Guide to Critical Thinking

1.1 What Is Critical Thinking?
What is critical thinking? What is a critical thinker? Why do you need a guide to think criti-
cally? These are good questions, but ones that are seldom asked. Sometimes people are afraid 
to ask questions because they think that doing so will make them seem ignorant to others. But 
admitting you do not know something is actually the only way to learn new things and better 
understand what others are trying to tell you.
There are differing views about what critical thinking is. For the most part, people take bits and 
pieces of these views and carry on with their often imprecise—and sometimes conflicting—
assumptions of what critical thinking may be. However, one of the ideas we will discuss in this 
book is the fundamental importance of seeking truth. To this end, let us unpack the term critical 
thinking to better understand its meaning.
First, the word thinking can describe any number of cognitive activities, and there is certainly 
more than one way to think. We can think analytically, creatively, strategically, and so on (Sousa, 
2011). When we think analytically, we take the whole that we are examining—this could be a 
term, a situation, a scientific phenomenon—and attempt to identify its components. The next 
step is to examine each component individually and understand how it fits with the other com-
ponents. For example, we are currently examining the meaning of each of the words in the term 
critical thinking so we can have a better understanding of what they mean together as a whole.
Analytical thinking is the kind of thinking mostly used in academia, science, and law (includ-
ing crime scene investigation). In ordinary life, however, you engage in analytical thinking 
more often than you imagine. For example, think of a time when you felt puzzled by some-
one else’s comment. You might have tried to recall the original situation and then parsed out 
the language employed, the context, the mood of the speaker, and the subject of the com-
ment. Identifying the different parts and looking at how each is related to the other, and how 
together they contribute to the whole, is an act of analytical thinking.
When we think creatively, we are not focused on relationships between parts and their wholes, 
as we are when we think analytically. Rather, we try to free our minds from any boundaries 
such as rules or conventions. Instead, our tools are imagination and innovation. Suppose you 
are cooking, and you do not have all the ingredients called for in your recipe. If you start 
thinking creatively, you will begin to look for things in your refrigerator and pantry that can 
substitute for the missing ingredients. But in order to do this, you must let go of the recipe’s 
expected outcome and conceive of a new direction.
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Section 1.1 
What Is Critical Thinking?
When we think strategically, our focus 
is to first lay out a master plan of action 
and then break it down into smaller 
goals that are organized in such a way 
as to support our outcomes. For exam-
ple, undertaking a job search involves 
strategic planning. You must identify 
due dates for applications, request let-
ters of recommendations, prepare your 
résumé and cover letters, and so on. 
Thinking strategically likely extends to 
many activities in your life, whether you 
are going grocery shopping or planning 
a wedding.
What, then, does it mean to think criti-
cally? In this case the word critical has 
nothing to do with criticizing others in 
a negative way or being surly or cynical. 
Rather, it refers to the habit of carefully evaluating ideas and beliefs, both those we hear from 
others and those we formulate on our own, and only accepting those that meet certain stan-
dards. While critical thinking can be viewed from a number of different perspectives, we will 
define critical thinking as the activity of careful assessment and self-assessment in the process 
of forming judgments. This means that when we think critically, we become the vigilant guard-
ians of the quality of our thinking.
Simply put, the “critical” in critical thinking refers to a healthy dose of suspicion. This means 
that critical thinkers do not simply accept what they read or hear from others—even if the 
information comes from loved ones or is accompanied by plausible-sounding statistics. 
Instead, critical thinkers check the sources of information. If none are given or the sources are 
weak or unreliable, they research the information for themselves. Perhaps most importantly, 
critical thinkers are guided by logical reasoning.
As a critical thinker, always ask yourself what is unclear, not understood, or unknown. This is 
the first step in critical thinking because you cannot make good judgments about things that 
you do not understand or know.