How to apply critical thinking in your studies.
Step 1: Argument v Opinion.
As the video above suggests, your first step is to test the argument. Arguments are made of a series of statements leading to a conclusion, all of which should be backed by evidence. Ask yourself if the statements logically make sense and lead on from one another to lead to a strong conclusion? Or are they just someone's opinion? Read the extract below to see what you think.
https://pressbooks.howardcc.edu/essentials/chapter/argument/
Step 2: Evaluate the argument
Once you have decided whether the argument seems to be strong (logical, supported by evidence) or weak (unclear argument, no clear evidence) you need to then move forward to making your own judgement about the argument. Look at this model which helps you think about the questions you need to ask, moving from describing the argument to analysing it.
Step 3. Evaluate the sources.
Your next step is to evaluate the sources or evidence used to support the argument. Look at each piece of evidence to find out what it is about, who wrote it and for what purpose. Is the evidence accurate, reliable, and current? To think critically about a piece of information, you can use the CRAAP test which gives 5 useful steps on how to evaluate evidence. Click on this link to move on to our page on Evaluating Information using the CRAAP test.
