The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools. Richard Paul and Linda Elder

Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or downright prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Shoddy thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically cultivated.

Critical thinking is that mode of thinking about any subject, content, or problem in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking and imposing intellectual standards upon them.

A well cultivated critical thinker:

1. Raises vital questions and problems, formulating them clearly and precisely;
2. Gathers and assesses relevant information, using abstract ideas to interpret it effectively;
3. Comes to well-reasoned conclusions and standards;
4. Thinks open-mindedly within alternative systems of thought, recognizing and assessing, as need be, their assumptions, implications, and practical consequences; and
5. Communicates effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems.

Critical thinking... entails effective communication and problem solving abilities and a commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.