Workshop Teaches Critical Thinking

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Photo by Eric Bell

Workshop - Student Support Services Education Specialist and Counselor Phyllis Waldron in her office. Waldron gave a Critical Thinking Workshop Thursday, Feb. 21.

   Gateway Student Support Services held a Critical Thinking Workshop Feb. 21.

   Gateway helps students have a successful college experience by providing academic support and other services that assist eligible undergraduate students with adequate support to stay in college until they earn their bachelor’s degree.

  Gateway Director Tawana Greene said, “In my opinion, Student Support Services provides workshops that are beneficial to our students both academically and personally.  Critical thinking skills are very important in the classroom and the business world."

   During the Critical Thinking Workshop, Gateway Counselor Phyllis Waldron defined critical thinking as applying common sense to problems using a simple, systematic approach. The systematic approach consists of five steps:

• Identify the problem.
• Analyze the problem by looking at it from different angles.
• Brainstorm and come up with several possible solutions.
• Decide which solution fits the situation best.
• Take action.

   Waldron further explained how relying on reason, evaluating a broad range of viewpoints, maintaining an open mind, accepting new evidence and explanations, and avoiding hasty judgments are all part of the process of critical thinking.  Students use critical thinking skills when answering essay questions on tests.

   “After practicing your critical thinking skills, the best way to organize your thoughts when answering essay questions is to make an outline of the main points you intend to include in your answer,” Waldron said.

   A hint to students when writing answers to essay questions is to avoid writing at excessive length on questions you knows a lot about. If you see you are not going to have enough time to finish all the questions, it is better to give a partial answer so that you answer all the questions.

   “Two half-answers will usually get a higher mark than one full answer, no matter how well it is done,” Waldron added.

   At the conclusion of the Critical Thinking Workshop, Waldron pointed out six steps to follow in order to write an A-plus answer to an essay question:

• Answer the whole question.
• Show a clear understanding on the material.
• Use important terms and concepts from the text and lectures.
• Communicate your understanding of the terms by explaining them.
• Use examples.
• Be sure to get the facts correct.

   “These skills that students nurture and develop during their college years enable them to be more productive citizens utilizing those skills when called upon to accomplish work-related tasks,” Greene said.

   Gateway Student Support Services’ next workshop will take place Feb. 27 in Harris Hall, Room 200. The workshop is entitled “Write it Right! How to Write Anything Better.” For more information, contact Greene at 460-1310 or e-mail at jonesta@uamont.edu.

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