Keys to Thinking and Learning Creating Options and Opportunities

by Carter, Carol J.; Bishop, Joyce; Kravits, Sarah Lyman

• ISBN13: 9780130869104
• ISBN10: 0130869104
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-11-02
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

This book is designed to facilitate students' understanding of how they think and to enhance their power to apply their thinking ability. Through the application of critical thinking to study skills and life skills topics, readers will increase their ability to understand how their minds work and to maximize their achievement. Readers will learn how to apply problem solving, decision making, and logical reasoning processes to all aspects of their lives. Emphasis on personal action and responsibility encourages students to make well-considered choices and to be responsible for the consequences, helping them to avoid unexamined responses to people and situations. Critical thinking is consistently applied to college, career and life situations. For anyone who is or who knows a college student.

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Preface	xi
Supplements for Teachers	xiii
Supplements for Students	xv
Acknowledgments	xix
About the Authors	xxi
Thinking Critically Interacting With Information	1	(26)
What is Critical Thinking?	2	(5)
A Definition of Critical Thinking	2	(1)
The Path of Critical Thinking	3	(4)
Who is a Critical Thinker?	7	(2)
Characteristics of Critical Thinkers	7	(1)
The Value of Being a Critical Thinker	8	(1)
How Does Your Mind Work?	9	(6)
Mind Actions	9	(5)
How Mind Actions Build Thinking Processes	14	(1)
What are Inductive and Deductive Thinking?	15	(2)
Inductive Thinking	16	(1)
Deductive Thinking	16	(1)
What are the Types of Knowledge?	17	(3)
Building Thinking Skills	20	(7)
Thinking Skills in Real Life Problem Solving and Decision Making	27	(26)
Why is Critical Thinking Essential to Problem Solving and Decsion Making?	28	(1)
The Effects of Not Thinking Critically	28	(1)
How Can You Define a Problem?	29	(4)
Ask What Has to Be Solved	29	(2)
Ask If It's Worth Solving	31	(2)
How Can you Analyze a Problem Effectively?	33	(5)
The Problem-solving Plan	33	(3)
Obstacles to Problem Solving	36	(2)
How Does Critical Thinking Help You Make Decisions?	38	(3)
Evaluating the Decision	38	(1)
The Decision-making Plan	39	(2)
How Can You Become a More Creative Thinker?	41	(5)
Characteristics of Creative People	41	(1)
Enhancing Your Creativity	42	(2)
Brainstorming Toward a Creative Answer	44	(1)
Creativity and Critical Thinking	44	(2)
Building Thinking Skills	46	(7)
Thinking Logically Evaluating Fact and Opinion, Assumption, and Argument	53	(26)
What Distincuishes Fact From Opinion?	54	(4)
The Nature of Fact and Opinion	54	(3)
Fact and Opinion Versus Truth and Falsehood	57	(1)
Using Questions to Investigate Truth and Accuracy	58	(1)
How do You Identify and Evaluate Assumptions?	58	(4)
Types of Assumptions	59	(1)
Sources of Assumptions	60	(1)
Investigating with Questions	61	(1)
How do You Evaluate an Argument?	62	(3)
The Structure of an Argument	62	(1)
Types of Evidence	63	(1)
Evaluating the Evidence	64	(1)
How do You Construct an Effective Argument?	65	(4)
Establish the Premise	66	(1)
Gather and Organize Examples, or Evidence, in Support	67	(1)
Draw a Conclusion	68	(1)
A Sample Argument	68	(1)
What are Some Common Thinking Errors?	69	(4)
Input Errors	69	(1)
Output Errors	70	(3)
Building Thinking Skills	73	(6)
Thinking About Your World Recognizing Perspectives	79	(26)
What are Values and How do They Develop?	80	(5)
Sources of Values	82	(1)
Choosing Values Critically	83	(1)
Changing Values	84	(1)
Why Should You Explore Perspectives?	85	(3)
A Critical Thinking Approach to Perspectives	85	(3)
The Value of Seeing Other Perspectives	88	(1)
What is Information Literacy?	88	(3)
How Can You Make the Most of the Library?	91	(8)
Start with a Road Map	91	(1)
Learn How to Conduct an Information Search	92	(1)
Conduct Research Using a Search Strategy	93	(4)
Use Critical Thinking to Evaluate Every Source	97	(2)
Building Thinking Skills	99	(6)
Thinking Strategically Setting Goals and Planning Your Time	105	(30)
Why Plan Strategically?	106	(2)
Strategy and Critical Thinking	106	(2)
Benefits of Strategic Planning	108	(1)
How do You Set and Achieve Goals?	108	(7)
Identify Your Personal Mission Statement	108	(1)
Place Goals in Time	109	(2)
Link Goals With Values	111	(2)
Different Kinds of Goals	113	(2)
What are you Priorities?	115	(1)
How Can you Manage Your Time?	116	(6)
Build a Schedule	116	(4)
Take Responsibility for How You Spend Your Time	120	(1)
Be Flexible	121	(1)
Why is Procrastination a Problem?	122	(2)
Building Thinking Skills	124	(11)
Thinking About How you Learn Learning Styles	135	(28)
What are Some Common Assumptions About Learning?	136	(1)
How Can You Discover Your Learning Style?	137	(4)
Multiple Intelligences Theory	137	(1)
Pathways to Learning	138	(1)
The Reasonable Approach to Learning Style	138	(3)
Using Multiple Intelligences for Understanding	141	(1)
What are the Benefits of Knowing Your Learning Style?	141	(6)
Study Benefits	141	(4)
Classroom Benefits	145	(1)
General Benefits	146	(1)
How do You Explore Who you Are?	147	(5)
Self-Perception	147	(1)
Interests	148	(1)
Habits	149	(2)
Abilities	151	(1)
How Can you Start Thinking About Choosing a Major?	152	(4)
Exploring Potential Majors	152	(1)
Linking Majors to Career Areas	153	(1)
Planning Your Curriculum	154	(1)
Changing Majors	154	(2)
Building Thinking Skills	156	(7)
Thinking in the Glassroom Reading, Note Taking, Memory, and Test Taking	163	(34)
How Can you Respond Critically to What You Read	164	(6)
Use SQ3R to ``Taste'' Reading Material	164	(3)
Ask Questions Based on Critical Thinking Processes	167	(3)
Be Information Literate	170	(1)
How Can you Make the Most of Your Notes?	170	(2)
What to do During Class	170	(1)
Review and Revise Your Notes	171	(1)
What Note-Taking System Should You Use?	172	(4)
Taking Notes in Outline Form	172	(1)
Using the Cornell Note-Taking System	173	(2)
Creating a Think Link	175	(1)
What Will Help You Improve Your Memory?	176	(4)
Memory-Improvement Strategies	176	(3)
Mnemonic Devices	179	(1)
How Can you Prepare for Tests?	180	(4)
Identify Type of Test and Material Covered	180	(1)
Choose Study Materials	181	(1)
Set a Study Schedule and Plan	181	(1)
Prepare Through Critical Thinking	181	(2)
Work Through Test Anxiety	183	(1)
What Can Help you Succeed on Tests?	184	(6)
Use General Test Strategies	184	(1)
Think Critically	185	(1)
Master Different Types of Test Questions	186	(4)
Building Thinking Skills	190	(7)
Thinking About Expression Listening, Communication, and Writing	197	(30)
How Can You Become a Better Listener?	198	(4)
Know the Stages of Listening	198	(1)
Manage Listening Challenges	199	(1)
Become an Active Listener	200	(2)
How Can you Express Yourself Effectively?	202	(4)
Addressing Communication Issues	202	(2)
Speaking/Oral Presentations	204	(2)
What are the Elements of Effective Writing?	206	(2)
Writing Purpose	207	(1)
Knowing Your Audience	207	(1)
What is the Writing Process?	208	(12)
Planning	208	(3)
Drafting	211	(3)
Revising	214	(3)
Editing	217	(3)
Building Thinking Skills	220	(7)
Thinking Quantitatively Math, Science, and Computers	227	(24)
Why do you Need to be Able to Think Quantitatively?	228	(3)
Quantitative Thinking Is Critical Thinking	228	(1)
Math Skills in Dail Life	229	(2)
How Can Critical Thinking Help You Master Math Basics?	231	(8)
The Classroom	231	(1)
The Textbook	231	(1)
Studying and Homework	231	(1)
Word Problems	232	(7)
How Can you Overcome Math Anxiety?	239	(3)
Identifying Math Anxiety	239	(2)
Math Anxiety and Exams	241	(1)
What do Learning Math and Learning Science Have in Common?	242	(1)
What Basics Should you Know About Computers?	243	(2)
Word Processing	243	(1)
Databases and Spreadsheets	243	(1)
The Internet	243	(1)
E-mail	244	(1)
Building Thinking Skills	245	(6)
Thinking for Life Working Toward your Personal Best	251	(26)
How Can you Understand and Accept Others?	252	(5)
Diversity in your World	252	(1)
Barriers to Understanding	253	(3)
The Positive Effects of Diversity	256	(1)
Why is Teamwork Important?	257	(3)
Working in Groups	258	(1)
Study Teamwork	259	(1)
What Strategic Thinking Can Help you Plan your Career?	260	(4)
Define a Career Path	261	(1)
Map Out Your Strategy	262	(1)
Know What Employers Want	263	(1)
How Can you Live with and Adapt to Change?	264	(4)
Accept the Reality of Change	264	(1)
Maintain Flexibility	265	(2)
Adjust your Goals	267	(1)
How Can you Continue to Grow and Learn Throughout your Life?	268	(1)
How Can you Live Your Mission?	269	(3)
Live With Integrity	269	(1)
Learn From Role Models	270	(1)
Expand your Vision	270	(1)
Aim for Your Personal Best	271	(1)
Building Thinking Skills	272	(5)
Appendix A Learning Styles Assessments	277	(10)
Appendix B Researching Information and Student Resources on the Internet	287	(26)
Endnotes	313	(2)
Bibliography	315	(8)
Index	323