alternative words for critical thinking

Critical Thinking Definition, Skills, and Examples

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Critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment. It involves the evaluation of sources, such as data, facts, observable phenomena, and research findings.

Good critical thinkers can draw reasonable conclusions from a set of information, and discriminate between useful and less useful details to solve problems or make decisions. Employers prioritize the ability to think critically—find out why, plus see how you can demonstrate that you have this ability throughout the job application process. 

Why Do Employers Value Critical Thinking Skills?

Employers want job candidates who can evaluate a situation using logical thought and offer the best solution.

 Someone with critical thinking skills can be trusted to make decisions independently, and will not need constant handholding.

Hiring a critical thinker means that micromanaging won't be required. Critical thinking abilities are among the most sought-after skills in almost every industry and workplace. You can demonstrate critical thinking by using related keywords in your resume and cover letter, and during your interview.

Examples of Critical Thinking

The circumstances that demand critical thinking vary from industry to industry. Some examples include:

• A triage nurse analyzes the cases at hand and decides the order by which the patients should be treated.
• A plumber evaluates the materials that would best suit a particular job.
• An attorney reviews evidence and devises a strategy to win a case or to decide whether to settle out of court.
• A manager analyzes customer feedback forms and uses this information to develop a customer service training session for employees.

Promote Your Skills in Your Job Search

If critical thinking is a key phrase in the job listings you are applying for, be sure to emphasize your critical thinking skills throughout your job search.

Add Keywords to Your Resume

You can use critical thinking keywords (analytical, problem solving, creativity, etc.) in your resume. When describing your  work history , include top critical thinking skills that accurately describe you. You can also include them in your  resume summary , if you have one.

For example, your summary might read, “Marketing Associate with five years of experience in project management. Skilled in conducting thorough market research and competitor analysis to assess market trends and client needs, and to develop appropriate acquisition tactics.”

Mention Skills in Your Cover Letter

Include these critical thinking skills in your cover letter. In the body of your letter, mention one or two of these skills, and give specific examples of times when you have demonstrated them at work. Think about times when you had to analyze or evaluate materials to solve a problem.

Show the Interviewer Your Skills

You can use these skill words in an interview. Discuss a time when you were faced with a particular problem or challenge at work and explain how you applied critical thinking to solve it.

Some interviewers will give you a hypothetical scenario or problem, and ask you to use critical thinking skills to solve it. In this case, explain your thought process thoroughly to the interviewer. He or she is typically more focused on how you arrive at your solution rather than the solution itself. The interviewer wants to see you analyze and evaluate (key parts of critical thinking) the given scenario or problem.

Of course, each job will require different skills and experiences, so make sure you read the job description carefully and focus on the skills listed by the employer.

Top Critical Thinking Skills

Keep these in-demand critical thinking skills in mind as you update your resume and write your cover letter. As you've seen, you can also emphasize them at other points throughout the application process, such as your interview. 

Part of critical thinking is the ability to carefully examine something, whether it is a problem, a set of data, or a text. People with  analytical skills  can examine information, understand what it means, and properly explain to others the implications of that information.

• Asking Thoughtful Questions
• Data Analysis
• Interpretation
• Questioning Evidence
• Recognizing Patterns

Communication

Often, you will need to share your conclusions with your employers or with a group of colleagues. You need to be able to  communicate with others  to share your ideas effectively. You might also need to engage in critical thinking in a group. In this case, you will need to work with others and communicate effectively to figure out solutions to complex problems.

• Active Listening
• Collaboration
• Explanation
• Interpersonal
• Presentation
• Verbal Communication
• Written Communication

Critical thinking often involves creativity and innovation. You might need to spot patterns in the information you are looking at or come up with a solution that no one else has thought of before. All of this involves a creative eye that can take a different approach from all other approaches.

• Flexibility
• Conceptualization
• Imagination
• Drawing Connections
• Synthesizing

Open-Mindedness

To think critically, you need to be able to put aside any assumptions or judgments and merely analyze the information you receive. You need to be objective, evaluating ideas without bias.

• Objectivity
• Observation

Problem Solving

Problem-solving is another critical thinking skill that involves analyzing a problem, generating and implementing a solution, and assessing the success of the plan. Employers don’t simply want employees who can think about information critically. They also need to be able to come up with practical solutions.

• Attention to Detail
• Clarification
• Decision Making
• Groundedness
• Identifying Patterns

More Critical Thinking Skills

• Inductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning
• Noticing Outliers
• Adaptability
• Emotional Intelligence
• Brainstorming
• Optimization
• Restructuring
• Integration
• Strategic Planning
• Project Management
• Ongoing Improvement
• Causal Relationships
• Case Analysis
• Diagnostics
• SWOT Analysis
• Business Intelligence
• Quantitative Data Management
• Qualitative Data Management
• Risk Management
• Scientific Method
• Consumer Behavior

Key Takeaways

• Demonstrate that you have critical thinking skills by adding relevant keywords to your resume.
• Mention pertinent critical thinking skills in your cover letter, too, and include an example of a time when you demonstrated them at work.
• Finally, highlight critical thinking skills during your interview. For instance, you might discuss a time when you were faced with a challenge at work and explain how you applied critical thinking skills to solve it.

University of Louisville. " What is Critical Thinking ."

American Management Association. " AMA Critical Skills Survey: Workers Need Higher Level Skills to Succeed in the 21st Century ."

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What Are Critical Thinking Skills and Why Are They Important?

Learn what critical thinking skills are, why they’re important, and how to develop and apply them in your workplace and everyday life.

We often use critical thinking skills without even realizing it. When you make a decision, such as which cereal to eat for breakfast, you're using critical thinking to determine the best option for you that day.

Critical thinking is like a muscle that can be exercised and built over time. It is a skill that can help propel your career to new heights. You'll be able to solve workplace issues, use trial and error to troubleshoot ideas, and more.

We'll take you through what it is and some examples so you can begin your journey in mastering this skill.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to interpret, evaluate, and analyze facts and information that are available, to form a judgment or decide if something is right or wrong.

More than just being curious about the world around you, critical thinkers make connections between logical ideas to see the bigger picture. Building your critical thinking skills means being able to advocate your ideas and opinions, present them in a logical fashion, and make decisions for improvement.

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Why is critical thinking important?

Critical thinking is useful in many areas of your life, including your career. It makes you a well-rounded individual, one who has looked at all of their options and possible solutions before making a choice.

According to the University of the People in California, having critical thinking skills is important because they are [ 1 ]:

Crucial for the economy

Essential for improving language and presentation skills

Very helpful in promoting creativity

Important for self-reflection

The basis of science and democracy 

Critical thinking skills are used every day in a myriad of ways and can be applied to situations such as a CEO approaching a group project or a nurse deciding in which order to treat their patients.

Examples of common critical thinking skills

Critical thinking skills differ from individual to individual and are utilized in various ways. Examples of common critical thinking skills include:

Identification of biases: Identifying biases means knowing there are certain people or things that may have an unfair prejudice or influence on the situation at hand. Pointing out these biases helps to remove them from contention when it comes to solving the problem and allows you to see things from a different perspective.

Research: Researching details and facts allows you to be prepared when presenting your information to people. You’ll know exactly what you’re talking about due to the time you’ve spent with the subject material, and you’ll be well-spoken and know what questions to ask to gain more knowledge. When researching, always use credible sources and factual information.

Open-mindedness: Being open-minded when having a conversation or participating in a group activity is crucial to success. Dismissing someone else’s ideas before you’ve heard them will inhibit you from progressing to a solution, and will often create animosity. If you truly want to solve a problem, you need to be willing to hear everyone’s opinions and ideas if you want them to hear yours.

Analysis: Analyzing your research will lead to you having a better understanding of the things you’ve heard and read. As a true critical thinker, you’ll want to seek out the truth and get to the source of issues. It’s important to avoid taking things at face value and always dig deeper.

Problem-solving: Problem-solving is perhaps the most important skill that critical thinkers can possess. The ability to solve issues and bounce back from conflict is what helps you succeed, be a leader, and effect change. One way to properly solve problems is to first recognize there’s a problem that needs solving. By determining the issue at hand, you can then analyze it and come up with several potential solutions.

How to develop critical thinking skills

You can develop critical thinking skills every day if you approach problems in a logical manner. Here are a few ways you can start your path to improvement:

1. Ask questions.

Be inquisitive about everything. Maintain a neutral perspective and develop a natural curiosity, so you can ask questions that develop your understanding of the situation or task at hand. The more details, facts, and information you have, the better informed you are to make decisions.

2. Practice active listening.

Utilize active listening techniques, which are founded in empathy, to really listen to what the other person is saying. Critical thinking, in part, is the cognitive process of reading the situation: the words coming out of their mouth, their body language, their reactions to your own words. Then, you might paraphrase to clarify what they're saying, so both of you agree you're on the same page.

3. Develop your logic and reasoning.

This is perhaps a more abstract task that requires practice and long-term development. However, think of a schoolteacher assessing the classroom to determine how to energize the lesson. There's options such as playing a game, watching a video, or challenging the students with a reward system. Using logic, you might decide that the reward system will take up too much time and is not an immediate fix. A video is not exactly relevant at this time. So, the teacher decides to play a simple word association game.

Scenarios like this happen every day, so next time, you can be more aware of what will work and what won't. Over time, developing your logic and reasoning will strengthen your critical thinking skills.

Learn tips and tricks on how to become a better critical thinker and problem solver through online courses from notable educational institutions on Coursera. Start with Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking from Duke University or Mindware: Critical Thinking for the Information Age from the University of Michigan.

Article sources

University of the People, “ Why is Critical Thinking Important?: A Survival Guide , https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/why-is-critical-thinking-important/.” Accessed May 18, 2023.

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28.4: Consider Alternatives

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• Jason Southworth & Chris Swoyer
• Fort Hays State & University University of Oklahoma

We approach many situations with certain expectations or preconceptions, with a “mindset” that makes it easy to overlook the relevance of various cognitive tools and skills. We often think about a problem in the way it is presented to us, or in the way that we have gotten used to thinking about similar problems. Although there are no magic cures, there is a general strategy that can help overcome this obstacle to good reasoning.

The basic idea is to think about a situation from several points of view or in several different ways, rather than to simply jumping to the first conclusion that occurs to us. Although this involves somewhat different things in different cases, it is easier to remember if we have a single, catchy label for the general strategy, so we will refer to it as “Consider Alternatives.”

In some cases, consideration of alternatives means considering actual alternatives or options we have overlooked; in other cases, it means considering hypothetical alternative or options. All this sounds rather abstract, but we can bring it down to earth by considering a few concrete examples.

Alternative Explanations

We constantly seek to explain the world around us. When something happens that matters to us, we want to know why. What explains it? What caused it? Wilbur has been friendly to Wilma all semester but suddenly he begins insulting her. She naturally wonders why. Unfortunately, we often jump to conclusions about causes and explanations. One corrective is to ask ourselves whether there might be alternative explanations that would explain what happened better than the explanation that first occurred to us.

Regression Effects

We often overlook regression to the mean, the fact that more extreme outcomes or performances tend to be followed by ones closer to the mean (i.e., closer to average; (21.6)).

We often do something, note what happens, and conclude that our action led to – caused – the outcome. For example, if the implementation of a new policy is followed by a decrease in something undesirable or an increase in something desirable, it is often tempting to conclude that the new measure caused the shift. Unemployment went up last year; this year the City Council lowered property taxes, and now unemployment has come back down to its normal level.

In at least some cases like this, however, the return to normal would have occurred without the new measure, simply due to regression to the mean. In such cases, we are likely to explain the reduction in unemployment by the decrease in taxes, but we will be wrong, and the new measure will be given credit it doesn’t deserve. Here, the alternative explanation to consider is that the return to a normal level is simply a result of regression to the mean; perhaps it would have happened anyway, even without the new policy.

Illusory Correlation

Suppose that some people recover from a given illness after taking megadoses of Vitamin C. It is tempting to conclude that the vitamin led to – caused – their recovery, that it explains why they got better. But might they have gotten better anyway? In the case of many diseases and illnesses, some people do get better without any medication, vitamins, or treatment. To know whether the Vitamin C helped, we need to compare the rate of recovery among those who took it with the rate among those who did not. In short, if we fail to consider the rate of recovery of those who don’t take Vitamin C, we may come to believe in an illusory correlation between taking the drug and getting better.

In this case, belief in an illusory correlation leads us to give a faulty explanation (the people got better because they took the vitamin). Here the alternative explanation we need to consider is that they would have gotten better anyway , without the vitamin, (and the alternative evidence we need to consider to test either explanation is the group of people who did not take the vitamin).

Fundamental Attribution Error

The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to overestimate the role of our dispositions and traits, and to underestimate the importance of the context, in explaining their behavior (23.2). For example, it is easy to believe that people in a crowd who don’t help an injured person are selfish and uncaring, when in fact many kind and decent people are reluctant to help in such situations . There are various situational pressures – causes – that inhibit helping.

In cases like this we give a wrong, or at least one-sided, explanation when we explain what others do in terms of their character traits or other internal causes. Considering the alternative explanation, that there are strong situational pressures that would lead most people (including them) to do what they did, can help us see that an explanation weighted more in terms of external causes might be more accurate.

Gambler’s Fallacy

In the cases thus far, we need to consider alternative explanations for events that have already occurred, but similar points can hold for events in the future. We commit the gambler’s fallacy when we treat independent events as though they were dependent (16.3). For example, even if we believe that a coin is fair, we may think that if we have flipped three heads in a row we are more likely to get a tail on the fourth flip.

Such a belief can result from accepting a bad explanation while ignoring alternative explanations about why we should not expect a tail the fourth time around. The bad explanation is that we think a tail is more likely because it would “even things out,” or satisfy the “law of averages.”

The good explanation we overlook is that there is nothing about the coin that would enable it to “remember” what it did on earlier flips. There is no mechanism that can change the probability of a given flip based on the outcome of previous flips. We might well see this quite easily if we paused and asked how the outcome of one flip could affect the outcome of the succeeding flip. What could explain how the coin could remember (answer: nothing—so it doesn’t)?

Alternative Possibilities

Sometimes asking how things might have turned out differently helps avoid fallacies and cognitive biases. Here we consider alternative outcomes or possibilities .

Hindsight Bias

Hindsight bias is the tendency to overestimate the likelihood that one would have predicted an outcome after they learn that it occurred (8.6). It has been found in judgments about elections, medical diagnoses, sporting events, and many other topics. It is also the key ingredient of Monday morning quarterbacking and second guessing.

As with many other biases and fallacies, simply warning people of the dangers of hindsight bias has little effect. But various studies suggest that we can reduce this bias by considering how past events might have turned out differently. Consider alternative scenarios: ask yourself what alternatives might have occurred and what things would have made it likely that they would have happened? For example, if we consider how easily a couple of charging fouls against the opponent’s star could have gone the other way, it may be easier to see how they could have won the game. Considering alternative outcomes can make it easier to break free of the “mindset” that the occurrence of this event would have been obvious before it occurred.

Overconfidence

We tend to overestimate the probability that our own judgments or predictions are correct. This means assigning high probabilities to hypotheses or claims that turn out, reasonably often, to be false. There is evidence that considering alternatives can help us make a more realistic assessment of our own accuracy.

For example, if we imagine plausible scenarios in which the candidate we predict to win would turn out to lose, we may become less confident in our prediction. Here the key is to consider ways our views and beliefs might turn out to be wrong. This can help us break free of the belief that our belief or prediction is “obvious.”

The Either/Or Fallacy

We commit the either/or fallacy (the fallacy of a “false dilemma”) when we assume that there are only two alternatives when in fact there are more or, more generally, when we assume that there are fewer alternatives than there are (11.2). Here, pausing to ask if we have overlooked genuine alternatives may help us find additional, and with luck better, options.

Alternative Evidence

Sometimes we need to consider evidence (data, facts, information) that we have overlooked: here the strategy is to consider alternative (or, perhaps more accurately here, overlooked) evidence.

It often seems easy to explain how we were right, whatever the evidence turns out to be. We read earlier about the members of a doomsday cult who gave away all their possessions because they believed that the world would end on a given day (19.6.1). Their belief turned out to be false; obviously so, since the world did not end when they said it would.

Most of us would see this as rock solid proof that they were simply mistaken about things. But when the appointed time came and went, many cult members strengthened their beliefs in the pronouncements of their leader (by concluding that their efforts had postponed the end). To take another example, the predictions of many pseudoscientists are often sufficiently fuzzy that they can be reconciled with almost anything that happens later.

In such cases, it is useful to consider alternative ways that the evidence might have turned out. What outcomes, what possible evidence, would we have taken as disconfirming our views? How would we have reacted if the evidence had turned out differently? This can help us see whether we are basing our beliefs on evidence (which could turn out to disconfirm them), or whether we are simply holding them, “no matter what,” whatever the evidence might be.

Alternative Frames

Framing effects occur when the way in which options or situations are described influences how we think about them (7.5.1). It is always a good policy to imagine alternative ways to frame things, especially frames in terms of gains (if the current frame is in terms of loses) or in terms of loses (if the current frame is in terms of gains). And when evaluating the arguments of others, it is always wise to ask yourself how the points they are making might be reframed.

We discussed anchoring effects earlier in this chapter. Here, we simply note that considering alternative anchors can help us avoid insufficient adjustment to anchors that are skewed.

Alternative Points of View

Sometimes the alternative we need to consider is some other person’s point of view. We may need to put ourselves in their shoes.

We commit the straw man fallacy if we distort someone else’s position to make it easier to attack (10.4). Here, considering alternatives means asking how the person who defends the view we dislike would state their position. What reasons would they give to support it? The point here is just to play fair, to try to find the strongest version of the view in question and evaluate it. Consider the alternative, stronger, ways to defend it.

Actor-Observer Asymmetry

We tend to see other people’s behavior as internally caused, but to see our own as externally caused (23.3). Wilbur donated money to the Cancer Society because he is kind and generous. By contrast, we tend to see ourselves as giving a donation because we think the cancer victims need help.

The actor-observer asymmetry is a bias in our reasoning about people’s actions, both our own and those of others we observe. But it turns out that if an actor imagines herself in the situation of the observer, or if an observer imagines himself in the situation of the actor, this bias is reduced.

Out-Group Homogeneity Bias

This is the tendency to see out-groups (e.g., people of other races, religions, countries, sexual orientation) as more homogeneous than they really are (25.5). Groups tend to see themselves as quite varied, whereas members of other groups are thought to be much more alike one another. One way to consider the alternative is simply to learn more about the other group. But imagining what the group must seem like to those in the group may also make it easier to see that they probably vary as much as the members of groups with which we are more familiar. For example, people in familiar groups with quite different backgrounds, occupations, and ages often see things in different ways. So, are members of an out group with quite different backgrounds, occupations, and ages likely to see things in the same way?

We encountered several cases in Chapter 22 (Ash’s conformity studies, Milgram’s studies of obedience) where the most effective way of reducing conformity or obedience was to have at least one person who refused to go along. Often even one dissenter was enough to eliminate groupthink or conformity or mindless compliance.

Here one way to consider alternatives is to imagine what a dissenter might say or do. It is also good to encourage the actual presentation of alternative points of view by encouraging free expression. Some group biases are less likely, for example, if group members are allowed to express disagreement, since the group will be exposed to alternative points of view. It will be easier to break the grip of a certain way of looking at the relevant issues.

Evaluating Sources of Information

We have no choice but to rely on others for information, but some people are better sources than others. When someone who seems like an expert makes a claim, it is useful to consider perspectives or points of view from which the claims would seem less plausible, and ones from which it would seem more plausible. Then, consider it from the source’s own point of view: would they have any reasons to make this claim if they didn’t think it was true?

Is there “Invisible Data”?

Good reasoning requires us to stay focused on issues that are relevant to the points we are reasoning about. Many pitfalls in reasoning, including some of those discussed earlier in this chapter, involve one of two kinds of mistakes about relevance. Sometimes we overlook or ignore evidence or facts that are relevant. And sometimes we rely on evidence or facts that are irrelevant. We might think of the first sort of error as one of omission (we overlook relevant information) and the second as one of commission (we incorrectly treat irrelevant information as though it were relevant).

We will begin with cases where we overlook or underutilize relevant data. The slogan here, the question to ask ourselves, is: “Is there invisible data?” Is there relevant data that is “invisible” to us because we overlooked it?

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is our tendency to look for, notice, and remember confirming or positive evidence (that supports what we think) while overlooking or downplaying disconfirming or negative evidence (which suggests that what we think is wrong (18.5)). We often have a blind spot for outcomes and possibilities at odds with our beliefs and expectations.

Relevance involves a relationship between one statement and another. A piece of information can be highly relevant to one conclusion but completely irrelevant to others. For example, if Wilma is convinced that people with red hair have bad tempers, she may be more likely to notice or remember cases where red heads fly off the handle and to overlook or forget cases where they don’t. Here the invisible data is obvious—once we mention it.

Here is another example. People who make admissions decisions at universities typically receive limited feedback on how well they are making their selections. They probably do learn about the performance of the students they do admit, but they rarely get feedback on the people they reject. How well did they do in the university they ended up attending? How well might they have done at this university, the one that rejected them. Here, half of the relevant evidence is “invisible” to the admissions officers, so it is difficult for them to form an accurate assessment about how well they are doing.

In cases like this it is often difficult to get the invisible data, although there are a few exceptions like football recruiting, where someone who wasn’t offered a scholarship goes on to be a star at another university. But often invisible data is easy to see – as with Wilma and red heads – once it occurs to us to look.

Illusory Correlations

Belief in illusory correlations often results from considering only some of the relevant cases, e.g., the people who took Vitamin C and got better. We might learn that the apparent correlation is illusory if we also considered people who did not take Vitamin C (since at least as many of them might have gotten better too). The problem is that we often overlook or ignore data or information about this group, so it remains invisible to us. To take another example (15.4), if we looked for invisible data it might also show that various superstitions are based on illusory correlations.

Insensitivity to Base Rates

We often ignore or underutilize information about base rates in judging probabilities and making predictions (17.4). For example, we may think that a person has a high probability of being infected with the HIV virus after testing positive on an accurate, but not-perfect test, without accounting for the relatively low incidence of such infections in the general population. Or we may think that someone has a certain job, like being a professional football player, because they fit the profile or stereotype, we associate with that job, while ignoring the low base rate of professional football players in the general population.

When we overlook base rates, we ignore relevant information; it remains invisible to us. Pausing to ask whether information about bases rates is relevant can help make that information visible. Remember that you usually do not need any precise knowledge of base rates. Just knowing that there are a lot more of one sort of thing (e.g., bankers) than another (e.g., professional football players) is often enough.

How Do We Know What Might be Relevant?

It’s easy for a book to tell us we shouldn’t overlook relevant information, but how can we tell what is relevant, especially in fields we don’t know much about? Things are typically open-ended, and we could go on collecting evidence for years. We often must act soon, however, and it’s important to know when to stop looking and act.

There is no guideline for this, but in the real world the problem is rarely that people spend too much time looking for relevant information. The problem is that we usually don’t look enough. Indeed, often we don’t look at all. Moreover, the information we need is often obvious, once we pause to think about it. In short, in many other cases fostering the habit of asking: “what’s been omitted?” can help us reason more effectively.

Is Some Data Too Visible?

The flip side of overlooking relevant information is basing our reasoning on irrelevant information. Even worse, in some cases we have good information, but for one reason or another we don’t use it. Indeed, bad information sometimes drives out good information. In cases like this the evidence doesn’t start out invisible, but bad or irrelevant information makes it difficult to keep it in sight (as with the dilution effect (17.4)).

We saw several cases on this sort in Chapter 10, where we examined various species of the fallacy of irrelevant reason. Later we saw that we often focus on samples that are highly available in memory or imagination, while ignoring more relevant and representative samples, even when we know about them (17.2).

Critical thinking definition

Critical thinking, as described by Oxford Languages, is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.

Active and skillful approach, evaluation, assessment, synthesis, and/or evaluation of information obtained from, or made by, observation, knowledge, reflection, acumen or conversation, as a guide to belief and action, requires the critical thinking process, which is why it's often used in education and academics.

Some even may view it as a backbone of modern thought.

However, it's a skill, and skills must be trained and encouraged to be used at its full potential.

People turn up to various approaches in improving their critical thinking, like:

• Developing technical and problem-solving skills
• Engaging in more active listening
• Actively questioning their assumptions and beliefs
• Seeking out more diversity of thought
• Opening up their curiosity in an intellectual way etc.

Is critical thinking useful in writing?

Critical thinking can help in planning your paper and making it more concise, but it's not obvious at first. We carefully pinpointed some the questions you should ask yourself when boosting critical thinking in writing:

• What information should be included?
• Which information resources should the author look to?
• What degree of technical knowledge should the report assume its audience has?
• What is the most effective way to show information?
• How should the report be organized?
• How should it be designed?
• What tone and level of language difficulty should the document have?

Usage of critical thinking comes down not only to the outline of your paper, it also begs the question: How can we use critical thinking solving problems in our writing's topic?

Let's say, you have a Powerpoint on how critical thinking can reduce poverty in the United States. You'll primarily have to define critical thinking for the viewers, as well as use a lot of critical thinking questions and synonyms to get them to be familiar with your methods and start the thinking process behind it.

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• What Is Critical Thinking? | Definition & Examples

What Is Critical Thinking? | Definition & Examples

Published on 25 September 2022 by Eoghan Ryan .

Critical thinking is the ability to effectively analyse information and form a judgement.

To think critically, you must be aware of your own biases and assumptions when encountering information, and apply consistent standards when evaluating sources .

Critical thinking skills help you to:

• Identify credible sources
• Evaluate and respond to arguments
• Assess alternative viewpoints
• Test hypotheses against relevant criteria

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Table of contents

Why is critical thinking important, critical thinking examples, how to think critically, frequently asked questions.

Critical thinking is important for making judgements about sources of information and forming your own arguments. It emphasises a rational, objective, and self-aware approach that can help you to identify credible sources and strengthen your conclusions.

Critical thinking is important in all disciplines and throughout all stages of the research process . The types of evidence used in the sciences and in the humanities may differ, but critical thinking skills are relevant to both.

In an academic context, critical thinking can help you to determine whether a source:

• Is free from research bias
• Provides evidence to support its findings
• Considers alternative viewpoints

Outside of academia, critical thinking goes hand in hand with information literacy to help you form opinions rationally and engage independently and critically with popular media.

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Critical thinking can help you to identify reliable sources of information that you can cite in your research paper . It can also guide your own research methods and inform your own arguments.

Outside of academia, critical thinking can help you to be aware of both your own and others’ biases and assumptions.

Academic examples

However, when you compare the findings of the study with other current research, you determine that the results seem improbable. You analyse the paper again, consulting the sources it cites.

You notice that the research was funded by the pharmaceutical company that created the treatment. Because of this, you view its results skeptically and determine that more independent research is necessary to confirm or refute them. Example: Poor critical thinking in an academic context You’re researching a paper on the impact wireless technology has had on developing countries that previously did not have large-scale communications infrastructure. You read an article that seems to confirm your hypothesis: the impact is mainly positive. Rather than evaluating the research methodology, you accept the findings uncritically.

Nonacademic examples

However, you decide to compare this review article with consumer reviews on a different site. You find that these reviews are not as positive. Some customers have had problems installing the alarm, and some have noted that it activates for no apparent reason.

You revisit the original review article. You notice that the words ‘sponsored content’ appear in small print under the article title. Based on this, you conclude that the review is advertising and is therefore not an unbiased source. Example: Poor critical thinking in a nonacademic context You support a candidate in an upcoming election. You visit an online news site affiliated with their political party and read an article that criticizes their opponent. The article claims that the opponent is inexperienced in politics. You accept this without evidence, because it fits your preconceptions about the opponent.

There is no single way to think critically. How you engage with information will depend on the type of source you’re using and the information you need.

However, you can engage with sources in a systematic and critical way by asking certain questions when you encounter information. Like the CRAAP test , these questions focus on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

When encountering information, ask:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert in their field?
• What do they say? Is their argument clear? Can you summarise it?
• When did they say this? Is the source current?
• Where is the information published? Is it an academic article? Is it a blog? A newspaper article?
• Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence? Does it rely on opinion, speculation, or appeals to emotion ? Do they address alternative arguments?

Critical thinking also involves being aware of your own biases, not only those of others. When you make an argument or draw your own conclusions, you can ask similar questions about your own writing:

• Am I only considering evidence that supports my preconceptions?
• Is my argument expressed clearly and backed up with credible sources?
• Would I be convinced by this argument coming from someone else?

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

Critical thinking skills include the ability to:

You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

Ask questions such as:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

A credible source should pass the CRAAP test  and follow these guidelines:

• The information should be up to date and current.
• The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching.
• The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased.
• For a web source, the URL and layout should signify that it is trustworthy.

Information literacy refers to a broad range of skills, including the ability to find, evaluate, and use sources of information effectively.

Being information literate means that you:

• Know how to find credible sources
• Use relevant sources to inform your research
• Understand what constitutes plagiarism
• Know how to cite your sources correctly

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Ryan, E. (2022, September 25). What Is Critical Thinking? | Definition & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 29 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/working-sources/critical-thinking-meaning/

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Synonyms of critical

• as in particular
• as in urgent
• as in crucial
• as in essential
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Thesaurus Definition of critical

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hypercritical
• overcritical
• faultfinding
• discriminating
• unforgiving
• pettifogging
• uncharitable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• undiscriminating
• undemanding
• importunate
• necessitous
• life - and - death
• life - or - death
• unimportant
• noncritical
• low - pressure
• nonthreatening
• fundamental
• instrumental
• indispensable
• insignificant
• inconsequential
• must - have
• all - important
• of the essence
• prerequisite
• significant
• substantial
• consequential
• nonelective
• unnecessary
• nonessential
• dispensable
• unessential
• inessential
• superfluous

Try This Instead

Synonym chooser.

How does the adjective critical contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of critical are captious , carping , censorious , faultfinding , and hypercritical . While all these words mean "inclined to look for and point out faults and defects," critical may also imply an effort to see a thing clearly and truly in order to judge it fairly.

When might captious be a better fit than critical ?

While the synonyms captious and critical are close in meaning, captious suggests a readiness to detect trivial faults or raise objections on trivial grounds.

Where would carping be a reasonable alternative to critical ?

The synonyms carping and critical are sometimes interchangeable, but carping implies an ill-natured or perverse picking of flaws.

When could censorious be used to replace critical ?

The words censorious and critical can be used in similar contexts, but censorious implies a disposition to be severely critical and condemnatory.

When can faultfinding be used instead of critical ?

Although the words faultfinding and critical have much in common, faultfinding implies a querulous or exacting temperament.

When is it sensible to use hypercritical instead of critical ?

The words hypercritical and critical are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hypercritical suggests a tendency to judge by unreasonably strict standards.

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Cite this entry.

“Critical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/critical. Accessed 1 May. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on critical

Nglish: Translation of critical for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of critical for Arabic Speakers

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adjective as in fault-finding, detracting

Strongest match

Weak matches

• calumniatory
• disapproving
• discriminating
• disparaging
• hairsplitting
• hypercritical
• nit-picking
• overcritical
• penetrating
• reproachful

adjective as in urgently important

Strongest matches

• significant
• all-important
• bottom-line
• climacteric
• consequential
• determinative
• high-priority

Discover More

Example sentences.

Now, “I’m more cautious and more critical of what someone’s saying in their bio,” Ogalo says, adding that any comments making light of the coronavirus are automatic left-swipes.

Federal prosecutors and the FBI have accused self-identified Proud Boys of leading some of the earliest, most destructive and critical efforts to overrun police lines and break into the Capitol building.

Collaboration with the Schneider Electric site analytics team was critical for measurement as well, with bounce rate and site engagement becoming key user experience measurement metrics.

Working as an ESPN broadcaster after 10 years coaching Kansas City, Schottenheimer had been highly critical of Snyder’s early moves as owner.

The right equipment for the type of job you’re doing is critical for safety.

Dossi initially was listed in critical condition with wounds to his arm and lower back.

Dear Thief is worthy of the abused critical adjectives philosophical, atmospheric, and masterful.

But by the time a critical wanted poster sent via fax arrived, more than two hours elapsed.

Truth is, no one is sure how Cuba will play in the critical swing state of Florida in 2016.

And the actor says his childhood experience plays a critical role in his performance.

These are few and verbal, but momentous, and were not made without consultation of many critical authorities and versions.

The Colonel left, and in a few days the election coming off, each candidate made his appearance at the critical German polls.

He was threatened with erysipelas, and there was a rather critical inflammation of the left eye.

Later on he became intensely critical of his own work, and finally bought up all the copies he could lay hands on and burnt them!

“I thought she wos wery plump, and vell made,” said Mr. Weller, with a critical air.

Related Words

Words related to critical are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word critical . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

adjective as in very important

adjective as in severe, serious

• devastating
• distressing

adjective as in important

• exceptional
• major-league
• playing hard ball
• professional
• strictly business
• influential

adjective as in of key importance

• fundamental
• indispensable

Viewing 5 / 129 related words

On this page you'll find 217 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to critical, such as: demanding, analytical, belittling, biting, calumniatory, and captious.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.