Critical Thinking and Reflection: Learn It 1

  • Explore the concept of critical thinking
  • Understand how reflection supports learning
  • Examine the parts of reflective writing

Critical Thinking

As a college student, you are tasked with engaging and expanding your thinking skills. One of the most important of these skills is critical thinking.

critical thinking

Critical thinking is clear, reasonable, reflective thinking focused on deciding what to believe or do. It means asking probing questions like, “How do we know?” or “Is this true in every case or just in this instance?” It involves being skeptical and challenging assumptions, rather than simply memorizing facts or blindly accepting what you hear or read.

Critical Thinking IS Critical Thinking is NOT
Skepticism Memorizing
Examining assumptions Going along with the group
Challenging reasoning Blind acceptance of authority
Uncovering biases Believing everything you read

 Critical thinking is the process of questioning and analyzing information to make thoughtful, informed decisions. It helps us evaluate the truth of what we read, hear, or see—whether we’re choosing a product, judging a news story, or forming an opinion. In everyday life, it allows us to look beyond surface-level claims and ask deeper questions about sources, motives, and evidence. In both academic and real-world settings, critical thinking means questioning textbooks, speakers, commonly-held beliefs, and new ideas—because anything and everything is open to examination.

Imagine, for example, that you’re reading a history textbook. You wonder who wrote it and why, because you detect certain assumptions in the writing. You find that the author has a limited scope of research focused only on a particular group within a population. In this case, your critical thinking reveals that there are “other sides to the story.”

Critical thinkers share a set of key traits that help them analyze information thoughtfully and make sound, reasoned decisions. They approach learning and problem-solving with curiosity, reflection, and a willingness to grow. Common characteristics of critical thinkers include:

  • Curious and reflective – They enjoy exploring ideas, asking questions, and thinking deeply.
  • Inquisitive – They actively seek knowledge, clarification, and alternative solutions.
  • Analytical – They evaluate arguments, distinguish facts from opinions, and consider multiple viewpoints.
  • Thoughtful – They avoid snap judgments and rely on higher-order thinking before drawing conclusions.
  • Self-aware – They reflect on their own beliefs and ideas, recognizing when opinions may not be fully formed.
  • Humble – They admit when they don’t know something and are open to learning more.
  • Open-minded – They are open to changing their minds when presented with sound evidence or reasoning.
  • Lifelong learners – They enjoy learning and view it as an ongoing, meaningful pursuit.

No matter where you are on the road to being a critical thinker, you can always more fully develop your skills. Doing so will help you develop more balanced arguments, express yourself clearly, read critically, and absorb important information efficiently. Critical thinking skills will help you in any profession or any circumstance of life, from science to art to business to teaching.

Let’s use a simple example of applying logic to a critical-thinking situation. In this hypothetical scenario, Professor Brown has a PhD in political science, and he works as a professor at a local college. His wife works at the college, too. They have three young children in the local school system, and their family is well-known in the community. Professor Brown is now running for political office. Are his credentials and experience sufficient for entering public office? Will he be effective in the political office? Some voters might believe that his personal life and current job, on the surface, suggest he will do well in the position, and they will vote for him. In truth, Brown’s characteristics as described above don’t guarantee that he will do a good job. What else might you want to know? How about whether Brown has already held a political office? If so, was he effective? How about Brown’s reputation for personal integrity? Just because he works as a professor does not mean he has experience or skill with the ethical issues of public office. Does he have the leadership skills required to be an effective public leader? Just because he teaches college students does not mean Brown has effective leadership skills. In this case, we want to ask, “How much information is adequate in order to make a decision based on logic instead of assumptions?”

Critical thinking is fundamentally a process of questioning. The following questions are ones you may apply to formulate a logical, reasoned perspective in the above scenario or any other situation:

  1. What’s happening? Gather the basic information and begin to think of questions.
  2. Why is it important? Ask yourself why it’s significant and whether or not you agree.
  3. What don’t I see? Is there anything important missing?
  4. How do I know? Ask yourself where the information came from and how it was constructed.
  5. Who is saying it? What’s the position of the speaker, and what is influencing them?
  6. What else? What if? What other ideas exist, and are there other possibilities?

Problem-Solving With Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is not just an academic exercise. For most people, a typical day is filled with critical thinking. We use critical thinking to solve problems all the time. For example, consider the following situation. Gisella is doing well in college, and most of her college and living expenses are covered, but there are some gaps between what she wants and what she feels she can afford. She uses critical thinking to analyze her income, savings, and budget to better calculate what she will need to stay in college and maintain her desired level of spending.

Remember, when you apply the skills of a good critical thinker to your academic work or to the problems in your life, your challenge will be less of a hurdle. If you are curious, reflective, knowledge-seeking, open to change, probing, organized, and ethical, you’ll be in a good position to find intelligent solutions.