- If you are new to or returning to university-level study, you might find Extending and Developing your Thinking Skills a useful resource.
- Academic Writing Essentials. Pick up your copy of this guide from the University Bookstore now. It comes bundled with My Canadian CompLab and 6 online tutorials for $24.95.
- Check out UBC’s “Digital Tattoo” website to find out how to protect your online identity.
Critical thinking
What is critical thinking?
In general, critical thinking includes –
- taking the initiative to question what you read, hear, and observe
- challenging the underlying assumptions of what you are questioning
- analyzing what you question in a reasoned and unbiased way
- remaining open to new ideas and perspectives
- changing your position on an issue when convinced by the logic of another position
- reflecting constantly on your learning in order to find patterns, linkages, or related elements that could be applied to other problems or issues.
Your instructors are going to look for evidence of critical thinking in your assignments and in the online activities in your courses. The resources below will help you develop and apply critical thinking skills as you read textbooks and academic journals, write essays and contribute to discussion forums.
Resource Links
- Critical Thinking
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/s3/index.php?id=87 - Critical Thinking
http://www2.napier.ac.uk/getready/managing_information/critical_thinking.html - Critical Reading v. Critical Thinking
http://www.criticalreading.com/critical_reading_thinking.htm - Extending and Developing Your Thinking Skills
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=1644