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CRITICAL THINKING

Thinking critically is a very important part of college success, or , for that mater, accomplishing goals in life. What is critical thinking? Critical thinking is the ability to comprehend information and either apply it to situations, analyze its use, synthesize the key elements discussed, or evaluate this information as compared to other similar information and what you already know.

To be a critical reader one must prepare himself to gain as much as possible from the passage read. The first step is to have a procedure to read. This procedure is sometimes referred to as the S Q 3 R method of reading. By SQ3R I mean Survey, Question, Read , Recite and Review.

First, you need to survey or look over the book. Read the title, chapter headings in the table of contents and, any notes from the author you may need to know . Then ask yourself some questions. Who did the author intend to write this book for? What was the purpose intended for this particular text. Why did the author include the specific chapters he did? What is the author trying to tell me about this subject? How is each chapter related to the next? What questions will the instructor ask me about the reading assignment I am completing ? What type of questions will they be ? What possible assignments will the instructor assign from the text? How does the text reading relate to the syllabus? Is each thing necessary to read? Which parts of the chapters are important main ideas ? Which parts of chapters are supporting details? Why am I reading this text, chapter, passage? How can I apply what I have just read to my other classes? How can I apply what I have just read to my life? How can I creatively put together this information to make something new and useful? What will I gain from reading this assignment? Think of some of your own questions to ask as you read .

Next, you need to read the material completely through. You may take notes or write in the margins or highlight important points, main ideas or valuable explanations as you read.

Refer to chart 1 that is an example of a note-taking format for reading.

After this, look away any try to put into words or recite what you have read. This helps it stay in your active linked memory. Try to make sense out of what you've just read. Ask how it answers some of the prereading questions you asked. Tie it into what you already know about this subject.

Finally, you are ready to review the main points and details that explain the main points to you. This should take place before the test. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what is important to know and why. You should ask questions about areas that you didn't understand in class. This is why it's important to read the assignments early so you can stay on top of what is going on in class and relate that to what you are studying. Ask yourself why you are studying what you are studying and keep tying it into your class notes and what you will gain by studying this material. SQ3R isn't the only important thing you need to learn about critical thinking.

When writers write different pieces, they usually write with a specific purpose in mind. They have an audience that they are trying to write to and they are trying to get their point across in specific ways. There are many patterns of thought that a writer can use to convey his ideas to you. A fable is one way. A fable will tell a story with the main idea usually appearing at the end of the story. Sales talk usually has the main idea at the end also so they can convince you haw bad you really need it. Another type of organization is time order. Usually words like first, then next, after indicate time order. Sometimes an author will use a comparison or contrast to explain an idea or concept.

Words that show comparison or contrast are:

but ,on the contrary, similarly

still ,conversely, though

on the other hand, despite ,instead of

yet, equally, like

in a like manner, just as likewise

in a similar fashion, just like ,in the same way

however, rather than, regardless

nevertheless

even though , whereas, in spite of

Sometimes a writer will give a definition then an example to make his point. This type of writing is used a lot in textbooks. Another type of writing is classification and analysis. This writing is used to sort things into classes or categories so you can make sense out of them.

Developing the Main Idea

The main idea in a paragraph makes the most important statement about the topic of the paragraph. Usually the topic sentence gives this main idea. The topic of a paragraph is it focus or the subject you are talking about. The main idea is what the writer of the paragraph wants you to know about the paragraph's topic. For instance, If I wanted to write a paragraph about salmon, salmon would be the topic. The main idea would be the thing I was trying top get across to the reader about salmon. An example would be :

Salmon are a very valuable resource in the Northwest. When something becomes rare, it becomes more valuable. Salmon stocks are depleting every year it seems. The price of salmon in stores has raised a lot recently. People value salmon as a delicacy in restaurants and when cooking gourmet meals.

The first sentence is the main idea of the paragraph above. It tells what is going to be talked about. It is the sentence that all the other sentences refer back to. To find this sentence in the paragraph, you should ask yourself What is the author trying to tell me about this topic? When you read the paragraph, the main idea should answer this question.

The main idea can be placed anywhere in the paragraph, but alotof the time it will be in the first paragraph. A writer tries to plan out where he is going to place the main idea in a paragraph. Where he chooses to place the main idea depands upon the method of idea development he chooses. (See Paragraph types)

Usually the main idea is expressed in the first paragraph especially in textbooks where it occurs that way 80% of the time. After the main idea is stated, the next sentences in the paragraph work on explaining or describing that idea. So, in other words , the author will make a point in the first sentence then support that point with details in the rest of the paragraph. Look at the diagram below to see this graphically:

MAIN IDEA

FIRST DETAIL

SECOND DETAIL

THIRD DETAIL

An example of this type of paragraph with the main idea underlined would be:

Critical thinking is very important to help read and understand how writers put paragraphs together. To read critically, students must first try to understand the main idea of each article, novel, passage or chapter they are reading. Next, they must try to understand what the different types of paragraphs or essay styles are. This can include sequence paragraphs, point- detail paragraphs, compare-contrast paragraphs, classification paragraphs, cause-effect paragraphs and definition paragraphs. Next, Learning some common principles of discussion is important. Some common reasoning falacies are: changing the subject, circular reasoning, attacking someone personally, scarecrow ploy, hasty generalization, faulty cause-effect reasoning, false comparison and making everything "black or white".

The second most common place for the main idea to be is at the end of the paragraph. In this type of paragraph, the author builds up to the main idea using the supoorting sentences first.

An example would be:

FIRST DETAIL

SECOND DETAIL

THIRD DETAIL

MAIN IDEA

An example of this type of paragraph with the main idea underlined would be:

To read critically, students must first try to understand the main idea of each article, novel, passage or chapter they are reading. Next, they must try to understand what the different types of paragraphs or essay styles are. This can include sequence paragraphs, point- detail paragraphs, compare-contrast paragraphs, classification paragraphs, cause-effect paragraphs and definition paragraphs. Next, Learning some common principles of discussion is important. Some common reasoning fallacies are: changing the subject, circular reasoning, attacking someone personally, scarecrow ploy, hasty generalization, faulty cause-effect reasoning, false comparison and making everything "black or white". These three types of critical thinking are very important to help read and understand how writers put paragraphs together.

The main idea of the paragraph can also be located in the middle of the paragraph every once in a while. Sometimes the details that are stated in the first couple of sentences are for the purpose of introducing the new main idea, setting up a scene in the paragraph, connecting the paragraph with the previous paragraph, or filling you in on some background data.

This paragraph can be organized like this:

introductory or transition DETAIL

DETAIL leading up to :

MAIN IDEA

DETAIL

transition DETAIL

An example of this type of paragraph with the main idea underlined would be:

Reading is a thoughtful process that takes place between your eyes and intro paragraph your brain but mostly between your ears. One must learn to think like a reader to be a reader. If you don't act intentionally, you won't accomplish anything when you read or do anything , for that matter. To become a better reader you must intentionally read to find the critical ideas that are in the paragraphs you run your eyes over. this brings up critical reading.

Now try finding the main idea in the following paragraphs:

write down the main idea beside the Roman numeral and the supporting details under the letters:

1. Art deals with the whole spectrum of human experience and the artist interprets and expresses these experiences in a distinctive manner. While the various arts vary in their characteristic subject matter because of the differences in media, they are alike in their basic objective. They are preoccupied with the interpreting of human experience. The stimuli for such experiences are often varied due to sociocultural influences, but , whatever, whenever and wherever they occur , the artist seeks to recreate and interpret them for his fellow men.

Main Idea I.___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Supporting

Detail A. ___________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Supporting

Detail B.____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

2. In trying to determine the boundaries of music periods, we observe that they rarely show decisive signs of their beginnings and endings. Certain monumental events or creations tend to accentuate the origins or high points, but generally the new style grows out of the old in a wavelike motion. that is, the main style gradually attains its peak and then slowly recedes, only to be replaced by a new wave , representing a new creative ideal. Furthermore, the progression and recession of these style waves seem to be governed by the Zeitgeist (prevailing spirit) of the times._

Main Idea I.___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Supporting

Detail A. ___________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Supporting

Detail B.____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________