CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS SUCCESS IN 20 MINUTES A DAY [...].. .CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS SUCCESS IN 20 MINUTES A DAY Pretest T designed to gauge how much you already know about critical thinking skills Perhaps you have covered some of this material before, whether in a classroom or through your own study If so, you will probably... will probably feel at ease answering some of the following questions However, there may be other questions that you find difficult This test will help to pinpoint any critical thinking weaknesses, and point you to the lesson(s) that cover the skills you need to work on There are 30 multiple-choice questions in the pretest Take as much time as you need to answer each one If this is your book, you may simply... correct answer If the book does not belong to you, use a separate sheet of paper to record your answers, numbering 1 through 30 In many cases, there will be no simple right or wrong choice, because critical thinking skills involve making the most reasonable selection, or the one that best answers the question When you finish the test, use the answer key to check your results Make a note of the lessons indicated... you have to order more, but you will have to visit the bank to be issued temporary checks In other words, the failure to recognize a problem almost always creates more work for you In terms of critical thinking skills, a problem is defined as a question or situation that calls for a solution That means when you are faced with a problem, you must take action or make decisions that will lead to resolution... uncomfortable without 15 – RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM – that action depends on the type of issue you are facing Is the problem severe? If there is more than one problem, which should be tackled first? Use your critical thinking skills to pinpoint any problem or problems before you begin to anticipate a solution an air conditioner, you need your car to get to work and that is your top priority In Short When you recognize... meet a 3:00 P.M deadline c Documents must be dropped off at FedEx by 5:00 P.M 13 – RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM – issue, and ranking it in terms of importance What is most important to you as you begin the critical thinking process Practice Which, if any, of these problems is severe? a You realize you are out of shampoo on the morning of an important job interview b You find a tick on your dog which has probably... are finished, gather the necessary documents and prepare them for FedEx Following is another practice In this practice, you will see that time is a factor, but it is not the deciding factor, in your critical thinking process Severe Problems These problems may be identified by the following characteristics: ■ ■ ■ require immediate solutions may call for the involvement of others who have more expertise... that your boss expects a few errors during a teller’s first week on the job Keep in mind that something can look like a problem when it is not It is important that you recognize when your problem solving skills are needed, and when they are not 12 – RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM – priorities There are two criteria to use in your determination: severity and importance Answer The order that makes the most sense... resolve, you must rank them in order of importance, tackling the most important first This lesson will help you to do just that E A L L FA C E 11 – RECOGNIZING A PROBLEM – What Is a Problem? sibility The thinking goes that no recognition means no responsibility This can mean simply “not noticing” that you have five checks left in your checkbook (if you noticed, you would need to take action and order more... 13) 30 b (Lesson 9) 9 L E S S O N 1 Recognizing a Problem LESSON SUMMARY This lesson teaches you how to recognize a problem and to determine its importance or severity, so that you can begin to think critically and begin problem solving W problems every day Some are simple, requiring a short period of time to solve, such as running low on gas in your car Others are complex, and demand much of your . of. Pretest 1 1. abcd 2. abcd 3. abcd 4. abcd 5. abcd 6. abcd 7. abcd 8. abcd 9. abcd 10 . abcd 11 . abcd 12 . abcd 13 . abcd 14 . abcd 15 . abcd 16 . abcd 17 . abcd 18 . abcd 19 . abcd 20. abcd 21. abcd 22 Lauren B., 19 62– Critical thinking skills success / Lauren Starkey.—1st ed. p. cm. ISBN 1- 57685-508-2 1. Critical thinking Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title. LB1590.3.S73 2004 16 0—dc22 2003 017 066 Printed. Techniques 11 7 LESSON 17 Judgment Calls 12 3 LESSON 18 Explanation or Argument? 13 1 LESSON 19 Critical Thinking for Exams 13 7 LESSON 20 Putting It All Together 15 1 POST-TEST 15 9 Contents v