Thinking Skills

Unit 1. Thinking and Reasoning: 1. Thinking as a skill; 2. An introduction to critical thinking; 3. Solutions not problems; Unit 2. Critical Thinking: the Basics: 1. Claims, assertions, statements; 2. Judging claims; 3. Argument; 4. Identifying arguments; 5. Analysing arguments; 6. Complex arguments; 7. Conclusions; 8. Reasons; 9. Assumptions; 10. Flaws and fallacies; Unit 3. Problem-solving: Basic Skills: 1. What do we mean by a 'problem'?; 2. How do we solve problems?; 3. Selecting and using information; 4. Processing data; 5. Finding methods of solution; 6. Solving problems by searching; 7. Recognising patterns; 8. Hypotheses, reasons, explanations and inference; 9. Spatial reasoning; 10. Necessity and sufficiency; 11. Choosing and using models; 12. Making choices and decisions; Unit 4. Applied Critical Thinking: 1. Inference; 2. Explanation; 3. Evidence; 4. Credibility; 5. Two case studies; 6. Critical thinking and science; 7. Introducing longer arguments; 8. Applying analysis skills; 9. Critical evaluation; 10. Responding with further argument; 11. A live text; Unit 5. Advanced Problem-solving: 1. Combining skills - using imagination; 2. Developing models; 3. Carrying out investigations; 4. Data analysis and inference; Unit 6. Problem-solving: Further Techniques: 1. Using other mathematical methods; 2. Graphical methods of solution; 3. Probability, tree diagrams and decision trees; 4. Have you solved it?; Unit 7. Critical Reasoning: Advanced Level: 1. Conditions and conditionals; 2. Soundness and validity: a taste of logic; 3. Non-deductive reasoning; 4. Reasoning with statistics; 5. Decision-making; 6. Principles; 7. An argument under the microscope; 8. Critical writing; End-of-chapter assignments: answers and comments; Appendix; Index; Acknowledgements.