Learning to Think Things Through
A Guide to Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum
Published on 25. February 2002
Book
Paperback/Softback
125 pages
978-0-13-030486-5 (ISBN)
Description
A supplementary text for use in any subject-matter course at any educational level.
This short, inexpensive guide is designed to help students learn to think critically in any subject-matter course. A combination of instruction and exercises shows them how to use critical thinking to more fully to appreciate the power of the discipline they are studying, to see its connections to other fields and to their day-to-day lives, to maintain an overview of the field so they can see the parts in terms of the whole, and to become active learners rather than passive recipients of information.
This short, inexpensive guide is designed to help students learn to think critically in any subject-matter course. A combination of instruction and exercises shows them how to use critical thinking to more fully to appreciate the power of the discipline they are studying, to see its connections to other fields and to their day-to-day lives, to maintain an overview of the field so they can see the parts in terms of the whole, and to become active learners rather than passive recipients of information.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Pearson Education (US)
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Weight
1000 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-13-030486-5 (9780130304865)
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
New editions
Book
07/2004
2nd Edition
Pearson
€19.83
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
DR. GERALD NOSICH has given more than 150 national and international workshops on all aspects of teaching for critical thinking. He's also worked for the U.S. Department of Education on a project for a National Assessment of Higher Order Thinking Skills and serves as the Assistant Director at the Center for Critical Thinking at Sonoma State University.
On a more personal note, he has at times exercised and not exercised good judgment: he has ridden a motorcycle to Baghdad (and to Ur of the Chaldees, the birthplace of Abraham); he has worked as a immigrant ditch-digger in Switzerland, been imprisoned by Communist authorities in Czechoslovakia, stowed away on a Sicilian ship to Algeria, sailed up the Nile with his family in a felucca, and lived with Maasai warriors in central Africa. He currently lives in New Orleans with his 22-year-old son.
On a more personal note, he has at times exercised and not exercised good judgment: he has ridden a motorcycle to Baghdad (and to Ur of the Chaldees, the birthplace of Abraham); he has worked as a immigrant ditch-digger in Switzerland, been imprisoned by Communist authorities in Czechoslovakia, stowed away on a Sicilian ship to Algeria, sailed up the Nile with his family in a felucca, and lived with Maasai warriors in central Africa. He currently lives in New Orleans with his 22-year-old son.
Content
(NOTE: Each chapter concludes with Exercises.)
1. What Is Critical Thinking?
Some Definitions of Critical Thinking. Some Prominent Features of Critical Thinking. Three Parts of Critical Thinking. An Example of Critical Thinking in Action. What Critical Thinking Is Not. Impediments to Critical Thinking. Deeper, More Pervasive Impediments to Critical Thinking. How Deep is Our Need for Critical Thinking? The Experience of Learning to Think Things Through. An Overview of the Book That Lies Ahead.
2. What Is Critical Thinking within a Field or Discipline?
The Parts of Critical Thinking within a Field. Thinking Biologically, Thinking Sociologically, Thinking Philosophically, Thinking Musically ... The Logic of the Field or Discipline. A Student Analysis of the Logic of Physics. Learning the Vocabulary of the Discipline. Fundamental and Powerful Concepts. The Central Question of the Course as a Whole. Impediments to Thinking Critically within a Discipline. Trusting the Discipline. A Case. Common Sense.
3. The Elements of Reasoning.
The Nuts and Bolts of Critical Thinking. The Elements of Reasoning. How to Analyze a Piece of Reasoning Using the Elements. Example: Thinking through the Logic of Getting Married. Trusting the Process.
4. Standards of Critical Thinking.
Clearness. Accuracy. Importance, Relevance. Sufficiency. Depth and Breadth. Precision. Understanding and Internalizing Critical Thinking Standards. Evaluating around the Circle. A Note on Reading as a Critical-Thinking Process. Standards Check.
5. Putting It All Together: Answering Critical-Thinking Questions.
The Core Process of Critical Thinking. Thinking through Important Critical-Thinking Questions. Thinking Critically about Questions.
Responses to Starred Exercises.
Notes.
Index.
1. What Is Critical Thinking?
Some Definitions of Critical Thinking. Some Prominent Features of Critical Thinking. Three Parts of Critical Thinking. An Example of Critical Thinking in Action. What Critical Thinking Is Not. Impediments to Critical Thinking. Deeper, More Pervasive Impediments to Critical Thinking. How Deep is Our Need for Critical Thinking? The Experience of Learning to Think Things Through. An Overview of the Book That Lies Ahead.
2. What Is Critical Thinking within a Field or Discipline?
The Parts of Critical Thinking within a Field. Thinking Biologically, Thinking Sociologically, Thinking Philosophically, Thinking Musically ... The Logic of the Field or Discipline. A Student Analysis of the Logic of Physics. Learning the Vocabulary of the Discipline. Fundamental and Powerful Concepts. The Central Question of the Course as a Whole. Impediments to Thinking Critically within a Discipline. Trusting the Discipline. A Case. Common Sense.
3. The Elements of Reasoning.
The Nuts and Bolts of Critical Thinking. The Elements of Reasoning. How to Analyze a Piece of Reasoning Using the Elements. Example: Thinking through the Logic of Getting Married. Trusting the Process.
4. Standards of Critical Thinking.
Clearness. Accuracy. Importance, Relevance. Sufficiency. Depth and Breadth. Precision. Understanding and Internalizing Critical Thinking Standards. Evaluating around the Circle. A Note on Reading as a Critical-Thinking Process. Standards Check.
5. Putting It All Together: Answering Critical-Thinking Questions.
The Core Process of Critical Thinking. Thinking through Important Critical-Thinking Questions. Thinking Critically about Questions.
Responses to Starred Exercises.
Notes.
Index.