Critical thinking is the process of testing arguments or observations for their validity. The process of critical thinking involves breaking down an argument or an observation into multiple conclusions and premises. Critical thinking also involves examining the causal relationship between various elements of reality that one may not have yet considered. The process of critical thinking through complex situations is crucial for success, especially for some professions, such as nursing (Von Colln-Appling & Giuliano, 2017). Without the ability to critically observe, question, learn and draw valid conclusions from our immediate environment, survival will be challenging.
There are four primary elements of critical thinking. The first element is the identification of the argument. This phase involves breaking an argument into individual components and elements before beginning to argue it out. The process also involves identifying an argument’s conclusions and premises (Von Colln-Appling & Giuliano, 2017). The premises are considered as statements of the known or the assumed facts, which should not, however, be contradictory. The second critical thinking element is clarification, which involves questioning to a deeper level (Von Colln-Appling & Giuliano, 2017). Once the premises have been identified, they are examined for their validity. In this phase, an individual looks for vagueness or ambiguity with the propositions. Additionally, an individual considers whether or not the implications of the premises are logical and whether or not they have any contradictions (Von Colln-Appling & Giuliano, 2017). The third element is inductive and deductive reasoning. This phase leads an individual into deductive and inductive reasoning. This phase occurs just before the conclusion, and it leads one to make an informed conclusion. The last phase of critical thinking is referred to as the final evaluation. It is at this stage that an individual determines whether or not the argument is sound. This element involves the re-examination of the argument for poor logic, false promises, or any omissions.
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I would use the first and the third element when conducting research. I would use the first element for identifying the main objective of the research. I would use the third element for identifying research questions and drawing hypotheses. For example, if I were to research the effect of high-pitched sound on mice, I would use the first element to identify the research’s primary concepts. I would use the third element to establish the major hypotheses for the research.
References
Von Colln-Appling, C., & Giuliano, D. (2017). A concept analysis of critical thinking: A guide for nurse educators. Nurse Education Today , 49 , 106-109.
