Department :English Language and Literature

Filière : English Studies

Semester : 6, Module 24
Course : End of Studies Project

Critical Thinking

Pr. AFKINICH
Outline
1. Definition
2. Components of Critical Thinking
3. Critical Thinking Skills
4. Socratic Questions
5. Why Use Socratic Questioning?
6. References

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 Definition
• Critical thinking is the process we use to
reflect on, assess, and judge the assumption
underlying our own and others ideas and
efforts on the basis of context, sound
reasoning and logic.

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 Components of Critical Thinking
• Specialists have delimited four components
of critical thinking:
1. Identifying and challenging
assumptions.
2. Recognizing the importance of
context.
3. Imagining and exploring alternatives.
4. Developing reflective skepticism.
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 Critical Thinking
• Critical Thinking Involves
– Recognizing underlying assumptions.
– Scrutinizing arguments.
– Judging ideas.
– Judging the rationality of these justifications by comparing
them to a range of varying interpretations and prospective.
– Providing positive as well as negative appraisal.
• The difficulty in critical thinking about a given topic
rises from the fact that you may know very little about
the topic.
• SOLUTION: find as much information about the topic
you are handling.

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 Critical Thinking Skills
• The skills we make use of when we embark on
thinking critically about something involve the
following abilities:
1. The ability to make comparisons.
– we should always try to compare what we hear
with another idea or fact that we know of ;
2. The ability to theorize, i.e. the ability to see a
pattern, to make a generalisation about what
we are exposed to or are exposing.

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 Critical Thinking Skills
3. the ability to classify the facts / data we are
handling.
– Classification is a way which would help us see /
discern a pattern / a regularity in what we are
handling.
4. The ability to analyse facts / data/ ideas.
– Analysis would mean delving into the details /
the constituting elements of facts / claims.

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 Critical Thinking Skills
5. the ability to question what we are exposed
to, i. e. never taking things for granted.
6. The abilities to summarize, to collect, and to
organize data are also an important part of
critical thinking.
7. Finally and of equal importance there is the
ability to make reasoned decisions.

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 SOCRATIC QUESTIONS
• Socratic questioning is at the heart of critical
thinking.
• R.W. Paul talks about six types of Socratic
questions

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 1- Questions for clarification
• Why do you say that?
• How does this relate to our discussion?
• "Are you going to include ways of improving
your research skills in your yearly scheduling?"

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 2- Questions that probe assumptions
• What could we assume instead?
• How can you verify or disapprove that
assumption?
• "Why is neglecting preparation and including
only motivation…?"

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 3. Questions that probe reasons and
evidence
• What would be an example?
• What is....analogous to?
• What do you think causes to happen...? Why:?
• "Do you think that poor research skills are
responsible for the poor performance?"

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 4. Questions about Viewpoints and
Perspectives
• What would be an alternative?
• What is another way to look at it?
• Would you explain why it is necessary or beneficial,
and who benefits?
• Why is the best?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of...?
• How are...and ...similar?
• What is a counterargument for...?
• "Abstracting away from all other factors possible, from
a pedagogical /practical standpoint, do you think poor
research skills will affect my performance?"

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 5. Questions that probe implications
and consequences
• What generalizations can you make?
• What are the consequences of that assumption?
• What are you implying?
• How does...affect...?
• How does...tie in with what we learned before?
• "How would our results be affected if we
neglected research skills?"

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 6. Questions about the question
• What was the point of this question?
• Why do you think I asked this question?
• What does...mean?
• How does...apply to everyday life?
• "Why do you think developing research skills
is important?"

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 Why Use Socratic Questioning?
• Socratic questioning helps students to think
critically by focusing explicitly on the process
of thinking.
• During disciplined, carefully structured
questioning, students must slow down and
examine their own thinking processes (i.e.,
reflective thinking).

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 Why Use Socratic Questioning?
• Thoughtful, disciplined questioning in the
classroom can achieve the following teaching
and learning goals:
– Model scientific practices of inquiry
– Support active, student-centered learning
– Facilitate inquiry-based learning
– Help students to construct knowledge
– Help students to develop problem-solving skills
– Improve long-term retention of knowledge

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References
• - Scheffer, B. K. and M.G. Rubenfeld, "A Consensus
Statement on Critical Thinking in Nursing," Journal of
Nursing Education, 39, 352-9 (2000).
- _____________________________, "Critical
Thinking: What Is It and How Do We Teach It?," Current
Issues in Nursing, J.M. Grace, Rubl, H.K. (2001).
• http://www.engin.umich.edu/~problemsolving/strateg
y/crit-n-creat.htm
• http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/socratic/index.html

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