Developing a Strong Argument with Critical Thinking

HSD L4 TOPIC 1 MALUTI TVET BETHLEHEM Mrs C Schnetler

Critical thinking DEVELOPING AN ARGUMENT USING WRITING SKILLS A WELL-DEVELOPED ARGUMENT IS A DEMONSTRATION OF YOUR ABILITY TO THINK CRITICALLY. AN ARGUMENT IS NOT A DISAGREEMENT OR FIGHT. IT IS A WAY OF ASSERTING WHAT YOU BELIEVE ABOUT AN ISSUE, AND OF CLEARLY STATING WHY YOU SUPPORT ONE SIDE OF AN ARGUMENT AND NOT THE OTHER. CRITICAL THINKING AIMS TO HELP YOU TO DAW CONCLUSIONS THAT CHANGE YOUR ACTIONS AND BELIEFS. DRAWING A CONCLUSION ABOUT AN ISSUE INVOLVES ASSESSING AND EVALUATING THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST THE ISSUE. WHEN YOU USE WRITING SKILLS TO DEVELOP AN ARGUMENT, YOU USE COUNTERARGUMENTS TO SUPPORT YOUR POSITION ON THE ISSUE. A COUNTERARGUMENT IS AN ARGUMENT OFFERED IN OPPOSITION TO ANOTHER ARGUMENT. COUNTERARGUMENTS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING, BECAUSE THEY MAKE YOUR ARGUMENT STRONGER. THESE COUNTERARGUMENTS MAKE YOUR ARGUMENTS STRONGER BY REFUTING THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST YOUR POSITION. TO REFUTE MEANS TO PROVE SOMETHING WRONG.

Critical thinking EXAMPLE: SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE DOGS ARE DIRTY. YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHY YOU DON T THINK THIS IS THE CASE: SOME PEOPLE PREFER CATS TO DOGS BECAUSE THEY THINK DOGS ARE DIRTY. THEY BELIEVE THAT DOGS MAKE YOUR FURNITURE DIRTY AND YOUR CARPETS SMELL, AND THAT THEY ALWAYS WALK DIRT THROUGH THE HOUSE. YOU CAN THEN SAY THAT DOGS ARE EASY TO BATH, AND THAT YOU CAN TRAIN DOGS NOT TO JUMP ONTO FURNITURE AND BEDS. YOU CAN TRAIN THEM TO LIE ON THEIR OWN BEDS AND NOT ON YOUR FURNITURE AND CARPETS, AND IF YOU EXERCISE THEM ENOUGH THEY WON T NEED TO RUN AROUND OUTSIDE AND WALK DIRT THROUGH THE HOUSE. THE MORE INFORMATION YOU GIVE ABOUT YOUR COUNTERARGUMENTS FOR YOUR POSITION, THE BETTER YOU CAN ARGUE AGAINST THE OPPOSING POSITION.

HOW TO DEVELOP A WRITTEN ARGUMENT TO DEVELOP A WRITTEN ARGUMENT USING CRITICAL THINKING, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU PRESENT SUPPORTING INFORMATION THAT IS WELL THOUGHT OUT. IT IS BETTER. THIS ISN T AN ARGUMENT IT IS A STATEMENT OF YOUR OPINION. EXAMPLE: YOU PREFER THE IPHONE TO THE SAMSUNG. YOUR FRIEND ASKS YOU WHY. YOU SAY, BECAUSE AN OPINION IS A VIEW, JUDGEMENT OR FEELING ABOUT SOMEBODY OR SOMETHING. TO DEVELOP A CONVINCING ARGUMENT ABOUT WHY YOU PREFER THE IPHONE, YOU NEED SUPPORTING INFORMATION THAT IS FACTUAL AND VERIFIABLE. YOU CAN ACCESS INFORMATION BY RESEARCHING BOTH THE CELL PHONES AND COMPARING THINGS SUCH AS THEIR BATTERY CAPACITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ETC. IF YOU FIND THAT YOUR PREFERRED CELL PHONE IS BETTER IN MOST OF THESE AREAS, THEN YOU CAN SAY SOMETHING LIKE, I PREFER THE IPHONE BECAUSE ITS BATTERY LASTS LONGER, ITS SOFTWARE IS EASIER TO USE AND STUDIES SHOW THAT IT IS MORE RELIABLE THAN THE SAMSUNG. THIS IS A STRONGER ARGUMENT FOR YOUR POSITION THAN JUST STATING YOUR OPINION.

CREATING A GOOD WRITTEN ARGUMENT USING CRITICAL THINKING: 1. WRITE AN INTRODUCTION THAT STATES WHAT YOUR POSITION ON THE TOPIC IS. 2. WRITE DOWN THE KEY QUESTION ABOUT YOUR ARGUMENT. 3. DEVELOP YOUR ARGUMENT USING SUPPORTING INFORMATION, KEY CONCEPTS THAT YOU ILLUSTRATE USING EXAMPLES, AND COUNTERARGUMENTS TO STRENGTHEN YOUR POSITION. 4. DRAW CLEAR CONCLUSIONS BASED ON THE CRITICAL THINKING YOU USED TO DEVELOP YOUR ARGUMENT. 5. IF APPROPRIATE, INCLUDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE BASED ON YOU CONCLUSIONS. 6. REMEMBER TO USE A LIST OF REFERENCES TO SHOW YOUR READER WHERE YOU GOT YOUR SUPPORTING INFORMATION FROM.

EXAMPLE: ARGUE THAT CRITICAL THINKING IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LEARNERS EDUCATION. 1. INTRODUCTION: CRITICAL THINKING IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LEARNERS EDUCATION BECAUSE IT TEACHES THEM ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR THINKING LOGICALLY, OBJECTIVELY, REFLECTIVELY AND REASONABLY. TEACHING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE LEARNERS WILL NOT DEVELOP CRITICAL THINKING ABILITIES ON THEIR OWN, AND EVERY LEARNER DESERVES THE SKILLS REQUIRED TO FIND THE TRUTH ABOUT ISSUES. 2. KEY QUESTION ABOUT THE ARGUMENT: WHY IS CRITICAL THINKING SO IMPORTANT IN THE EDUCATION OF LEARNERS/

3. DEVELOPING OF ARGUMENT, INCLUDING COUNTERARGUMENTS: HERE YOU COULD: * GIVE A DEFINITION OF CRITICAL THINKING * EXPLAIN WHY THE PHILOSOPHY OF CRITICAL THINKING DIFFERS FROM MORE TRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO EDUCATION, MENTIONING EDUCATORS SUCH AS FREIRE * EXPLAIN THE CONSEQUENCES OF LEARNERS NOT ACQUIRING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AT SCHOOL AND THE EFFECTS OF THIS ON THEIR FUTURES * OUTLINE AND REFUTE THE COUNTERARGUMENT: THE PERSPECTIVE OF TRADITIONAL EDUCATION THAT STATES THAT CRITICAL THINKING IS NOT IMPORTANT FOR LEARNERS, BUT THAT KNOWLEDGE GAINED PASSIVELY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A LEARNER S EDUCATION * USE SUPPORTING INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS SOURCES TO SUBSTANTIATE THE POINTS YOU MAKE

4. CONCLUSIONS: IN THIS SECTION, CONCLUDE THAT AN APPROACH TO EDUCATION THAT INCLUDES CRITICAL THINKING BENEFITS LEARNERS MORE THAN TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE-BASED APPROACHES TO EDUCATION. 5. RECOMMENDATIONS: RECOMMEND THAT CRITICAL THINKING BECOMES A MORE EXPLICIT PART OF THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM. 6. REFERENCES: MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE SOURCES YOU USED TO DEVELOP YOUR ARGUMENT SO THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THE WRITERS AND THEORISTS WHO HELPED TO SHAPE YOUR VIEW ON THE TOPIC.

Critical thinking CRITICAL THINKING, CRITICAL CROSS-FIELD OUTCOMES AND DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES IN EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS CCFO S AND DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES AIM TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR INTEGRATION INTO SOCIETY AS VALUABLE, COMPETENT AND WELL-ROUNDED CITIZENS WHO ARE EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE. CCFO S EXPRESS QUALITIES THAT SHOULD BE ACHIEVED IN ALL QUALIFICATIONS. CCFO S DEMAND EVIDENCE OF PROBLEM SOLVING, THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH OTHERS, TO ACCESS INFORMATION, AND TO UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES OF ONE S ACTIONS. SAQA DEFINES CCFO S AS GENERIC OUTCOMES THAT INFORM ALL TEACHING AND LEARNING . ACCORDING TO SAQA, CCFO S ARE OUTCOMES THAT ARE CRITICAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAPACITY FOR LIFE-LONG LEARNING . QUALIFICATIONS MUST CONTAIN ALL OF THE CRITICAL OUTCOMES.

SEVEN CRITICAL CROSS-FIELD OUTCOMES: 1. IDENTIFY AND SOLVE PROBLEMS IN WHICH RESPONSES DEMONSTRATE THAT RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS USING CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING HAVE BEEN MADE. 2. WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH OTHERS AS A MEMBER OF A TEAM, GROUP, ORGANISATION, COMMUNITY. 3. ORGANISE AND MANAGE ONESELF AND ONE S ACTIVITIES RESPONSIBLY AND EFFECTIVELY. 4. COLLECT, ANALYSE, ORGANISE AND CRITICALLY EVALUATE INFORMATION. 5. COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY USING VISUAL, MATHEMATICAL AND/OR LANGUAGE SKILLS IN THE MODES OF ORAL AND/OR WRITTEN PRESENTATION. 6. USE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVELY AND CRITICALLY, SHOWING RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS THE ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH OF OTHERS 7. DEMONSTRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD AS A SET OF RELATED SYSTEMS BY RECOGNISING THAT PROBLEM-SOLVING CONTEXTS DO NOT EXIST IN ISOLATION.

Link between Developmental Outcomes and critical thinking for development SAQA HAS DEVELOPED FIVE DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES: 1. REFLECTING ON AND EXPLORING A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES TO LEARN MORE EFFECTIVELY. 2. PARTICIPATING AS RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS IN THE LIFE OF LOCAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES. 3. BEING CULTURALLY AND AESTHETICALLY SENSITIVE ACROSS A RANGE OF SOCIAL CONTEXTS. 4. EXPLORING EDUCATION AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. 5. DEVELOPING ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES. THE DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES HELP STUDENTS TO DEVELOP INTO WELL-ROUNDED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.

REACTIONS TO CRITICAL THINKING DIFFERENT PEOPLE REACT DIFFERENTLY TO CRITICAL THINKING. SOME PEOPLE FIND HAVING OPPORTUNITIES TO THINK CRITICALLY AND CREATIVELY SATISFYING. OTHERS MY FEEL THREATENED WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT AN ISSUE CRITICALLY. THIS IS BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT KNOW HOW TO THINK CRITICALLY, AND MAY BE USED TO THINKING ABOUT ISSUES IN A CLOSED-QUESTION MANNER THAT ENGAGES WITH INFORMATION PASSIVELY AND UNCRITICALLY. IN SOME SOCIETIES CITIZENS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO THINK CRITICALLY AND TO QUESTION THE GOVERNMENT. CRITICAL THINKERS HAVE OPEN MINDS, AND TOLERATE OTHER PEOPLE S VIEWS AND BELIEFS. THEY DO NOT FEEL THREATENED BY CULTURES THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM THEIRS, AND THEY ARE RECEPTIVE TO NEW KNOWLEDGE THAT COULD ENHANCE THEIR WORLD VIEW. PEOPLE WHO REACT NEGATIVELY TO CRITICAL THINKING NEED TO TRY TO LEARN HOW TO BE MORE RECEPTIVE TO CRITICAL THINKING.

SUMMARY: CRITICAL THINKING IS THINKING ABOUT THINGS IN A WAY THAT IS OPEN-MINDED, REFLECTIVE, ACCURATE, INQUIRING, REASONABLE AND RESPONSIBLE. ITS AIM IS TO LEARN THE TRUTH. IT INVOLVES HIGHER-ORDER THOUGHT PROCESSES AND IT IS A SKILL THAT NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT AND ACQUIRED. CRITICAL QUESTIONING IS A GOOD WAY TO STIMULATE CRITICAL THINKING. THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS OF CRITICAL THINKING: OPEN QUESTIONS SWOT ANALYSIS: HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL PAULO FREIRE S FOUR OPEN QUESTIONS 5 W S AND 1 H: RUDYARD KIPLING DAVID WERNER S BUT WHY? DEVELOPING AN ARGUMENT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF DEMONSTRATING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. COUNTERARGUMENTS ARE IMPORTANT FOR DEVELOPING A GOOD ARGUMENT. CCFO S AND DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES ARE CLOSELY LINKED TO CRITICAL THINKING. PEOPLE REACT DIFFERENTLY TO THE USE OF CRITICAL THINKING.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS: 1. DEFINE CRITICAL THINKING. 2. WHY IS CRITICAL THINKING IMPORTANT IN TODAY S WORLD? 3. HOW DOES CRITICAL THINKING RELATE TO BLOOM S TAXONOMY? 4. EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS TO INTERROGATE INFORMATION WHEN YOU THINK CRITICALLY. 5. NAME AND DESCRIBE METHODS OF USING CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO STIMULATE CRITICAL THINKING. 6. USE YOUR CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS TO DEVELOP A WRITTEN ARGUMENT ON A TOPIC OF YOUR CHOICE. MAKE SURE YOU USE ALL OF THE PARTS OF AN ARGUMENT IN YOUR ANSWER. 7. EXPLAIN HOW CCFO S AND DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES ARE CLOSELY LINKED TO THE CONCEPT OF CRITICAL THINKING. 8. WHY SHOULD YOU BE AWARE OF PEOPLE S REACTIONS TO CRITICAL THINKING? 9. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO INVESTIGATE AND REFLECT UPON YOUR OWN REACTIONS TO THE USE OF CRITICAL THINKING?