Critical Thinking: 6 Useful Skills and How to Think More Critically

Critical thinking is the ability to think about something deeply and carefully, judging its credibility and accuracy. It is the careful examination of an issue to form and support a judgment. 

Critical thinkers are not susceptible to false information and do not take all things at face value; they recognise and analyse all sides of an issue. Critical thinking involves a willingness to ask questions, investigate, gather information, evaluate evidence, and apply considered judgment to conclude something.

These skills are essential in everyday life. People need to be able to make rational judgments about their personal experiences and plans for the future. However, critical thinking does not come easily for everybody and is often learned over time through example, personal experience and formal instruction. This article lays out some vital applications of critical thinking in everyday life and some techniques you can use to improve yours.

Core Critical Thinking Skills

Many skills can be classified as a part of critical thinking, but here are 6 of the most vital everyday skills to be aware of and work on:

Analytical Thinking

This thinking is the process of making judgments based on what is known to be accurate information. You try to make as objective a judgment as possible, weighing all sides of an issue before coming up with a conclusion. Analytical thinkers seek information about something and judge using their knowledge and understanding. When you are analytical, you break down data elements to figure out how they relate to understanding something completely.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as recognise the feelings of others. Emotional intelligence requires a lot of self-reflection, as it is about understanding your feelings and learning how to work with them.

Being emotional may be an obstacle in that it can get in the way of critical thinking on a personal level, especially when you allow your emotions to rule your decisions. Being emotionally intelligent means expressing yourself clearly, and working effectively with others despite any feelings you are experiencing. It is also crucial that you can read others’ emotional states of mind accurately to manage situations that may cause conflict or emotional distress otherwise.

If you want to learn more about emotional intelligence, check out “The guide you need to help develop your emotional intelligence (EQ)“.

Problem Solving

A critical thinker will first look at a problem and recognise the core issues. Once the most pressing issues are identified, the person can apply their analytical skills to those parts of the situation to find solutions. This way, they make an objectively fair judgement about what is going on so that they can make informed decisions to deal with it as effectively as possible. This type of thinking is also connected to having a solid IQ. People with strong critical thinking skills base their conclusions on logical reasoning and research rather than a ‘gut feel’, prejudice or guess.

Lore of Life also explores “How to Solve Problems in Life With a Positive Mindset” check it out for more information!

Reading Comprehension

Reading critically is one of the essential skills needed today, especially in light of increasingly prolific misinformation. Reading critically means that you will understand what you are reading and not immediately jump to conclusions about the meaning. It means avoiding making assumptions and ensuring you read thoroughly and interpret the context of the writing correctly. Being able to read critically helps people make well-informed choices, avoid getting things confused and limit the spreading of inappropriate sources of information.

Making Decisions

Many people have difficulty making decisions when misinformed about an issue or when some aspects of the situation are unknown. They may be unduly influenced by emotion in their judgments or clouded by their personal biases, which means they may make choices that could be better. Critical thinking allows you to make well-considered decisions, so you can make the best possible choice based on the information you have.

Evaluating Evidence and Arguments

People often make decisions or form opinions without considering all the facts. Critical thinking allows you to evaluate all available evidence and decide based on the relevant facts, not just what you were initially presented with or what you want or believe. This often involves seeking additional information above what someone tells you and researching important topics before you form opinions. 

Learning to Think More Critically 

Whether you’re trying to understand complex topics, tackling difficult decisions, or forming your beliefs about broader societal issues, forming a reasoned judgement can help you make better decisions on an individual level and in group settings. Learning to do so can be difficult, but it will become second nature with practice! To help you along, try the following techniques for improving your critical thinking skills.

Pay attention to your beliefs

Reflect on your core beliefs, in general, or about a specific topic. Do they come from your evaluations or word for word from someone else? Are there aspects of your beliefs that you should seek more information about? Do you often accept opinions expressed to you at the first hearing? The first step in improving your critical thinking is understanding where you are. You can write down what you discover in a notebook or journal and look for patterns between different topics or over time as you progress.

Differentiate facts from opinions

When given a piece of information, try to determine whether it is a fact or an opinion. Where did your source get the information from, and is it an objective fact or a thought or feeling of someone else? Is it a fact that someone else agrees with? There are many different sources of similar information. Do they agree, is the source reliable and can I trust them?

Recognise assumptions

Often, when we have gaps in our knowledge, making assumptions can be easier than doing the research required. Most of the time, this happens unconsciously. While these can sometimes be correct, more often, they are inaccurate and can taint our complete understanding of a situation. When tackling situations, be aware of your blind spots and seek more information before making a decision or forming an opinion.

Ask questions

Never be afraid to ask for more information when you see gaps in an argument, particularly from a person or entity asking you to believe them. If they are upset at your asking, consider why that may be. In some cases, this may be a nefarious intent to deceive. Critical thinking means pulling apart arguments and forming your own beliefs, so be thorough.

Be aware of your biases

Every single person who has ever lived has been subject to personal biases, no matter how hard they try to avoid these impacting their actions. A bias is a tendency to favour one option over another, even if the options are equally good. It can also refer to seeing things from a particular viewpoint due to environment, culture, or psychology.

A bias can be overt or subtle, but it always impacts how a person thinks and makes decisions. Because of this, it is crucial to be aware of biases that you have and that others have. For others, what are their background, personality, and beliefs, and why do they have these beliefs? Why do you? Is there something here you need to reexamine from another perspective?

Conclusion

Critical thinking is a vital skill for all people. Although sometimes debated as innate, the fact is that critical thinking can be learned and developed through education and practice. The ultimate goal of critical thinking is to arrive at the truth or facts about any topic or issue you face.

Thoughtful consideration of alternative viewpoints will allow you to understand yourself and your options in choosing the most beneficial course of action. Forming a robust and well-considered set of beliefs can assist with confidence, identity and decision-making in many different forms.