
How to Think
Your Essential Guide to Clear, Critical Thought
Tom Chatfield(Author)
SAGE Publications Ltd (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 21. June 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
160 pages
978-1-5297-2741-8 (ISBN)
Description
This is a book about thinking. Engaging and down-to-earth, it captures the habits and practices that are fundamental to clear thinking and effective study.
In his warm and friendly style, Tom Chatfield shows you how to:
Identify and examine your biases
Engage in lively, curious skepticism
See the value in emotion and use rhetoric persuasively
Know when to say 'I don't know'
Construct reasoned arguments and explanations
Think critically about how you engage with technology.
Short and punchy, the book views critical thinking as a skill to be continually practiced and developed. It equips you with a toolkit for clearer thinking, describing ten key concepts that help you to apply what you have learned. Including regular reflective exercises, key concepts, further readings, each chapter also offers recommendations for how to put the ideas it discusses into practice.
This book is for undergraduate students and anyone looking to understand the core ideas behind critical thinking. Celebrating both self-reflection and collaboration, this book empowers you to pause, think twice and, above all, think well.
In his warm and friendly style, Tom Chatfield shows you how to:
Identify and examine your biases
Engage in lively, curious skepticism
See the value in emotion and use rhetoric persuasively
Know when to say 'I don't know'
Construct reasoned arguments and explanations
Think critically about how you engage with technology.
Short and punchy, the book views critical thinking as a skill to be continually practiced and developed. It equips you with a toolkit for clearer thinking, describing ten key concepts that help you to apply what you have learned. Including regular reflective exercises, key concepts, further readings, each chapter also offers recommendations for how to put the ideas it discusses into practice.
This book is for undergraduate students and anyone looking to understand the core ideas behind critical thinking. Celebrating both self-reflection and collaboration, this book empowers you to pause, think twice and, above all, think well.
Reviews / Votes
Inspiring, practical and engaging, this book raises, explores and addresses some of the fundamental questions and issues we face when making sense of and responding to the world around us. Using accessible language and relatable examples, it offers us practical tools to develop critical thinking skills, not just for academic study but also for life. -- Jiani Liu This book could be transformative for senior leaders, teachers and their pupils.How To Think is not just a book that explains effective cognitive processes; it actually models these processes and trains you in them. It would make an excellent tool to inform planning, how to formulate proper arguments and explain ideas. -- Amir Arezoo * Schools Week * Chatfield's writing style is an easy going one, using everyday examples a reader can identify with, and thus, understand what an argument is and how an argument is build - the reflective exercises in the book help. Critical thinking and argument building is particularly important for many international students, this down to earth approach makes it more accessible for them. -- Dr Susanne Kean This is the first book of Tom Chatfield that I've read, and it was fantastic. It breaks down a ton of common thinking errors, and he touches on relevant topics to use as examples. Each chapter has reflections as well to go back over what was discussed, and it's great to take some time during the reflections to see how you can apply the tools to daily life. For anyone who wants to improve their thinking and decision-making, I highly recommend this book, and I'll most likely be reading it again at some point. -- The Rewired Soul I have read other texts related to critical thinking and I feel this one gives a clearer insight into this process because it does not just say 'this is critical thinking' but instead takes me slowly through the mechanics of becoming a critical being. The toolkit is also a brilliant summary of the key points from the book. -- PhD Student It's universal and timeless - I feel like anyone of any age at any time could read it. -- Emma Gannon * Ctrl Alt Delete - episode #349 * A masterclass in clear critical thinking. -- Tim Harford
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 10 mm
Weight
257 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5297-2741-8 (9781529727418)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Book
06/2021
1st Edition
SAGE Publications Ltd
€84.00
Shipment within 15-20 days

E-Book
06/2021
1st Edition
SAGE Publications Ltd
€26.49
Available for download

E-Book
06/2021
1st Edition
SAGE Publications Ltd
€26.49
Available for download
Person
Dr Tom Chatfield is a British tech philosopher and author. He writes, broadcasts and consults internationally, with a special interest in critical thinking, AI and future skills. His books exploring digital culture-including Wise Animals, How To Thrive in the Digital Age, and Fun Inc.-are published in over thirty languages, while his critical thinking textbooks, published by Sage, are used by universities, institutions and companies around the world. Over the past decade, Tom has developed award-winning online courses for universities and businesses, and been a guest faculty member at the Said Business School and visiting associate at the Oxford Internet Institute, both at the University of Oxford. He has collaborated with organizations including Allianz, the BBC, Google, and the UN. Past speaking appearances include TED Global and the US National Academy of Sciences. A launch columnist for BBC Future, he writes widely in the international media and guest lectures at universities in the US, UK and Europe.
Content
Introduction: Thinking about thinking
Chapter 1: Attention and reflection: Building habits for better thinking
Chapter 2: Working with words: Close reading and clear writing
Chapter 3: The importance of assumptions: Examining what has been left unsaid
Chapter 4: Giving good reasons: The importance of arguing your case
Chapter 5: Seeking good explanations: Investigating the reasons behind things
Chapter 6: Creative and collaborative thinking: Finding a process that works for you
Chapter 7: Thinking about numbers: How not to lie with statistics
Chapter 8: Technology and complexity: The 21st-century context
Chapter 9: And finally...
A toolkit for clearer thinking: Ten key concepts
Chapter 1: Attention and reflection: Building habits for better thinking
Chapter 2: Working with words: Close reading and clear writing
Chapter 3: The importance of assumptions: Examining what has been left unsaid
Chapter 4: Giving good reasons: The importance of arguing your case
Chapter 5: Seeking good explanations: Investigating the reasons behind things
Chapter 6: Creative and collaborative thinking: Finding a process that works for you
Chapter 7: Thinking about numbers: How not to lie with statistics
Chapter 8: Technology and complexity: The 21st-century context
Chapter 9: And finally...
A toolkit for clearer thinking: Ten key concepts