...CRITICAL THINKING EXERCISE University of Maryland University College Introduction: In the book, “Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking (Eleventh Edition), by M. Neil Brown and Stuart M. Keeley”, the authors examine the benefits of critical thinking as it relates to the process of asking the right kinds of questions. The authors state that critical thinking is a method used to improve the way we think by asking the questions that would enable you to reach a personal decision that would eventually give credit to both sides of a discussion. Critical thinking is, in essence, the analysis, synthesis and evaluation of one’s experience, as it relates to the worth of the discussion at hand. The authors define critical thinking as, “the awareness of a set of interrelated critical questions, the ability to ask and answer critical questions in an appropriate manner; and the desire to actively use the critical questions” (p. 4). This paper will evaluate the nature of critical thinking as an intellectual process and apply that to the memorandum date October 10, 2012 to Cynthia Castle from Anil Ravaswami to determine if the issue stated of whether the CEO of the company, Cliffside Holding Company of Massapequa (CHCM) should invest $100,000 per year in leadership training program for junior insurance executives. Browne and Keeley (2010) make it clear that a critical evaluation cannot be done until the conclusion is found and instructs the critical...
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...Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking Browne and Keeley, 2010 The Right Questions… | Critical Question Summary… | What are the issues and the conclusions? | Before you can evaluate an author’s argument, you must clearly identify the issue and the conclusion. How can you evaluate an argument if you don’t know exactly what the author is trying to persuade you to believe? Finding an author’s main point is the first step in deciding whether you will accept or reject it (p. 27). | What are the reasons? | Once you have identified the issue and the conclusion, you need to understand why an author has come to a certain conclusion. Reasons are the why. If the author provides good reasons, you might be persuaded to accept her conclusion. However, right now, we are simply concerned with identifying the reasons. Identifying reasons is the next step in deciding whether you should accept or reject the author’s conclusion (p. 36). | Which words or phrases are ambiguous? | Once you have identified the author’s argument, you need to identify key words or phrases within that reasoning that might have alternative meanings. More importantly, you need to determine whether the author explicitly uses one of those definitions. If she does not, and if one of those meanings alters your acceptance of the conclusion, you have indentified an important ambiguity. Identifying ambiguous words and phrases is the next important step in determining whether you will reject or...
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...Asking the Right Questions-11 Step Analysis Introduction “I know it’s good to be a critical thinker and to be able to ask lots of good questions, but I don’t know what questions to ask or how to ask them.” (Browne & Keeley, 2011) In our text “Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking (10th Ed.) The authors explore the benefits and necessity for critical thinking as it relates to the process of asking the right questions to make an informed decision and conclusion to an argument. The authors Browne and Keeley (2011) give two different approaches that can be taken in order to achieve success in critical thinking; the Interactive approach which involves evaluation of what is being read or heard and the sponge approach which involves little thought because you are simply absorbing everything you read and hear. With a good combination of the two one can successfully go through the critical thinking process and ask and answer all the right questions. So what are the right questions? Browne and Keeley give 10 questions that create a stairway to successful critical thinking. I am going to go through the 10-question model and examine a Memo written by Ms. Mary Ford the Director of Human Resources of APEU to Mr. Hector Fuentes the President of APEU local No. 121. I. What are the Issues and Conclusions? An issue is a question or controversy responsible for the conversation or discussion. It is the stimulus for what is being said (Browne & Keeley, 2011). There are...
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...February 3, 2014 8:29:57 AM CST6 days ago ED7590 Discussion 6d1 This post required a peer-reviewed journal article be selected from the Capella Library. The chosen article was about a descriptive study completed of nine states and the Funding support for school-wide positive behavioral interventions and support implementation and scale-up. This article examines the major focus and the difficulty states face with the process of selecting, implementing, and scaling-up evidence-based practices. The article also contains a discussion about the renewed commitment to improving student outcomes and how that has led directly to the need for effective practices implemented at scale (Gage et. Al, 2013). In particular, this article examines the funding decisions of nine specific states and makes note that funding decisions made at state, regional, and district levels remain a key to large-scale implementation of effective practices (Gage et. Al, 2013). No one will argue that the main objective of education in the United States is to offer all students a free and suitable public education so they may become active and vital members and contributors to society. However, the process involved in funding education to achieve this goal is a very complex one mainly because it includes interests, policies, and dollars originating from and flowing among local education agencies (LEAs), state education agencies (SEAs), and federal government agencies (e.g., U.S. Departments of Education...
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...Critical Thinking Analysis of Cliffside Holding Company Memo Lisa A. Farinelli University of Maryland University College 1209 AMBA 610 9043 10/9/2012 Professor Bonnie Peter Abstract This paper demonstrates the application of the critical thinking and systems thinking models to analyze complex organizational issues. To illustrate the benefits of using such a model, one sample memo originating from a Cliffside Holding Company of Massapequa will be referenced. The 10-steps of Critical Thinking defined in asking the Right Questions, Browne (2012) will guide this discussion. A summation of findings and suggestions for future readings concludes this discussion. Asking the Right Questions What are the issue and conclusions? The first step to appreciating the authenticity and credibility of the work is to identify the issue as well as the conclusion purported by its author. Browne (2012) defines the issue as the question or controversy that is responsible for the discussion, the actual stimulus (p. 19). In the memo by A. Ravaswami to one of his colleagues, the issue raised is whether a leadership development program is even necessary (A. Ravaswami, personal communication, October 10, 2012). This is an example of an explicitly stated prescriptive issue. The author is raising the question as to what is the proper route for training his top-level executives. The answer to this will involve ethical, moral and personal viewpoints and is therefore a prescriptive issue...
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...Critical Thinking “Critical thinking defines ability to weigh evidence, examine, arguments, and construct rational bases for generally accepted beliefs. Also a systematic approach to evaluating a problem” according to M. Neil Browne. “When using critical thinking he or she must be able to use reasoning and deduction in an argument. Asking the right questions is very important in the critical thinking process. Critical thinking involves viewing the situation and supporting the reason behind the solution. They will need to evaluate the situation, analyze the information, and research the topic to make sure they come to the right conclusion.” (M. Neil Browne, Stuart M. Keeley, Asking the Right Questions A Guide to Critical Thinking 8th Edition Prentice Hall) When using the decision-making process they need to identify the problem. He or she will need to have an alternative plan in case the original plan has pitfalls that they did not recognize in the beginning. After they implement the decision they will need to evaluate the decision to make sure it was the right choice for this particular time. Critical thinking is essential in today’s business world. The human element use assumptions and interference in our everyday encounters. These characteristics can defeat the goal we are trying to accomplish. There are things that affect our critical thinking processes are our values, personal beliefs, religion, and educational background. I find that in my work that I need...
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...Asking the Right Questions, in and of itself was a phenomenal read. I gained an incredible amount of insight with regards to critical thinking, but I also learned a lot about myself. While reading the text, I frequently had light bulb moments where I would reflect on my decision making process in personal relationships, but also business relationships. This book assisted me in identifying a new way in which I process information and how I make decisions. Asking the Right Questions, gives you the tools and skills to carefully approach questions and the ability to skillfully think through tasks. Critical thinking as defined by Browne and Keeley consists of an awareness of a set of interrelated critical questions, the ability to ask and answer critical questions at appropriate times and the desire to actively use the critical questions. This assignment, which focused on the PDQ Memorandum (Mark Headlee, personal communication, October 1, 2011), was an interesting discussion to use for the critical thinking process. Initially, when I thought about critical thinking as a task, my mind immediately focused on a problem and a solution. It most often times in my experience has been a lengthy discussion which resulted in numerous steps in the process. The model used by Browne and Keeley, is a different approach than what I was familiar with, however, it was quite unique when applying it to the PDQ CEO compensation evaluation. The PDQ scenario was very unique, because there was some...
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...Critical Thinking: Leadership-Development Programs University of Maryland University College Introduction Critical thinking is a process by which a thinker can improve the quality of their thinking through a process. It involves a series of process, that actively and skillfully conceptualizing, evaluating, applying, and analyzing information to reach an answer or a conclusion. This allows the reader to process the information received to come to a reasonable conclusion based on a reasoned process. This process involve the utilization of the ten step methodology presented in Browne and Keeley’s book called “Asking the Right Questions”. These steps are used to achieve a clearer understanding of the issues being evaluated. In this paper, I will be using Browne and Keeley’s ten step methodology presented in “Asking the right questions” to analyze the memo title “Leadership Development Program” writing by Mr. Anil Ravaswami to Ms. Cynthia Castle (CEO of Cliffside Holding Company of Massapequa CHCM). I will be analyzing the memo by going through each steps of the critical thinking model. This is to show my level of understanding of the intended messages being conveyed by Mr. A. Ravaswami’s memo. Critical Thinking: Leadership-Development Programs In Browne and Keeley’s book “Asking the Right Question”, Browne and Keeley discuss what the characteristics of an active reader or listener is. Browne and Keeley indicated that an active reader or listener is one who possesses the...
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...Critical thinking is one of the major required skills of all healthcare workers. The nursing education should be strived to foster their students with critical thinking skills for use in complex healthcare settings. Clinical reasoning skills help in critical thinking. Developing a good clinical reasoning makes oneself to think critically and effectively. An effective clinical reasoning skill requires concurrent attention to both the cognitive and metacognitive dimensions of reasoning in nursing care contexts ( Kuiper RA & Pesult DJ, 2004). Asking questions is the only way to improve the clinical reasoning. One of the important patterns of change in thinking is from ‘answers to questions’. Change is only constant thing in the world. These changes evolve with questions in many issues. Initially there will be fewer answers, which are simple ones and even not the right ones. Questioning helps in making our knowledge more sound and perfect. When one answer to an issue is not satisfactory, one will start questioning which will help in more thinking. According to Senge “genuine inquiry starts when people ask questions to which they do not have an answer” (Rubenfeld, MG & Scheffer BK ,2010). Only creative people depend on asking questions. The core of several learning approaches often starts with a problem or questioning. The art of asking ‘questions” help in developing the more innovative and effective way of thinking oneself. The key to powerful thinking will always be powerful...
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...good to be a critical thinker and to be able to ask lots of good questions, but I don’t know what questions to ask or how to ask them.” (Browne & Keeley, 2011) In our text “Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking (10th Ed.) The authors explore the benefits and necessity for critical thinking as it relates to the process of asking the right questions to make an informed decision and conclusion to an argument. The authors Browne and Keeley (2011) give two different approaches that can be taken in order to achieve success in critical thinking; the Interactive approach which involves evaluation of what is being read or heard and the sponge approach which involves little thought because you are simply absorbing everything you read and hear. With a good combination of the two one can successfully go through the critical thinking process and ask and answer all the right questions. So what are the right questions? Browne and Keeley give 10 questions that create a stairway to successful critical thinking. I am going to go through the 10-question model and examine a Memo written by Ms. Mary Ford the Director of Human Resources of APEU to Mr. Hector Fuentes the President of APEU local No. 121. I. What are the Issues and Conclusions? An issue is a question or controversy responsible for the conversation or discussion. It is the stimulus for what is being said (Browne & Keeley, 2011). There are two types of issues, descriptive which are those that raise questions about the...
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...Introduction Asking the Right Questions, in and of itself was a phenomenal read. I gained an incredible amount of insight with regards to critical thinking, but I also learned a lot about myself. While reading the text, I frequently had light bulb moments where I would reflect on my decision making process in personal relationships, but also business relationships. This book assisted me in identifying a new way in which I process information and how I make decisions. Asking the Right Questions, gives you the tools and skills to carefully approach questions and the ability to skillfully think through tasks. Critical thinking as defined by Browne and Keeley consists of an awareness of a set of interrelated critical questions, the ability to ask and answer critical questions at appropriate times and the desire to actively use the critical questions. This assignment, which focused on the PDQ Memorandum (Mark Headlee, personal communication, October 1, 2011), was an interesting discussion to use for the critical thinking process. Initially, when I thought about critical thinking as a task, my mind immediately focused on a problem and a solution. It most often times in my experience has been a lengthy discussion which resulted in numerous steps in the process. The model used by Browne and Keeley, is a different approach than what I was familiar with, however, it was quite unique when applying it to the PDQ CEO compensation evaluation. The PDQ scenario was very...
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...The Manager as a critical thinker Amos Agatovure University of Maryland University College Section 9047 October 16, 2015. Professor Martha Young Introduction Critical thinking is a term used most often by people and sometimes really don’t think about it what means and why questions are asked in a setting ways or why setting phrases are asked how and why? According to the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) Crit-Think-Audio, critical thinking model helps in the analyzation and finding solution to complex organizational problems that affect decision making ability of managers. By definition, critical thinking means making reasoned judgement that are logical and well thought-out. That is, a way of thinking that you don’t just accept all argument and conclusions, but rather you have an attitude by questioning every notion which raises the question of how and why? According to the UMUC Crit-Think-Audio, people who asked questions on how get a job and the people that ask question why be there bosses. However, this paper is for the analyzation of the Cliffside Holding Company of Massapequa (CHCM) Memo, and also, using the critical thinking model as described in the textbook, asking the right questions and applying the several steps as reveled by Browne and Keeley (Browne & Keeley, 2015, to measure up the argument described in the CHCM memo. The critical thinking model was prepared and applied in a memo by CHCM...
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...Analysis Using Critical Thinking Model: Cliffside Holding Company Memo University of Maryland University College Introduction Amidst this barrage of information in today’s world, it is often difficult to make a decision and stand by it, assured that it was the most advantageous to all those involved. Fortunately, critical thinking is a tool available to assist in making well thought out decisions in the face of contradictory opinions and impulsive actions. In Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking, Browne and Keeley (2013) explain that critical thinking is “reacting with systematic evaluation to what you have heard and read” (p. 4). They further assert that critical thinking “requires a set of skills and attitudes that are built around a series of related critical questions” (p. 4). By asking the right questions, we employ the skill of critical thinking to enhance what and how we process information. To examine the concept of critical questions, this paper will analyze a business document from Cliffside Holding of Massapequa using the critical thinking model outlined by Browne and Keeley (2013) in Asking the Right Questions. Analysis Mr. Anil Ravaswami, Vice-President (VP) of Human Resources (HR) of Cliffside Holding Company of Massapequa (CHMC), wrote a memo to CEO Cynthia Castle in response to her request for the evaluation of a proposal for a new leadership development program to be designed for Cliffside’s junior insurance executives (personal...
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...opportunities? When asked this question in today’s society my answer would be of course, a college degree improves your career opportunities. I feel it does because, when the potential employer views the resume or the employees profile they want to know that the candidate has the proper knowledge and proper training in the career field that they’re applying for. That’s why college exists, a doctor can’t just go into a hospital and say “I want to be a doctor” but never had any previous course or knowledge concerning the human body it would be a disaster. Rather we like it or not it’s the truth but I have to consider if someone would argue the facts or my opinion how would I argue that my point is correct or that they also make a valid point. So if someone came to me and said just because a person has a degree doesn’t improve their career opportunities. I would ask “why?” some could think that a college degree is just a piece of paper and that they’re smarter than most people that went to school for years. And could possibly be right. But a college degree is a lot more creditable. I can use critical thinking in other areas by asking questions and considering the opposing sides answers as valuable information instead of thinking my opinion is correct. To ensure that I will continue to use critical thinking in the future I will learn to choose wisely in decision making, weigh out the options, consider the opposing point of view, practice critical thinking by reading more, doing more...
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...In examining biblical thinking and Christian leadership, I am always asked why I have chosen to pursue such an idea at this time in my life. Although I am 54 next month, I always respond by explaining that there is no explanation, it is a feeling to do only, that which is right. I feel that I need the answers to questions that I have had for many years and if you read my first weeks essay you would get some idea of how this all came about. As a Christian leader, I must be able to explain the truths that I believe in, and what others are asking. This is where critical thinking begins and forms the foundation for what you are trying to explain. To really determine what is true and what is false requires only you accept the Word of God, without this acceptance you will never know what is real and what is not. In approaching the answers to the questions, I get as a future Christian leader I must always use the word of God and be able to think on my feet. One question I get a lot is how do you know the bible is true? For myself there is no other explanation than I know I Jesus is our lord and savior and therefore there is nothing to question. For non-Christians or for the person that is just not sure, I need to use the bible to help in my explanation so that they understand that the bible is the word of God. When faced with the question what about science? I turn to the bible for this answer as well, and is really quite simple. All that is needed is a knowledge of Genesis...
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