Critical thinking is a very important concept in regards to science, especially since science and the concepts therein have been fluctuating from the time of their origins. As stated in Kirst-Ashman’s book; Critical thinking is the careful scrutiny of what is stated as true or what appears to be true and the resulting expression of an opinion or conclusion based on that scrutiny, and (2) the creative formulation of an opinion or conclusion when presented with a question, problem or issue, (Kist-Ashman, 2011, p. 33). Critical thinking allows for individual assessments of topics and can be applied to any question posed in any situation. It allows for individuals to think for themselves and evaluate situations on their own to determine the final outcome. In behavioral science and in respect to social work, critical thinking is imperative in order for case workers to make the best decision in any given situation dealing with human interactions and human behavior. This is witnessed in Evidence Based Practice (EBP) and can be further applied in Person-In-Environment (PIE) theory. Evidence Based Practice (EBP) builds from critical thinking as it is a concept that utilizes the best available ideas with experience. Raines (2004, p. 71-85) and the University of Minnesota (cited in http://hsl.lib.umn.edu/learn/ebp/mod01/index.html) further states EBP can be broken down into five steps; 1. Formulate an answerable question (what questions need to be addressed?) 2. Identify what resources are already available to answer the question (where can the answer to these questions already be found, what research has already been done?) 3. Critically review the evidence to assess its validity (is the information established correct, does it ha... ... middle of paper ... ...6. Retrieved October 1, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 16185299). Spokane, A.R., Meir, E.I., Catalano, M.(2001). Person-Environment Congruence and Holland’s Theory: A Review and Reconsideration. Journal of Vocational Behavior 57, 137-187. Retrieved on October 1, 2011 from http://www.gigusa.org/resources/eg/33.pdf Weiss-Gal, I.. (2008). The Person-in-Environment Approach: Professional Ideology and Practice of Social Workers in Israel. Social Work, 53(1), 65-75. Retrieved October 1, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1461476451). eLearning Portal, (2011) Retrieved October 1, 2011, from http://www.elearnportal.com/courses/social-work/social-work-and-aging/social-work-and-aging-person-enviroment-perspective University of Minnesota (2011).Evidence-Based Practice. Retrieved October 1, 2011 from http://hsl.lib.umn.edu/learn/ebp/mod01/index.html
Evidence Based Practice (EBP) is useful to practice because it aids practitioners development and widens their knowledge and insight, therefore enhancing the experience of the practitioner. This ensures that the best quality of care is given to the patient (Duncan, 2006).
allows the researchers to formulate their research question based on a gap in knowledge. The
“Critical thinking is 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.” (National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking, 1987). The concept of critical thinking and how it connects so closely to social psychology
Evidence-Based Practice is a methodology, framework, gathering of ideas or concepts, adopted principles and strategies supported by research (Fixsen et al.,
In response to the question set, I will go into detail of the study, consisting of the background, main hypotheses, as well the aims, procedure and results gathered from the study; explaining the four research methods chosen to investigate, furthering into the three methods actually tested.
The author Vincent Ruggiero defines critical thinking in his book Beyond Feelings: A Guide to Critical Thinking, as a “search for answers, a quest.” It is the idea that one does not accept claims, ideas, and arguments blindly, but questions and researches these things before making a decision on them. From what I learned in class, critical thinking is the concept of accepting that there are other people and cultures in this world that may have different opinions. It is being able to react rationally to these different opinions.
Critical thinking provides an opportunity to explore the positive and negative sides of an argument for and against an idea, theory or notion. Reasoning and perception is attuned to personal impression and provides outcome to belief and opinion.
Evidence based practice is the basis for needed change in practice and function. It is a sound method for scientific, fact-based change. Changes which have no evidence to support them are fragile, unscientific, and subjective. These changes don’t effect real change over time, as they aren’t able to be proven to a more general population.
“The fact that critical thinking relies upon criteria suggests that it is well-founded, structured, and reinforced thinking, as opposed to “uncritical” thinking, which is amorphous, haphazard, and unstructured.”2 For instance, it is important in the academic field because it facilitates the individual to analyze, evaluate, and explain their thought in a clear manner. However, having this knowledge of logical inquiry doesn’t exempt people from making mistakes. Character traits such as bias can affect the effectiveness of the critical thinking process. Critical thinking skills can also be used by nurses during patient assessments. Through critical thinking, nurses can come to conclusive diagnosis or decisions of the situation at hand. Some Colleges now-a-days are including this skills in their curriculum to continue the professional development of their
Critical thinking is recognized by accrediting bodies as an outcome for graduates of bachelor and master’s level programs, but no consensus exits on its definition and measurements (Ali, Bantz, & Siktberg, 2005, p. 90). Some critical thinking “descriptors are: confidence, contextual perspective, flexibility, inquisitiveness, intellectual integrity, intuition, open-mindedness, perseverance, and reflection. In addition, individuals who think critically have the ability to use the cognitive skills of analyzing, applying standards, discriminating, seeking information, reasoning logically, and transforming knowledge (Scheffer & Rubenfeld, 2000) (Ali, Bantz, & Siktberg, 2005, p. 90).
Critical thinking is the process in which one challenges their emotive, self-centered way of thinking. It causes one to test their own assumptions and question their reasoning. Critical thinking is the process in which one mentally explores deeper than the superficial matters at hand into the deeper layers in order to find out what the real issues are. Successful critical thinking is a process that allows one to creatively problem solve, seek innovative solutions, and essentially "think outside of the box." It also allows one to become more open minded to various situations. Logic and perception both play a role in critical thinking. However, when it comes to weighing their beneficial impact on the critical thinking process, logic and perception are by no means equal. While logic is firmly rooted in reason, perceptions are just as firmly rooted in one's senses, and can easily be corrupted. Therefore, perception is certainly not reality. This is a lesson that I had the opportunity to have reinforced in a recent in-house promotion at work.
Critical thinking can be defined as "learning to think better by improving one 's thinking skills." Individuals who are critical thinkers use the thinking process to analyze (consider and reflect) and synthesize (piece together) what they have learned or are currently learning. Unfortunately, much
Critical thinking means accurate thinking in the search of appropriate and dependable knowledge about the world. Another way to describe it is sensible, insightful, responsible, and skillful thinking that is focused on deciding what to believe or do. Critical thinking is not being able to process information well enough to know to stop for red lights or whether you established the right change at the supermarket.
Critical thinking is an essential tool to good decision-making. Everyone has biases or prejudices which can hinder good decision making. Critical thinking varies depending on the underlying motivation. When decisions are based on selfish intentions; they are often marked by manipulation of ideas to service one's own interest. To be an effective critical thinker one has to have the ability to look at the facts and make a decision based solely on the facts. Critical thinking is a tool to be used in every aspect of ones life. Critical thinking can help us to become better thinkers, better people, and can help us to make better decisions.
Critical thinking is a process of applying various skills to analyze information. Critical thinking uses rationality to distinguish between emotion and fact. This paper will discuss the definition of critical thinking, and the skills it takes to think critically. It will also provide an example of critical thinking applied to my current working environment. Finally this paper will discuss the importance and benefits of critical thinking in the decision-making processes.