what are critical thinking skills used for

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Critical thinking is the one skillset you can't afford not to master

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What is critical thinking?

5 characteristics of critical thinking, what are critical thinking skills, and why are they important, 6 key critical thinking skills, critical thinking example in real-life, 13 ways to start thinking critically.

Whether you’re aiming to improve your performance at work or simply trying to live a more fulfilling life , you’ll need a variety of hard and soft skills to move the needle. Some skills come naturally to some people, while others need to develop them actively.

One of these skills is critical thinking. But critical thinking itself is made up of several types of skills that contribute to solving problems more effectively.

Let’s explore the different types of critical thinking skills and how you can start improving them to level up your career.

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze facts objectively and form a judgment. It is a form of emotional intelligence .

Someone with critical thinking skills can think clearly and rationally when the situation demands it. It allows them to perform problem-solving and decision-making more effectively. 

As a result, you can look further than what you see at face value. You’re able to analyze what you see from a situation and gain some insight that goes further than what’s obvious to anyone from the outside.

Critical thinking also requires being able to understand the logical connection between two or more ideas or concepts. For example, a team working on a company’s pricing strategy needs to think critically about several concepts. 

Both the marketing and sales teams must work together. They need to analyze how to maximize sales. But they need to do so while also meeting profit goals. It’s important to understand the logical connection between sales strategy and marketing logistics. It’s the only way to get a good outcome.

Critical thinking is different from creative thinking . Creative thinking is the ability to generate brand new, innovative ideas. On the other hand, critical thinking requires you to carefully and logically analyze what information is given to you. Both are important to maximize results in any given situation.

What defines critical thinking? How does it affect the decision-making process? Here are five characteristics that make up the ability to think critically.

1. Dispositions

Critical thinkers have specific traits that allow them to think the way they do. Some people are predisposed to these traits, while others need to develop them actively.

Some of these dispositions include:

• Open-mindedness
• Respecting evidence and reasoning
• Being able to consider different perspectives and points of view: in other words, having cognitive flexibility
• Not being stuck in one position
• Clarity and precision

2. Argument

Good critical thinkers need to make solid arguments. 

An argument is making a statement aided by supporting evidence. It’s important to use well thought-out arguments when you’re in a constructive conflict . When analyzing a situation critically, you’ll need to make several arguments in your own mind to come to a judgment. 

3. Reasoning

In addition to arguments, critical thinking also requires inferring conclusions. From the facts and arguments presented to you, you need to use reasoning skills to come to a logical conclusion. 

This conclusion will determine the best course of action to take.

4. Criteria

Critical thinking is sometimes a matter of discerning truth from fiction. Not all facts presented to you may have the same level of truth. Certain conditions need to be met for something to be considered believable, and a critical thinker needs to be able to understand that.

5. Metacognition

Metacognition is the ability to think about your own thinking. Critical thinkers should be able to analyze their thoughts so that they can judge whether or not they’ve thought everything through. This helps them come up with better hypotheses.

The critical thinking skills definition is: soft skills that help you in the critical thinking process. Developing these skills can improve your ability to think critically.

Critical thinking skills are considered one of many durable skills in the workplace . Many of these are soft skills that are also useful in other situations.

According to research by America Succeeds, critical thinking is in the top five most requested durable skills in job postings. Those top five durable skills get requested 2.6x more often than the top five hard skills. This goes to show that soft skills like critical thinking skills are in demand in the workplace.

Critical thinking skills are important for several reasons. These include helping you work independently and solve problems . Not all positions require ongoing critical thinking. But, those skills definitely matter to anyone who wants to uplevel their career. And even the most easygoing positions require at least some level of critical thinking skills.

For example, working as an accountant can be straightforward in most cases. But it may require critical thinking skills. For instance, what if certain expenses aren’t easily distributed in simple categories? Without critical thinking skills, an accountant will struggle to work independently and solve problems on their own.

Critical thinking abilities also matter in everyday life. Having a foundation for critical thinking can help you analyze several possible solutions for problems that pop up in the home. It can also help you:

• Analyze different viewpoints
• Come up with the best solution for complex problems
• Become a better learner

The key critical thinking skills are identifying biases, inference, research, identification, curiosity, and judging relevance.

Let’s explore these six critical thinking skills you should learn and why they’re so important to the critical thinking process.

1. Identifying biases

This critical thinking skill is necessary for metacognition, which is the fifth characteristic of critical thinking. It involves knowing when others have a cognitive bias and when you have one yourself.

Biases can influence how someone understands the facts presented to them. But when you’re aware of those biases, you can question yourself on those biases and consider other points of view.

Identifying biases is especially important for people who make hiring decisions. That’s because biases against groups of minorities can lead to inequalities in the workplace when not identified. 

For example, imagine a hiring manager comparing two resumes. Their gut feeling could guide them to discount one of the resumes due to a bias against the opposite gender. But let’s say this hiring manager realizes they have this bias. They can then question themselves on whether or not this bias is influencing their judgment. 

2. Inference

Inference is the ability to draw conclusions based on the information you have. Without inference, it can be difficult to take action once you’ve analyzed the facts presented to you. Processing information is key to coming up with a reasoned judgment.

For example, let’s go back to the accountant struggling to assign the correct category to a business expense. They can analyze other similar situations and infer the most logical category based on that information.

3. Research

Before you analyze facts and infer a conclusion, you need to find out what those facts are. Researching skills allow you to discover facts and figures to make an argument.

Not all situations will have the required information available to you. Researching skills are necessary to dig into a situation and gather the information you need to think critically.

Some situations don’t require further research. For example, a first responder who arrives on the scene of an automobile accident won’t perform further research. They’ll have to analyze what they see in front of them and decide which injuries are the most urgent to care for. 

On the other hand, someone performing a market analysis will need to research competitors and gather information before coming up with an opinion. 

4. Identification

Identification is different from inference and research. It involves being able to identify a problem but also what’s influencing that problem.

In short, identification is necessary for someone to realize that they need to think critically about something. Without proper identification skills, it will be difficult for someone to know when it’s time to analyze a situation. 

For example, let’s say you’re entering numbers in a spreadsheet. The numbers aren’t coming out as they usually do. Without identification skills, you could easily keep going without realizing there’s an issue. But when you identify what’s going on, you can see that something is broken in the spreadsheet’s formula.

Only once you identify the fact that the formula is broken can you start analyzing what’s going on to solve the issue.

5. Curiosity

Don’t be afraid to question everything and explore what you’re curious about. That’s because intellectual curiosity is a valuable skill, especially when it comes to critical thinking.

One way to practice curiosity is to adopt a beginner’s mindset . When you come into every situation with the mindset of a beginner, you’re able to keep an open mind. You’ll be able to perceive things you may not have noticed when keeping your mind closed.

6. Judging relevance

Not all information is equally pertinent. In order to make a critical judgment, it’s important to be able to judge the relevance of the information you have.

Take, for instance, basic online researching skills. You have access to a plethora of information on virtually every topic imaginable. But performing online research requires you to constantly judge the relevance of what you see. 

Without judging relevance, you’d spend too much time on details that don’t matter as much for the final desired outcome. But when you’re able to discern what’s most pertinent, you can give that information more weight as you’re thinking critically.

So what would critical thinking skills look like in a real-life situation?

Let’s imagine you’re working in software quality assurance (QA) as a team lead. But every time your team needs to enter bug regression, everyone gets bottlenecked because you must manually populate the spreadsheet used for the regression. While you do this task, your team cannot be productive without you.

This process happens once a week and easily wastes half an hour for each team member.

First, you must identify what’s going on. The team gets bottlenecked because only you, as the team lead, can access the information required to fill in the regression spreadsheet.

Next, you can research information. You can inquire to higher-ups about the reason why only you have access to this information. You can also speak to other teams about what potential solutions they’ve come up with to solve this problem.

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to analyze the information and judge relevance. Some teams have solutions that don’t apply to you, so that information isn’t relevant anymore. 

Figure out if there are any personal biases before you analyze your information. 

For example, it’s possible that you don’t get along with one of the other team leads. As a result, you could discount the information they’ve given you. But by identifying this bias, you can look past your personal opinion of this person and see how valuable their solution is.

Based on what you’ve analyzed, it’s time to brainstorm and come up with a solution. You realize that creating a simple, automated script will save your team’s time. And it will do so without consuming too many resources from the engineering department.

Next, present your solution to your manager. Explain how you came to this conclusion. 

Now, let’s say your spreadsheet automation solution is approved. It’s important to go back and analyze what happens after implementing the solution. But only do this once the spreadsheet has been in place for long enough to gather plenty of information. 

Here’s an example. You could realize that the solution did solve the bottleneck. But, the script also slows down the spreadsheet and makes it difficult to work with. This would require you to go back to the drawing board and start the process all over again.

Want to start improving your own critical thinking skill sets? Here’s how you can improve critical thinking skills using 13 techniques:

• Play games that require critical thinking skills
• Ask more questions, even basic ones
• Question your assumptions
• Develop your technical skills so that you can identify problems more easily
• Find ways to solve more problems (at work and at home)
• Become aware of your mental processes, like the availability heuristic
• Think for yourself: don’t adopt other people’s opinions without questioning them first
• Seek out diversity of thought
• Start developing foresight
• Try active listening
• Weigh the consequences of different actions before you act
• Seek a mentor who can help you develop these skills
• Get professional coaching

How to improve your critical thinking skills 

Critical thinking skills aren’t always easy to develop. But it’s much easier to start thinking critically when you have someone to work with. Try a custom BetterUp demo to see how a coach can help you develop your critical thinking skills today.

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Maggie Wooll, MBA

Maggie Wooll is a researcher, author, and speaker focused on the evolving future of work. Formerly the lead researcher at the Deloitte Center for the Edge, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Princeton University and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Maggie is passionate about creating better work and greater opportunities for all.

How to develop critical thinking skills

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41+ Critical Thinking Examples (Definition + Practices)

Critical thinking is an essential skill in our information-overloaded world, where figuring out what is fact and fiction has become increasingly challenging.

But why is critical thinking essential? Put, critical thinking empowers us to make better decisions, challenge and validate our beliefs and assumptions, and understand and interact with the world more effectively and meaningfully.

Critical thinking is like using your brain's "superpowers" to make smart choices. Whether it's picking the right insurance, deciding what to do in a job, or discussing topics in school, thinking deeply helps a lot. In the next parts, we'll share real-life examples of when this superpower comes in handy and give you some fun exercises to practice it.

Critical Thinking Process Outline

Critical thinking means thinking clearly and fairly without letting personal feelings get in the way. It's like being a detective, trying to solve a mystery by using clues and thinking hard about them.

It isn't always easy to think critically, as it can take a pretty smart person to see some of the questions that aren't being answered in a certain situation. But, we can train our brains to think more like puzzle solvers, which can help develop our critical thinking skills.

Here's what it looks like step by step:

Spotting the Problem: It's like discovering a puzzle to solve. You see that there's something you need to figure out or decide.

Collecting Clues: Now, you need to gather information. Maybe you read about it, watch a video, talk to people, or do some research. It's like getting all the pieces to solve your puzzle.

Breaking It Down: This is where you look at all your clues and try to see how they fit together. You're asking questions like: Why did this happen? What could happen next?

Checking Your Clues: You want to make sure your information is good. This means seeing if what you found out is true and if you can trust where it came from.

Making a Guess: After looking at all your clues, you think about what they mean and come up with an answer. This answer is like your best guess based on what you know.

Explaining Your Thoughts: Now, you tell others how you solved the puzzle. You explain how you thought about it and how you answered. 

Checking Your Work: This is like looking back and seeing if you missed anything. Did you make any mistakes? Did you let any personal feelings get in the way? This step helps make sure your thinking is clear and fair.

And remember, you might sometimes need to go back and redo some steps if you discover something new. If you realize you missed an important clue, you might have to go back and collect more information.

Critical Thinking Methods

Just like doing push-ups or running helps our bodies get stronger, there are special exercises that help our brains think better. These brain workouts push us to think harder, look at things closely, and ask many questions.

It's not always about finding the "right" answer. Instead, it's about the journey of thinking and asking "why" or "how." Doing these exercises often helps us become better thinkers and makes us curious to know more about the world.

Now, let's look at some brain workouts to help us think better:

1. "What If" Scenarios

Imagine crazy things happening, like, "What if there was no internet for a month? What would we do?" These games help us think of new and different ideas.

Pick a hot topic. Argue one side of it and then try arguing the opposite. This makes us see different viewpoints and think deeply about a topic.

3. Analyze Visual Data

Check out charts or pictures with lots of numbers and info but no explanations. What story are they telling? This helps us get better at understanding information just by looking at it.

4. Mind Mapping

Write an idea in the center and then draw lines to related ideas. It's like making a map of your thoughts. This helps us see how everything is connected.

There's lots of mind-mapping software , but it's also nice to do this by hand.

5. Weekly Diary

Every week, write about what happened, the choices you made, and what you learned. Writing helps us think about our actions and how we can do better.

6. Evaluating Information Sources

Collect stories or articles about one topic from newspapers or blogs. Which ones are trustworthy? Which ones might be a little biased? This teaches us to be smart about where we get our info.

There are many resources to help you determine if information sources are factual or not.

7. Socratic Questioning

This way of thinking is called the Socrates Method, named after an old-time thinker from Greece. It's about asking lots of questions to understand a topic. You can do this by yourself or chat with a friend.

Start with a Big Question:

"What does 'success' mean?"

Dive Deeper with More Questions:

"Why do you think of success that way?" "Do TV shows, friends, or family make you think that?" "Does everyone think about success the same way?"

"Can someone be a winner even if they aren't rich or famous?" "Can someone feel like they didn't succeed, even if everyone else thinks they did?"

Look for Real-life Examples:

"Who is someone you think is successful? Why?" "Was there a time you felt like a winner? What happened?"

Think About Other People's Views:

"How might a person from another country think about success?" "Does the idea of success change as we grow up or as our life changes?"

Think About What It Means:

"How does your idea of success shape what you want in life?" "Are there problems with only wanting to be rich or famous?"

Look Back and Think:

"After talking about this, did your idea of success change? How?" "Did you learn something new about what success means?"

8. Six Thinking Hats 

Edward de Bono came up with a cool way to solve problems by thinking in six different ways, like wearing different colored hats. You can do this independently, but it might be more effective in a group so everyone can have a different hat color. Each color has its way of thinking:

White Hat (Facts): Just the facts! Ask, "What do we know? What do we need to find out?"

Red Hat (Feelings): Talk about feelings. Ask, "How do I feel about this?"

Black Hat (Careful Thinking): Be cautious. Ask, "What could go wrong?"

Yellow Hat (Positive Thinking): Look on the bright side. Ask, "What's good about this?"

Green Hat (Creative Thinking): Think of new ideas. Ask, "What's another way to look at this?"

Blue Hat (Planning): Organize the talk. Ask, "What should we do next?"

When using this method with a group:

• Explain all the hats.
• Decide which hat to wear first.
• Make sure everyone switches hats at the same time.
• Finish with the Blue Hat to plan the next steps.

9. SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis is like a game plan for businesses to know where they stand and where they should go. "SWOT" stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

There are a lot of SWOT templates out there for how to do this visually, but you can also think it through. It doesn't just apply to businesses but can be a good way to decide if a project you're working on is working.

Strengths: What's working well? Ask, "What are we good at?"

Weaknesses: Where can we do better? Ask, "Where can we improve?"

Opportunities: What good things might come our way? Ask, "What chances can we grab?"

Threats: What challenges might we face? Ask, "What might make things tough for us?"

Steps to do a SWOT Analysis:

• Goal: Decide what you want to find out.
• Research: Learn about your business and the world around it.
• Brainstorm: Get a group and think together. Talk about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Pick the Most Important Points: Some things might be more urgent or important than others.
• Make a Plan: Decide what to do based on your SWOT list.
• Check Again Later: Things change, so look at your SWOT again after a while to update it.

Now that you have a few tools for thinking critically, let’s get into some specific examples.

Everyday Examples

Life is a series of decisions. From the moment we wake up, we're faced with choices – some trivial, like choosing a breakfast cereal, and some more significant, like buying a home or confronting an ethical dilemma at work. While it might seem that these decisions are disparate, they all benefit from the application of critical thinking.

10. Deciding to buy something

Imagine you want a new phone. Don't just buy it because the ad looks cool. Think about what you need in a phone. Look up different phones and see what people say about them. Choose the one that's the best deal for what you want.

11. Deciding what is true

There's a lot of news everywhere. Don't believe everything right away. Think about why someone might be telling you this. Check if what you're reading or watching is true. Make up your mind after you've looked into it.

12. Deciding when you’re wrong

Sometimes, friends can have disagreements. Don't just get mad right away. Try to see where they're coming from. Talk about what's going on. Find a way to fix the problem that's fair for everyone.

13. Deciding what to eat

There's always a new diet or exercise that's popular. Don't just follow it because it's trendy. Find out if it's good for you. Ask someone who knows, like a doctor. Make choices that make you feel good and stay healthy.

14. Deciding what to do today

Everyone is busy with school, chores, and hobbies. Make a list of things you need to do. Decide which ones are most important. Plan your day so you can get things done and still have fun.

15. Making Tough Choices

Sometimes, it's hard to know what's right. Think about how each choice will affect you and others. Talk to people you trust about it. Choose what feels right in your heart and is fair to others.

16. Planning for the Future

Big decisions, like where to go to school, can be tricky. Think about what you want in the future. Look at the good and bad of each choice. Talk to people who know about it. Pick what feels best for your dreams and goals.

Job Examples

17. solving problems.

Workers brainstorm ways to fix a machine quickly without making things worse when a machine breaks at a factory.

18. Decision Making

A store manager decides which products to order more of based on what's selling best.

19. Setting Goals

A team leader helps their team decide what tasks are most important to finish this month and which can wait.

20. Evaluating Ideas

At a team meeting, everyone shares ideas for a new project. The group discusses each idea's pros and cons before picking one.

21. Handling Conflict

Two workers disagree on how to do a job. Instead of arguing, they talk calmly, listen to each other, and find a solution they both like.

22. Improving Processes

A cashier thinks of a faster way to ring up items so customers don't have to wait as long.

23. Asking Questions

Before starting a big task, an employee asks for clear instructions and checks if they have the necessary tools.

24. Checking Facts

Before presenting a report, someone double-checks all their information to make sure there are no mistakes.

25. Planning for the Future

A business owner thinks about what might happen in the next few years, like new competitors or changes in what customers want, and makes plans based on those thoughts.

26. Understanding Perspectives

A team is designing a new toy. They think about what kids and parents would both like instead of just what they think is fun.

School Examples

27. researching a topic.

For a history project, a student looks up different sources to understand an event from multiple viewpoints.

28. Debating an Issue

In a class discussion, students pick sides on a topic, like school uniforms, and share reasons to support their views.

29. Evaluating Sources

While writing an essay, a student checks if the information from a website is trustworthy or might be biased.

30. Problem Solving in Math

When stuck on a tricky math problem, a student tries different methods to find the answer instead of giving up.

31. Analyzing Literature

In English class, students discuss why a character in a book made certain choices and what those decisions reveal about them.

32. Testing a Hypothesis

For a science experiment, students guess what will happen and then conduct tests to see if they're right or wrong.

33. Giving Peer Feedback

After reading a classmate's essay, a student offers suggestions for improving it.

34. Questioning Assumptions

In a geography lesson, students consider why certain countries are called "developed" and what that label means.

35. Designing a Study

For a psychology project, students plan an experiment to understand how people's memories work and think of ways to ensure accurate results.

36. Interpreting Data

In a science class, students look at charts and graphs from a study, then discuss what the information tells them and if there are any patterns.

Critical Thinking Puzzles

Not all scenarios will have a single correct answer that can be figured out by thinking critically. Sometimes we have to think critically about ethical choices or moral behaviors. 

Here are some mind games and scenarios you can solve using critical thinking. You can see the solution(s) at the end of the post.

37. The Farmer, Fox, Chicken, and Grain Problem

A farmer is at a riverbank with a fox, a chicken, and a grain bag. He needs to get all three items across the river. However, his boat can only carry himself and one of the three items at a time. 

Here's the challenge:

• If the fox is left alone with the chicken, the fox will eat the chicken.
• If the chicken is left alone with the grain, the chicken will eat the grain.

How can the farmer get all three items across the river without any item being eaten? 

38. The Rope, Jar, and Pebbles Problem

You are in a room with two long ropes hanging from the ceiling. Each rope is just out of arm's reach from the other, so you can't hold onto one rope and reach the other simultaneously. 

Your task is to tie the two rope ends together, but you can't move the position where they hang from the ceiling.

You are given a jar full of pebbles. How do you complete the task?

39. The Two Guards Problem

Imagine there are two doors. One door leads to certain doom, and the other leads to freedom. You don't know which is which.

In front of each door stands a guard. One guard always tells the truth. The other guard always lies. You don't know which guard is which.

You can ask only one question to one of the guards. What question should you ask to find the door that leads to freedom?

40. The Hourglass Problem

You have two hourglasses. One measures 7 minutes when turned over, and the other measures 4 minutes. Using just these hourglasses, how can you time exactly 9 minutes?

41. The Lifeboat Dilemma

Imagine you're on a ship that's sinking. You get on a lifeboat, but it's already too full and might flip over. 

Nearby in the water, five people are struggling: a scientist close to finding a cure for a sickness, an old couple who've been together for a long time, a mom with three kids waiting at home, and a tired teenager who helped save others but is now in danger. 

You can only save one person without making the boat flip. Who would you choose?

42. The Tech Dilemma

You work at a tech company and help make a computer program to help small businesses. You're almost ready to share it with everyone, but you find out there might be a small chance it has a problem that could show users' private info. 

If you decide to fix it, you must wait two more months before sharing it. But your bosses want you to share it now. What would you do?

43. The History Mystery

Dr. Amelia is a history expert. She's studying where a group of people traveled long ago. She reads old letters and documents to learn about it. But she finds some letters that tell a different story than what most people believe. 

If she says this new story is true, it could change what people learn in school and what they think about history. What should she do?

The Role of Bias in Critical Thinking

Have you ever decided you don’t like someone before you even know them? Or maybe someone shared an idea with you that you immediately loved without even knowing all the details. 

This experience is called bias, which occurs when you like or dislike something or someone without a good reason or knowing why. It can also take shape in certain reactions to situations, like a habit or instinct. 

Bias comes from our own experiences, what friends or family tell us, or even things we are born believing. Sometimes, bias can help us stay safe, but other times it stops us from seeing the truth.

Not all bias is bad. Bias can be a mechanism for assessing our potential safety in a new situation. If we are biased to think that anything long, thin, and curled up is a snake, we might assume the rope is something to be afraid of before we know it is just a rope.

While bias might serve us in some situations (like jumping out of the way of an actual snake before we have time to process that we need to be jumping out of the way), it often harms our ability to think critically.

How Bias Gets in the Way of Good Thinking

Selective Perception: We only notice things that match our ideas and ignore the rest. 

It's like only picking red candies from a mixed bowl because you think they taste the best, but they taste the same as every other candy in the bowl. It could also be when we see all the signs that our partner is cheating on us but choose to ignore them because we are happy the way we are (or at least, we think we are).

Agreeing with Yourself: This is called “ confirmation bias ” when we only listen to ideas that match our own and seek, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms what we already think we know or believe. 

An example is when someone wants to know if it is safe to vaccinate their children but already believes that vaccines are not safe, so they only look for information supporting the idea that vaccines are bad.

Thinking We Know It All: Similar to confirmation bias, this is called “overconfidence bias.” Sometimes we think our ideas are the best and don't listen to others. This can stop us from learning.

Have you ever met someone who you consider a “know it”? Probably, they have a lot of overconfidence bias because while they may know many things accurately, they can’t know everything. Still, if they act like they do, they show overconfidence bias.

There's a weird kind of bias similar to this called the Dunning Kruger Effect, and that is when someone is bad at what they do, but they believe and act like they are the best .

Following the Crowd: This is formally called “groupthink”. It's hard to speak up with a different idea if everyone agrees. But this can lead to mistakes.

An example of this we’ve all likely seen is the cool clique in primary school. There is usually one person that is the head of the group, the “coolest kid in school”, and everyone listens to them and does what they want, even if they don’t think it’s a good idea.

How to Overcome Biases

Here are a few ways to learn to think better, free from our biases (or at least aware of them!).

Know Your Biases: Realize that everyone has biases. If we know about them, we can think better.

Listen to Different People: Talking to different kinds of people can give us new ideas.

Ask Why: Always ask yourself why you believe something. Is it true, or is it just a bias?

Understand Others: Try to think about how others feel. It helps you see things in new ways.

Keep Learning: Always be curious and open to new information.

In today's world, everything changes fast, and there's so much information everywhere. This makes critical thinking super important. It helps us distinguish between what's real and what's made up. It also helps us make good choices. But thinking this way can be tough sometimes because of biases. These are like sneaky thoughts that can trick us. The good news is we can learn to see them and think better.

There are cool tools and ways we've talked about, like the "Socratic Questioning" method and the "Six Thinking Hats." These tools help us get better at thinking. These thinking skills can also help us in school, work, and everyday life.

We’ve also looked at specific scenarios where critical thinking would be helpful, such as deciding what diet to follow and checking facts.

Thinking isn't just a skill—it's a special talent we improve over time. Working on it lets us see things more clearly and understand the world better. So, keep practicing and asking questions! It'll make you a smarter thinker and help you see the world differently.

Critical Thinking Puzzles (Solutions)

The farmer, fox, chicken, and grain problem.

• The farmer first takes the chicken across the river and leaves it on the other side.
• He returns to the original side and takes the fox across the river.
• After leaving the fox on the other side, he returns the chicken to the starting side.
• He leaves the chicken on the starting side and takes the grain bag across the river.
• He leaves the grain with the fox on the other side and returns to get the chicken.
• The farmer takes the chicken across, and now all three items -- the fox, the chicken, and the grain -- are safely on the other side of the river.

The Rope, Jar, and Pebbles Problem

• Take one rope and tie the jar of pebbles to its end.
• Swing the rope with the jar in a pendulum motion.
• While the rope is swinging, grab the other rope and wait.
• As the swinging rope comes back within reach due to its pendulum motion, grab it.
• With both ropes within reach, untie the jar and tie the rope ends together.

The Two Guards Problem

The question is, "What would the other guard say is the door to doom?" Then choose the opposite door.

The Hourglass Problem

• Start both hourglasses. 
• When the 4-minute hourglass runs out, turn it over.
• When the 7-minute hourglass runs out, the 4-minute hourglass will have been running for 3 minutes. Turn the 7-minute hourglass over. 
• When the 4-minute hourglass runs out for the second time (a total of 8 minutes have passed), the 7-minute hourglass will run for 1 minute. Turn the 7-minute hourglass again for 1 minute to empty the hourglass (a total of 9 minutes passed).

The Boat and Weights Problem

Take the cat over first and leave it on the other side. Then, return and take the fish across next. When you get there, take the cat back with you. Leave the cat on the starting side and take the cat food across. Lastly, return to get the cat and bring it to the other side.

The Lifeboat Dilemma

There isn’t one correct answer to this problem. Here are some elements to consider:

• Moral Principles: What values guide your decision? Is it the potential greater good for humanity (the scientist)? What is the value of long-standing love and commitment (the elderly couple)? What is the future of young children who depend on their mothers? Or the selfless bravery of the teenager?
• Future Implications: Consider the future consequences of each choice. Saving the scientist might benefit millions in the future, but what moral message does it send about the value of individual lives?
• Emotional vs. Logical Thinking: While it's essential to engage empathy, it's also crucial not to let emotions cloud judgment entirely. For instance, while the teenager's bravery is commendable, does it make him more deserving of a spot on the boat than the others?
• Acknowledging Uncertainty: The scientist claims to be close to a significant breakthrough, but there's no certainty. How does this uncertainty factor into your decision?
• Personal Bias: Recognize and challenge any personal biases, such as biases towards age, profession, or familial status.

The Tech Dilemma

Again, there isn’t one correct answer to this problem. Here are some elements to consider:

• Evaluate the Risk: How severe is the potential vulnerability? Can it be easily exploited, or would it require significant expertise? Even if the circumstances are rare, what would be the consequences if the vulnerability were exploited?
• Stakeholder Considerations: Different stakeholders will have different priorities. Upper management might prioritize financial projections, the marketing team might be concerned about the product's reputation, and customers might prioritize the security of their data. How do you balance these competing interests?
• Short-Term vs. Long-Term Implications: While launching on time could meet immediate financial goals, consider the potential long-term damage to the company's reputation if the vulnerability is exploited. Would the short-term gains be worth the potential long-term costs?
• Ethical Implications : Beyond the financial and reputational aspects, there's an ethical dimension to consider. Is it right to release a product with a known vulnerability, even if the chances of it being exploited are low?
• Seek External Input: Consulting with cybersecurity experts outside your company might be beneficial. They could provide a more objective risk assessment and potential mitigation strategies.
• Communication: How will you communicate the decision, whatever it may be, both internally to your team and upper management and externally to your customers and potential users?

The History Mystery

Dr. Amelia should take the following steps:

• Verify the Letters: Before making any claims, she should check if the letters are actual and not fake. She can do this by seeing when and where they were written and if they match with other things from that time.
• Get a Second Opinion: It's always good to have someone else look at what you've found. Dr. Amelia could show the letters to other history experts and see their thoughts.
• Research More: Maybe there are more documents or letters out there that support this new story. Dr. Amelia should keep looking to see if she can find more evidence.
• Share the Findings: If Dr. Amelia believes the letters are true after all her checks, she should tell others. This can be through books, talks, or articles.
• Stay Open to Feedback: Some people might agree with Dr. Amelia, and others might not. She should listen to everyone and be ready to learn more or change her mind if new information arises.

Ultimately, Dr. Amelia's job is to find out the truth about history and share it. It's okay if this new truth differs from what people used to believe. History is about learning from the past, no matter the story.

Related posts:

• Experimenter Bias (Definition + Examples)
• Hasty Generalization Fallacy (31 Examples + Similar Names)
• Ad Hoc Fallacy (29 Examples + Other Names)
• Confirmation Bias (Examples + Definition)
• Equivocation Fallacy (26 Examples + Description)

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How to build critical thinking skills for better decision-making

It’s simple in theory, but tougher in practice – here are five tips to get you started.

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Have you heard the riddle about two coins that equal thirty cents, but one of them is not a nickel? What about the one where a surgeon says they can’t operate on their own son?

Those brain teasers tap into your critical thinking skills. But your ability to think critically isn’t just helpful for solving those random puzzles – it plays a big role in your career. 

An impressive 81% of employers say critical thinking carries a lot of weight when they’re evaluating job candidates. It ranks as the top competency companies consider when hiring recent graduates (even ahead of communication ). Plus, once you’re hired, several studies show that critical thinking skills are highly correlated with better job performance.

So what exactly are critical thinking skills? And even more importantly, how do you build and improve them? 

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate facts and information, remain objective, and make a sound decision about how to move forward.

Does that sound like how you approach every decision or problem? Not so fast. Critical thinking seems simple in theory but is much tougher in practice, which helps explain why 65% of employers say their organization has a need for more critical thinking. 

In reality, critical thinking doesn’t come naturally to a lot of us. In order to do it well, you need to:

• Remain open-minded and inquisitive, rather than relying on assumptions or jumping to conclusions
• Ask questions and dig deep, rather than accepting information at face value
• Keep your own biases and perceptions in check to stay as objective as possible
• Rely on your emotional intelligence to fill in the blanks and gain a more well-rounded understanding of a situation

So, critical thinking isn’t just being intelligent or analytical. In many ways, it requires you to step outside of yourself, let go of your own preconceived notions, and approach a problem or situation with curiosity and fairness.

It’s a challenge, but it’s well worth it. Critical thinking skills will help you connect ideas, make reasonable decisions, and solve complex problems.

7 critical thinking skills to help you dig deeper

Critical thinking is often labeled as a skill itself (you’ll see it bulleted as a desired trait in a variety of job descriptions). But it’s better to think of critical thinking less as a distinct skill and more as a collection or category of skills. 

To think critically, you’ll need to tap into a bunch of your other soft skills. Here are seven of the most important. 

Open-mindedness

It’s important to kick off the critical thinking process with the idea that anything is possible. The more you’re able to set aside your own suspicions, beliefs, and agenda, the better prepared you are to approach the situation with the level of inquisitiveness you need. 

That means not closing yourself off to any possibilities and allowing yourself the space to pull on every thread – yes, even the ones that seem totally implausible.

As Christopher Dwyer, Ph.D. writes in a piece for Psychology Today , “Even if an idea appears foolish, sometimes its consideration can lead to an intelligent, critically considered conclusion.” He goes on to compare the critical thinking process to brainstorming . Sometimes the “bad” ideas are what lay the foundation for the good ones. 

Open-mindedness is challenging because it requires more effort and mental bandwidth than sticking with your own perceptions. Approaching problems or situations with true impartiality often means:

• Practicing self-regulation : Giving yourself a pause between when you feel something and when you actually react or take action.
• Challenging your own biases: Acknowledging your biases and seeking feedback are two powerful ways to get a broader understanding. 

Critical thinking example

In a team meeting, your boss mentioned that your company newsletter signups have been decreasing and she wants to figure out why.

At first, you feel offended and defensive – it feels like she’s blaming you for the dip in subscribers. You recognize and rationalize that emotion before thinking about potential causes. You have a hunch about what’s happening, but you will explore all possibilities and contributions from your team members.

Observation

Observation is, of course, your ability to notice and process the details all around you (even the subtle or seemingly inconsequential ones). Critical thinking demands that you’re flexible and willing to go beyond surface-level information, and solid observation skills help you do that.

Your observations help you pick up on clues from a variety of sources and experiences, all of which help you draw a final conclusion. After all, sometimes it’s the most minuscule realization that leads you to the strongest conclusion.

Over the next week or so, you keep a close eye on your company’s website and newsletter analytics to see if numbers are in fact declining or if your boss’s concerns were just a fluke. 

Critical thinking hinges on objectivity. And, to be objective, you need to base your judgments on the facts – which you collect through research. You’ll lean on your research skills to gather as much information as possible that’s relevant to your problem or situation. 

Keep in mind that this isn’t just about the quantity of information – quality matters too. You want to find data and details from a variety of trusted sources to drill past the surface and build a deeper understanding of what’s happening. 

You dig into your email and website analytics to identify trends in bounce rates, time on page, conversions, and more. You also review recent newsletters and email promotions to understand what customers have received, look through current customer feedback, and connect with your customer support team to learn what they’re hearing in their conversations with customers.

The critical thinking process is sort of like a treasure hunt – you’ll find some nuggets that are fundamental for your final conclusion and some that might be interesting but aren’t pertinent to the problem at hand.

That’s why you need analytical skills. They’re what help you separate the wheat from the chaff, prioritize information, identify trends or themes, and draw conclusions based on the most relevant and influential facts. 

It’s easy to confuse analytical thinking with critical thinking itself, and it’s true there is a lot of overlap between the two. But analytical thinking is just a piece of critical thinking. It focuses strictly on the facts and data, while critical thinking incorporates other factors like emotions, opinions, and experiences. 

As you analyze your research, you notice that one specific webpage has contributed to a significant decline in newsletter signups. While all of the other sources have stayed fairly steady with regard to conversions, that one has sharply decreased.

You decide to move on from your other hypotheses about newsletter quality and dig deeper into the analytics. 

One of the traps of critical thinking is that it’s easy to feel like you’re never done. There’s always more information you could collect and more rabbit holes you could fall down.

But at some point, you need to accept that you’ve done your due diligence and make a decision about how to move forward. That’s where inference comes in. It’s your ability to look at the evidence and facts available to you and draw an informed conclusion based on those. 

When you’re so focused on staying objective and pursuing all possibilities, inference can feel like the antithesis of critical thinking. But ultimately, it’s your inference skills that allow you to move out of the thinking process and onto the action steps. 

You dig deeper into the analytics for the page that hasn’t been converting and notice that the sharp drop-off happened around the same time you switched email providers.

After looking more into the backend, you realize that the signup form on that page isn’t correctly connected to your newsletter platform. It seems like anybody who has signed up on that page hasn’t been fed to your email list. 

Communication

3 ways to improve your communication skills at work

If and when you identify a solution or answer, you can’t keep it close to the vest. You’ll need to use your communication skills to share your findings with the relevant stakeholders – like your boss, team members, or anybody who needs to be involved in the next steps.

Your analysis skills will come in handy here too, as they’ll help you determine what information other people need to know so you can avoid bogging them down with unnecessary details. 

In your next team meeting, you pull up the analytics and show your team the sharp drop-off as well as the missing connection between that page and your email platform. You ask the web team to reinstall and double-check that connection and you also ask a member of the marketing team to draft an apology email to the subscribers who were missed. 

Problem-solving

Critical thinking and problem-solving are two more terms that are frequently confused. After all, when you think critically, you’re often doing so with the objective of solving a problem.

The best way to understand how problem-solving and critical thinking differ is to think of problem-solving as much more narrow. You’re focused on finding a solution.

In contrast, you can use critical thinking for a variety of use cases beyond solving a problem – like answering questions or identifying opportunities for improvement. Even so, within the critical thinking process, you’ll flex your problem-solving skills when it comes time to take action. 

Once the fix is implemented, you monitor the analytics to see if subscribers continue to increase. If not (or if they increase at a slower rate than you anticipated), you’ll roll out some other tests like changing the CTA language or the placement of the subscribe form on the page.

5 ways to improve your critical thinking skills

Beyond the buzzwords: Why interpersonal skills matter at work

Think critically about critical thinking and you’ll quickly realize that it’s not as instinctive as you’d like it to be. Fortunately, your critical thinking skills are learned competencies and not inherent gifts – and that means you can improve them. Here’s how:

• Practice active listening: Active listening helps you process and understand what other people share. That’s crucial as you aim to be open-minded and inquisitive.
• Ask open-ended questions: If your critical thinking process involves collecting feedback and opinions from others, ask open-ended questions (meaning, questions that can’t be answered with “yes” or “no”). Doing so will give you more valuable information and also prevent your own biases from influencing people’s input.
• Scrutinize your sources: Figuring out what to trust and prioritize is crucial for critical thinking. Boosting your media literacy and asking more questions will help you be more discerning about what to factor in. It’s hard to strike a balance between skepticism and open-mindedness, but approaching information with questions (rather than unquestioning trust) will help you draw better conclusions. 
• Play a game: Remember those riddles we mentioned at the beginning? As trivial as they might seem, games and exercises like those can help you boost your critical thinking skills. There are plenty of critical thinking exercises you can do individually or as a team . 
• Give yourself time: Research shows that rushed decisions are often regrettable ones. That’s likely because critical thinking takes time – you can’t do it under the wire. So, for big decisions or hairy problems, give yourself enough time and breathing room to work through the process. It’s hard enough to think critically without a countdown ticking in your brain. 

Critical thinking really is critical

The ability to think critically is important, but it doesn’t come naturally to most of us. It’s just easier to stick with biases, assumptions, and surface-level information. 

But that route often leads you to rash judgments, shaky conclusions, and disappointing decisions. So here’s a conclusion we can draw without any more noodling: Even if it is more demanding on your mental resources, critical thinking is well worth the effort.

Advice, stories, and expertise about work life today.

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• What Is Critical Thinking? | Definition & Examples

What Is Critical Thinking? | Definition & Examples

Published on May 30, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on May 31, 2023.

Critical thinking is the ability to effectively analyze information and form a judgment .

To think critically, you must be aware of your own biases and assumptions when encountering information, and apply consistent standards when evaluating sources .

Critical thinking skills help you to:

• Identify credible sources
• Evaluate and respond to arguments
• Assess alternative viewpoints
• Test hypotheses against relevant criteria

Table of contents

Why is critical thinking important, critical thinking examples, how to think critically, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about critical thinking.

Critical thinking is important for making judgments about sources of information and forming your own arguments. It emphasizes a rational, objective, and self-aware approach that can help you to identify credible sources and strengthen your conclusions.

Critical thinking is important in all disciplines and throughout all stages of the research process . The types of evidence used in the sciences and in the humanities may differ, but critical thinking skills are relevant to both.

In academic writing , critical thinking can help you to determine whether a source:

• Is free from research bias
• Provides evidence to support its research findings
• Considers alternative viewpoints

Outside of academia, critical thinking goes hand in hand with information literacy to help you form opinions rationally and engage independently and critically with popular media.

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Critical thinking can help you to identify reliable sources of information that you can cite in your research paper . It can also guide your own research methods and inform your own arguments.

Outside of academia, critical thinking can help you to be aware of both your own and others’ biases and assumptions.

Academic examples

However, when you compare the findings of the study with other current research, you determine that the results seem improbable. You analyze the paper again, consulting the sources it cites.

You notice that the research was funded by the pharmaceutical company that created the treatment. Because of this, you view its results skeptically and determine that more independent research is necessary to confirm or refute them. Example: Poor critical thinking in an academic context You’re researching a paper on the impact wireless technology has had on developing countries that previously did not have large-scale communications infrastructure. You read an article that seems to confirm your hypothesis: the impact is mainly positive. Rather than evaluating the research methodology, you accept the findings uncritically.

Nonacademic examples

However, you decide to compare this review article with consumer reviews on a different site. You find that these reviews are not as positive. Some customers have had problems installing the alarm, and some have noted that it activates for no apparent reason.

You revisit the original review article. You notice that the words “sponsored content” appear in small print under the article title. Based on this, you conclude that the review is advertising and is therefore not an unbiased source. Example: Poor critical thinking in a nonacademic context You support a candidate in an upcoming election. You visit an online news site affiliated with their political party and read an article that criticizes their opponent. The article claims that the opponent is inexperienced in politics. You accept this without evidence, because it fits your preconceptions about the opponent.

There is no single way to think critically. How you engage with information will depend on the type of source you’re using and the information you need.

However, you can engage with sources in a systematic and critical way by asking certain questions when you encounter information. Like the CRAAP test , these questions focus on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

When encountering information, ask:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert in their field?
• What do they say? Is their argument clear? Can you summarize it?
• When did they say this? Is the source current?
• Where is the information published? Is it an academic article? Is it peer-reviewed ?
• Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence? Does it rely on opinion, speculation, or appeals to emotion ? Do they address alternative arguments?

Critical thinking also involves being aware of your own biases, not only those of others. When you make an argument or draw your own conclusions, you can ask similar questions about your own writing:

• Am I only considering evidence that supports my preconceptions?
• Is my argument expressed clearly and backed up with credible sources?
• Would I be convinced by this argument coming from someone else?

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Paraphrasing

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

Critical thinking skills include the ability to:

You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

Ask questions such as:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

A credible source should pass the CRAAP test  and follow these guidelines:

• The information should be up to date and current.
• The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching.
• The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased.
• For a web source, the URL and layout should signify that it is trustworthy.

Information literacy refers to a broad range of skills, including the ability to find, evaluate, and use sources of information effectively.

Being information literate means that you:

• Know how to find credible sources
• Use relevant sources to inform your research
• Understand what constitutes plagiarism
• Know how to cite your sources correctly

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search, interpret, and recall information in a way that aligns with our pre-existing values, opinions, or beliefs. It refers to the ability to recollect information best when it amplifies what we already believe. Relatedly, we tend to forget information that contradicts our opinions.

Although selective recall is a component of confirmation bias, it should not be confused with recall bias.

On the other hand, recall bias refers to the differences in the ability between study participants to recall past events when self-reporting is used. This difference in accuracy or completeness of recollection is not related to beliefs or opinions. Rather, recall bias relates to other factors, such as the length of the recall period, age, and the characteristics of the disease under investigation.

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What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas.  Critical thinking has been the subject of much debate and thought since the time of early Greek philosophers such as Plato and Socrates and has continued to be a subject of discussion into the modern age, for example the ability to recognise fake news .

Critical thinking might be described as the ability to engage in reflective and independent thinking.

In essence, critical thinking requires you to use your ability to reason. It is about being an active learner rather than a passive recipient of information.

Critical thinkers rigorously question ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face value. They will always seek to determine whether the ideas, arguments and findings represent the entire picture and are open to finding that they do not.

Critical thinkers will identify, analyse and solve problems systematically rather than by intuition or instinct.

Someone with critical thinking skills can:

Understand the links between ideas.

Determine the importance and relevance of arguments and ideas.

Recognise, build and appraise arguments.

Identify inconsistencies and errors in reasoning.

Approach problems in a consistent and systematic way.

Reflect on the justification of their own assumptions, beliefs and values.

Critical thinking is thinking about things in certain ways so as to arrive at the best possible solution in the circumstances that the thinker is aware of. In more everyday language, it is a way of thinking about whatever is presently occupying your mind so that you come to the best possible conclusion.

Critical Thinking is:

A way of thinking about particular things at a particular time; it is not the accumulation of facts and knowledge or something that you can learn once and then use in that form forever, such as the nine times table you learn and use in school.

The Skills We Need for Critical Thinking

The skills that we need in order to be able to think critically are varied and include observation, analysis, interpretation, reflection, evaluation, inference, explanation, problem solving, and decision making.

Specifically we need to be able to:

Think about a topic or issue in an objective and critical way.

Identify the different arguments there are in relation to a particular issue.

Evaluate a point of view to determine how strong or valid it is.

Recognise any weaknesses or negative points that there are in the evidence or argument.

Notice what implications there might be behind a statement or argument.

Provide structured reasoning and support for an argument that we wish to make.

The Critical Thinking Process

You should be aware that none of us think critically all the time.

Sometimes we think in almost any way but critically, for example when our self-control is affected by anger, grief or joy or when we are feeling just plain ‘bloody minded’.

On the other hand, the good news is that, since our critical thinking ability varies according to our current mindset, most of the time we can learn to improve our critical thinking ability by developing certain routine activities and applying them to all problems that present themselves.

Once you understand the theory of critical thinking, improving your critical thinking skills takes persistence and practice.

Try this simple exercise to help you to start thinking critically.

Think of something that someone has recently told you. Then ask yourself the following questions:

Who said it?

Someone you know? Someone in a position of authority or power? Does it matter who told you this?

What did they say?

Did they give facts or opinions? Did they provide all the facts? Did they leave anything out?

Where did they say it?

Was it in public or in private? Did other people have a chance to respond an provide an alternative account?

When did they say it?

Was it before, during or after an important event? Is timing important?

Why did they say it?

Did they explain the reasoning behind their opinion? Were they trying to make someone look good or bad?

How did they say it?

Were they happy or sad, angry or indifferent? Did they write it or say it? Could you understand what was said?

What are you Aiming to Achieve?

One of the most important aspects of critical thinking is to decide what you are aiming to achieve and then make a decision based on a range of possibilities.

Once you have clarified that aim for yourself you should use it as the starting point in all future situations requiring thought and, possibly, further decision making. Where needed, make your workmates, family or those around you aware of your intention to pursue this goal. You must then discipline yourself to keep on track until changing circumstances mean you have to revisit the start of the decision making process.

However, there are things that get in the way of simple decision making. We all carry with us a range of likes and dislikes, learnt behaviours and personal preferences developed throughout our lives; they are the hallmarks of being human. A major contribution to ensuring we think critically is to be aware of these personal characteristics, preferences and biases and make allowance for them when considering possible next steps, whether they are at the pre-action consideration stage or as part of a rethink caused by unexpected or unforeseen impediments to continued progress.

The more clearly we are aware of ourselves, our strengths and weaknesses, the more likely our critical thinking will be productive.

The Benefit of Foresight

Perhaps the most important element of thinking critically is foresight.

Almost all decisions we make and implement don’t prove disastrous if we find reasons to abandon them. However, our decision making will be infinitely better and more likely to lead to success if, when we reach a tentative conclusion, we pause and consider the impact on the people and activities around us.

The elements needing consideration are generally numerous and varied. In many cases, consideration of one element from a different perspective will reveal potential dangers in pursuing our decision.

For instance, moving a business activity to a new location may improve potential output considerably but it may also lead to the loss of skilled workers if the distance moved is too great. Which of these is the more important consideration? Is there some way of lessening the conflict?

These are the sort of problems that may arise from incomplete critical thinking, a demonstration perhaps of the critical importance of good critical thinking.

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In Summary:

Critical thinking is aimed at achieving the best possible outcomes in any situation. In order to achieve this it must involve gathering and evaluating information from as many different sources possible.

Critical thinking requires a clear, often uncomfortable, assessment of your personal strengths, weaknesses and preferences and their possible impact on decisions you may make.

Critical thinking requires the development and use of foresight as far as this is possible. As Doris Day sang, “the future’s not ours to see”.

Implementing the decisions made arising from critical thinking must take into account an assessment of possible outcomes and ways of avoiding potentially negative outcomes, or at least lessening their impact.

• Critical thinking involves reviewing the results of the application of decisions made and implementing change where possible.

It might be thought that we are overextending our demands on critical thinking in expecting that it can help to construct focused meaning rather than examining the information given and the knowledge we have acquired to see if we can, if necessary, construct a meaning that will be acceptable and useful.

After all, almost no information we have available to us, either externally or internally, carries any guarantee of its life or appropriateness.  Neat step-by-step instructions may provide some sort of trellis on which our basic understanding of critical thinking can blossom but it doesn’t and cannot provide any assurance of certainty, utility or longevity.

Continue to: Critical Thinking and Fake News Critical Reading

See also: Analytical Skills Understanding and Addressing Conspiracy Theories Introduction to Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

How to Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

Traditional tools and new technologies..

Posted September 29, 2023 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

Technology provides access to vast information and makes daily life easier. Yet, too much reliance on technology potentially interferes with the acquisition and maintenance of critical thinking skills in several ways:

1. Information Overload : The constant influx of data can discourage deep critical thinking as we may come to rely on quick, surface-level information rather than delving deeply into a subject.

2. Shortened Attention Span: Frequent digital distractions can disrupt our ability for the sustained focus and concentration required for critical thinking.

3. Confirmatory Bias and Echo Chambers: Technology, including social media and personalized content algorithms, can reinforce confirmation bias . People are often exposed to information that aligns with their beliefs and opinions, making them less likely to encounter diverse perspectives and engage in critical thinking about opposing views.

4. Reduced Problem-Solving Opportunities: Technology often provides quick solutions to problems. While this benefits efficiency, it may discourage individuals from engaging in complex problem-solving, a fundamental aspect of critical thinking.

5. Loss of Research Skills: The ease of accessing information online can diminish traditional research skills, such as library research or in-depth reading. These skills are essential for critical thinking, as they involve evaluating sources, synthesizing information, and analyzing complex texts.

While technology can pose challenges to developing critical thinking skills, it's important to note that technology can also be a valuable tool for learning and skill development. It can provide access to educational resources, facilitate collaboration , and support critical thinking when used thoughtfully and intentionally. Balancing technology use with activities that encourage deep thinking and analysis is vital to lessening its potential adverse effects on critical thinking.

Writing is a traditional and powerful tool to exercise and improve your critical thinking skills. Consider these ways writing can help enhance critical thinking:

1. Clarity of Thought: Writing requires that you articulate your thoughts clearly and coherently. When you need to put your ideas on paper, you must organize them logically, which requires a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

2. Analysis and Evaluation: Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information. When you write, you often need to assess the validity and relevance of different sources, arguments, or pieces of evidence, which hone your critical thinking skills.

3. Problem-Solving: Writing can be a problem-solving exercise in itself. Whether crafting an argument, developing a thesis, or finding the right words to express your ideas, writing requires thinking critically about approaching these challenges effectively.

4. Research Skills: Good writing often involves research, and research requires critical thinking. You need to assess the credibility of sources, synthesize information, and draw conclusions based on the evidence you gather.

5. Argumentation: Constructing a persuasive argument in writing is a complex process requiring critical thinking. You must anticipate counterarguments, provide evidence to support your claims, and address potential weaknesses in your reasoning.

6. Revision and Editing: To be an influential writer, you must learn to read your work critically. Editing and revising requires evaluating your writing objectively, identifying areas that need improvement, and refining your ideas and arguments.

7. Problem Identification: In some cases, writing can help you identify problems or gaps in your thinking. As you write, you might realize that your arguments are not as strong as you initially thought or that you need more information to support your claims. This recognition of limitations is a crucial aspect of critical thinking.

Writing is a dynamic process that engages multiple facets of critical thinking. It has been a valuable tool used in education , business, and personal development for centuries.

Yet, this traditional approach of self-generated written thoughts is rapidly being supplanted by AI -generated writing tools like Chat GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer. With over 100 million users of Chat GPT alone, we cannot ignore its potential impact. How might the increasing reliance on AI-generated writing tools influence our critical thinking skills? The impact can vary depending on how the tools are used and the context in which they are employed.

Critical thinking involves evaluating information sources for credibility, relevance, and bias. If individuals consistently trust the information provided by chatbots without critically assessing its quality, it can hinder their development of critical thinking skills. This is especially true if they depend on the chatbot to provide answers without questioning or verifying the information. Relying solely on chatbots for answers may also reduce people's effort in problem-solving. Critical thinking often requires wrestling with complex problems, considering multiple perspectives, and generating creative solutions. If we default to chatbots for quick answers, we may miss opportunities to develop these skills.

However, it's essential to note that the impact of chatbots on critical thinking skills may not be entirely negative. These tools can also have positive effects:

1. Chatbots provide quick access to vast information, which can benefit research and problem-solving. When used as a supplement to critical thinking, they can enhance the efficiency of information retrieval.

2. Chatbots can sometimes assist in complex tasks by providing relevant data or suggestions. When individuals critically evaluate and integrate this information into their decision-making process, it can enhance their critical thinking.

3. Chatbots can be used as learning aids. They can provide explanations, examples, and guidance, which can support skill development and, when used effectively, encourage critical thinking.

In summary, the impact of chatbots on critical thinking skills depends on how we use them. The effect will be harmful if they become a crutch to avoid independent thought or analysis. However, they can be valuable resources when used as tools to facilitate and augment critical thinking and writing processes. Individuals must balance leveraging the convenience of chatbots and actively engaging in independent critical thinking and problem-solving to maintain and enhance their cognitive abilities. You can do that effectively through writing regularly.

Copyright 2023 Tara Well, PhD

Tara Well, Ph.D. , is a professor in the department of psychology at Barnard College of Columbia University.

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Critical Thinking Definition, Skills, and Examples

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Critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment. It involves the evaluation of sources, such as data, facts, observable phenomena, and research findings.

Good critical thinkers can draw reasonable conclusions from a set of information, and discriminate between useful and less useful details to solve problems or make decisions. These skills are especially helpful at school and in the workplace, where employers prioritize the ability to think critically. Find out why and see how you can demonstrate that you have this ability.

Examples of Critical Thinking

The circumstances that demand critical thinking vary from industry to industry. Some examples include:

• A triage nurse analyzes the cases at hand and decides the order by which the patients should be treated.
• A plumber evaluates the materials that would best suit a particular job.
• An attorney reviews the evidence and devises a strategy to win a case or to decide whether to settle out of court.
• A manager analyzes customer feedback forms and uses this information to develop a customer service training session for employees.

Why Do Employers Value Critical Thinking Skills?

Employers want job candidates who can evaluate a situation using logical thought and offer the best solution.

Someone with critical thinking skills can be trusted to make decisions independently, and will not need constant handholding.

Hiring a critical thinker means that micromanaging won't be required. Critical thinking abilities are among the most sought-after skills in almost every industry and workplace. You can demonstrate critical thinking by using related keywords in your resume and cover letter and during your interview.

How to Demonstrate Critical Thinking in a Job Search

If critical thinking is a key phrase in the job listings you are applying for, be sure to emphasize your critical thinking skills throughout your job search.

Add Keywords to Your Resume

You can use critical thinking keywords (analytical, problem solving, creativity, etc.) in your resume. When describing your work history, include top critical thinking skills that accurately describe you. You can also include them in your resume summary, if you have one.

For example, your summary might read, “Marketing Associate with five years of experience in project management. Skilled in conducting thorough market research and competitor analysis to assess market trends and client needs, and to develop appropriate acquisition tactics.”

Mention Skills in Your Cover Letter

Include these critical thinking skills in your cover letter. In the body of your letter, mention one or two of these skills, and give specific examples of times when you have demonstrated them at work. Think about times when you had to analyze or evaluate materials to solve a problem.

Show the Interviewer Your Skills

You can use these skill words in an interview. Discuss a time when you were faced with a particular problem or challenge at work and explain how you applied critical thinking to solve it.

Some interviewers will give you a hypothetical scenario or problem, and ask you to use critical thinking skills to solve it. In this case, explain your thought process thoroughly to the interviewer. He or she is typically more focused on how you arrive at your solution rather than the solution itself. The interviewer wants to see you analyze and evaluate (key parts of critical thinking) the given scenario or problem.

Of course, each job will require different skills and experiences, so make sure you read the job description carefully and focus on the skills listed by the employer.

Top Critical Thinking Skills

Keep these in-demand skills in mind as you refine your critical thinking practice —whether for work or school.

Part of critical thinking is the ability to carefully examine something, whether it is a problem, a set of data, or a text. People with analytical skills can examine information, understand what it means, and properly explain to others the implications of that information.

• Asking Thoughtful Questions
• Data Analysis
• Interpretation
• Questioning Evidence
• Recognizing Patterns

Communication

Often, you will need to share your conclusions with your employers or with a group of classmates or colleagues. You need to be able to communicate with others to share your ideas effectively. You might also need to engage in critical thinking in a group. In this case, you will need to work with others and communicate effectively to figure out solutions to complex problems.

• Active Listening
• Collaboration
• Explanation
• Interpersonal
• Presentation
• Verbal Communication
• Written Communication

Critical thinking often involves creativity and innovation. You might need to spot patterns in the information you are looking at or come up with a solution that no one else has thought of before. All of this involves a creative eye that can take a different approach from all other approaches.

• Flexibility
• Conceptualization
• Imagination
• Drawing Connections
• Synthesizing

Open-Mindedness

To think critically, you need to be able to put aside any assumptions or judgments and merely analyze the information you receive. You need to be objective, evaluating ideas without bias.

• Objectivity
• Observation

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is another critical thinking skill that involves analyzing a problem, generating and implementing a solution, and assessing the success of the plan. Employers don’t simply want employees who can think about information critically. They also need to be able to come up with practical solutions.

• Attention to Detail
• Clarification
• Decision Making
• Groundedness
• Identifying Patterns

More Critical Thinking Skills

• Inductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning
• Noticing Outliers
• Adaptability
• Emotional Intelligence
• Brainstorming
• Optimization
• Restructuring
• Integration
• Strategic Planning
• Project Management
• Ongoing Improvement
• Causal Relationships
• Case Analysis
• Diagnostics
• SWOT Analysis
• Business Intelligence
• Quantitative Data Management
• Qualitative Data Management
• Risk Management
• Scientific Method
• Consumer Behavior

Key Takeaways

• Demonstrate you have critical thinking skills by adding relevant keywords to your resume.
• Mention pertinent critical thinking skills in your cover letter, too, and include an example of a time when you demonstrated them at work.
• Finally, highlight critical thinking skills during your interview. For instance, you might discuss a time when you were faced with a challenge at work and explain how you applied critical thinking skills to solve it.

University of Louisville. " What is Critical Thinking ."

American Management Association. " AMA Critical Skills Survey: Workers Need Higher Level Skills to Succeed in the 21st Century ."

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What Are Critical Thinking Skills? (Example List Included)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

Ah, critical thinking skills. As a candidate, it’s vital to understand that pretty much all employers are on the hunt for job seekers with critical thinking skills. Why? Because it’s universally helpful on the job.

When employees know how to think critically, they are more effective in their positions. They’ll be more productive and self-sufficient. In the eyes of employers, that matters a ton.

But what are critical thinking skills exactly? And, if you don’t have them, what can you do to improve your ability to think critically?

If you’re asking yourself questions like those, you’re in luck. After all, you’re here, and we’re about to tell you all about the characteristics of critical thinking and how to get better at it. So, if you’re ready to dig in, here’s what you need to know.

What Are Critical Thinking Skills?

If we’re going to talk about critical thinking skills, it’s best to begin by answering a crucial question: what are critical thinking skills?

Well, to figure that out, it’s helpful to know what critical thinking means. According to the Cambridge Dictionary , critical thinking is “the process of thinking carefully about a subject or idea, without allowing feelings or opinions to affect you.” That’s actually a pretty solid place to start.

In many ways, critical thinking is a two-fold process. First, it focuses on information-gathering and fact-analysis. It’s all about understanding a subject thoroughly.

Second, it’s about setting your feelings aside. With critical thinking, it isn’t about what you want the facts to say; it’s about the reality of the situation. It’s a very Vulcans-from-Star-Trek approach to topics. Emotions and personal preference simply aren’t part of the equation in the vast majority of cases. Instead, objectivity reigns.

Alright, so what are critical thinking skills then? Well, critical thinking skills are the soft skills and hard skills that help you assess situations, collect data, analyze information, identify solutions, determine the viability of solutions, and make decisions without letting your emotions run the show. Any capability or trait that makes it easier to do those things can qualify.

In many cases, thinking critically plays a bigger role in your day-to-day than you’d expect. When you approach any task, you usually spend a moment analyzing it. That way, you can find the best path toward success.

When a task is simple, it doesn’t take much time to do a quick critical thinking once over, so you probably don’t even notice you’re doing it. It’s only when an activity is challenging or when something unexpected occurs that your thought process really stands out. As a result, you probably spend far more time thinking critically than you realize.

How Are Critical Thinking Skills Relevant to a Job Search?

Okay, we’ve given you a solid overview of what critical thinking skills are. Now it’s time to talk about the importance of critical thinking during a job search.

When you’re hunting for new opportunities, critical thinking skills are immensely valuable. For example, they can help you figure out if a job opening is genuinely a good fit for your capabilities and career.

When you find a job ad, do you just apply without seeing if it matches your skills and aligns with your goals? Of course not. Instead, you take a look at the requirements, examine the job ad for potential, and decide whether or not that opportunity really fits. That’s critical thinking.

But that’s not the only way these skills make a difference during your job search. They may also help you identify what points to include in your resume and cover letter to stand out to a hiring manager or what to talk about when you’re answering specific job interview questions.

How can it do all of that? Well, when you decide what to list in your resume or cover letter, or add to an interview answer, you have to do some analysis. You consider the hiring manager’s needs. Next, you find a matching accomplishment that highlights what they are after. Then, you figure out present it in an engaging way. That’s all critical thinking, too.

Plus, thinking critically can also make a difference post-interview. You’ll have an easier time assessing your own performance, allowing you to identify areas for improvement. Good stuff, right?

When it comes to why hiring managers prefer candidates with these skills, there are actually several reasons. The biggest is that employees with strong critical thinking skills tend to be more self-sufficient and productive. They are better equipped to assess situations and find their own solutions, and that matters, particularly in faster-paced environments.

Plus, workers that know how to think critically may have an easier time collaborating. They can separate their emotions from the situation, allowing them to focus on what’s best for the team and company.

So, which critical thinking skills are they after? Well, that can depend on the hiring manager. However, most want to see you possess capabilities in four core areas: information-gathering, analysis , problem-solving, and creativity. If you tap into all of those, you usually have what it takes to think critically.

How to Highlight Critical Thinking Skills for Job Search

Okay, at this point, you probably understand the importance of critical thinking skills. Now onto the next part of the equation: how to show off your capabilities during a job search.

Let’s start with the earliest part of the job search: your resume and cover letter. When you’re writing a resume or creating a cover letter , the best thing you can do is focus on achievements.

Highlighting accomplishments where you put your critical thinking skills to work lets you “show” the hiring manager you have what it takes instead of just telling them. After all, anyone can say, “I’m an excellent critical thinker,” even if they aren’t. By having examples, you prove that you have those capabilities. That matters.

How do you pick the right achievements? By using a winning strategy, like the Tailoring Method . The Tailoring Method focuses on relevancy. It helps you choose accomplishments that showcase the skills the hiring manager wants to see, increasing the odds that they’ll view you as an excellent match for their needs.

Now that your resume and cover letter are squared away, it’s time to talk about the interview. Luckily, you can use the Tailoring Method here, too. It’s a great technique for straightforward job interview questions , as well as behavioral interview questions .

When you’re dealing with behavioral interview questions, couple the Tailoring Method with the STAR Method . That way, your answers are engaging and relevant, making them even more impactful.

How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills If You Don’t Have Them

Some people may think that they don’t have any critical thinking skills. In reality, that probably isn’t true.

Nearly everyone develops some critical thinking capabilities over the course of their lives; they just may not realize it. Luckily, that’s a good thing. It means you probably have a solid foundation, even if you don’t know it.

Why does that matter? Well, it means you can focus more on developing what you have. You aren’t actually starting from scratch, which can make it easier.

Ready to take your critical thinking skills to the next level? Great! Here’s how you can.

Understand the Critical Thinking Process

When it comes to how to think critically, there is actually a core process involved. By understanding the steps, you can make sure you approach situations properly.

Usually, the critical thinking process involves:

• Observation
• Information-Gathering
• Brainstorming

Typically, you start by observing the issue at hand. Next, you do some research, helping you gather more information. After that, you focus on brainstorming ideas on how to proceed. Then, you consider each option, identifying the best one. Finally, you decide to proceed, taking actions based on what you’ve learned.

It’s a systematic way to address a range of scenarios. By learning the process, you can put it into use more often, allowing you to increase your skills.

Take Up a Hobby

Many hobbies actually require quite a bit of critical thinking. For example, if you want to have a thriving garden, you need to take several factors into account. Soil condition, water availability, the amount of sunlight, aesthetics… those are just some of the points you need to analyze if you want to succeed.

Arts and crafts can also help you boost critical thinking. When you’re making something, you have to evaluate your options for materials, techniques, and more, ensuring you choose a path that leads to the best final product.

Join a Debate Club

If you’re looking for possibly one of the best critical thinking examples around, debate is probably it. That means, if you want to take your skills up a notch, joining a debate club can be a great option.

You have to support a position – at times one that doesn’t align with your personal beliefs – and try to convince others that your side is correct. You’ll dive into unfamiliar topics, gather data to support the perspective you’re assigned, and choose how to present information in a convincing way.

While you might think that, if you aren’t in high school, that this isn’t an option, that isn’t the case. There are many meetups that focus on debate, giving people of all ages a place to boost their skills.

List of Critical Thinking Skills

There are quite a few characteristics and capabilities that support critical thinking. By knowing which skills fall into that category, you can decide what to showcase during your job search.

So, let’s dig in. Here is a quick list of critical thinking skill examples:

• Self-Reliance
• Decision-Making
• Open-Mindedness
• Deductive Reasoning
• Problem-Solving
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Attention to Detail
• Pattern Recognition
• Interpretation
• Active Listening
• Conceptualization

Now, these aren’t the only skills that can help you think critically. Practically anything that enables you to navigate the process can count.

Additionally, you don’t have to fit all of these skills on your resume to show that you know how to think critically. Instead, you want to highlight a range, demonstrating that you have what it takes to navigate situations effectively and accomplish your goals.

Spend some time reflecting on your work history or educational experiences. Then, identify moments where you used critical thinking to accomplish something noteworthy. Once you have, think about the skills that came into play, and make sure to mention them as you describe what led up to the achievement.

If you’re looking for more skills to put on a resume , we’ve actually taken a deep dive into that topic before. Along with various critical thinking skills, we tap on a ton of other areas, making it easier for you to figure out what you should feature during your job search.

Putting It All Together

In the end, critical thinking skills are essential for nearly every member of the workforce. By elevating yours as much as possible and showcasing them during your job search, you won’t just be a stronger candidate but also a more capable employee. That’s all great stuff. It’ll help you have your ideal career and, ultimately, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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What Are Critical Thinking Skills?

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Forage puts students first. Our blog articles are written independently by our editorial team. They have not been paid for or sponsored by our partners. See our full  editorial guidelines .

In the workplace, we’re constantly bombarded with new information to sort through and find solutions. Employers want to hire people who are good at analyzing these facts and coming to rational conclusions — otherwise known as critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills are a type of soft skill that describes how you process information and problem-solve . In this guide, we’ll cover critical thinking examples, how to improve your critical thinking skills, and how to include them in a job application.

Critical Thinking Skills Defined

What are critical thinking skills? Critical thinking skills help you process information and make rational decisions. 

“Critical thinking skills allow us to analyze problems from multiple angles, come up with various solutions, and make informed decisions,” says Bayu Prihandito, self-development expert and certified psychology expert. “This not only saves time and resources but also develops innovation and adaptability , skills that employers highly value.”

There’s data to back up Prihandito’s point, too. In top industries like technology and finance, critical thinking skills are even more important than some technical and digital hard skills . According to PwC , 77% of employers in financial services say that critical thinking skills are crucial for their business, compared with digital skills at 70%. Critical thinking is one of the top five skills employers in technology are looking for, too, according to Forage internal data , preceded only by communication skills , data analysis, and Python.

>>MORE: Learn the differences between hard and soft skills .

But why do so many employers want you to have these skills? Critical thinking skills make you a more effective, productive, and efficient employee.

“By questioning assumptions, evaluating evidence, and exploring alternative perspectives, individuals with strong critical thinking skills can make well-informed decisions and devise creative solutions to complex issues,” says Matthew Warzel, certified professional resume writer and former Fortune 500 recruiter . “This leads to improved problem-solving and decision-making processes, fostering organizational efficiency and productivity. Critical thinking skills also empower individuals to identify and mitigate potential risks and pitfalls, minimizing errors and enhancing overall quality in the workplace.” 

Cisco Career Readiness

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Critical Thinking Skills Examples

Critical thinking examples include a wide range of skills, from the research you do to understand a problem to the collaboration skills you use to communicate with others about a solution. Other examples include:

Critical Thinking Skills Examples at Work

What does critical thinking in the workplace look like? Here are some critical thinking examples for different roles:

• A software engineer anticipating potential challenges with a new feature and making plans to mitigate them before integration 
• A marketer evaluating historical user data to identify channels to invest in 
• An investment banker performing due diligence on a potential merger
• A product manager making a hypothesis of why a product change will drive more engagement
• A sales manager considering the risks and outcomes of modifying the company’s pricing model 
• A consultant gathering initial data and information on current company processes, costs, and organization to synthesize challenges

BCG Strategy Consulting

Apply your critical thinking skills as a consultant and conduct market research, understand consumer needs, and make a recommendation to a client.

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Skills you’ll build: Synthesis, business communication, client communication, stakeholder management

Whether you’re in a technical field, creative one, or somewhere in between, critical thinking skills can help you be a better employee — and therefore are highly valuable to all different types of employers.

“Critical thinking is essential to success in both white and blue collar jobs,” says Dr. Nathan Mondragon, chief industrial and organizational psychologist at HireVue. “Consider the school bus driver who must maintain constant vigilance and practice some critical thinking skills in the moment during an ever changing road or traffic situation. No parent will argue against the importance of a bus driver’s ability to quickly and critically analyze a situation to make an informed, albeit, rapid decision.”

How to Improve Critical Thinking Skills

If critical thinking skills are crucial to being an effective (and hireable!) employee, how can you improve yours? 

Practice Active Reading

OK, maybe you know what active listening is, but what about active reading? Active reading is when you read challenging material and reflect on what you read. It can help you engage with information and build your critical thinking skills.

Pick an article on a topic you’re interested in. While you’re reading, write down thoughts you have about the author’s arguments and follow-up questions you have. Even better, get someone else to read the same material and start a conversation about what you wrote down!

“By reading diverse and challenging material, such as books, articles, or academic papers, students can expose themselves to different perspectives and complex ideas,” Warzel says. “Following this, students can engage in reflective writing, where they articulate their thoughts and opinions on the material, while incorporating logical reasoning and evidence to support their claims. This process helps develop clarity of thought, logical reasoning, and the ability to analyze and synthesize information effectively.”

The exercise might seem a little like homework at first, but that’s why professors have you answer comprehension questions and participate in discussions for school — they want you to think critically about the material. 

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Play With Puzzles …

Building your critical thinking skills doesn’t just have to be reading a bunch of articles. It can be fun, too! Regularly engage with puzzles like logic puzzles, riddles, and word games. These puzzles practice your reasoning skills while keeping you intellectually stimulated.

… and People, Too

Critical thinking isn’t done in a bubble. You’ll need to collaborate with others, especially in the workplace, to understand past projects, roadblocks, what resources they have, and their opinions. Participating in group activities like debates, academic clubs, and academic discussions can help you practice listening to and processing different viewpoints.

Stay Curious

Good critical thinkers are open to a range of answers and ideas. They want to take in all of the evidence to understand why something is (or isn’t) happening.They also know going into a problem with an open mind is the best way to solve it. 

You can practice this open-mindedness by staying curious. 

“Adopt a curiosity mindset, learn how to ask good questions, and practice unraveling something from end to beginning and vice versa,” says Arissan Nicole, resume and career coach and workplace expert. “Critical thinking is about being reflective, not reactive. Put yourself in situations that are uncomfortable and challenge you, be around people that have different viewpoints and life experiences and just listen.”

How to Demonstrate Critical Thinking Skills in a Job Application

We know employers value critical thinking skills, but you don’t just want to add “critical thinking” in the skills section of your resume. Instead, your goal should be to show employers that you have these skills.

On Your Resume

On your resume , highlight experiences where you used critical thinking skills.

“Include relevant experiences or projects that demonstrate your ability to analyze information, solve problems, or make informed decisions,” Warzel says. “For example, you can highlight academic coursework that involved research, critical analysis, or complex problem-solving. Additionally, you can mention extracurricular activities or volunteer work where you had to think critically or exercise your problem-solving abilities.”

In the Interview

In the interview , elaborate on your experiences using the STAR method to frame your answers. The STAR method helps you clearly and concisely describe the situation, what you did, and what results you found.

Beyond speaking to your experience, you can also show your critical thinking skills in how you answer questions. This is especially true for more technical interviews where the interviewer might ask you to solve problems.

For example, let’s say you’re interviewing for a data analyst position. The interviewer might ask you a hypothetical question about how you’d figure out why company sales dipped last quarter. Even if you don’t have an answer right away (or a full one!), speak your thought process out loud. Consider:

• Where do you start?
• What resources do you rely on?
• Who do you collaborate with?
• What steps do you take to uncover an answer?
• How do you communicate results?

“Emphasize your ability to think logically, consider multiple perspectives, and draw conclusions based on evidence and reasoning,” Warzel says. 

This is the time to get specific about exactly what steps you’d take to solve a problem. While on a resume you might keep it short, the interview is the time to elaborate and show off your thought process — and hopefully show why you’re the best candidate for the role!

Ready to start building your critical thinking skills? Try a free Forage job simulation .

Related Posts

6 negotiation skills to level up your work life, how to build conflict resolution skills: case studies and examples, what is github uses and getting started, upskill with forage.

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How to build your critical thinking skills in 7 steps (with examples)

Critical thinking is, well, critical. By developing critical thinking skills, you improve your ability to analyze information and come to the best decision possible. In this article, we cover the basics of critical thinking, as well as the seven steps you can use to implement the full critical thinking process.

Critical thinking comes from asking the right questions to come to the best conclusion possible. Strong critical thinkers analyze information from a variety of viewpoints in order to identify the best course of action.

Don’t worry if you don’t think you have strong critical thinking skills. In this article, we’ll help you build a foundation for critical thinking so you can absorb, analyze, and make informed decisions. 

What is critical thinking? 

Critical thinking is the ability to collect and analyze information to come to a conclusion. Being able to think critically is important in virtually every industry and applicable across a wide range of positions. That’s because critical thinking isn’t subject-specific—rather, it’s your ability to parse through information, data, statistics, and other details in order to identify a satisfactory solution. 

Definitions of critical thinking

Various scholars have provided definitions of critical thinking, each emphasizing different aspects of this complex cognitive process:

Michael Scriven , an American philosopher, defines critical thinking as "the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication as a guide to belief and action."

Robert Ennis , professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, describes critical thinking as "reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do."

Diane Halpern , a cognitive psychologist and former president of the American Psychological Association, defines it as "the use of cognitive skills or strategies that increase the probability of a desirable outcome."

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8 essential critical thinking skills to develop

Critical thinking is essential for success in everyday life, higher education, and professional settings. The handbook "Foundation for Critical Thinking" defines it as a process of conceptualization, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of information.

In no particular order, here are eight key critical thinking abilities that can help you excel in any situation:

1. Analytical thinking

Analytical thinking involves evaluating data from multiple sources in order to come to the best conclusions. Analytical thinking allows people to reject cognitive biases and strive to gather and analyze intricate subject matter while solving complex problems. Analytical thinkers who thrive at critical thinking can:

Identify patterns and trends in the data

Break down complex issues into manageable components

Recognize cause-and-effect relationships

Evaluate the strength of arguments and evidence

Example: A data analyst breaks down complex sales figures to identify trends and patterns that inform the company's marketing strategy.

2. Open-mindedness

Open-mindedness is the willingness to consider new ideas, arguments, and information without prejudice. This critical thinking skill helps you analyze and process information to come to an unbiased conclusion. Part of the critical thinking process is letting your personal biases go, taking information at face value and coming to a conclusion based on multiple points of view .

Open-minded critical thinkers demonstrate:

Willingness to consider alternative viewpoints

Ability to suspend judgment until sufficient evidence is gathered

Receptiveness to constructive criticism and feedback

Flexibility in updating beliefs based on new information

Example: During a product development meeting, a team leader actively considers unconventional ideas from junior members, leading to an innovative solution.

3. Problem-solving

Effective problem solving is a cornerstone of critical thinking. It requires the ability to identify issues, generate possible solutions, evaluate alternatives, and implement the best course of action. This critical thinking skill is particularly valuable in fields like project management and entrepreneurship.

Key aspects of problem-solving include:

Clearly defining the problem

Gathering relevant information

Brainstorming potential solutions

Evaluating the pros and cons of each option

Implementing and monitoring the chosen solution

Reflecting on the outcome and adjusting as necessary

Example: A high school principal uses problem-solving skills to address declining student engagement by surveying learners, consulting with higher education experts, and implementing a new curriculum that balances academic rigor with practical, real-world applications.

4. Reasoned judgment

Reasoned judgment is a key component of higher order thinking that involves making thoughtful decisions based on logical analysis of evidence and thorough consideration of alternatives. This critical thinking skill is important in both academic and professional settings. Key aspects reasoned judgment include:

Objectively gathering and analyzing information

Evaluating the credibility and relevance of evidence

Considering multiple perspectives before drawing conclusions

Making decisions based on logical inference and sound reasoning

Example: A high school science teacher uses reasoned judgment to design an experiment, carefully observing and analyzing results before drawing conclusions about the hypothesis.

5. Reflective thinking

Reflective thinking is the process of analyzing one's own thought processes, actions, and outcomes to gain deeper understanding and improve future performance. Good critical thinking requires analyzing and synthesizing information to form a coherent understanding of a problem. It's an essential critical thinking skill for continuous learning and improvement.

Key aspects of reflective thinking include:

Critically examining one's own assumptions and cognitive biases

Considering diverse viewpoints and perspectives

Synthesizing information from various experiences and sources

Applying insights to improve future decision-making and actions

Continuously evaluating and adjusting one's thinking processes

Example: A community organizer reflects on the outcomes of a recent public event, considering what worked well and what could be improved for future initiatives.

6. Communication

Strong communication skills help critical thinkers articulate ideas clearly and persuasively. Communication in the workplace is crucial for effective teamwork, leadership, and knowledge dissemination. Key aspects of communication in critical thinking include:

Clearly expressing complex ideas

Active listening and comprehension

Adapting communication styles to different audiences

Constructing and delivering persuasive arguments

Example: A manager effectively explains a new company policy to her team, addressing their concerns and ensuring everyone understands its implications.

7. Research

Critical thinkers with strong research skills gather, evaluate, and synthesize information from various sources of information. This is particularly important in academic settings and in professional fields that require continuous learning. Effective research involves:

Identifying reliable and relevant sources of information

Evaluating the credibility and bias of sources

Synthesizing information from multiple sources

Recognizing gaps in existing knowledge

Example: A journalist verifies information from multiple credible sources before publishing an article on a controversial topic.

8. Decision-making

Effective decision making is the culmination of various critical thinking skills that allow an individual to draw logical conclusions and generalizations. It involves weighing options, considering consequences, and choosing the best course of action. Key aspects of decision-making include:

Defining clear criteria for evaluation

Gathering and analyzing relevant information

Considering short-term and long-term consequences

Managing uncertainty and risk

Balancing logic and intuition

Example: A homeowner weighs the costs, benefits, and long-term implications before deciding to invest in solar panels for their house.

How to develop critical thinking skills in 7 steps

Critical thinking is a skill that you can build by following these seven steps. The seven steps to critical thinking help you ensure you’re approaching a problem from the right angle, considering every alternative, and coming to an unbiased conclusion.

First things first: When to use the 7 step critical thinking process

There’s a lot that goes into the full critical thinking process, and not every decision needs to be this thought out. Sometimes, it’s enough to put aside bias and approach a process logically. In other, more complex cases, the best way to identify the ideal outcome is to go through the entire critical thinking process. 

The seven-step critical thinking process is useful for complex decisions in areas you are less familiar with. Alternatively, the seven critical thinking steps can help you look at a problem you’re familiar with from a different angle, without any bias. 

If you need to make a less complex decision, consider another problem solving strategy instead. Decision matrices are a great way to identify the best option between different choices. Check out our article on 7 steps to creating a decision matrix .

1. Identify the problem or question

Before you put those critical thinking skills to work, you first need to identify the problem you’re solving. This step includes taking a look at the problem from a few different perspectives and asking questions like: 

What’s happening? 

Why is this happening? 

What assumptions am I making? 

At first glance, how do I think we can solve this problem? 

A big part of developing your critical thinking skills is learning how to come to unbiased conclusions. In order to do that, you first need to acknowledge the biases that you currently have. Does someone on your team think they know the answer? Are you making assumptions that aren’t necessarily true? Identifying these details helps you later on in the process. 

2. Gather relevant information

At this point, you likely have a general idea of the problem—but in order to come up with the best solution, you need to dig deeper. 

During the research process, collect information relating to the problem, including data, statistics, historical project information, team input, and more. Make sure you gather information from a variety of sources, especially if those sources go against your personal ideas about what the problem is or how to solve it.

Gathering varied information is essential for your ability to apply the critical thinking process. If you don’t get enough information, your ability to make a final decision will be skewed. Remember that critical thinking is about helping you identify the objective best conclusion. You aren’t going with your gut—you’re doing research to find the best option

3. Analyze and evaluate data

Just as it’s important to gather a variety of information, it is also important to determine how relevant the different information sources are. After all, just because there is data doesn’t mean it’s relevant. 

Once you’ve gathered all of the information, sift through the noise and identify what information is relevant and what information isn’t. Synthesizing all of this information and establishing significance helps you weigh different data sources and come to the best conclusion later on in the critical thinking process. 

To determine data relevance, ask yourself:

How reliable is this information? 

How significant is this information? 

Is this information outdated? Is it specialized in a specific field? 

4. Consider alternative points of view

One of the most useful parts of the critical thinking process is coming to a decision without bias. In order to do so, you need to take a step back from the process and challenge the assumptions you’re making. 

We all have bias—and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Unconscious biases (also known as cognitive biases) often serve as mental shortcuts to simplify problem solving and aid decision making. But even when biases aren’t inherently bad, you must be aware of your biases in order to put them aside when necessary. 

Before coming to a solution, ask yourself:

Am I making any assumptions about this information? 

Are there additional variables I haven’t considered? 

Have I evaluated the information from every perspective? 

Are there any viewpoints I missed?

5. Draw logical conclusions

Finally, you’re ready to come to a conclusion. To identify the best solution, draw connections between causes and effects. Use the facts you’ve gathered to evaluate the most objective conclusion. 

Keep in mind that there may be more than one solution. Often, the problems you’re facing are complex and intricate. The critical thinking process doesn’t necessarily lead to a cut-and-dry solution—instead, the process helps you understand the different variables at play so you can make an informed decision. 

6. Develop and communication solutions

Communication is a key skill for critical thinkers. It isn’t enough to think for yourself—you also need to share your conclusion with other project stakeholders. If there are multiple solutions, present them all. There may be a case where you implement one solution, then test to see if it works before implementing another solution. 

This process of communicating and sharing ideas is key in promoting critical thinking abilities within a team or organization. By encouraging open dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, you create an environment that fosters the development of critical thinking skills in others.

7. Reflect and learn from the process

The seven-step critical thinking process yields a result—and you then need to put that solution into place. After you’ve implemented your decision, evaluate whether or not it was effective. Did it solve the initial problem? What lessons—whether positive or negative—can you learn from this experience to improve your critical thinking for next time? 

By engaging in this metacognitive reflective thinking process, you're essentially teaching critical thinking skills to yourself, refining your methodology with each iteration. This reflective practice is fundamental in developing a more robust and adaptable approach to problem-solving.

Depending on how your team shares information, consider documenting lessons learned in a central source of truth. That way, team members that are making similar or related decisions in the future can understand why you made the decision you made and what the outcome was.

Critical thinking examples in the workplace

Imagine you work in user experience design (UX). Your team is focused on pricing and packaging and ensuring customers have a clear understanding of the different services your company offers. Here’s how to apply the critical thinking process in the workplace in seven steps: 

Step 1: Start by identifying the problem

Your current pricing page isn’t performing as well as you want. You’ve heard from customers that your services aren’t clear, and that the page doesn’t answer the questions they have. This page is really important for your company, since it’s where your customers sign up for your service. You and your team have a few theories about why your current page isn’t performing well, but you decide to apply the critical thinking process to ensure you come to the best decision for the page. 

Gather information about how the problem started

Part of identifying the problem includes understanding how the problem started. The pricing and packaging page is important—so when your team initially designed the page, they certainly put a lot of thought into it. Before you begin researching how to improve the page, ask yourself: 

Why did you design the pricing page the way you did? 

Which stakeholders need to be involved in the decision making process? 

Where are users getting stuck on the page?

Are any features currently working?

Step 2: Then gather information and research

In addition to understanding the history of the pricing and packaging page, it’s important to understand what works well. Part of this research means taking a look at what your competitor’s pricing pages look like. 

Ask yourself: 

How have our competitors set up their pricing pages?

Are there any pricing page best practices? 

How does color, positioning, and animation impact navigation? 

Are there any standard page layouts customers expect to see? 

Step 3: Organize and analyze information

You’ve gathered all of the information you need—now you need to organize and analyze it. What trends, if any, are you noticing? Is there any particularly relevant or important information that you have to consider? 

Step 4: Consider alternative viewpoints to reduce bias

In the case of critical thinking, it’s important to address and set bias aside as much as possible. Ask yourself: 

Is there anything I’m missing? 

Have I connected with the right stakeholders? 

Are there any other viewpoints I should consider? 

Step 5: Determine the most logical solution for your team

You now have all of the information you need to design the best pricing page. Depending on the complexity of the design, you may want to design a few options to present to a small group of customers or A/B test on the live website.

Step 6: Communicate your solution to stakeholders

Critical thinking skills can help you in every element of your life, but in the workplace, you must also involve key project stakeholders . Stakeholders help you determine next steps, like whether you’ll A/B test the page first. Depending on the complexity of the issue, consider hosting a meeting or sharing a status report to get everyone on the same page. 

Step 7: Reflect on the results

No process is complete without evaluating the results. Once the new page has been live for some time, evaluate whether it did better than the previous page. What worked? What didn’t? This also helps you make better critical decisions later on.

Tools and techniques to improve critical thinking skills

Understanding how to improve critical thinking skills has become a cornerstone of personal and professional growth in the 21st century. Recognizing the importance of critical thinking, experts across various disciplines have contributed valuable insights and methodologies. Here are some notable contributions from experts and institutions in the field:

Mind mapping: A visual approach to critical thinking skills

Mind mapping is a visual technique that helps organize and structure information. It's particularly useful for synthesizing complex ideas and identifying connections between different concepts. The benefits of mind mapping include:

Enhancing creativity by encouraging non-linear thinking

Improving memory and retention of information

Facilitating brainstorming and idea generation

Providing a clear overview of complex topics

To create a mind map:

Start with a central idea or concept.

Branch out with related sub topics or ideas.

Use colors, symbols, and images to enhance visual appeal and memorability.

Draw connections between related ideas across different branches.

Mind mapping can be particularly effective in project planning , content creation, and studying complex subjects.

The Socratic Method: Deepening critical thinking skills

The Socratic Method, named after the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, involves asking probing questions to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas. This technique is widely used in higher education to teach critical thinking. Key aspects of the Socratic Method include:

Asking open-ended questions that encourage deeper reflection

Challenging assumptions and preconceived notions

Exploring the implications and consequences of ideas

Fostering intellectual curiosity and continuous inquiry

The Socratic Method can be applied in various settings:

In education, to encourage students to think deeply about subject matter

In business, it is important to challenge team members to consider multiple points of view.

In personal development, to examine one's own beliefs and decisions

Example: A high school teacher might use the Socratic Method to guide students through a complex ethical dilemma, asking questions like "What principles are at stake here?" and "How might this decision affect different stakeholders?"

SWOT analysis: Comprehensive critical thinking skills

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis is a strategic planning tool that can be applied to critical thinking. It helps in evaluating situations from multiple angles, promoting a more thorough understanding of complex issues. The components of SWOT analysis are:

Strengths: internal positive attributes or assets

Weaknesses: internal negative attributes or limitations

Opportunities: External factors that could be beneficial

Threats: External factors that could be harmful

To conduct a SWOT analysis:

Clearly define the subject of analysis (e.g., a project, organization, or decision).

Brainstorm and list items for each category.

Analyze the interactions between different factors.

Use the analysis to inform strategy or decision-making.

Example: A startup might use SWOT analysis to evaluate its position before seeking investment, identifying its innovative technology as a strength, limited capital as a weakness, growing market demand as an opportunity, and established competitors as a threat.

Critical thinking resources

The Foundation for Critical Thinking : Based in California, this organization offers a wide range of resources, including books, articles, and workshops on critical thinking.

The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking : This council provides guidelines and standards for critical thinking instruction and assessment.

University of Louisville : Their Critical Thinking Initiative offers various resources and tools that teach people how to develop critical thinking skills.

The New York Times Learning Network provides lesson plans and activities to help develop critical thinking skills through current events and news analysis.

Critical thinking frameworks and tools

Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework : Developed by Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder, this framework provides a comprehensive approach to developing critical thinking skills.

Bloom's Taxonomy : While not exclusively for critical thinking, this classification system is widely used in education to promote higher-order thinking skills.

The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) : This assessment tool measures the disposition to engage in problems and make decisions using critical thinking.

The Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test : Developed by Robert Ennis, this test assesses a person's ability to appraise an argument and to formulate a written argument.

By incorporating these tools and techniques into regular practice, individuals can learn how to improve critical thinking skills, which leads to more effective problem-solving, decision-making, and overall cognitive performance.

The power of critical thinking skills

Critical thinking skills take time to build, but with effort and patience you can apply an unbiased, analytical mind to any situation. Critical thinking makes up one of many soft skills that makes you an effective team member, manager, and worker. If you’re looking to hone your skills further, read our article on the 25 project management skills you need to succeed .

FAQ: Critical thinking skills

What is being a critical thinker?

Being a critical thinker means possessing strong critical thinking skills that allow you to analyze information objectively and make reasoned judgments. It involves developing analytical skills and the capacity for critical thought. A critical thinker questions assumptions, considers multiple perspectives, and bases decisions on evidence rather than emotions or biases.

What are the 5 C's of critical thinking?

The 5 C's of critical thinking are the core skill sets that make you a better critical thinker:

Curiosity: Asking questions and seeking new information

Creativity: Generating innovative solutions and ideas

Clarity: Expressing thoughts and ideas clearly and precisely

Consistency: Maintaining logical coherence in arguments and reasoning

Commitment: Dedicating oneself to ongoing learning and improvement

These skills directly improve critical thinking and strengthen overall cognitive abilities. Understanding and practicing these 5 C's is a fundamental aspect of how to develop critical thinking skills effectively.

How do you demonstrate critical thinking?

Demonstrating critical thinking involves applying your skill set in various situations. This includes analyzing problems, evaluating information sources, considering multiple perspectives, and using evidence-based reasoning. Many employers highlight these qualities in job descriptions, as they value employees who can apply critical thought to workplace challenges.

What is a real-life example of critical thinking?

A real-life critical thinking example could be making a major purchase decision, such as buying a car. Here's how you might apply critical thinking skills:

Research: Gather information about different car models, prices, and features

Analysis: Compare and contrast options based on your needs and budget

Evaluation: Assess the reliability of information sources (e.g., consumer reports, user reviews)

Questioning: Ask car dealers probing questions about warranties, maintenance costs, and resale value

Consideration of alternatives: Explore options like leasing or public transportation

Decision-making: Weigh pros and cons to make an informed choice

Reflection: After the purchase, evaluate your decision-making process for future improvement

This critical thinking example demonstrates how critical thought can be applied to everyday situations.

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Critical thinking definition

Critical thinking, as described by Oxford Languages, is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.

Active and skillful approach, evaluation, assessment, synthesis, and/or evaluation of information obtained from, or made by, observation, knowledge, reflection, acumen or conversation, as a guide to belief and action, requires the critical thinking process, which is why it's often used in education and academics.

Some even may view it as a backbone of modern thought.

However, it's a skill, and skills must be trained and encouraged to be used at its full potential.

People turn up to various approaches in improving their critical thinking, like:

• Developing technical and problem-solving skills
• Engaging in more active listening
• Actively questioning their assumptions and beliefs
• Seeking out more diversity of thought
• Opening up their curiosity in an intellectual way etc.

Is critical thinking useful in writing?

Critical thinking can help in planning your paper and making it more concise, but it's not obvious at first. We carefully pinpointed some the questions you should ask yourself when boosting critical thinking in writing:

• What information should be included?
• Which information resources should the author look to?
• What degree of technical knowledge should the report assume its audience has?
• What is the most effective way to show information?
• How should the report be organized?
• How should it be designed?
• What tone and level of language difficulty should the document have?

Usage of critical thinking comes down not only to the outline of your paper, it also begs the question: How can we use critical thinking solving problems in our writing's topic?

Let's say, you have a Powerpoint on how critical thinking can reduce poverty in the United States. You'll primarily have to define critical thinking for the viewers, as well as use a lot of critical thinking questions and synonyms to get them to be familiar with your methods and start the thinking process behind it.

Are there any services that can help me use more critical thinking?

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A Short Guide to Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills

• Matt Plummer

Critical thinking isn’t an innate skill. It can be learned.

Most employers lack an effective way to objectively assess critical thinking skills and most managers don’t know how to provide specific instruction to team members in need of becoming better thinkers. Instead, most managers employ a sink-or-swim approach, ultimately creating work-arounds to keep those who can’t figure out how to “swim” from making important decisions. But it doesn’t have to be this way. To demystify what critical thinking is and how it is developed, the author’s team turned to three research-backed models: The Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment, Pearson’s RED Critical Thinking Model, and Bloom’s Taxonomy. Using these models, they developed the Critical Thinking Roadmap, a framework that breaks critical thinking down into four measurable phases: the ability to execute, synthesize, recommend, and generate.

With critical thinking ranking among the most in-demand skills for job candidates , you would think that educational institutions would prepare candidates well to be exceptional thinkers, and employers would be adept at developing such skills in existing employees. Unfortunately, both are largely untrue.

• Matt Plummer (@mtplummer) is the founder of Zarvana, which offers online programs and coaching services to help working professionals become more productive by developing time-saving habits. Before starting Zarvana, Matt spent six years at Bain & Company spin-out, The Bridgespan Group, a strategy and management consulting firm for nonprofits, foundations, and philanthropists.  

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A guide to critical thinking skills (with examples)

No matter what situation you're in, you will need to address conflicts or challenges. From figuring out how to use your time wisely to adjusting the annual budget at work, you'll deal with issues that need a satisfying solution. To do this, you must exercise your critical thinking skills. 

You can apply critical thinking skills to any setting. For example, when delegating responsibilities to your team members, you check their capabilities, current commitments, pros, and cons. When deciding which job offer to say yes to, consider not only the compensation and benefits package, but also the commute,  organisational culture , and even potential career trajectory. 

In these situations, you exhibit aspects of critical thinking, such as observation and research, analysis, and experimentation, to reach the best possible results. 

Understanding critical thinking

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So what is critical thinking? The word “critical” is rooted in “ kritikos ,” a Greek word that means “able to make sense of” or “able to discern.” It’s a way of thinking in which you ask questions, then analyse, interpret, and evaluate information. You then reach a decision based on this input. It means using sound information to make good judgements.

Critical thinking is not the same as criticising, which points out faults and failures. It’s more about thinking clearly to analyse information and interpret for better decision.

Critical thinking plays a pivotal role in the workplace. It's one of the most  valuable transferable skills to have. It allows you to think objectively and efficiently, solve problems, and make the best decisions for everyone involved, as well as for the organisation. 

The elements of critical thinking

Critical thinking involves a systematic way of assessing a situation or problem. Here are the basic steps of the evaluative process:

1. Observation  

Observation allows you to take in details about people, things, and the environment around you for better understanding. 

2. Analysis

Analytical thinking involves investigating an issue and gathering available data to determine the possible root cause and solution. 

3. Interpretation

Critical thinking means looking at information, filtering it, and understanding what it means in the context you are observing.

4. Evaluation

Decision-making comes after reviewing your data. Assess information in its entirety before reaching a solution.

5. Explanation

Critical thinking means articulating how and why you arrived at such a decision. You should be able to explain the logic behind the process and provide a rationale.

6. Self-regulation

You constantly seek improvement to become more efficient and effective with your solutions. Self-regulation entails being always aware of your thought processes.

Now that you have a deeper understanding of critical thinking, it is time to learn the practical steps of the process – and how to apply them to problems you may encounter.

Situation: 

You're the manager of a small restaurant. Regulars visit your café daily. Your restaurant gets an average of 20 customers per day. While this is enough to sustain the business, you earn only a small profit. As a result, you want to grow your client base.You've allotted a small budget to generate interest and rev up sales. 

1. Define the problem.

By identifying the issue, you can outline the next steps and necessary information. The more you zoom in on the problem, the more targeted your solution will be. 

In the example above, your problem statement can be, “Grow my client base by 20% over the next 6 months.”

2. Gather information and data.

Start collecting information to help you reach a logical and measurable solution.

Look into your monthly and annual profits in the past. How much have they grown or fallen? Did they stay the same? Are there high-earning months? Do you notice a pattern? Study your menu and see which items move and which don't.

If you're extra thorough in your assessment, figure out your demographic. You can also study what your competitors are doing.

3. Identify potential solutions.

With the collected data, think of plausible ideas to address the issue. These will test your knowledge of the product, process, or system encountering challenges.

If your customers order the same items, you can retire some dishes. You can replace those options with fresher trends to expand the demographic. If your competitor introduces combos and sales, look into promotions you can offer. 

4. Evaluate solutions.

Analyse the proposed solutions. How can these solve the problem, and what resources do they need? Are they sustainable? Trim down the most optimal options before testing them.

Would retiring dishes affect the cost of your supply? Is your kitchen staff ready to take on new dishes? Are they familiar with trendy restaurants? Do you have room in the budget for training? 

5. Implement solutions.

Test your shortlisted solutions for their effectiveness and feasibility, and record the outcomes. Make sure to allow for a long enough period to produce results.

For example, some of those solutions can be: 

• Slash a few non-movers off the menu
• Introduce a weekly special
• Drop your prices by 50% after 8 p.m. 

Try these solutions one at a time to assess the outcome. Then, note the results from end to end.

6. Monitor and adjust solutions.

Review the changes you made and pick out which efforts were worth it. Do you need to make any adjustments? Did the weekly special attract new customers? Were regulars looking for retired items? Bear these factors in mind when you choose a final solution.

With practice, critical thinking can do wonders in the workplace.

Making decisions can be tricky at work, no matter what your position or job level. You may even step on some toes. But when you use critical thinking, decision-making becomes more structured and less personal.  

Definition of decision-making

Decision-making isn't just about picking between options A and B. In the workplace, it entails data collection and impactful solutions. 

How to make effective decisions using critical thinking

Effective decision-making needs a deliberate process to produce the most satisfactory results. You can use various models and methods. But the overall approach entails typical critical thinking elements.

You are a creative writing graduate with two job offers. The first, as a copywriter for a pharmaceutical firm, offers a high salary and amazing benefits, but the career path isn't clear. The other pays about 25% less, but it's as an editorial assistant at your dream publishing house. It also offers long-term prospects. 

1. Identify your goal.

Brainstorm and identify specific goals you want to accomplish in your career. Use these goals to align your decision-making. 

In the above example, think about what career path you envision in the longer run. Do you want to be an editor or a marketing manager? If you don't have a clear idea of a specific career path for the future, think deeply about your strengths and interests. What do you value more, money or challenges? Stability or new experiences? 

This will help you be more specific about career-goals. 

2. Identify options.

After making a decision, pause and review. Ask yourself: "Is this the best decision I can make? Could there be other options I can consider?" 

In the above example, you can consider writing part-time or negotiating a higher salary with the publishing house.

3. Gather and analyse information.

Collect details to help you come up with an informed decision. What do these tell you about the problem? Considering all this information, what's the most reasonable choice?

What are the pros and cons of each job based on your lifestyle needs? Do you need money to support your family? Do you just want the experience? 

4. Evaluate alternatives.

Do the same intensive process when assessing options. Return to the challenge, list every pro and con, and imagine each choice's impact. Is it just A or B, or is there a compromise? Look at the bigger picture. 

If you opt for the pharmaceutical job, will it make you happy? Do you think you can wait for other job offers to come in? How much time do you have before you need to make a decision?

5. Choose the best alternative.

With the options laid out, choose the best alternative. When in doubt, go back to the goal you identified earlier. Your primary motivation is to address this goal. 

After putting the pieces together, you may decide to opt for the publishing house, negotiating for better compensation. 

Despite the "process," critical thinking can be creative, too. For example, creative problem-solving means developing new ideas to address problems. According to Harvard Business School, it means you can “ overcome unforeseen challenges  and find solutions to unconventional problems.” 

Think of how Anthony Tan and Tan Hooi Ling founded Grab. They wanted to solve the issue of unsafe taxi rides in Malaysia. Their innovation came in the form of My Teksi, Grab’s precursor. You can use critical thinking when you want to innovate.

Definition of creativity

Creativity means stretching your imagination and thinking outside the box. It is not limited to conventional creative pursuits such as art or music. You can use innovative thinking to solve problems, elicit attention, or evoke an emotional connection.

How to use critical thinking to enhance creativity

Critical thinking helps in a creative slump, providing a framework or guidelines. It adds structure, direction, and a sense of organisation.

You are an HR executive tasked to design the annual team building activity. You want it to be memorable, not just another conference where no one pays attention.

1. Brainstorm

As the most common  way to exercise creative thinking at work , brainstorming happens when an individual or group exchanges ideas in response to a question or to achieve a goal. 

Gather the events team and bounce plans off each other. A hotel getaway might trigger other suggestions, such as an  Amazing Race , a spa trip, or geocaching (a collaborative activity where others hide things all over the world for others to seek out).

2. Identify assumptions

Formulating fresh ideas means changing perspectives and thinking differently. To do this, you must recognise preconceived notions, assumptions, and generalisations about the problem.

Your team may believe such activities are a chore and find them a drag. They could also resort to usual ideas, such as relays, tug of war, or scavenger hunts.

3. Challenge assumptions

Combat these preconceptions through creative thinking. Other people will want to stick to the old way. Creative approaches, like brainstorming, will help challenge these and spur fresh ideas.

Don't just copy what other HR executives have done. Check out trends so more people can relate. Study the attendees' strengths and weaknesses. Use these as a jumping-off point. 

4. Reframe problems

Oftentimes, shared perspectives can hamper the ideas generated through creative thinking. Reframing problems means using a different point of view. You want to solve a problem imaginatively, not just following how other people have done it before

Send a survey to check what people in the office like doing. Then see if you can thread commonalities together. Invite new members to the organising committee for fresher ideas.

5. Use analogy and metaphor

Analogies and metaphors allow you to illustrate ideas in a non-literal way. The book  Rethinking Creativity  states that analogical thinking means using information and solutions from one problem for another.  University of Pittsburgh Psychology professor Christian Schunn says it helps you infer newer ideas, identify potential challenges, and articulate results to others.

Was last year's team building event chaotic? How do you avoid it happening again? What measures will you add to this year's activity?

6. Experiment

Experimentation is key, as a strict set of rules cannot box creative thinking. It lets you play around with possible solutions without a fixed framework.

Use the new ideas to improve how the committee conducts its team building activities

Good communication skills intertwine with critical thinking. Communication, verbal or non-verbal, helps you grasp problems and situations better. It also helps with the explanation step of the critical thinking process. You can articulate the rationale behind a solution better.

How to use critical thinking to communicate effectively

Since critical thinking provides a framework for solving problems, you can use it as a guide for communicating effectively. For example, you can break down messages into parts, or order and style them for a recipient to digest easily. 

Below are some key steps you can take when composing your message:

Situation 1:

You are a recruitment officer about to  talk to Gen Z university students to try to convince them to apply to your company. Your speech must interest and engage them.

1. Identify the message

What do you want to say? Sum up your main point in one sentence. Use it as a starting point for composing your message.

Based on the example above, your message should answer the question, "Why is your company ideal for Gen Z employees?" For example, Gen Z would thrive in your company because you offer flexibility, well-rounded compensation, and transparency.

2. Identify the audience

Tailor your message to the recipient. It makes you more conscientious about your vocabulary and writing style. 

Traditional reportage with colourful pie charts and hefty promises won't hold weight here. According to  Jobgram Creative Director Paul Jacobs during SEEK's Talent Talks , work culture, development opportunities, and innovation are what influence  Gen Z.

3. Clarify the message

After drafting your main message, explain supplementary details such as the context.

Show how many Gen Z members you have on your team. Explain why your Gen Z-designed company helps enhance productivity and drive business goals. This generation loves understanding their role in the grand scheme of the organisation.

4. Support the message with evidence

Add facts, quotes, or examples. They inject credibility, authority, and trustworthiness.

Talk about your  mentorship programme and your social entrepreneur campaigns. Show your fun facilities, like your nap and game rooms. 

5. Consider counter-arguments

Some people might not see eye-to-eye with you. Be ready with possible counter-arguments. 

Gen Z loves asking why, so come prepared with information.

Situation 2: 

You just started a new job as a sales manager for a manufacturing firm. However, you’re having difficulty communicating with your conservative line manager. He rejects your ideas as too trendy or overly ambitious, and you can’t seem to connect with him and show the benefits of your suggestions. 

What are you trying to tell your boss? Break down the issue into parts. Do you want him to simply listen to your ideas or actually allow you to implement them? Establishing rapport with your line manager is different from proving the usefulness of your suggestions. Tackle one step at a time.

Let’s say you want your line manager to test out one of your ideas. Study your line manager. What key performance indicators (KPIs) does he pay attention to? Is he results-oriented? Data-driven? Does he respond to any of your colleagues better? What does that colleague do? 

Once you identify the best style to reach your line manager, formulate a strategy. Schedule a one-on-one to explain your points. If he prefers a more formal approach, you can make a full deck. He’ll appreciate the effort.

Add case studies and evidence-based forecasts. Since he’s more conservative, you can include a point-by-point plan where you can start small and adjust accordingly.   

As always, prepare for hesitation, opposition, and even a direct  “no.” But the fact that you got him to sit down and listen to you is already a big leap. 

Critical thinking is an indispensable part of analysis and evaluation, as it allows you to reach a conclusion using relevant information. 

Definition of analysis and evaluation

Analysing involves carefully reviewing information and gauging its truthfulness and reliability to arrive at possible conclusions. Evaluation is when you decide on the best course of action to solve a problem.

How to use critical thinking to analyse and evaluate information

You're a data analyst about to present this month's numbers. Your role is to interpret your findings and develop a strategy to grow the business.

1. Identify the purpose of the analysis

Like decision-making, you can shape your analysis using a purpose or objective. What is the analysis for? What do you wish to achieve?

If your goal is to drive sales, then highlight the details that increased the volume of sales. Was it the Facebook campaign you launched?

2. Gather information

Collect information to help enlighten you on the background of the situation. Use it to frame your analysis.

Was there inflation? A price hike in raw materials? What could possibly explain low points in the charts? 

3. Organise information

Organise information using tools such as charts, tables, or mind maps. Sorting your data makes it easy to understand.

4. Analyse information

Once organised, review the data and look for any patterns or discrepancies. What does the information tell you? 

Are sales better during specific hours of the day? Is there a common denominator during peaks and slumps?  

5. Evaluate information

Having analysed the information, you should be ready to reach a conclusion. What were you able to deduce based on the data?

You can make recommendations based on the patterns you figured out. Push social media campaigns during strong moments and reduce efforts during slower ones. Try channel marketing to engage your consumers. Do sales grow when you introduce new things? Experiment by releasing special items during a weaker season.

Critical thinking isn't just an outward-facing tool. It also helps you reflect on your thoughts and actions.

How to use critical thinking to reflect on your thoughts and actions

Knowing how your mind works helps you become more aware of the things that excite, irk, or trigger you. Being attuned to your thoughts and actions will allow you to know when you’re being subjective instead of objective, which is essential in critical thinking.

Your  year-end performance review is coming up, and you must fill out a self-evaluation portion. You want it to come across  as professionally as possible. 

1. Identify personal biases and assumptions

Connecting to your thoughts and actions helps you determine personal biases and assumptions. The more defined these are, the more you can stay objective when necessary. 

Look back on some of the issues you encountered at work. Which of these did your biases affect? For example, did you turn down a colleague's suggestion to launch a city mall event because you didn't like that mall? 

2. Challenge personal biases and assumptions

Ironically, a paper in the  British Educational Research Journal , which studied the challenges of teaching critical thinking in Singapore, shows that difficulty stems from the preconceived notion that teachers are responsible for the training, students are passive learners, and the subject matter is adversarial.

Awareness of your biases helps you catch them next time. This step trains you to become more and more impartial.

Understanding why you rejected the event, your next step can be to base your decisions on potential rather than personal motivations.

3. Reflect on past decisions and actions

Try  journaling for mindfulness at work to capture your reflections on your past decisions and actions. How did these make you feel? How can you grow from those experiences? 

4. Identify areas for improvement

The less attached you are to your personal biases and assumptions, the stronger a critical thinker you can be. Use self-reflection as a tool to identify your flaws and become better.

When answering your feedback form, indicate how self-reflection can make you a better worker. For example, now you know that filtering your words can help prevent conflict during meetings. Instead of making a knee-jerk comment, you reconsider how you phrase your question, tempering emotions and reactions in the process.

Critical thinking may seem like a difficult  process reserved for big life decisions or work projects, but it applies to daily life, even seemingly minor things. Here are some of its benefits:

Improved decision making

Good critical thinking helps you make more logical decisions. The opinions or thoughts of others won't easily sway you because you focus on the goal.

Enhanced problem-solving skills

It allows you to study all aspects, options, and outcomes when managing a challenge.

Improved communication skills

You can articulate solutions and challenges clearly because you've studied and understood them.

A better understanding of different perspectives

Knowing your personal biases and assumptions allows you to observe and appreciate other perspectives.

Increased creativity

Applying creative thinking methods such as brainstorming and mind mapping increases your creativity, allowing you to explore ideas in an unconventional manner.

Be aware of the obstacles that could hamper your critical thinking.

• Personal biases and prejudices:  These cloud your objectivity, prompting you to favour one thing over another.
• Emotional influences:  Be aware of the people you look up to. They may affect how you feel about specific topics or subjects.
• Lack of knowledge and understanding:  Limited or no information makes it hard to reach an informed decision.
• External pressures:  People’s expectations or pressures can push you to less-than-ideal solutions.
• Lack of time:  Mistakes happen when you don't have sufficient time to research or analyse data.

You may not realise it, but you apply critical thinking in most aspects of your life. 

• Critical thinking in the workplace:  You can practise problem-solving at work in several ways, from figuring out which job seekers to interview to strategising a possible retrenchment.  
• Decision-making processes:  Investigation, experimentation, and evaluation allow you to form more goal-driven decisions for the organisation.
• Conflict resolution: You can remain unbiased and impartial when you listen to both parties.
• Innovation: Creative thinking will push professionals to think outside the box when formulating new solutions.
• Critical thinking in your personal life: Big personal decisions, like choosing an apartment or raising a child, need thorough research and planning.
• Evaluating information:  Critical thinking helps you sift through the evidence and develop a logical answer.
• Making informed decisions: Stop relying on your gut feeling, and exercise enough research methodically.
• Problem-solving: Review various alternatives when solving problems.
• Communication: You improve your comprehension and articulation skills. 

So how do you train  thinking ? Practising helps you hone evaluative skills, especially now that you understand its never-ending benefits. Below are ways to kickstart critical thinking:

1. Active listening

Are you hearing but not listening? Active listening means  understanding and engaging in what someone is saying. It involves reacting, maintaining eye contact, and reserving personal judgement.

2. Asking questions

By asking questions, you show a keen interest in what the other person is saying, and bring up ways to enliven the dialogue. You not only collect more information, but you learn to think on your toes. 

3. Challenging assumptions

You're sceptical and open-minded. You believe there’s no one right answer or correct belief.

4. Seeking feedback

Be open to what other people have to say. You’re not satisfied with just what you know, but you seek validation or the feedback of others.

5. Continuous learning and development

You understand you can always learn and gain insights from any person or situation. This way, you have more information when making decisions.

Keep applying the skills of collecting information and strategising to improve your critical thinking. Here are some practices to try:

1. Reflective thinking

Make it a habit to question your questions and actions. Don't fall into the trap of preconceived notions and biases in order to stay objective in your decisions.

2. Questioning assumptions

Perspectives and assumptions can affect impartiality. By questioning assumptions, you get to the facts, not opinions.

3. Analysing different viewpoints

When it comes to perspectives, everything is subjective, which is why gathering and analysing different viewpoints is necessary. Having various viewpoints allows you to solve the problem in a way that can benefit everyone.

4. Problem-solving techniques

By using different problem-solving techniques, you’re open to different approaches and know you can gain new insights from each one.

5. Decision-making frameworks

Use different methods and find the best one for each situation. This helps you ensure and maintain high-quality results, in line with the company’s values and vision. 

Depending on the problem, there are different ways to go about critical thinking.

1. SWOT analysis

Studying the  strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a project or undertaking allows you to cover all bases and review if it is worth repeating or needs modification.

2. Fishbone diagram

This investigates the probable causes of an effect or problem. You can use it to guide brainstorming sessions.

For example, a piece of office equipment was damaged when it was delivered to the company, with the effect written as “damaged printer.” Different options would list the different possible reasons for this: the printer itself, workers/handlers, materials used for packaging, environmental problems, scheduling. Under “workers/handlers,” specific causes could include negligence or lack of training. Under “environmental problems,” bad weather and bumpy roads could be listed as causes.

3. Mind mapping

Organise ideas into a map by structuring subtopics under one main topic or central idea. 

4.Cost-benefit analysis

List the advantages and the cost of several items to determine whether they are worth the price. Is hiring a third-party agency more affordable than doing it in-house? This technique is good for budgeting and evaluating investments.

5. Decision trees

Machine-type learning uses a hierarchical or tree-like approach to map decisions and their corresponding consequences.

Having a workforce that thinks critically can only help everyone involved. The company adopts a  growth mindset , becomes more goal-oriented, reduces errors, and enhances productivity.

• Improved decision-making.  Critical thinking helps you think of solutions that produce actual results.
• Increased innovation and creativity.  Brainstorming and experimentation prompt you to think out of the box. 
• Better problem-solving.  Studying several options – all arrived at through careful research and testing – helps you formulate strategic solutions.
• Higher employee engagement and job satisfaction. Employees become more confident about facing challenges and resolving issues. 

With the advent of new technology comes a new way of thinking. Here’s how critical thinking will fare in the future.

The role of critical thinking in the digital age

In the age of social media, memes, and news published online, critical thinking serves as a way to determine the authenticity and soundness of data.

The impact of technology (including AI) on critical thinking

Artificial intelligence (AI) cannot replace critical thinking. It cannot analyse data and make decisions based on human emotions. Only humans can perform critical thinking skills such as evaluating information and decision-making using facts and reasoning. 

The importance of critical thinking in a rapidly changing world

In a world where cybercrimes such as phishing abound, critical thinking will help people become sharper, more sceptical, and more vigilant.

Critical thinking skills help guide you to cultivate decisions that improve people's lives, help the company, or achieve whatever goal you have. You can apply it everywhere, from your personal life to your professional path, making it a bonus if you want to  future-proof your skills . Better problem-solving capabilities also give you greater confidence when making hard choices. 

For more tips that can guide you in navigating your career, check out our  Career Advice page or download JobStreet’s app available on the  App Store and  Google Play . 

• What are critical thinking skills, and why are they important? ⁠ Critical thinking skills include analysis, interpretation, experimentation, and inferential skills to solve problems or make decisions. The factual, logical, and well-researched approach leads you towards the most optimal solution. ⁠
• How can I improve my critical thinking skills? ⁠ You can improve your critical thinking skills by practising them in your personal life and at the workplace. Exercise self-reflection, ask questions, challenge assumptions, seek feedback, and stay open to learning. ⁠
• Can you teach critical thinking skills, or are they innate? ⁠ Yes, you can train critical thinking skills. Try different evaluation models and methods to see which works best for you. Some Singapore universities, like Singapore Management University and the Marketing Institute in Singapore, offer courses in critical thinking and reasoning. ⁠
• What are some examples of critical thinking in everyday life? ⁠ Examples include identifying potentially misleading news headlines on social media or phishing content in an email. Such items can victimise people unequipped with the necessary critical thinking skills. ⁠
• What are the most common barriers to critical thinking, and how can I overcome them? ⁠ Biases, preconceived notions, and prejudices hinder the objectivity and impartiality of critical thinking. To overcome these, you must stay attuned to your ways of thinking and your own biases and preferences so you can set these aside when faced with a triggering scenario, setting, or problem. ⁠
• How can critical thinking skills benefit my career development? ⁠ With critical thinking skills, you can make better decisions and solve problems since you use a strategic, logical approach based on facts and results. You're also not easily swayed by the emotions or opinions of others. It's an important quality, especially in the workplace where you have to make decisions. ⁠
• How can I encourage my colleagues to develop their critical thinking skills? ⁠ Invite them to brainstorming sessions. You could also use tools such as SWOT analysis or decision trees to tap into your team’s ideas. ⁠
• Are there any industries or job roles where critical thinking skills are essential? ⁠ Industries like accounting, data science, medicine, law, and engineering rely on data analysis. Their performance relies on using information via calculations or specific procedures that best address the situation or scenario. ⁠

It requires prior knowledge of a subject matter 

It’s used only to win arguments

It’s applicable only to certain fields 

• How can I measure my progress in developing my critical thinking skills? ⁠ Take a  validated critical thinking skills test to measure the strength of your critical thinking skills. These tests include the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) and the Business Critical Thinking Skills Test (BCTST).

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How to Use Socratic Questioning to Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

• The Speaker Lab
• September 13, 2024

Table of Contents

Socratic questioning isn’t merely a philosopher’s technique but a formidable asset for enhancing one’s critical thinking and articulation abilities. Want to improve your communication skills? Then this powerful tool is perfect for you too!

In this article, you’ll learn why this age-old technique still matters today and how it can transform conversations in your daily life. From understanding its roots to applying it in education and beyond, we’ll guide you through mastering Socratic questioning. Plus, we’ll tackle common challenges and even compare the Socratic method with other ones used for teaching. Ready to boost your analytical abilities? Let’s get started.

Understanding Socratic Questioning

Socratic questioning isn’t just a debate technique from ancient Greece. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of conversation tools, ready to dissect ideas and shine light on the truth.

This practice roots back to Socrates himself, who famously used it to challenge assumptions and foster critical thinking among his peers. But don’t let its age fool you—these questions are as useful today as they were over two millennia ago. Through the art of inquisitive interrogation, we strip down preconceived notions and unveil profound understandings about our convictions and choices.

The beauty of Socratic questioning lies in its versatility. It thrives anywhere curiosity lives, and isn’t confined to philosophy classes or legal chambers. If navigating personal quandaries or dissecting intricate work-related puzzles, embracing this method can turn ordinary chats into thoughtful dialogues.

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Types of Socratic Questions

Socrates, the renowned philosopher from ancient Athens, knew a thing or two about sparking insight. His method? Asking the right kinds of questions. Let’s break down these types of questions and look at them more closely.

Clarification Questions

First up are clarification questions. Imagine you’re trying to get to the bottom of why your friend always chooses odd vacation spots. You might ask, “What draws you to these places?” This type of open-ended question nudges someone to think more deeply about their initial statement or choice.

In practice, it’s like peeling an onion, because each layer reveals more until you hit the core truth. In this way, clarification question stay true to their name, offering a way to gain insight and better understanding.

Assumptions Probing

Next in line is probing assumptions, and using these is a bit like playing devil’s advocate. For instance, if someone says “All great speakers are born with talent,” you could counter with “Why do we assume talent can’t be developed?” These questions challenge underlying beliefs and open doors for fresh perspectives.

By adopting this method, we unearth concealed prejudices and prompt a reevaluation of our core convictions, paving the way for enlightenment and development.

Evidence Examination

Lastly we have examining evidence, and this is where critical thinking kicks into high gear. If your colleague claims “Our marketing strategy isn’t working,” dig deeper by asking “What data supports this conclusion?” This question not only scrutinizes the basis of assertions but promotes a fact-based discussion rather than one led by emotions or vague observations. In other words, this approach changes our dialogues from speculative arguments to discussions anchored in the tangible world.

By weaving Socratic inquiry into our daily dialogues, we cultivate spaces where authentic revelations and meaningful conversations flourish. The key lies in being curious enough to go deeper than surface-level exchanges and brave enough to question our own as well as others’ viewpoints rigorously.

Implementing Socratic Questioning in Everyday Life

So now you’ve been introduced to Socratic questioning and its brain-boosting powers. But how do you use it without sounding like a philosopher at dinner? Believer it or not, it’s simpler than you think.

Incorporating Into Daily Conversations

Mixing Socratic questioning into your daily conversations doesn’t mean turning every coffee run into a debate club meeting. Instead, start with simple introspection, asking yourself why you believe what you do about common topics, whether it’s politics, education, or even the best burger joint in town.

To navigate conversations effectively, aim to ignite a spark of curiosity rather than sparking heated debates. Ask open-ended questions that invite people to explain their views more deeply. While there’s nothing wrong with the occasional yes-or-no inquiry, avoid using them exclusively as they typically shut down discussion.

Mastering this method doesn’t just mean you shine in debate victories. It’s equally adept at helping you navigate significant and minor choices alike. Applying this level of scrutiny can lead to better choices by ensuring all angles are considered before jumping in headfirst.

Becoming Your Own Thoughtful Critic

As mentioned earlier, apply these methods inwardly too. When facing personal dilemmas or life choices, being able to dissect your own reasoning can clarify what you truly want. It can also help you identify what might simply be an impulsive desire. Employed thoughtfully, they foster self-reflection leading to more informed choices aligned with one’s values.

By practicing Socratic questioning regularly, you’ll develop a knack for critical thinking that rivals ancient philosophers.

Socratic Questioning in Education

Imagine walking into a classroom where the air buzzes with curiosity, and every question leads to another. Because of its exploratory nature, Socratic inquiry is perfect for transforming every classroom into a hive of exploration.

Using Socratic Questions in the Classroom

Using the three different types of Socratic questions, students can gain deeper understanding and insight into a variety of topics. For instance, suppose students in a history class used evidence-based questions to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a democratic government. Similarly, an English class could use clarification questions to dive deeper into a text and characters’ motivations. Science teachers could even use assumption questions to introduce scientific phenomena like centrifugal force or buoyancy.

The rationale behind someone’s arguments becomes clearer through Socratic questioning. By following a line of inquiry, students can dissect how certain conclusions were reached. As a result, students gain a greater understanding of other perspectives, putting them in an ideal position to experience empathy and broaden their own viewpoints.

The Challenges of Socratic Questioning

Despite its many benefits, Socratic questioning can prove challenging in the classroom. Some find it leads to confusion or frustration due to its open-ended nature or when improperly applied without consideration for individual learning styles or emotional readiness.

Navigating these challenges effectively requires patience along with an understanding of what students are prepared to handle. And of course, a little practice goes a long way.

The Challenges and Criticisms of Socratic Questioning

Socratic questioning, though effective in fostering deep thought, comes with its own set of obstacles. Diving into this approach, we often bump into a few stumbling blocks and critiques that are worth mentioning.

Can Lead to Frustration

At times, diving headfirst into the pursuit of profound insights can end up making individuals feel even more bewildered than they were to begin with. Imagine you’re trying to find your way out of a maze, but every turn you take leads to another question instead of an exit. That’s how some folks feel during intense sessions of Socratic questioning. It requires patience and resilience from all parties involved.

In addition, Socratic questioning demands a high level of engagement which might be draining over long periods. The key here is balance, knowing when to dive deeper and when to surface back with the answers found.

Potential Power Imbalance

In scenarios where one person holds all the questions (and thereby controls the direction of conversation), there can be an unintended power imbalance. This dynamic might make some participants hesitant to share their thoughts openly or challenge ideas being presented.

To mitigate this issue, facilitators need careful training on creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute equally.

Risk of Misinterpretation

Questions are open-ended by nature. This means there’s room for interpretation in responses received as well as in subsequent questions asked. Misunderstandings can occur if either party reads too much between lines or assumes knowledge not actually possessed by others.

Clear communication is crucial here, and asking follow-up questions helps ensure everyone remains on the same page throughout discussions.

Comparing Socratic Questioning with Other Teaching Methods

Socratic questioning demonstrates the power of asking questions that encourage deep thought and learning. In contrast to conventional educational tactics, which frequently emphasize memorization, this strategy nurtures analytical reasoning by prompting learners to explore and conclude independently.

Traditional Lectures

In traditional lectures, information flows one way: from teacher to student. As a result, students might find themselves drifting off or lost in a flurry of note-taking, barely connecting with the essence of what’s being taught. When you bring Socratic questioning into play, however, the classroom becomes a dialogue rather than a monologue. Students become active participants in their education, not just passive receivers of information.

In addition to increased attention, students can also gain a deeper understanding of fundamental concepts. For instance, instead of simply memorizing historical facts, students might explore why certain events unfolded as they did and how they could have been different under other circumstances.

Group Projects

Group projects aim to foster collaboration but sometimes fall short when some voices dominate while others fade into the background. Integrating Socratic questioning encourages every group member to voice their thoughts and question each other’s assumptions critically—a key skill in both academic settings and real-world problem-solving scenarios.

By dissecting intricate concepts, this technique ensures all participants can grasp and add value to the conversation, thereby enhancing inclusivity and efficacy in learning among varied groups.

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Resources for Further Exploration of Socratic Questioning

If you’re eager to dive deeper into the world of Socratic questioning, a wealth of resources awaits. From books that lay the foundational principles to interactive websites offering practical exercises, there’s something for every level of curiosity and expertise.

Books That Challenge and Inspire

If reading is your thing, there are plenty of books that delve deeper into Socratic questioning. Take, for instance, “The Art of Socratic Questioning,” which delves into the nuances of this timeless technique, offering readers insights into crafting questions that stimulate deep thinking.

Meanwhile, “Socrates’ Café: A Fresh Taste of Philosophy” brings philosophy out of the academy and into everyday life, demonstrating how Socratic questioning remains as relevant today as it was in ancient Greece. (And speaking of ancient Greece, have you ever heard of the three rhetorical appeals? Check them out here .)

Lastly, “Socrates in the Boardroom” delves into the application of these philosophical approaches within leadership spheres, urging individuals to scrutinize their decision-making methods critically.

Websites Offering Interactive Learning Experiences

The digital age brings with it innovative ways to engage with classical education methods. Websites like The Critical Thinking Community offer extensive guides on implementing Socratic techniques in educational settings or personal growth endeavors. For those looking for a more hands-on approach, Socrative , allows users to create real-time quizzes inspired by the probing nature of Socratic inquiry. This tool is perfect for educators aiming to invigorate their classrooms or for individuals keen on testing their critical thinking skills.

FAQs About Socratic Questioning

What is an example of socratic question.

An example of a Socratic question would be, “What evidence supports your thinking?” This question encourages a deep dive into reasoning, pushing for clarity and proof.

What is the Socratic method of questioning?

It is a form of inquiry that challenges beliefs through systematic questioning, aiming to uncover assumptions and improve understanding.

What are the 4 stages of Socratic questioning?

The four stages include clarifying concepts, examining assumptions, seeking evidence or reasons, and exploring implications or consequences.

What is Socratic questioning in CBT examples?

In CBT, it might involve asking “How does this thought affect your actions?” to link thoughts with behavior patterns.

So now you have a better handle on Socratic questioning. It’s not just ancient philosophy; it’s a tool for the critical thinkers of today. Not only does it sharpen your thinking, it ups your conversation game. By challenging us to think deeper, Socratic questioning boosts analytical skills, making every moment of curiosity matter.

While there are some hurdles to the method, there are plenty of ways to overcome those obstacles. And in comparison to other techniques, it has plenty of advantages and benefits.

Beyond sharpening minds in dialogue or education lies the power of asking better questions—and that’s where real growth happens.

• Last Updated: September 12, 2024

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Top 15+ Critical Thinking Interview Questions with Sample Answers

Critical thinking skills are in demand across various roles and industries. Interviewers often ask questions to assess your problem-solving abilities and logical thinking. To impress potential employers, use examples that highlight your analytical decision-making process. In this article, we present Critical-thinking Interview Questions you might encounter.

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Employers seek individuals who can tackle complex challenges, identify problems with finesse, and chart intelligent courses of action. This prized skill set transcends industry boundaries, making it a universal currency in the job market. Understanding Critical Thinking Interview Questions and sample answers will help you unlock the doors to your future career.  

Explore the top 15+ Critical Thinking Interview Questions and discover sample answers to ace your job interviews. Read more to improve your decision-making skills.  

Table of Contents  

1) Commonly asked Critical Thinking Interview Questions  

a) Describe an instance where you persuaded your supervisor or team to consider an alternative approach in addressing a challenge.  

b) How would you handle a situation where you noticed your supervisor made an error in a report or presentation?  

c) Describe one of the most difficult decisions you have had to make at work.  

d) How would you handle a situation where a colleague presented you with a new or unusual idea?  

e) How would you solve a disagreement among team members on how to approach a project?  

f) Have you ever anticipated potential problems and developed steps to avoid them?  

g) How do you handle making a decision when you don't have all of the information?  

h) When solving a problem or completing a task, how do you determine when you need help from others?  

i) In a live presentation to key stakeholders, you notice a mistake in your manager's report, but your manager isn't present. How do you handle this?  

j) Share an instance when you persuaded your manager to consider an alternative approach in addressing a challenge.  

2) Conclusion  

Commonly asked Critical Thinking Interview Questions

Discussed below are some of the commonly asked Critical Thinking Interview Questions.

Describe an instance where you persuaded your supervisor or team to consider an alternative approach in addressing a challenge.

“In my previous position, I frequently needed to access data from our company's database and compile it into a spreadsheet. Typically, this was done manually. However, I introduced a more efficient method by proposing the use of a specific software program and demonstrating the automated process. I outlined how this automated approach would not only save us time but also free up resources for more critical tasks.”  

How would you handle a situation where you noticed your supervisor made an error in a report or presentation?

"If I were to spot an error in my supervisor's work, I would choose to address it privately at a suitable time. During this discussion, I would point out the mistake and extend my assistance in rectifying it. I feel that maintaining the privacy of this conversation is a way to demonstrate my respect for my supervisor and their position."  

Describe one of the most difficult decisions you have had to make at work.

Interviewers pose this question to assess your ability to make decisions in tough scenarios. Your response should demonstrate how you approached a challenging choice, showcasing your problem-solving skills and how you evaluated various options to arrive at the best solution.  

How would you handle a situation where a colleague presented you with a new or unusual idea?

"I once worked with a colleague on a project, and they proposed a radically different approach from my usual method. I inquired about their approach, asking them to guide me through it and share their past success with it. The steps they recommended appeared simpler than my usual process, so we opted to adopt their method." 

How would you solve a disagreement among team members on how to approach a project?

Enhancing your critical thinking skills involves assessing conflicting perspectives and leveraging them to craft effective solutions. Analysing diverse angles of a situation can expand your viewpoint and frequently result in improved solutions. Demonstrating your capability to make decisions that benefit your team is a valuable skill to exhibit to interviewers.  

Have you ever anticipated potential problems and developed steps to avoid them?

“During my previous employment, I had the duty of arranging work shifts for the staff, and I recogni s ed that managing schedules became more intricate during the holiday season. To address this challenge, I introduced a system for requesting time off during this period, allowing me to plan schedules well in advance. Additionally, I implemented a training program to equip the staff with the skills needed to cover various roles, ensuring flexibility.”  

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How do you handle making a decision when you don't have all of the information?

“I prefer having a wealth of inf ormation at my disposal when making decisions, although I acknowledge that this isn't always feasible . In such cases, I make an effort to gather as much relevant information as possible and use contextual clues to fill in any gaps.   

Once, when I needed guidance on a client proposal and my supervisor was unavailable, I thoroughly examined the client's creative brief for insights. The brief offered sufficient information for me to discover a potential solution to my dilemma. When I presented my findings, I felt confident in my preparation and received only minor adjustments from the client.”  

When solving a problem or completing a task, how do you determine when you need help from others?

“In the past, I've come to understand that certain situations call for assistance from others. I make this decision when I acknowledge that a task is too large for me to manage alone or when I require additional perspectives to address a particular issue effectively.   

For instance, last year, I accepted the responsibility of creating a report for an internal client with a tight deadline. While working on the report, I reali s ed that I wouldn't be able to complete it within the given timeframe , so I reached out to a colleague .”  

In a live presentation to key stakeholders, you notice a mistake in your manager's report, but your manager isn't present. How do you handle this?

“In such a situation, I would make a mental note of the mistake but not point it out immediately during the live presentation to avoid any embarrassment or disruption. Instead, I would bring it to my manager's attention after the presentation, explaining the issue and seeking guidance on the best way to rectify it.”  

Share an instance when you persuaded your manager to consider an alternative approach in addressing a challenge.

“Once, our team faced a recurring issue with a project's timeline. I proposed a more agile approach, emphasi s ing flexibility. I presented data on its success elsewhere and highlighted the potential benefits. After a discussion, my manager agreed to give it a try , leading to improved project outcomes and a more adaptive work environment.”  

While working on a project, if you find it hard to agree with your team on the next step, what steps would you take to ensure you pick the right direction and get your colleagues on board?

“In such a situation, I would first suggest holding a structured team meeting to discuss the differing opinions and perspectives. During this discussion, I'd encourage everyone to present their ideas and the reasoning behind them.   

I'd emphasise the importance of examining evidence and logic to determine the best course of action. Ultimately, the team's consensus would guide our decision, ensuring that everyone is on board with the chosen direction, promoting unity and collaboration to achieve our project's objectives .”  

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Should you raise prices for more money or lower prices to make customers happier—what's the better way to sell?

“The best sales approach depends on the specific context and goals. If a business can justify higher prices by offering superior value, increasing prices can lead to higher revenues. On the other hand, lowering prices can improve customer satisfaction and potentially increase sales volume.  

A balanced approach might involve segmenting the market and offering different pricing strategies to cater to various customer segments. Ultimately, the key is to find the right balance between price and value to meet both revenue and customer satisfaction objectives .”  

How do you evaluate the credibility of a source of information?

“I evaluate the credibility of a source by considering several factors. First, I assess the author's qualifications and expertise in the subject matter. Then, I examine the publication source, looking for reputable and trusted outlets.   

I also check for citations and references to credible sources within the content. Additionally, I consider the publication date to ensure the information is current and relevant. Lastly, I look for any potential biases or conflicts of interest that may affect the source's reliability.”  

Share an instance where you had to change how you talk to make sure people understood what you were saying.

“In a previous job, I had to present a complex technical project to a diverse audience, including non-technical stakeholders. To ensure clarity and engagement, I adapted my communication style by simplifying technical jargon, using visual aids, and real-life analogies. This approach made the presentation accessible to everyone, fostering better understanding and buy-in from all participants, even those with limited technical background.”  

How do you prioritise tasks when faced with multiple urgent deadlines?

“When faced with a complex problem, I start by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable components. I research and gather relevant information to fully understand the issue and its context. Then, I brainstorm potential solutions and evaluate their pros and cons.  

Next, I collaborate with colleagues to gain diverse perspectives and insights. Finally, I prioriti s e the most effective solution and create a well-structured plan to address the problem systematically.”  

What steps do you take to analyse a complex problem?

Can you give an example of a time when you had to think on your feet during a crisis.

“I recall a situation during a critical project when our main supplier suddenly encountered production issues, jeopardising our timeline. In response, I quickly initiated contact with alternative suppliers, assessed their capabilities, and secured a backup source. This proactive approach ensured minimal disruption to our project and demonstrated my ability to adapt and make decisive decisions under pressure.”  

“One notable instance was when our company faced a sudden network outage during a critical client presentation. Without panicking, I swiftly coordinated with the IT team, initiated a backup plan, and reassured the client by sharing the presentation on our mobile devices. This quick thinking ensured that the meeting continued smoothly, demonstrating our commitment to resolving issues under pressure and maintaining a strong client relationship.”  

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A Bibliometric Analysis of Virtual Reality Research on Critical Thinking Skills and Student Responses using PLS-SEM

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Application of AI-empowered scenario-based simulation teaching mode in cardiovascular disease education

• Koulong Zheng 1 , 2   na1 ,
• Zhiyu Shen 1   na1 ,
• Zanhao Chen 1   na1 ,
• Chang Che 1   na1 &
• Huixia Zhu 1  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  1003 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Cardiovascular diseases present a significant challenge in clinical practice due to their sudden onset and rapid progression. The management of these conditions necessitates cardiologists to possess strong clinical reasoning and individual competencies. The internship phase is crucial for medical students to transition from theory to practical application, with an emphasis on developing clinical thinking and skills. Despite the critical need for education on cardiovascular diseases, there is a noticeable gap in research regarding the utilization of artificial intelligence in clinical simulation teaching.

This study aims to evaluate the effect and influence of AI-empowered scenario-based simulation teaching mode in the teaching of cardiovascular diseases.

The study utilized a quasi-experimental research design and mixed-methods. The control group comprised 32 students using traditional teaching mode, while the experimental group included 34 students who were instructed on cardiovascular diseases using the AI-empowered scenario-based simulation teaching mode. Data collection included post-class tests, “Mini-CEX” assessments, Clinical critical thinking scale from both groups, and satisfaction surveys from experimental group. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews.

Research shows that compared with traditional teaching models, AI-empowered scenario-based simulation teaching mode significantly improve students’ performance in many aspects. The theoretical knowledge scores( P  < 0.001), clinical operation skills( P  = 0.0416) and clinical critical thinking abilities of students( P  < 0.001) in the experimental group were significantly improved. The satisfaction survey showed that students in the experimental group were more satisfied with the teaching scene( P  = 0.008), Individual participation( P  = 0.006) and teaching content( P  = 0.009). There is no significant difference in course discussion, group cooperation and teaching style of teachers( P  > 0.05). Additionally, the qualitative data from the interviews highlighted three themes: (1) Positive new learning experience, (2) Improved clinical critical thinking skills, and (3) Valuable suggestions and concerns for further improvement.

The AI-empowered scenario simulation teaching Mode plays an important role in the improvement of clinical thinking and skills of medical undergraduates. This study believes that the AI-empowered scenario simulation teaching mode is an effective and feasible teaching model, which is worthy of promotion in other courses.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

Cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction and arrhythmia, frequently manifest abruptly and progress rapidly, placing individuals in critical situations. In addition to the physical distress, the substantial rates of disability and mortality linked to these conditions impose a significant burden on both families and society. Furthermore, the presence of commodities such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in many cardiovascular disease patients adds further complexity to treatment strategies [ 1 , 2 ]. In light of this context, the importance of internship training in cardiology is underscored [ 3 ]. In China, when medical students enter their fourth and fifth years of undergraduate study, they will be placed in hospitals for a clinical internship lasting one to two years. Internship plays a critical role in the development of medical students, facilitating the transition from theoretical knowledge to practical application and fostering the growth of clinical reasoning and skills [ 4 ]. Nevertheless, the prevailing mode of internship education primarily relies on conventional instructional approaches, which prioritize teacher-led dissemination of knowledge through lectures and demonstrations [ 5 , 6 ]. Although these methods are successful in facilitating knowledge acquisition, they are inadequate in motivating students, promoting clinical reasoning, and cultivating the skills necessary to manage emergency situations, particularly when dealing with critically ill patients. As a result, it is essential to implement a shift in teaching methodologies, specifically within the realm of cardiology internship training.

In recent years, the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has led to the emergence of various products profoundly impacting various aspects of people’s lives [ 7 ]. Generative AI, a type of AI based on deep learning, involves training large-scale language models to generate new text, images, or other types of data. Notably, models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT use deep learning algorithms trained on extensive datasets to generate human-like responses in conversation. In the realm of education, generative AI exhibits tremendous potential. Firstly, it can offer personalized learning experiences by tailoring learning paths based on individual student needs and proficiency levels, enhancing learning effectiveness and making education more targeted and efficient [ 8 , 9 ]. Secondly, generative AI plays a crucial role in automatic assessment and feedback, providing students with immediate and constructive feedback, promoting better understanding and mastery of knowledge. Additionally, through simulated dialogues, role-playing, and other mode, generative AI can help students improve communication and problem-solving skills, offering new possibilities for flexible, intelligent teaching mode and driving innovation and progress in education [ 10 ].

Scenario-based simulation teaching is an instructional method that involves simulating real-world situations for teaching purposes, commonly used in clinical education. In this approach, students are placed in virtual or real scenarios where they face specific problems, challenges, or tasks, engaging in practical activities and decision-making to proficiently apply knowledge [ 11 ]. This teaching method emphasizes practicality and interactivity, allowing students not only to apply theoretical knowledge in simulated situations but also to actively participate in discussions, collaborate on problem-solving, and enhance their practical application and teamwork skills [ 12 ]. Research indicates that scenario-based simulation teaching stimulates student interest, increases motivation, and fosters critical thinking and innovation by integrating theoretical knowledge into practice [ 13 ].

Nowadays, with the rapid development of science, new technologies such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality have brought significant changes to clinical medicine. For example, clinical scenario simulation surgery allows doctors to create a virtual surgical training platform. This allows them to practice complex surgical skills in a safe, repeatable practice environment [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. While studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of scenario-based simulation teaching in clinical courses [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 18 ], there is currently no research on the application of generative AI in simulating clinical scenarios related to cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aim to investigate the effectiveness of the AI-empowered scenario-based simulation teaching mode in cardiovascular disease education. Our goal is to explore the impact of this innovative teaching model on clinical interns, focusing on their basic knowledge, clinical operation ability and clinical critical thinking ability.

Experimental design

A combination of quasi-experimental research design and descriptive qualitative research methods was employed to form both a control group and an experimental group. Our study integrated Kolb’s experiential learning model into the experimental group’s teaching methods to enhance the learning process [ 19 , 20 ]. Kolb’s experiential learning model involves providing learners with real or simulated situations and activities. Under the guidance of teachers, learners participate in these activities to gain personal experience. They then reflect on and summarize their observations, developing theories or conclusions, which are ultimately applied in practice (Fig.  1 ).

Kolb’s experiential learning model

Study participants

A total of 66 first-year students from two classes in the clinical major at Nantong University were selected as the study participants. Inclusion criteria comprised: (1) absence of current physical or mental abnormalities; (2) full-time undergraduate students in medical majors; (3) no prior experience using the AI platform for medical course learning before the experiment; (4) voluntary participation in the study with the signing of an informed consent form. The control group consisted of 32 students, following a traditional teaching model, while the experimental group comprised 34 students undergoing scenario-based simulation teaching mode empowered by AI.

All students entered university directly through the national college entrance examination (gaokao) after completing 12 years of education. After inclusion, an assessment of the characteristics of the two student groups, including age, gender in pre-professional courses, revealed comparable learning abilities between the two groups ( P  > 0.05). Both groups received instruction in internal medicine. The students in both groups used the ninth edition of the textbook “Internal Medicine,” edited by Ge Junbo and others and published by People’s Medical Publishing House, and were taught by the same instructor.

Teaching interventions

Teaching mode of control group.

The control group adopted the traditional teaching model, and the course arrangement was divided into two parts: theoretical classes and practical classes. In weekly theoretical classes, teachers use PPT to impart knowledge according to the teaching objectives and syllabus. The contents of these theoretical courses include basic knowledge of cardiovascular diseases, pathophysiology, diagnostic methods and treatment principles. Teachers help students understand complex medical concepts through detailed explanations and illustrations, and answer students’ questions in class to ensure they master the necessary theoretical knowledge.

In the practical class, the teacher led the students to conduct practical training based on the teaching content of the previous theoretical class. Practical classes were usually conducted in simulated wards or clinical skills laboratories. Teachers first demonstrated the operations on a standardized patient(SP), including specific operating steps such as cardiac examination, auscultation, and electrocardiogram interpretation. Teachers explained in detail the key points and precautions of each operation link, and demonstrated on-site how to communicate with patients to improve students’ clinical operation skills and doctor-patient communication abilities.

After the demonstration, students were divided into groups for operational exercises, with teachers guiding them, correcting mistakes in a timely manner and providing feedback. In this way, students not only consolidated theoretical knowledge, but also enhanced practical operational abilities and developed clinical thinking and decision-making abilities. In addition, practical courses also emphasized teamwork and communication skills. Students simulated real clinical environments through group discussions and role-playing to improve their overall quality and professional abilities.

Formation of teaching research team

The team of this study was composed of 2 chief physicians, 3 attending physicians, 2 resident physicians, 5 teaching assistants, and 4 graduate students. This team consisted of teachers with more than five years of teaching experience. Before the lectures, they all underwent training in scenario simulation teaching mode and were proficient in using ChatGPT.

Implementation plan for educational reform

The teaching model of the experimental group innovatively incorporated generative artificial intelligence technology, providing students with a brand new scene simulation teaching experience. In this teaching model, teachers first provided an in-depth explanation of theoretical knowledge to ensure that students could master the core points of the course, such as the characteristics of different types of arrhythmias in electrocardiograms. These points are the basis for understanding the complexity of cardiovascular disease and are the knowledge that students must skillfully apply in subsequent simulation practices.

Students then watched a video simulating scenarios related to cardiovascular disease. These videos not only vividly reproduced clinical scenes, but also contained rich medical information and situational challenges, which greatly stimulated students’ interest in learning and enthusiasm for participation. While watching the video, students were encouraged to play the role of doctors and use the theoretical knowledge they had learned to conduct detailed analysis and inferences on the signs, symptoms, and pathogenesis shown in the video.

Students needed to use critical thinking to identify the occurrence and development of the disease from the patient’s clinical manifestations and, at the same time, master the key points of diagnosis and the basic principles of treatment. This process not only exercises the students’ clinical thinking skills but also deepens their understanding of the disease diagnosis and treatment process.

After the scenario simulation, students participated in group discussions to share their observations and analyses, complementing each other and improving their understanding of the disease. This interactive learning method promoted the exchange of knowledge and the collision of ideas, helped students examine problems from different angles, and improved their problem-solving abilities.

Finally, students would complete thinking questions related to the course content, consolidate the knowledge they have learned, and test the learning effect. Students could ask ChatGPT questions at any time, and when they had more questions, they could get help from their teachers. Except for learning theoretical knowledge, all clinical practice processes were consistent with those of the control group.

Establishment of experimental group

Reasonable grouping is an important prerequisite for team learning. To enhance group learning and achieve optimal learning outcomes, each group had a maximum of 6 students. Therefore, before class, teachers determined the groups based on students’ average GPAs to ensure that each group had similar overall learning abilities. Eventually, the students in the experimental group were divided into 6 groups. Based on feedback from teachers on student performance, adjustments to group members were made in the first week. In each group, one student was selected as the group leader, responsible for organizing group activities. Clear division of team roles ensured the participation of each member and promoted cooperation within the group.

Preparation of scenario simulation videos

Writing scenario simulation scripts.

The cardiovascular teaching research group wrote script stories based on teaching objectives and typical cardiovascular cases, enriching the background and character features of the plot to make it as close to real clinical situations as possible.

Breaking down script scenes

In the production of clinical case scenario simulation videos, the breakdown script played a crucial role, providing guidance and basis for AI drawing for each scene. By inputting the case directly into ChatGPT and instructing, “How many scenes can this script be broken down into for animation video creation?” ChatGPT would then offer a breakdown of scenes as an example, subject to review by the teachers for alignment with educational goals and accuracy.

Animation drawing

By inputting the prompt “I need you to act as the Midjourney command optimization master, generating scene descriptions for the above scenes separately, I want Midjourney to draw them, please provide concise descriptions in both Chinese and English,” specific instructions would be obtained. This prompt asks ChatGPT to generate a concise description for each scenario. These descriptions should include necessary details to help Midjourney draw the scene accurately. Each scene description was reviewed, and then each English description was input into Midjourney to generate animation materials. These materials were imported into editing software to complete the production of video content, with subtitles automatically generated and added to the video.

Question bank compilation

In the process of compiling a question bank for cardiovascular teaching, ChatGPT generates questions based on the plot content of the script when prompted with the instruction, “This is a case in cardiovascular teaching, what questions can be given to students?” ChatGPT would write questions based on the relevant plot content of the script. The teacher could continue to instruct to change the format and description of the questions and could also request answers and scoring criteria for the corresponding questions.

Synthesis of scenario simulation teaching videos and classroom teaching

The assessment of question and answer accuracy and scientific validity, the adjustment of question difficulty in alignment with teaching objectives, and the precise placement of questions within the video were carried out to finalize the production of cardiovascular scenario simulation teaching videos. Subsequently, these videos were integrated into the class app for classroom instruction. Feedback from both students and teachers was solicited to enhance the content and quality of the scenario simulation teaching videos(Fig.  2 ).

Flow chart of research on teaching reform programmes

Data collection

Post-class test.

Students in both the experimental group and the control group took the post-class test, and the test content and grading criteria were exactly the same. The theoretical knowledge level and practical operational ability were each scored out of 100 points, with higher scores indicating more vital student abilities. The theoretical knowledge assessment used exam questions prepared by the teaching team, while practical operational ability used a “Mini-CEX” scoring sheet customized for cardiovascular medicine. The Mini-CEX evaluation form was adapted by the teaching and research team from a scale for assessing clinical skills written by John J Norcini et al. [ 21 ]. It is designed according to the characteristics of cardiovascular medicine. It mainly evaluates clinical history recording, electrocardiogram interpretation, humanistic care, Clinical diagnosis, communication skills and overall competency. There were five parts in total; each part had four questions, and each question adopted Likert’s five-point scoring system. The Cronbach’s alpha of the scale was 0.90, and the Cronbach’s alpha of each dimension was 0.753–0.772.

Clinical critical thinking scale

Based on Robert Ennis’s critical thinking framework and related theories, relevant questions were adapted according to the experimental purpose and subjects [ 22 ]. The final clinical critical thinking scale consisted of four dimensions, including logical reasoning, central argument, argumentation evidence and organizational structure, with a total of 5 questions in each dimension and 5 points in each question, for a total of 100 points.

Overall teaching satisfaction survey

The teaching and research team developed a teaching satisfaction questionnaire. Students completed the Teaching Satisfaction questionnaire on the WJX.cn at the end of the final exam. The questionnaire included six aspects: teaching scene satisfaction (Q1  ∼  Q4), course discussion satisfaction (Q5  ∼  Q8), group cooperation satisfaction (Q9  ∼  Q11), individual participation (Q12  ∼  Q14), teaching content satisfaction (Q15  ∼  Q18), and teaching teacher satisfaction (Q19  ∼  Q20). Each question was set on a scale of 1 to 5 (strongly disagree to strongly agree on five scales). Final satisfaction (%) is score/total score (100 points) *100%. After analyzing the preliminary collected data, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.85, indicating high internal consistency and reliability.

Qualitative assessment - semi-structured interviews

At the end of the course, we conducted a semi-structured interview to survey students in the experimental group and teachers on their evaluation of the use of AI in teaching cardiovascular disease. In selecting interviewees, we considered the gender and age and then conducted purposive sampling among the experimental group to ensure a diversity of opinions.

In order to fully understand the teaching effect and the real experience of teachers and students with the application of AI teaching mode, the research team first conducted preliminary interviews with two students and determined the final outline of the interview: (1) How do you feel about the learning of this teaching mode? (2) Do you think your learning/teaching style has changed since before? (3) What are your suggestions for the future development of this teaching mode?

A researcher who was well-versed in interviewing techniques was assigned to conduct the interviews independently. The interviews were conducted during the week following the course in a quiet and relaxing session to avoid errors as much as possible. Based on their final test results, they were divided into three grades, with three boys and three girls randomly selected from six groups from three different levels. Each interview lasted approximately 20 min. The students’ conversations were recorded using a voice recorder, and the research team pledged to keep them confidential. Recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim within 24 h of the end of the conversation.

Data analysis

Data entry and analysis were performed using Rstudio software (version 4.3.1). The following R packages were utilized: “stats”, “car”, “doBy”, and “ggplot2”.

For quantitative data, independent sample t-tests were employed to analyze differences between groups. For qualitative data, the chi-square test was utilized. A significance level of P  < 0.05 was considered statistically significant, indicating differences between groups.

Baseline comparison between two groups

The experimental group consisted of 34 students aged 22–24 years (mean age 23.03 ± 0.626). The Control group comprised 32 students from clinical professional classes, with ages ranging from 21 to 25 years (mean age 23.14 ± 0.976). Before the class, we assessed the basic clinical knowledge of the two groups of students, and the results showed that there was no significant difference in the demographic characteristics of the two groups ( P  > 0.05), and we found that there was no significant difference between them, which was comparable (Table  1 ).

Final scores between two groups

Statistical analysis of examination scores for two groups revealed that students in the experimental group had an average score of 83.26 on the theoretical final exam, whereas students in the control group had an average score of 79.56. The scores of the control group were significantly lower than those of the experimental group ( p  < 0.05). Regarding Mini-CEX examination scores, students within the experimental group attained an average score of 76.24, which was notably greater than the average score of 70.19 achieved by students in the control group ( p  < 0.001). Furthermore, the clinical critical thinking proficiency of the experimental group surpassed that of the control group, as indicated by statistical significance ( p  < 0.001) (Table  2 ).

Satisfaction survey

After investigation and recovery, a total of 66 students completed the satisfaction questionnaire, and 66 valid questionnaires were recovered, with a total completion rate of 100%. As shown in the questionnaire results (Table  3 ), it can be seen that the overall satisfaction of experimental group in teaching scene, individual participation and teaching content is higher than that of control group, and the difference between the two groups is statistically significant ( P  < 0.05). There were no significant differences in other aspects ( P  > 0.05).

Qualitative data analysis

In summarizing the interview findings, three primary themes emerge for analysis: (1) A new learning (teaching) experience; (2) Enhancement of clinical critical thinking ability; (3) Suggestions for improvement.

Theme 1: a new learning (teaching) experience

“In the past, we have always learned knowledge from books. Some things are very complicated and not easy to understand. With the help of AI, I think a lot of complicated knowledge has suddenly become simple and clear.”(S1).

“It is a very unimaginable experience. Through the scenario simulation course, I can intuitively see the physiological changes of the heart and blood vessels, and many theoretical knowledge are easier to understand.”(S2).

“The scenario simulation course enables us to visually see the electrophysiology and pathophysiological changes of the heart and blood vessels. Seeing the complete process makes it easier to remember and understand.”(S3).

“I’ve seen a lot of animations during the learning process, and through this method, I have a better understanding of clinical analysis and judgment.”(S4).

“I think the course preparation process is very easy, with the help of ChatGPT, many educational resources can be found quickly, and I am even more incredible that it can produce a complete clinical simulation video! I believe I will be able to perform better in the field of clinical teaching in the future!”(T1).

Theme 2: enhancement of clinical critical thinking ability

Leveraging AI in medical and educational fields, students can utilize AI interactive platforms to simulate disease processes, enhancing their understanding of cardiovascular diseases and developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.(S1).

“With AI assistance, my knowledge becomes more systematic and detailed. For example, when learning about acute myocardial infarction, I saw numerous relevant images such as anatomical slices of coronary arteries, their distribution, and corresponding myocardial perfusion areas, which enhances our analytical and judgment abilities.”(S2).

“During leisure time, I can use AI interactive platforms for learning and engage in question-and-answer conversations with AI, which makes self-directed learning more effective and motivating.”(S5).

“I could see the students’ progress in their learning from the exercise tests at the end of the lesson and the final Mini-CEX exam. Through the communication and discussion with them after the lesson, I found that they became more logical in their thinking about the problems, and their ability to analyse the conditions during the Mini-CEX exam was greatly improved.”(T2).

Theme 3: concerns for improvement

Regarding the application of AI in cardiovascular medicine education, students and teachers actively provided some suggestions.

“This teaching format and content are vivid and illustrative. However, I feel that some content, when interacting with AI, cannot answer my questions well.”(S3).

“With this mode of teaching, I feel that I have a higher level of mastery of this course than any other subject and am more interested and motivated to learn. I have been very willing to use ChatGPT in other courses to assist me in my studies, but I felt slightly uncomfortable communicating with the AI as opposed to the teacher.”(S4).

“This way of preparing teaching materials and the mode of lectures is indeed very innovative, with the help of ChatGPT, my pre-course preparation process will be relatively easier, and the use of it in the classroom has also greatly improved the motivation of students. However, I am concerned that the drawbacks of AI, such as academic honesty and accuracy of answers, will also have an impact on the final teaching results, so we teachers should be cautious about AI.”(T2).

With the rapid development of technology and AI, the form of medical education is undergoing continuous changes [ 23 , 24 ]. Traditional teaching mode, characterized by inefficiency and dull content, no longer meet the needs of modern medical education. This is particularly evident in the teaching of cardiovascular system diseases [ 25 ], where the content is complex and difficult to remember, often leading to a lack of student engagement and understanding during clinical practice, thereby impacting the cultivation of clinical thinking skills [ 26 ]. Currently, AI is widely applied across various fields, and research shows that it plays a crucial role in education [ 27 , 28 ], including personalized learning, intelligent tutoring, instructional design, and student assessment, greatly enhancing learning outcomes and promoting educational innovation. Moreover, studies have also shown the widespread promotion and application of scenario-based teaching models in clinical practice teaching [ 29 , 30 , 31 ].

In this study, the scenario-based teaching model is implemented based on ChatGPT 3.5. We believe that the scenario-based teaching model based on generative AI is an important mode and development direction for educational practice reform. ChatGPT, with its outstanding adaptability, versatility, efficiency, intelligence, and comprehensive coverage, has become a favored choice for many developers and is widely used in the education sector [ 32 , 33 ]. Through clever integration with the scenario-based teaching model, a new teaching experience is created.

For teachers, ChatGPT provides powerful support, significantly improving lesson preparation efficiency. Teachers can use ChatGPT’s intelligently generated dialogue scenarios to present abstract and difficult-to-understand concepts in vivid and interesting scenarios, making it easier for students to understand and remember. Additionally, teachers can adjust the generated dialogues according to students’ learning situations, personalize teaching, and improve teaching effectiveness. For students, in the scenario-based teaching model, they feel as if they are in a vivid teaching theater. They take on detective roles, cultivating clinical thinking and case analysis skills as they solve problems. ChatGPT’s intelligent dialogue can also customize learning plans based on students’ learning styles and progress, improve memory efficiency through mnemonic devices, and stimulate their interest in learning and self-directed learning motivation.

The findings of the study indicate that students enrolled in AI-assisted teaching programs exhibit higher scores in theoretical knowledge, Mini-CEX examination performance, and clinical critical thinking skills compared to their counterparts in traditional teaching settings. These results suggest that a hybrid teaching approach may enhance students’ comprehension of knowledge and proficiency in clinical procedures, this is consistent with the findings of Yujiwang et al [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ]. The possible reason is that in the interaction of scenario simulation, students can independently explore the process of illness and take the initiative to find and solve problems. According to Kolb’s experiential learning model [ 19 , 20 ], experience to reflection to abstract concepts to practice, and finally to experience, interlocking and progressive, prompting students to understand knowledge from scenario simulation, then apply it to practice, and then find problems, which not only improves their independent learning ability, but also improves their critical thinking ability. Additionally, student interviews revealed that the new teaching method facilitates their exploration and identification of clinical issues, thereby preparing them effectively for future clinical practice.

Through an analysis of students’ teaching satisfaction questionnaires, it was found that the experimental group exhibited significantly higher levels of satisfaction in teaching scene, individual participation, and teaching content compared to the control group. These results suggest that the mixed teaching mode utilizing the AI platform may be more feasible and suitable for practical teaching in cardiovascular internal medicine. Although we found no statistically significant differences in course discussion, teamwork, and instructor teaching style, this may be due to the following reasons. First, the small sample size and short duration of this study limited the power to detect significant differences. Future research could improve this by increasing the sample size and extending the duration of the study. In addition, traditional teaching methods are already relatively mature in these aspects, and student satisfaction in these three aspects is already at a high level, and may not show significant advantages in the short term. At the same time, teaching satisfaction is affected by many factors, and a single change is not enough to significantly improve overall satisfaction. Therefore, we will continue to optimize the new AI-powered teaching model and strengthen its integration with course discussions and teamwork. We look forward to seeing more significant effects in future research.

Moreover, students say that the teaching method of scenario simulation not only helps them systematically understand and master the content of the course, but also stimulates their interest in independent learning and improves their ability to discover and solve problems. The vast majority of students hold a positive attitude towards the AI empowered scenario-based simulation teaching mode, and some students also put forward their own views on this teaching mode, mainly focusing on the accuracy and understanding of AI. This also provides us with valuable suggestions for the improvement of further study.

This study also has the following limitations: (1) The number of participants in the survey is relatively small, resulting in insufficient data and interview views collected; (2) In this study, we used version 3.5 of generative AI ChatGPT. However, it is worth noting that a more advanced version 4.0 of ChatGPT is already available on the market. Therefore, the version we use does not fully represent the highest computing power of AI technology.

In comparison to the conventional teaching methodology, the novel teaching mode demonstrates clear benefits. Findings from examinations, assessments, satisfaction surveys, and interviews suggest that this innovative teaching method offers a more efficient means for interns to gain contemporary professional knowledge and enhance their clinical practice proficiency. Additionally, the cultivation of clinical critical thinking and problem-solving skills through this approach is expected to greatly support their long-term career viability. The utilization of an AI-empowered scenario-based simulation teaching mode has the potential to enhance students’ engagement and motivation, as well as improve their problem-solving skills in clinical settings. Consequently, the implementation and dissemination of our AI-empowered scenario-based simulation teaching mode in cardiovascular medicine practice teaching is recommended.

Data availability

Our research encompasses sensitive personal identity information of students. Due to the potential risk of breaching individual privacy, the datasets analyzed in this study cannot be made publicly accessible. We emphasize that the data remains confidential and is not open to the public. However, if you have a compelling need for access, please reach out to the corresponding author at [email protected] to request the data.

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Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program for College Students in Jiangsu Province (202313993027Y). Teaching Reform Research Project of Nantong University (2023B10).

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Koulong Zheng, Zhiyu Shen and Zanhao Chen contributed equally to this work.

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Koulong Zheng, Zhiyu Shen, Zanhao Chen, Chang Che & Huixia Zhu

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KLZ and HXZ designed the trial. KLZ prepared the clinical cases. HXZ collected the data. HXZ and ZYS analyzed the data. HXZ, ZHC and CC wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Huixia Zhu .

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This study has obtained ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University. All methods were conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations(approval number 2024KT045). All participation was voluntary and signed informed consent forms were obtained from each participant.

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Zheng, K., Shen, Z., Chen, Z. et al. Application of AI-empowered scenario-based simulation teaching mode in cardiovascular disease education. BMC Med Educ 24 , 1003 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05977-z

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