Critical Thinking Standards

Critical Thinking Standards

Ball State University Muncie, Indiana

http://cms.bsu.edu/

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http://www.bsu.edu/web/latracey/PBL/criticalthink.htm

1. CLARITY

Could you elaborate further on that point? Could you express that point in another way? Could you give me an illustration? Could you give me an example?

2. ACCURACY

Is that really true? How could we check that? How could we find out if that is true? A statement can be clear but not accurate, as in "Most dogs are over 300 pounds in weight."

3. PRECISION

Could you give more details? Could you be more specific? A statement can be both clear and accurate, but not precise, as in "Jack is overweight." (We don't know how overweight Jack is, one pound or 500 pounds.)

4. RELEVANCE

How is that connected to the question? How does that bear on the issue? A statement can be clear, accurate, and precise, but not relevant to the question at issue.

5. DEPTH

How does your answer address the complexities in the question? How are you taking into account the problems in the question? Is that dealing with the most significant factors?

6. BREADTH

Do we need to consider another point of view? Is there another way to look at this question? What would this look like from a conservative standpoint? What would this look like from the point of view of...?

7. LOGIC

Does this really make sense? Does that follow from what you said? How does that follow? But before you implied this and now you are saying that; how can both be true?