- Understand how critical thinking and analysis are related
How Critical Thinking and Analysis Are Connected
You’ve already learned about critical thinking. Now it’s time to build on that foundation with analysis.
Critical thinking means:
- Asking thoughtful questions about what you read, see, or hear
- Looking for evidence before deciding if something is true, effective, or trustworthy
- Staying open-minded while gathering information
Critical thinking is about asking and evaluating.
Analysis is a type of critical thinking where you dig deeper.
analysis
Analysis is about breaking down and understanding.
-
You break something into parts to see how it works
-
You examine relationships between ideas, evidence, and strategies
-
You explain the meaning rather than just accepting or rejecting the information
How They Work Together
| Critical Thinking | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Questions and evaluates ideas | Breaks ideas into smaller parts |
| Looks for evidence | Explores how the parts fit together |
| Holds judgment | Investigates meaning and structure |
| Seeks better understanding | Builds a deeper, detailed explanation |
Let’s take a look at an example.
Critical Thinking: “I don’t fully trust this ad’s claim that their product is ‘doctor recommended.’ There’s no source or data to back it up.”
Analysis: “The ad uses an appeal to authority by referencing doctors, but it never cites a real organization. The background music is calming, which builds trust. The visuals show happy people, not medical professionals, which makes the claim feel vague. These choices seem designed to make viewers feel good rather than offer facts.”