According to Richard Paul, A critical thinker:

• Is open-minded
• Does not argue about something he or she knows little about
• Recognizes when more information is needed
• Realizes that different people interpret meanings in different ways
• Questions everything that doesn’t make sense to him or her
• Attempts to separate emotional thinking from logical thinking
• Determines and maintains a focus on the questions or conclusion
• Takes into account the total situation under question. (Paul et al. 1987)

Behaviors such as these become second nature to a critical thinker; they become how he or she naturally thinks. A critical thinker also routinely applies this frame of mind to certain mental skills necessary to critical thinking.

 

According to B. Beyer, critical thinkers are actively:

• Distinguishing between verifiable facts and value claims
• Determining the reliability of a source
• Determining the factual accuracy of a statement
• Distinguishing relevant from irrelevant information, claims, or reasons
• Detecting bias
• Identifying unstated assumptions
• Identifying ambiguous or equivocal claims or arguments
• Recognizing logical inconsistencies or fallacies in a line of reasoning
• Distinguishing between warranted and unwarranted claims
• Determining the strength of an argument. (1985, 272)

If you apply yourself in this course, you will do a lot of mental work
which will strengthen you as a thinker!