue and why you think it	38	(1)
Step 2: Consider how those who disagree might react to your view	39	(1)
Step 3: Arrange your ideas and write a draft of your presentation	39	(1)
Step 4: Check your draft for matters of style	40	(1)
Step 5: Check your draft for grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling	40	(1)
Good Thinking! The Story of George Orwell	41	(1)
Overcoming errors in grammar	42	(3)
Make your subjects and predicates agree	42	(1)
Choose correct pronoun case	42	(1)
Avoid sentence fragements	43	(1)
Avoid mixed constructions	43	(1)
Make pronoun reference clear and accurate	44	(1)
Distinguish adverbs from adjectives	44	(1)
Choose proper comparatives and superlatives	44	(1)
Overcoming errors in usage	45	(2)
Strategy for persuasive speaking	47	(2)
Step 4: Create note cards	47	(1)
Step 5: Rehearse using a tape or video recorder	48	(1)
Strategy for group discussion	49	(6)
Quiz	55	(2)
Becoming an Individual	57	(30)
What is individuality?	58	(1)
Good Thinking! The Story of Viktor Frankl	59	(1)
Acknowledging influences	59	(2)
Understanding attitudes	61	(5)
Four empowering attitudes	66	(3)
Attitude 1: There's always room for improvement	66	(1)
Attitude 2: Criticism, including self-criticism, has value	67	(1)
Attitude 3: Effort is the key to success	67	(1)
Attitude 4: Other people are as important as I am	68	(1)
Recognizing manipulation	69	(3)
Biased reporting	69	(1)
Dishonest appeals to emotion	70	(1)
Stacking the deck	71	(1)
Suppressing dissent	71	(1)
Repetition	72	(1)
Resisting manipulation	72	(5)
Step 1: Be prepared	72	(1)
Step 2: Ask questions	73	(2)
Step 3: Be imaginative	75	(2)
Good Thinking! The Story of Nellie Bly	77	(2)
Step 4: Check sources	78	(1)
Habits for individuality	79	(7)
Be wary of first impressions	79	(1)
Be honest with yourself	80	(1)
Fight confusion	80	(1)
Produce many ideas	80	(2)
Acknowledge complexity	82	(1)
Look for connections among subjects	82	(1)
Consider other viewpoints	82	(1)
Base your judgment on evidence	83	(3)
Quiz	86	(1)
Evaluating Arguments	87	(30)
What is an argument?	88	(1)
Conducting library research	89	(1)
Good Thinking! The Melvil Dewey Story	90	(1)
Conducting Internet research	91	(3)
Use a search engine	91	(1)
Develop a resource list	91	(3)
Conducting an interview	94	(1)
Avoiding plagiarism	95	(2)
Revisiting evidence	97	(2)
Anecdotes and cases-in-point	97	(1)
Published reports	98	(1)
Eyewitness testimony	98	(1)
Expert testimony	98	(1)
Good Thinking! The Story of Walter Reed	99	(2)
Experiments	100	(1)
Statistical studies	100	(1)
Surveys	100	(1)
Research reviews	100	(1)
Evaluating complex arguments	101	(6)
Step 1: Identify facts and opinions	101	(3)
Step 2: Check the facts and test the opinions	104	(1)
Step 3: Conduct research	105	(1)
Step 4: Evaluate the evidence	105	(2)
Step 5: Make your judgment	107	(1)
A caution about bias	107	(9)
Quiz	116	(1)
Recognizing Errors in Thinking	117	(28)
Three kinds of errors	118	(1)
Errors of perception	118	(2)
``Mine is better'' thinking	118	(1)
Selective perception	119	(1)
Gullibility and skepticism	119	(1)
Good Thinking! The Story of Paul Vitz	120	(3)
Bias	121	(1)
Pretending to know	122	(1)
Either/or thinking	122	(1)
Errors of judgment	123	(2)
Double standard	123	(1)
Irrelevant criterion	124	(1)
Overgeneralizing or stereotyping	124	(1)
Good Thinking! The Story of Carol Tavris	125	(9)
Hasty conclusion	126	(1)
Unwarranted assumption	126	(2)
Failure to make a distinction	128	(1)
Oversimplification	129	(5)
Errors of reaction	134	(4)
Explaining away	134	(1)
Shifting the burden of proof	134	(1)
Attacking the person	135	(1)
Straw man	135	(3)
Errors can multiply	138	(5)
Quiz	143	(2)
Applying Your Thinking Skills	145	(54)
Thinking critically about everyday problems	146	(4)
Step 1: Be alert for problems	147	(1)
Step 2: Express the problem	147	(1)
Step 3: List possible solutions	148	(1)
Step 4: Select and refine your best solution	148	(2)
Thinking critically about relationships	150	(2)
Good Thinking! The Story of Aaron Feuerstein	152	(4)
Guidelines for successful relationships	153	(3)
Thinking critically about careers	156	(3)
A sensible approach	158	(1)
Thinking critically about ethical judgments	159	(4)
A better basis for judgment	162	(1)
Good Thinking! the Story of Chiara Lubich	163	(4)
Applying the criteria	164	(1)
A sample case	164	(3)
Thinking critically about commercials	167	(5)
Bandwagon	168	(1)
Glittering generality	168	(1)
Empty comparison	168	(1)
Meaningless slogan	168	(1)
Testimonial	169	(1)
Transfer	169	(1)
Stacking the deck	169	(1)
Misleading statement	170	(2)
Thinking critically about print advertising	172	(3)
Thinking critically about television programming	175	(7)
Thinking critically about movies	182	(3)
Characters	183	(1)
Setting	183	(1)
Plot	183	(1)
Theme	183	(2)
Thinking critically about music	185	(2)
Thinking critically about magazines	187	(3)
Thinking critically about newspapers	190	(3)
Thinking critically about the Internet	193	(3)
Whose site is this?	193	(1)
What function does the site serve?	193	(1)
Which statements are fact and which are opinion?	193	(1)
Where can statements of fact be confirmed?	194	(1)
How widely shared is this opinion? What do authorities on the subject think of it?	194	(1)
Is the reasoning behind the opinion logical?	194	(1)
Does the evidence support the opinion?	195	(1)
Quiz	196	(3)
Epilogue	199	(1)
Make the end a beginning	199	(2)
Works Cited	201	(2)
Bibliography	203	(4)
Index	207	(4)
About the Author	211