Introduction
This lesson shows you some critical thinking questions which you can use whenever you face challenging situations or need to critically analyze something. In the context of these questions, critical thinking promotes open-mindedness and healthy skepticism, encouraging you to challenge assumptions and explore a topic or situation in depth. This lesson is designed to equip you with essential questions that can effectively guide your analysis and decision-making processes in various scenarios, whether personal, professional, or societal.
The Questions
Who…
- benefits from this?
- is this harmful to?
- makes decisions about this?
- is most directly affected?
- have you also heard discuss this?
- would be the best person to consult?
- will be the key people in this?
- deserves recognition for this?
What…
- are the strengths/weaknesses?
- is another perspective?
- is another alternative?
- would be a counter-argument?
- is the best/worst-case scenario?
- is most/least important?
- can I do to make a positive change?
- is getting in the way of our action?
Where…
- would I see this in the real world?
- are there similar concepts/situations?
- is there the most need for this?
- in the world would this be a problem?
- can I get more information?
- do I go for help with this?
- will this idea take us?
- are the areas for improvement?
When…
- is this acceptable/unacceptable?
- would this benefit our society?
- would this cause a problem?
- is the best time to take action?
- will I know I’ve succeeded?
- has this played a part in our history?
- can I expect this to change?
- should I ask for help with this?
Why…
- is this a problem/challenge?
- is it relevant to me/others?
- is this the best/worst scenario?
- are people influenced by this?
- should people know about this?
- has it been this way for so long?
- have I allowed this to happen?
- is there a need for this today?
How…
- is this similar to _______?
- does this disrupt things?
- do I know the truth about this?
- will I approach this safely?
- does this benefit me/others?
- does this harm me/others?
- do I see this in the future?
- can I change this for our good?
Applying the Questions in Real Life
Critical thinking questions can be applied step-by-step to any situation you encounter in the real world by following this process:
- Identify the Situation: Clearly define the situation or problem you are dealing with. The more specific you can be, the more effective your questioning will be.
- Gather Information: Collect all the relevant information about the situation. This includes facts, opinions, data, past experiences, and expert insights.
- Formulate Questions: Use the critical thinking questions outlined in this lesson. Start by using broader questions like “Who is affected?” or “What are the strengths and weaknesses?” and then narrow down to more specific ones as you gather more context. Of course, you can also try to create your own critical questions!
- Analyze and Reflect: Analyze the information you’ve gathered in response to the questions. Reflect on each aspect to understand the situation better and uncover underlying issues or biases. This is very closely related to the Socratic Method as you can systematically ask “why” to the information you’ve gathered in order to get to its core.
- Connect the Dots: Look for patterns, relationships, and connections between different pieces of information. This will help you to see the bigger picture and understand the implications. You can acheive this by drawing out a mindmap [TOPIC LINK HERE]; write down your pieces of information, then attempt to uncover their connections.
- Develop Solutions or Conclusions: Based on your analysis, develop potential solutions or reasoned conclusions. Evaluate these options critically by considering their consequences and practicality.
- Communicate and Implement: Share your findings and proposed solutions with others if needed, and plan for implementation. Ensure you communicate clearly and justify your rationale with evidence and logical reasoning.
- Review and Reflect: After implementation, review the outcomes of your approach. Reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how you can improve your critical thinking in the future.
Practical Example
Let’s walk through a practical example of how critical thinking questions can be used to analyze whether a news channel is being objective and unbiased:
- Identify the Situation: Begin by clearly stating your objective: “I want to determine if Channel X reports news objectively without bias.”
- Gather Information: Watch a selection of broadcasts from Channel X. Also, read articles or listen to segments related to the same news topics covered by other news outlets for comparison. Note down specific language used, topics selected, and the portrayal of different viewpoints.
- Formulate the Questions:
- Who is most directly affected by the news being reported? Consider the stakeholders and how the channel presents their roles.
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments presented? Look for thorough backing of statements versus superficial or unsupported claims.
- Where else can I see this topic being discussed? Explore similar reports from various sources including international media outlets.
- When are certain issues given more or less coverage? Notice if certain topics are persistently given less airtime, which might indicate bias.
- Why might this channel choose this angle? Reflect on motivations such as political alliances, ownership influences, or target audience preferences.
- How does this channel frame its narratives compared to others? Analyze if the language portrays certain entities more favorably or unfavorably across different channels.
- Analyze and Reflect: Dissect the coverage by separating facts from opinions. Take note of loaded language, cherry-picking of data, or omission of key contextual information.
- Connect the Dots: Compare findings from different channels on the same topic. Look for patterns in how Channel X reports topics compared to alternatives. Are they consistently framing one side more positively?
- Develop Conclusions: Based on analysis, determine if Channel X displays a pattern of bias. For instance, if they consistently highlight one political party’s advantages over another, it may suggest bias. Consider how balanced their sources are and whether diverse perspectives receive adequate airtime.
- Communicate and Share Findings: Share your findings with others, perhaps in the
Discussion Club or with family. Ensure that your conclusions are backed by observed evidence and comparison data. - Review and Reflect: After discussions, reflect on any new insights or opposing viewpoints you gain. Reassess your conclusions and consider if any biases in your own analysis exist or not.