Critical thinking skills developing effective analysis and argument

Includes bibliographical references (p. 246-247) and index.

1. What is critical thinking? -- Introduction -- What is critical thinking? -- Reasoning -- Why develop critical thinking skills? -- Underlying skills and attitudes -- Self-awareness for accurate judgement [sic] -- Personal strategies for critical thinking -- Critical thinking in academic contexts -- Barriers to critical thinking -- Critical thinking : knowledge, skills and attitudes -- Priorities : developing critical thinking abilities -- Summary -- 2. How well do you think? : develop your thinking skills -- Introduction -- Assess your thinking skills -- Scoring sheet -- Focusing attention -- Focusing attention : identifying difference -- Focusing attention : recognising [sic] sequence -- Categorising [sic] -- Activity : categorising [sic] text -- Close reading -- Information about the sources -- Answers to activities in chapter 2 -- 3. What's their point? : identifying arguments -- Introduction -- The author's position -- Activity : capturing the author's position -- Argument : persuasion through reasons -- Identifying the argument -- Activity : identifying simple arguments -- Activity : reasons and conclusions -- Hunting out the conclusion -- Summary of features -- Summary -- Information about the sources -- Answers to activities in chapter 3 -- 4. Is it an argument? : argument and non-argument -- Introduction -- argument and disagreement -- Activity : argument and disagreement -- Non-arguments : description -- Non-arguments : explanations and summaries -- Activity : what type of message? -- Distinguishing argument from other material -- Activity : selecting out the argument -- Summary -- Information about the sources -- Answers to activities in chapter 4 --

5. How well do they say it? : clarity, consistency and structure -- Introduction -- How clear is the author's position? -- Internal consistency -- Activity : internal consistency -- Logical consistency -- Activity : logical consistency -- Independent reasons and joint reasons -- Activity : independent and joint reasons -- Intermediate conclusions -- Intermediate conclusions used as reasons -- Activity : intermediate conclusions -- Summative and logical conclusions -- Activity : summative and logical conclusions -- Logical order -- Activity : logical order -- Summary -- Information about the sources -- Answers to activities in chapter 5 -- 6. Reading between the lines : recognising [sic] underlying assumptions and implicit arguments -- Introduction -- Assumptions -- Activity : identify the underlying assumptions -- Identifying hidden assumptions -- Implicit assumptions used as reasons -- Activity : implicit assumptions used as reasons -- False premises -- Activity : false premises -- Implicit arguments -- Activity : implicit arguments -- Denoted and connoted meanings -- Activities : associations and stereotypes -- Activity : denoted and connoted meanings -- Summary -- Information about the sources -- Answers to activities in chapter 6 -- 7. Does it add up? : identifying flaws in the argument -- Introduction -- Assuming a causal link -- Correlations and false correlations -- Activity : identify the nature of the link -- Not meeting the necessary conditions -- Not meeting sufficient conditions -- Activity : necessary and sufficient conditions -- False analogies -- Activity : false analogies -- Deflection, complicity and exclusion -- Other types of flawed argument -- Unwarranted leaps and 'castle of cards' -- Emotive language ; attacking the person -- More flaws -- Misrepresentation and trivialisation [sic] -- Tautology ; two wrongs don't make a right -- Summary -- Information about the sources -- Answers to activities in chapter 7 --

8. Where's the proof? : finding and evaluating sources of evidence -- Introduction -- Primary and secondary source materials -- Searching for evidence -- Literature searches -- Reputable sources -- Authenticity and validity -- Currency and reliability -- Selecting the best evidence -- Relevant and irrelevant evidence -- Activity : relevant and irrelevant evidence -- Representative samples -- Activity : representative samples -- Certainty and probability -- Sample sizes and statistical significance -- Over-generalisation [sic] -- Controlling for variables -- Facts and opinions -- Eye-witness testimony -- Triangulation -- Evaluating a body of evidence -- Summary -- Information about the sources -- Answers to activities in chapter 8 -- 9. Critical reading and note-making : critical selection, interpretation and noting of source material -- Introduction -- Preparing for critical reading -- Identifying the theoretical perspective -- The relation of theory to argument -- Categorising [sic] and selecting -- Accurate interpretation when reading -- Making notes to support critical reading -- Reading and noting for a purpose -- Concise critical notes : analysing [sic] argument -- Concise critical notes : books -- Concise critical notes : articles and papers -- Critical selection when note-making -- Activity : critical selection -- Commentary on critical selection -- Note your source of information -- Summary -- Information about the sources -- Answers to activities in chapter 9 --

10. Critical, analytical writing : critical thinking when writing -- Introduction -- Characteristics of critical, analytical writing -- Setting the scene for the reader -- Activity : setting the scene for the reader -- Writing up the literature search -- Words used to introduce the line of reasoning -- Words used to reinforce the line of reasoning (2) -- Signposting alternative points of view -- Words used in signpost conclusions -- Words and phrases used to structure the line of reasoning -- Drawing tentative conclusions -- Activity : writing conclusions -- Summary -- Information about the sources -- Answers to activities in chapter 10 -- 11. Where's the analysis? : evaluating critical writing -- Introduction -- Checklist for essay 1 -- Evaluate essay 1 -- Evaluation of essay 1 -- Commentary for essay 1 -- Checklist for evaluating essay 2 -- Evaluate essay 2 -- Evaluation of essay 2 -- Commentary on essay 2 -- Evaluating your writing for critical thinking -- Summary -- Texts for activities in chapters 8, 9 and 11 -- Practice activities on longer texts -- Practice 1 : features of an argument -- Answers to practice 1 : features of an argument -- Practice 2 : finding flaws in the argument -- Answers to practice 2 : finding flaws in the argument -- Practice 3 : features of an argument -- Answers to practice 3 : features of an argument -- Practice 4 : finding flaws in the argument -- Answers to practice 4 : finding flaws in the argument -- Appendix. Selected search engines and databases for on-line literature searches.