steps of critical thinking

steps of critical thinking

Importance of Critical Thinking in Problem Solving

1. Introduction to Critical Thinking

There are three important elements to critical thinking. The elements are a spirit of inquiry, seeking diverse points of view, and being able to bow to the higher thought. The first element is probably the most important thing to a critical thinker.

Critical thinking is thoughtfully deciding on a belief or an action and will help you be more rational or be open-minded. Critical thinking can also be defined as an active and reflective process to be more precise the process of assessing what is true in a given situation. By using this process, it will help people to decide on whether the situations hold what is relevant to it and whether what is being said is accurate.

Every person is capable of thinking, but some say that few are able to practice critical thinking. What could have been the reason why critical thinking is rarely practiced? What are the importance of critical thinking?

2. Recognizing the Need for Critical Thinking

A problem defined is a problem half solved. When people are asked to define the problems in a given situation, many times they identify the problem that they would like to see as the cause. This being the case, when the cause is misidentified, a false problem is defined. The solution then implemented addresses a problem other than the one which was intended, and therefore does not work. Establishing the true problem at hand is crucial to finding real solutions. There are numerous methods of problem solving but all involve the following steps: 1. Identify the problem 2. Define the problem 3. Explore possible solutions 4. Act on the best solution 5. Look at the consequences 6. Learn from the experience It is human nature to jump to conclusions about problems that arise which lead to a misdiagnosis of a situation. Society is often looking for a quick fix to a problem, and when a solution is expected to be immediate, little time is actually spent critically thinking the problem. So many solutions to problems are generated to the first problem definition which is created. Without a clear understanding of a problem, it is impossible to generate the best solution. This sort of attitude results in a reoccurrence of a similar problem later down the line. Individual’s decisions and actions move on to, or recreate, unsolved problems with the false assumption that familiar problems have familiar solutions.

3. Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Becoming aware of the type of thinking that is required in any task that you undertake is a crucial step in being able to improve your thinking and to be successful in a task. The critical thinking decision-making model described by Saville and Zinn is a useful tool for this purpose. The model outlines 5 styles of thinking and a number of levels related to the questioning and judging of a decision. The ideal style for critical thinking has been described as the application decision-making thinking, which is very similar to critical thinking discourse described in the Nursing Process.

In this unit, you will draw on information about research methods and on your knowledge of your own motivation to select an approach to researching critical thinking that you will be able to sustain effectively. In seeking to inform your thinking about critical thinking, you might identify as an important goal increasing your awareness of your thinking about an issue or a concept. You might seek to clarify your thinking, for example, by identifying the logic of an area of content or by comparing and contrasting major ideas. Or you might seek to improve your thinking by assessing the quality of a current interpretation or a line of inference.

A. The Action Research Planner. B. The relationship between decision making styles and critical thinking dispositions. Critical thinking is the art of thinking about thinking with a view of improving it. Critical thinkers seek to improve thinking in three interrelated phases. They seek to inform their thinking, they seek to improve their thinking, and they seek to increase their awareness of their thinking.

4. Applying Critical Thinking in Decision Making

Once an individual has all the necessary knowledge and information, has discussed the problem with any other relevant stakeholders, and fully analyzed the situation, they must then begin to apply decisions that will seek to solve the problem and deal with the question at hand. It is at the decision-making stage that critical thinking can be the most beneficial. Before implementing a decision, it is important to again review the situation, to pause and reflect, and to ensure that there is a clear “line of sight” between the problem and the solution. Take the time to think through a number of different solutions, and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each. Some problems will have a number of different solutions, some that are more ethical than others. Critical thinkers will be able to take all of these things into account when making a decision. It is important at this stage to also pay due diligence to any unconscious biases or logical fallacies that may be clouding your judgment. Coming back and asking, “How do I know this is the right solution to the problem?” may be a valid tactic for ensuring true decisiveness in the solution.

5. Conclusion: The Power of Critical Thinking

Specific skills are needed to perform critical thinking, especially for decision making, and include generating and evaluating reasons on a particular issue or a well-defined problem, and being open-minded when it comes to considering all possible solutions. A firm decision is then made after evaluating the issue/problem followed by an action. These skills are important when an individual holds lots of responsibility and where decisions will have a big impact on his/her life and well-being.

Critical thinking takes place while problem solving; it is the mental process used in reaching a decision. Critical thinking is sometimes talked about as a near-mystical skill that exercises untapped parts of your brain. In essence, critical thinking is about knowing how to think, as opposed to what to think. When you have a problem to solve, you would begin by implementing a critical thinking approach. Critical thinking will be used during all other stages of the problem solving process: resource utilization, generating and implementing a solution, and evaluating the result.

This article has provided a comprehensive and balanced overview of the role of critical thinking in problem solving. The main message is that thinking critically about a problem leads to a more valuable solution. The value of applying critical thinking in problem solving has been summarized as follows: