When students are writing a research paper, they should follow the particular guidelines. First of all, a paper like this should be logically structured. Next, it should be clear and concise, so that the reader understands the point immediately and does not wander off from it. Also, this paper should be based on facts, not on assumptions. At least, the classical research paper should. And clarity, evidence-based flow, relevance, and accuracy are all features of critical thinking. By improving it, students will enhance their ability to write compelling and outstanding papers, as well as become more successful in their studies in general. So, the importance of critical thinking is really extreme. Below, there is a number of ways to develop and improve oneself as a critical thinker.
Keep a Journal
It has to be a special journal where you write down not only what happened, but try to analyze the events and your reactions to those events, and draw conclusions from those things. In order to have a more structured journal, you should focus on the following sections when describing events: the situation itself, your response to it, analysis of the situation from the writing perspective and potential implications of the analysis. This way, you can learn to assess and analyze information in a written form.
Analyzing Your Own Emotions
It is another strategy that helps to develop critical thinking. For a start, the latter is often regarded as the opposite of emotions. Still, instead of getting rid of them — which humans cannot do anyway — you can use them effectively to improve your intellectual abilities. For example, you can take notice of emotions which occur and inspect them logically. Why there was a particular emotional response? What caused a certain emotion? Is it related to any other emotion? What other emotions is it possible to have in a certain situation?
Tackle One Problem Every Day
Each day you deal with problems that you need to solve. Whether it is an assignment, an argument with a professor, a disagreement with a significant other, or a household issue, anything can be analyzed critically. Steps to work with the problem are as follows: stating the problem in the most precise way, categorizing the problem, searching for the relevant information that will help you deal with it, choosing among the alternative solutions, building a strategy, and analyzing the possible results. When you do this exercise every day, you develop a critical approach to dealing with common problems, which helps you solve these problems more effectively.
Redefine Group Influences
The problem is that people often do things simply because they are perceived as “normal” by a group to which they belong. While conformity helps humans adjust socially, it often leads to irrational behavior, harmful decisions, and lack of success. It is a good exercise to question your own behavior and beliefs from time to time: where did they come from? How were they formed? What are the alternatives? What would have happened if I had done the opposite? This will help you to make logical decisions overtime, change the disadvantageous behavior patterns, and become more self-sufficient. The latter will bring benefit to you in studies, as you will be able to display cognitive independence and present fresh perspective on things.
Critical thinking is not genetically based, and it can be developed like any other attribute or skill. It requires, however, practice and commitment to become an inseparable part of your life. Still, once it is enabled and used, you become more successful in your studies, both in writing and during group discussions. Critical thinking means paying attention to the logical connections between things, researching and analyzing information, and withdrawing from the unnecessary beliefs, concepts, and behaviors. It means more independence and more personality, which often mean academic success.