Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is the process of keenly analyzing and evaluating information to draw conclusions in order to generate ideas on possible solutions to problems. This deep level of thinking involves synthesizing, conceptualizing, and applying relevant information that has been analyzed to make reasoned judgments. It requires the highest levels of thinking. The lower levels of thinking include remembering, understanding, and applying information. The higher levels of thinking include analyzing information, evaluating alternatives, and creating or generating ideas based on the analysis.

Bloom’s Taxonomy – Levels of Thinking

Knowledge	Remembering, recalling or retrieving previously learned information
Comprehension	Understanding or grasping the meaning from material. Able to state a problem or concept in one’s own words.
Application	Using learned information, or implementing material or concept in a new situation.
Analysis	Separating or breaking down material or concepts into component parts so that its organizational structure may be better understood. Able to distinguish between facts and inferences.
Synthesis	Building a structure or pattern from diverse elements, or putting parts together to form a coherent new whole.
Evaluation	Making judgments about the value of ideas or materials for a given purpose.

Steps in Critical Thinking

The steps in critical thinking involve; defining a problem, gathering information, analyzing evidence, generating ideas, recognizing and assessing implications and consequences, and identifying a reasoned solution.

In order to be successful, critical thinkers also need to;