Critical Thinking/Higher Order Thinking Skills

Parents, students in Fourth Grade will be using Critical Thinking Skills to answer questions. Visit this website for a good overview and how to be more successful.

http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic69.htm

Types of Critical Questions

Questions of clarification: Examples —Could you give me an example? —Is your basic point ___or___ ?

Questions that probe assumptions: Examples —You seem to be assuming ___ —How would you justify taking this for granted? —Is this always the case?

Questions that probe reasons and evidence: Examples —How could we go about finding out whether that is true? —Is there reason to doubt that evidence?

Questions about viewpoints or perspectives: Examples —How would other groups or types of people respond? Why? What would influence them? —How would people who disagree with this viewpoint argue their case?

Questions that probe implications and consequences: Examples —What effect would that have? —If this and this are the case, then what else must also be true?

Questions about the question: Examples —To answer this question, what questions would we have to answer first? —Is this the same issue as?

What is the purpose, goal, or point?

What is the problem or issue being solved or described? On what data or evidence is the decision / definition / problem based?

What inferences are being made from what kind of data, and are these inferences legitimate?

What is the solution, outcome, or resolution of the problem or issue?

What are the short-term and long-term implications of the solution / consquences of the outcome?

If all else fails, just ask WHY?