what is critical thinking

Critical thinking is the process of analyzing available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments in order to form a judgment by the application of rational, skeptical, and unbiased analyses and evaluation. It involves being aware of your own biases and assumptions when encountering information and applying consistent standards when evaluating sources. Critical thinking skills help you to identify credible sources, evaluate and respond to arguments, assess alternative viewpoints, and test hypotheses against relevant criteria. It is an important element of all disciplines and throughout all stages of the research process. Critical thinking requires you to use your ability to reason and engage in reflective and independent thinking, rigorously questioning ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face value. To become a better critical thinker, you need to learn how to clarify your thinking purpose and context, identify and challenge assumptions, evaluate evidence, and consider alternative perspectives.