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Chapter 1: The Power of Critical Thinking

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following scenarios best exemplifies positive critical thinking?(a) John prefers following instructions of his manager to thinking for himself.(b) Susan anticipates the expenses of attending college and seeks a part-time job.(c) Eli, caught up in the excitement and emotions of the moment, joins in the looting.(d) Jude, determined to act now on his decision, refuses to listen to his friend’s reasons to delay.

Answer: b

Question Title: TB_01_01 Risk and Uncertainty Abound, Apply, LO 1.1Topic: Risk and Uncertainty AboundLearning Objective: 1.1 Explain why critical thinking is important in a world filled with risk and uncertainty by supplying reasons and examples that relate to your own life, to the well-being of your community, and to the preservation of a free and open society.Skill Level: Apply What You KnowDifficulty Level: 2–Moderate

2. Which of the following is most likely to occur in societies where people are educated and free to think for themselves?

(a) Old ways of thinking are appreciated and followed.(b) Decision making takes less time.(c) People are more apt to disagree about important decisions.(d) Policy issues become less complicated to resolve.

Answer: c

Question Title: TB_01_02 Risk and Uncertainty Abound, Understand, LO 1.1Topic: Risk and Uncertainty AboundLearning Objective: 1.1 Explain why critical thinking is important in a world filled with risk and uncertainty by supplying reasons and examples that relate to your own life, to the well-being of your community, and to the preservation of a free and open society.Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 2–Moderate

3. The stronger our critical thinking skills and habits of mind, ________.(a) the weaker our democracy will become(b) the more likely we are to be influenced by others(c) the more likely we are to live in a closed society(d) the greater our prospects of success


Answer: d

Question Title: TB_01_03 Risk and Uncertainty Abound, Remember, LO 1.1Topic: Risk and Uncertainty AboundLearning Objective: 1.1 Explain why critical thinking is important in a world filled with risk and uncertainty by supplying reasons and examples that relate to your own life, to the well-being of your community, and to the preservation of a free and open society.Skill Level: Remember the FactsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

4. Which of the following measures should be taken by corporations hoping to succeed in a global high-tech world?

(a) restrict the free flow of accurate information(b) exercise control over employees’ minds(c) cultivate workplace cultures that foster strong critical thinking(d) emphasize leadership decision making based on gut feelings

Answer: c

Question Title: TB_01_04 Risk and Uncertainty Abound, Understand, LO 1.1Topic: Risk and Uncertainty AboundLearning Objective: 1.1 Explain why critical thinking is important in a world filled with risk and uncertainty by supplying reasons and examples that relate to your own life, to the well-being of your community, and to the preservation of a free and open society.Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

5. Strong critical thinking requires being ________.(a) cynical(b) skeptical(c) opinionated(d) passive(e) judgmental

Answer: b

Question Title: TB_01_05 Risk and Uncertainty Abound, Remember, LO 1.1Topic: Risk and Uncertainty AboundLearning Objective: 1.1 Explain why critical thinking is important in a world filled with risk and uncertainty by supplying reasons and examples that relate to your own life, to the well-being of your community, and to the preservation of a free and open society.


Skill Level: Remember the FactsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

6. Which of the following is the purpose of critical thinking?(a) to form well-reasoned and fair-minded judgments regarding what to believe or what to do(b) to promote an uncritical method of reaching firm conclusions about what is or is not true(c) to make decisions about a situation based on quick and reactive judgments(d) to arrive at decisions without wasting time analyzing every option

Answer: a

Question Title: TB_01_06 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?, Understand, LO 1.1Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why critical thinking is important in a world filled with risk and uncertainty by supplying reasons and examples that relate to your own life, to the well-being of your community, and to the preservation of a free and open society.Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

7. Kelly is in a hurry as she drives home for the holidays. She sees the signs warning that the bridge might be icy but does not reduce her speed because she is confident in her driving skills. But, sure enough, the ice on the bridge is nearly invisible and her car spins out and slams into the side of the bridge. Luckily, she was wearing her seatbelt and the airbag worked. Which of the following contributed to the accident?

(a) a failure to think critically(b) confusion about the meaning of the warning sign(c) defective front or back wheel breaks(d) too much eagerness to see family

Answer: a

Question Title: TB_01_07 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? Apply, LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Apply What You KnowDifficulty Level: 2–Moderate

8. Which of the following pair of terms best describes critical thinking?(a) cynical and wishy-washy(b) stubborn and nitpicky


(c) analytical and evaluative(d) judgmental and opinionated(e) democratic and virtuous

Answer: c

Question Title: TB_01_08 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? Remember, LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Remember the FactsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

9. Which of the following statements best describes the critical thinking process?(a) Critical thinking is about being stubborn and judgmental in decision making.(b) Critical thinking is about making decisions based on reasons that speak for themselves.(c) Critical thinking is about cynically showing why other people are always wrong.(d) Critical thinking is about using one’s skills to defend bad decisions.

Answer: b

Question Title: TB_01_09 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? Analyze, LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Analyze ItDifficulty Level: 3–Difficult

10. Which of the following is not compatible with strong critical thinking?(a) challenging cherished beliefs(b) disagreeing with established norms(c) being skeptical about ideas(d) ignoring reasons and evidence

Answer: d

Question Title: TB_01_10 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? Remember, LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?


Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Remember the FactsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

11. A person who believes that critical thinking is similar to other skills-based activities is most likely to suggest that it ________.

(a) can be improved by guided practice(b) is something that groups of people cannot do together(c) requires sticking to one’s beliefs and opinions(d) can be employed only when there are contradicting ideas

Answer: a


12. If a professor is grading student work for the quality of the critical thinking displayed, which of these considerations would be the most important?

(a) whether the professor agrees or disagrees with the conclusions presented(b) the vocabulary and writing style displayed by the student(c) the quality and fair-mindedness of reasoning displayed in the work(d) the originality of the point of view expressed in the student’s work

Answer: c

Question Title: TB_01_12 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Apply, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you to evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Apply What You KnowDifficulty Level: 3–Difficult


13. Which of the following tools can be used to evaluate the quality of the critical thinking displayed by a group engaged in problem solving?

(a) the Rubric for Evaluating Written Argumentation(b) Lafley and Martin’s Five-Step Strategy Model(c) the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric(d) the STRATUS Model of Strategic Planning(e) the CDC Protocol for the Evaluation of Dangerous Diseases

Answer: c

Question Title: TB_01_13 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Apply, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Apply What You KnowDifficulty Level: 2–Moderate

14. What is the purpose of using the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric (HCTSR) tool in critical thinking?

(a) to know the consequence of every available option while making a decision(b) to evaluate the quality of the critical thinking process used in deciding what to do or what to believe(c) to learn the strategies of using critical thinking(d) to predict the number of times a critical thinking process will have to repeated

Answer: b

Question Title: TB_01_14 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Understand, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 2–Moderate

15. Which of the following evaluative descriptions are used by the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric tool to aid us in evaluating real-life examples of critical thinking?

(a) excellent, strong, average, poor(b) predictable, acceptable, unacceptable, unpredictable(c) highly reliable, predictable, unpredictable, highly unreliable(d) strong, acceptable, unacceptable, weak


Answer: d

Question Title: TB_01_15 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Remember, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Remember the FactsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

16. Applicants in a job interview are asked to participate in a friendly debate to evaluate their reasoning skills. One of the interviewees, Lara, consistently ignores others’ opinions, states arguments that are factually incorrect, misinterprets what others are saying, offers a biased information, and exhibits close-mindedness to reasoning. According to the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric, Lara’s skills are ________.

(a) weak(b) unacceptable(c) strong(d) acceptable

Answer: a


17. Al reads a blog about a new policy on student loans that is being proposed. Using the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric, he determines that the blogger’s use of critical thinking was “acceptable.” Which of the following would explain that rating?

(a) The blog contained the writer’s biased opinion on the policies.(b) The blog justified every one of its assumptions and questions.(c) The blog superficially evaluated alternative points of view.(d) The blog drew warranted and non-fallacious conclusions.

Answer: d

Question Title: TB_01_17 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Analyze, LO 1.3


Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Analyze ItDifficulty Level: 3–Difficult

18. Which of the following comparisons of the descriptions “unacceptable” and “weak” in the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric is correct?

(a) They both apply to attempts at critical thinking that fair-mindedly follow where evidence and reasons lead.(b) They both apply to attempts at critical thinking that thoughtfully analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view.(c) They both apply to attempts at critical thinking that fail to identify strong, relevant counterarguments.(d) They both apply to attempts at critical thinking that do justify results but do not explain reasons.

Answer: c

Question Title: TB_01_18 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Analyze, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Analyze ItDifficulty Level: 3–Difficult

19. The Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric does not apply unless the work being evaluated includes an attempt to do which of the following?

(a) Express desires.(b) Give reasons.(c) Accept responsibility.(d) Make promises.

Answer: b

Question Title: TB_01_19 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Understand, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.


Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 2–Moderate

Short Answer Questions

20. Why are critical thinking skills important in today’s global high-tech world?

Answer: Given the pace of innovation and the fierceness of competition and the unpredictability of world events, today more than at any time in the past 70 years businesses are concerned to find workers who can solve problems, make good decisions, learn new things, and adapt to an uncertain future. To succeed in a global high-tech world, a corporation will have to hire workers with strong critical thinking and cultivate a corporate culture that fosters strong critical thinking.


21. Assume that Global High-tech Solutions Corp. (GHSC) is a business solutions firm. Assume that historically GHSC employees had been trained to follow rules and not question authority. This has lowered the quality of services offered by GHSC as employees have stopped asking questions and offering innovative suggestions. Realizing that it is in trouble, GHSC has decided to hire a trainer who can help its employees improve their critical thinking skills and habits of mind. What qualities should the trainer possess?

Answer: At a minimum, the trainer should be a person who has and who displays strong critical thinking skills and positive critical thinking habits of mind, which he or she is teaching employees. He or she should be able to design ways to strengthen employees’ thinking skills and to fortify the employees’ intentions to use those skills in the GHSC workplace.

Question Title: TB_01_21 Risk and Uncertainty Abound, Apply, LO 1.1Topic: Risk and Uncertainty AboundLearning Objective: 1.1 Explain why critical thinking is important in a world filled with risk and uncertainty by supplying reasons and examples that relate to your own life, to the well-being of your community, and to the preservation of a free and open society.Skill Level: Apply What You KnowDifficulty Level: 2–Moderate

22. Explain education and the role of critical thinking in promoting a free and open society.


Answer: In a free society, education is about learning how to think for yourself, learning how to seek the information you need, learning how to correct mistaken assumptions, how to evaluate the claims people make, how to reason well, and how to detect and resist fallacious reasoning. In a free society, the power of government is used to protect the right to free and open inquiry, and the right to share what we learn, and to collaborate with others to make better decisions and to learn more about the world.


23. What are the benefits enjoyed by a society that promotes and teaches critical thinking?

Answer: The benefit of promoting and teaching critical thinking is great progress in learning, wealth, and culture, and hence huge benefits for society. Problem solvers using critical thinking have achieved massive breakthroughs in science, technology, engineering, commerce, and the arts.


24. Why is critical thinking considered a pervasive human phenomenon?

Answer: Critical thinking is seen as pervasive because critical thinking is occurring whenever an individual or a group of people makes a reasoned and reflective judgment about what to believe or what to do.

Question Title: TB_01_24 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? Understand, LO 1.1Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why critical thinking is important in a world filled with risk and uncertainty by supplying reasons and examples that relate to your own life, to the well-being of your community, and to the preservation of a free and open society.Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy


25. Why is critical thinking important for people?

Answer: It is an essential tool of inquiry, a liberating force in education and a powerful resource in one’s personal and civic life. While not synonymous with good thinking, critical thinking is essentially self-rectifying, which means that using critical thinking we can discover our mistakes and correct them.


26. Discuss an example of how failures of critical thinking often contribute to unfortunate accidents.

Answer: Failures of critical thinking often contribute to some of the saddest and most unfortunate accidents. At Yosemite Park’s Vernal Falls, three young people stepped passed the guard rails to take pictures. Other park visitors called to them, urging them to get back to safety, but they did not. Then suddenly one fell, the other two tried to help, and all three were swept over the falls to their deaths. If they had thoughtfully considered the risks and benefits, we doubt that they would have made the tragic decision to ignore the posted warnings.

Question Title: TB_01_26 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? Apply, LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Apply What You KnowDifficulty Level: 2–Moderate

27. A group of friends decide to go for a movie. As the theater was not very far, they decide to start only half an hour before the movie was supposed to begin. But they get stuck in rush hour traffic, have trouble finding parking, and end up arriving after the film has already started. Does this scenario illustrate a failure of critical thinking? Justify your answer.

Answer: Yes, this scenario illustrates a failure of critical thinking. The group should have taken into account the traffic at that time of day and the time it would probably take to park. If they had used more foresight, they would have realized that they needed to start out sooner in order to be on time for the start of the film.



28. Many people interpret the word critical as meaning “negative.” Explain why critical thinking is not the same as negative thinking.

Answer: There are many examples of positive and constructive uses of reflective and fair-minded reasoning to reach good decisions. Those are examples of positive critical thinking. Critical thinking is not about bashing what people believe just to show how clever we are. Nor is critical thinking about using our skills to defend beliefs that we know are untrue or decisions we know are poor. Critical thinking is skeptical without being cynical. It is open-minded without being wishy-washy. It is analytical without being nitpicky. Critical thinking can be decisive without being stubborn, evaluative without being judgmental, and forceful without being opinionated.


29. Although critical thinking helps people make purposeful and well-reasoned judgments, asking questions can be disturbing to others. Why do questions often have such an effect?

Answer: Strong critical thinking can be independent; it can lead us to diverge from the norm, and it can impel us to challenge cherished beliefs. And, as a result, applying critical thinking skills to a question or issue can be disquieting if not disturbing to ourselves and others.

Question Title: TB_01_29 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? Analyze, LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Analyze ItDifficulty Level: 3–Moderate


30. What is the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric tool?

Answer: The Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric is a tool designed to be used when evaluating individual or group critical thinking. That rubric requires us only to consider the four evaluative descriptions: “strong,” “acceptable,” “unacceptable,” and “weak” and see which of the four fits best.


31. How does the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric help people in improving their critical thinking skills?

Answer: As people learn more about critical thinking, people will become better at applying the rubric and more facile at using the terminology it contains. Their evaluative judgments will improve, and their ability to explain their judgments will improve as well. In this way, the rubric actually helps people to improve their critical thinking.

Question Title: TB_01_31 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Understand, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 2–Moderate

32. List four characteristics of a strong critical thinking process as specified in the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric tool.

Answer: According to the levels in the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric tool, the critical thinking of an individual or group can be said to be “strong” if it consistently does all or almost all of the following:

Accurately interprets evidence, statements, graphics, questions, and so on. Identifies the salient arguments’ (reasons and claims) pros and cons. Thoughtfully analyzes and evaluates major alternative points of view. Draws warranted, judicious, non-fallacious conclusions.



33. List the similarities between the criteria of both strong and acceptable demonstrations of critical thinking as evaluated by the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric.

Answer: Both categories focus on how well a person or group Accurately interprets evidence, statements, graphics, questions, and so on. Offers analyses and evaluations of obvious alternative points of view. Draws warranted, judicious, non-fallacious conclusions. Justifies some results or procedures, explains reasons. Fair-mindedly follows where evidence and reasons lead.

Question Title: TB_01_33 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Analyze, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Analyze ItDifficulty Level: 3–Moderate

34. What is the key difference between the evaluations “unacceptable” and “weak” as per the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric?

Answer: Based on the levels in the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric, unacceptable and weak statements are similar in some ways. But they also differ significantly in that unacceptable presentations include many or most of the somewhat small mistakes listed in that category, whereas weak critical thinking processes consistently commit all or almost all of the errors identified in that category and those errors are more serious too.



35. Under what conditions would a report or document be considered “strong” based on the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric, and under which category do Simon’s arguments most closely fall? Justify your answer.

Answer: Based on the levels in the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric tool, the report or document would be considered as displaying “strong” critical thinking if it consistently includes all or almost all of these positive features: accurately interprets evidence, statements, graphics, questions; identifies the salient arguments’ (reasons and claims) pros and cons; thoughtfully analyzes and evaluates major alternative points of view; draws warranted, judicious, non-fallacious conclusions; justifies key results and procedures; explains assumptions and reasons; and fair-mindedly follow where evidence and reasons lead.


36. A consulting firm that provides environmental impact reports is asked to assess the impact of a proposed project for a large-scale open pit coal mining operation. Using the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric, the agency receiving that report evaluates the critical thinking used by the consulting firm as “unacceptable.” Describe that category and list the weaknesses that the report probably contained for it to be evaluated as unacceptable.

Answer: For the report to be evaluated as unacceptable it must have included most or many of the following mistakes:

Misinterpretation of evidence, statements, graphics, questions, and so on. Failure to identify strong, relevant counterarguments. Omitted or superficial evaluations of obvious alternative points of view. Presentation of unwarranted or fallacious conclusions. Failure to justify all but a few results or procedures, and infrequent explain of reasons. Maintenance or defense of views based on self-interest or preconceptions, regardless of the

evidence or reasons

Question Title: TB_01_36 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Apply, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Apply What You Know


Difficulty Level: 2–Moderate

37. Explain the steps to be followed while using the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric (HCTSR) to evaluate a presentation.

Answer: To apply the HCTSR, determine which level of the Rubric best describes the quality of the reasoning process used to reach the conclusions or positions advanced by that presentation. Use the descriptions of the positives or negatives in each category to locate the overall quality of the critical thinking process being evaluated. Make a holistic judgment about which of the four categories fits best.


38. Why is it difficult to apply the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric to tweets, slogans, gestures, or signs?

Answer: The Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric is a great tool to use to evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in lots of different situations. The key thing is that people have to express some kind of a reason or basis for whatever it is that they are saying. Hence, it is tough to apply the HCTSR to tweets, slogans, gestures, signs, billboards, and epithets because reasons are seldom given in those cases.

Question Title: TB_01_38 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Understand, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

39. List examples of scenarios where the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric (HCTSR) can be used to evaluate the quality of critical thinking.

Answer: The HCTSR is a great tool to use to evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in lots of different situations: classroom discussions, papers, essays, panel presentations, commercials, blog posts, Yelp reviews, editorials, letters to editors, news conferences, infomercials, commentator’s remarks, speeches, jury deliberations, planning sessions, meetings, debates, or your own private thoughts.



True or False Questions

40. Critical thinking is not synonymous with good thinking.

Answer: True


41. A strong critical thinker does not have to monitor his or her use of critical thinking.

Answer: False

Question Title: TB_01_41 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? Analyze, LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean By “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Analyze ItDifficulty Level: 3–Difficult

42. Critical thinking is analytical and destructive.

Answer: False




43. One has to be an expert in critical thinking to be able to recognize qualitative improvements in critical thinking with practice.

Answer: False

Question Title: TB_01_43 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? Understand, LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean By “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

Fill in the Blank Questions

44. The evaluative category of Holistic Critical Thinking Rubric that includes thoughtfully analyzing and evaluating major alternative points of view is _______.

Answer: strong


45. In the definition of critical thinking, the term ________ refers to a person’s capacity to reflect on his own thinking process.

Answer: self-regulatory




46. The evaluative category of the Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric that includes displaying close-mindedness and hostility to reason is ________.

Answer: weak

Question Title: TB_01_46 Evaluating Critical Thinking, Understand, LO 1.3Topic: Evaluating Critical ThinkingLearning Objective: 1.3 Using the “Holistic Critical Thinking Scoring Rubric” as your tool for evaluation, evaluate the quality of the critical thinking evident in samples of written material and explain which elements in the written material led you evaluate it as you did.Skill Level: Understand the ConceptsDifficulty Level: 1–Easy

Essay Questions

47. Jacob lives in a closed society that restricts the free flow of information, but he believes that questioning the pros and cons of the government’s decisions is essential for the society’s progress. How is the society likely to react to Jacob’s beliefs? Give reasons to support your answer.

Answer: In this society, Jacob’s inclination to think critically is more likely to be curtailed and seen as a punishable offence by the government. A closed society does not permit the freedom to think, it fears and it suppresses learning critical thinking as a decision-making and problem-solving process. A closed society, whether it is a government, a corporation, or a religion, stifles independent critical thinkers, punishes those who do not adhere to the party line, denies access to full and accurate information, and buries scientific findings and policy recommendations that run counter to interests of those in power. The worst of these closed societies equate education with memorized orthodoxy, label dissenters as traitors, and, if needs be, use ridicule, bullying, disinformation, deceit, character assassination, and in the worst cases physical assassination—whatever it takes, including creating martyrs for the cause, faking enemy threats, lying to the media, destroying documents, etc.—to achieve its goals.

Question Title: TB_01_47 Risk and Uncertainty Abound, Apply, LO 1.1Topic: Risk and Uncertainty AboundLearning Objective: 1.1 Explain why critical thinking is important in a world filled with risk and uncertainty by supplying reasons and examples that relate to your own life, to the well-being of your community, and to the preservation of a free and open society.Skill Level: Analyze ItDifficulty Level: 3–Difficult


48. Some people might believe that critical thinking requires one to be cynical and judgmental about others. Based on your understanding of critical thinking explain why that would be a mistaken interpretation.

Answer: Critical thinking skills enable us to seek truth with intellectual energy and with integrity. Respect for one another and civil discourse goes hand in hand with strong critical thinking. We can thoughtfully and fair-mindedly reject an idea without ridiculing or embarrassing the person who proposed it. And we can accept an idea from any source so long as the idea is well-supported with good reasons and solid evidence. Critical thinking is not about bashing what people believe just to show how clever we are. Nor is critical thinking about using our skills to defend beliefs that we know are untrue or decisions we know are poor. Critical thinking is skeptical without being cynical. It is open-minded without being wishy-washy. It is analytical without being nitpicky. Critical thinking can be decisive without being stubborn, evaluative without being judgmental, and forceful without being opinionated. Critical thinking is a process for reaching good conclusions. There are many examples of using strong reasoning, that is strong critical thinking, to reach constructive results, good decisions, and accurate judgments about what to believe or what to do.

Question Title: TB_01_48 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Analyze ItDifficulty Level: 3–Difficult

49. A professor intent on teaching for critical thinking uses exercises that require students to consider the possible merits of ideas or points of view that they may find unsettling or jarring. The professor argues that such teaching practices are essential to develop one’s ability to think critically. Based on your understanding on ways to improve one’s critical thinking, explain why the professor is correct.

Answer: There is convincing scientific evidence that students can improve their critical thinking. It is essential for students to engage issues and topics that can be unsettling or jarring because thinking carefully about difficult topics and troubling questions often makes us stronger critical thinkers. Just like with sports or music, those who skip practice should not expect to perform at their best when it really matters. Those who are so close-minded that they cannot entertain hypotheticals that diverge from their own opinions will find progress in critical thinking difficult. But the rest of us can expect many interesting and enjoyable opportunities to exercise each of our critical thinking skills and to strengthen our critical thinking habits of mind.

Question Title: TB_01_49 What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”? LO 1.2Topic: What Do We Mean by “Critical Thinking”?


Learning Objective: 1.2 Explain why a strong critical thinker’s healthy sense of skepticism is not the same as negativity and cynicism. From your own experience supply examples showing the unfortunate results of a failure of critical thinking as here defined.Skill Level: Analyze ItDifficulty Level: 3–Difficult

50. A trainer working with business professionals urges that everyone should consciously try to apply their critical thinking skills to workplace problems. The trainer focuses on teaching how to analyze information, present well-reasoned arguments, and evaluate what others have to say in a fair-minded and respectful way. The trainer motivates the business professionals by telling them that they are not beginning from scratch and that they need strong critical thinking not only at work but in all the other aspects of their lives, whenever they need to decide in a reasoned and reflective way what to believe or what to do. Explain the trainer is correct.

Answer: The trainer is correct in saying that people use critical thinking in their everyday life. Every day we all make decisions about what to believe or what to do. When we are being reflective and fair-minded about doing so, we are using our critical thinking skills. The idea behind a critical thinking course is to help us strengthen these skills and fortify our intentions to use them when the occasion arises. If that is true, then there probably is room for improvement—just as with other things we do that we may not have formally studied. But we are not starting from zero. We have critical thinking skills, even if we have not yet refined them to their maximum potential. We know what it means to be open-minded and to take a systematic and objective look at an issue. We are familiar with the ordinary English meanings of common words for talking about thinking such as interpret, analyze, infer, explain, reason, conclusion, fallacy, and argument. And, in a broad sense, we can often tell the difference between strong reasoning and weak reasoning, even if we do not yet know all the details or terminology. These examples indicate that we are not novices at critical thinking.


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testbanksite.eutestbanksite.eu/sample/Think-Critically-3r… · Web view · 2017-03-03Chapter 1: The Power of ... 3. The stronger our ... TB_01_03 Risk and Uncertainty Abound,