Thinking Critically : Concise Guide

Designed as a brief, supplemental text for any course in which critical thinking is a key component, this Concise version of Chaffee's acclaimed Thinking Critically teaches the fundamental thinking, reasoning, reading, and writing abilities that students need for academic success. This streamlined text highlights skill development.

• Chaffee presents the basics of thinking, reasoning, reading, and writing in a carefully sequenced way for instructors who prefer a briefer, supplemental text.
• Engaging exercises, discussion topics, reading, and writing assignments encouraging active participation and provide structured opportunities for students to develop thinking processes.
• Diverse readings and assignments covering a range of controversial topics--from AIDS and substance abuse to patriotism--guides students in thinking about complex issues.
• Chaffee's approach helps students develop thinking skills in conjunction with the four language skills--reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

1. Thinking

Living an "Examined" Life
Working Towards Goals
Making Decisions
Analyzing Issues
Final Thoughts

2. Thinking Critically

Thinking Actively
Carefully Exploring Situations with Questions
Thinking Independently
Viewing Situations from Different Perspectives
Supporting Diverse Perspectives with Reasons and Evidence
Discussing Ideas in an Organized Way
Becoming a Critical Thinker

3. Solving Problems

Thinking Critically About Problems
Introduction to Solving Problems
Solving Complex Problems

Solving Nonpersonal Problems
4. Perceivin, Believing, and Knowing

Actively Selecting, Organizing, and Interpreting Sensations
What Factors Shape Your Perceptions?
Thinking Critically About Perceptions
Constructing Beliefs
Believing and Knowing
Knowledge and Truth

5. Reporting, Inferring, and Judging

Reporting Factual Information
Inferring
Judging
Final Thoughts

6. Constructing Arguments

Recognizing Arguments
Evaluating Arguments
Understanding Deductive Arguments
Final Thoughts

7. Reasoning Critically

Inductive Reasoning
Empirical Generalization
Fallacies of False Generalization
Causal Reasoning
Causal Fallacies
Fallacies of Relevance
The Critical Thinker's Guide to Reasoning

8. Thinking Critically, Living Creatively

Living Creatively
Living a Life Philosophy
Glossary
Acknowledgments
Index