Just what are the ingredients of a great argument? What is the secret to communicating your ideas clearly and persuasively? And how do you see through sloppy thinking and flim-flam? If you've ever asked any of these questions, then this book is for you!

These days, strong critical thinking skills provide a vital foundation for academic success, and Critical Thinking Skills For Dummies offers a clear and unintimidating introduction to what can otherwise be a pretty complex topic. Inside, you'll get hands-on, lively, and fun exercises that you can put to work today to improve your arguments and pin down key issues.

With this accessible and friendly guide, you'll get plain-English instruction on how to identify other people's assumptions, methodology, and conclusions, evaluate evidence, and interpret texts effectively. You'll also find tips and guidance on reading between the lines, assessing validity - and even advice on when not to apply logic too rigidly!

Critical Thinking Skills for Dummies:

Provides tools and strategies from a range of disciplines great for developing your reflective thinking skills
Offers expert guidance on sound reasoning and textual analysis
Shows precisely how to use concept mapping and brainstorming to generate insights
Demonstrates how critical thinking skills is a proven path to success as a student

Whether you're undertaking reviews, planning research projects or just keen to give your brain a workout, Critical Thinking Skills For Dummies equips you with everything you need to succeed.

Autorentext

Martin Cohen is a philosopher, editor and reviewer. His first book, 101 Philosophy Problems, has been published in a dozen languages and is now in its fourth edition.

Zusammenfassung
Turbocharge your reasoning with Critical Thinking

These days, strong critical thinking skills provide a vital foundation for academic success, and Critical Thinking Skills For Dummies offers a clear and unintimidating introduction to what can otherwise be a pretty complex topic. Inside, you'll get hands-on, lively, and fun exercises that you can put to work today to improve your arguments and pin down key issues.

With this accessible and friendly guide, you'll get plain-English instruction on how to identify other people's assumptions, methodology, and conclusions, evaluate evidence, and interpret texts effectively. You'll also find tips and guidance on reading between the lines, assessing validity and even advice on when not to apply logic too rigidly!

Critical Thinking Skills for Dummies:

Provides tools and strategies from a range of disciplines great for developing your reflective thinking skills
Offers expert guidance on sound reasoning and textual analysis
Shows precisely how to use concept mapping and brainstorming to generate insights
Demonstrates how critical thinking skills is a proven path to success as a student
Whether you're undertaking reviews, planning research projects or just keen to give your brain a workout, Critical Thinking Skills For Dummies equips you with everything you need to succeed.

Inhalt

Introduction 1

Part I: Getting Started with Critical Thinking Skills 7

Chapter 1: Entering the Exciting World of Critical Thinking 9

Chapter 2: Peering into the Mind: How People Think 21

Chapter 3: Planting Ideas in Your Head: The Sociology of Thinking 41

Chapter 4: Assessing Your Thinking Skills 65

Part II: Developing Your Critical Thinking Skills 91

Chapter 5: Critical Thinking Is Like Solving Puzzles: Reasoning by Analogy 93

Chapter 6: Thinking in Circles: The Power of Recursion 113

Chapter 7: Drawing on Graphical (and Other) Tools for Thinking 133

Chapter 8: Constructing Knowledge: Information Hierarchies 159