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A Short Guide to Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills

• Matt Plummer

Critical thinking isn’t an innate skill. It can be learned.

Most employers lack an effective way to objectively assess critical thinking skills and most managers don’t know how to provide specific instruction to team members in need of becoming better thinkers. Instead, most managers employ a sink-or-swim approach, ultimately creating work-arounds to keep those who can’t figure out how to “swim” from making important decisions. But it doesn’t have to be this way. To demystify what critical thinking is and how it is developed, the author’s team turned to three research-backed models: The Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment, Pearson’s RED Critical Thinking Model, and Bloom’s Taxonomy. Using these models, they developed the Critical Thinking Roadmap, a framework that breaks critical thinking down into four measurable phases: the ability to execute, synthesize, recommend, and generate.

With critical thinking ranking among the most in-demand skills for job candidates , you would think that educational institutions would prepare candidates well to be exceptional thinkers, and employers would be adept at developing such skills in existing employees. Unfortunately, both are largely untrue.

• Matt Plummer (@mtplummer) is the founder of Zarvana, which offers online programs and coaching services to help working professionals become more productive by developing time-saving habits. Before starting Zarvana, Matt spent six years at Bain & Company spin-out, The Bridgespan Group, a strategy and management consulting firm for nonprofits, foundations, and philanthropists.  

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  Critical Thinking in HR 

Although we may not have been aware of it, critical thinking has always played an important role in business. Have you ever been in a meeting with senior management making a business case for a HR policy only to find your sound case was derailed? Someone in the room may relate it to something that didn’t work in the past, causing your valid arguments to be lost? If this sounds familiar, that person may have applied their critical thinking skills to the situation to your detriment. 

Opportunities to share ideas with senior management or outside stakeholders may not present themselves regularly. To make the most of them it is important people professionals can identify and employ critical thinking skills. 

It is also an area employers surveyed by the World Economic Forum identified as essential to the future of work across many industries. Critical thinking and analysis topped a list of ten skills  employers believed would be required in 2025. 

What are critical thinking skills?

Before we delve into why critical thinking matters for people professionals and how you can develop your critical thinking skills, it is important to define the term. Critical thinking is a process of conceptualising, analysing and evaluating information gathered from observation, experience or communication to guide belief or action. For people professionals there are three key areas relating to the skill:  

• Critiquing the ideas and arguments of others
• Constructing our own ideas and arguments
• Identifying when others are using critical thinking 

Critical thinking helps people professionals make decisions in a more reflective way. These decisions are less likely to be biased , crucial for HR leaders.

Why is critical thinking important in HR?

HR and People management involves solving a multitude of problems for your business. Critical thinking is important in people management because it helps us avoid making decisions based on:

• Incorrect assumptions
• Unreliable sources
• Unconscious biases 

Having strong critical thinking skills enables HR professionals at all levels to collect and process information in a structured way aiding the problem solving process. 

Critical thinking also helps people managers engage in strategic conversations with internal business partners from professions where critical thinking is a central part of their role like legal professionals, engineers or C Suite management. HR teams are often asked to facilitate meetings around complex or difficult strategic issues amongst other parts of the business. With critical thinking knowledge you are likely to be in a better position to do this but also to facilitate stakeholder thoughts in a more structured way.

How to develop critical thinking skills?

Fortunately, critical thinking skills are not inherent, it is something that can be learnt or improved upon. If you feel your skills need some improvement we have found 6 ways HR professionals can improve critical thinking skills :

1. Question your own thinking

It is natural for all human beings to develop a pattern of thinking that we use to navigate life and work. As a HR leader it is easy to believe something must be correct because it has ‘always been done that way’. Critical thinking helps us to break out of those patterns of passive thinking where little changes. Instead, it asks us to question how we think and look for problems that could be solved to make a situation or process better. 

2. Discern relevant data

The digital age means we are often overwhelmed by data. It is important that people managers remember that not all data is useful or relevant. As critical thinking skills improve it should become easier for you to divide information into what to ignore and what to pay attention to.

3. Explore new ideas

It can sometimes be intimidating or threatening when you are faced with new ideas, especially in such a regulated area. In order to grow as a professional, it is important to explore new ideas. Speak to colleagues or people in other departments for input on how things could be done. Take a professional development course in an area of interest or read up on new developments in the industry that your business might be able to employ.

4. Encourage alternative views

Often businesses get stuck in a cycle of short-term thinking. Getting things done to reach immediate goals at the expense of the bigger picture. Developing an organisational culture that is open to alternative views is an important part of facilitating critical thinking. Don’t just wait for colleagues to challenge the status quo, actively encourage it through:

• Informal conversations
• Brainstorms

When provided with the space to do so, you and your colleagues may come up with many alternative ideas that challenge existing processes and procedures across the organization.

5. Take time to decide

A quick decision is the enemy of critical thinking. If you regularly make decisions on the fly, take time to reflect on whether with the benefit of hindsight they were always the right one. As a people manager it is important to take time to think about important decisions. Particularly those that are going to impact the entire organisation.

If you love a proposal, take some time to think about potential negative implications. Try to look at it from a number of different viewpoints, put yourself in the shoes of someone of a different:

• Level in the organisation

How will your decision impact each of them? If it is a very significant change, it might be worth interviewing a spectrum of people for their opinion before you make a final decision. Take a similar approach to decisions you don’t like, just because you don’t like an idea does not mean it is not the right thing for the wider team or organization as a whole. 

6. Avoid assumptions

The old adage making an assumption makes an ass out of you and me is most certainly true when it comes to critical thinking. Before you unintentionally jump to a conclusion ask yourself:

a.            What are the facts?

b.            Is there a relationship between cause and effect?

c.            Is the language used to describe the issue is ambiguous or clear?

          These questions will help you avoid falling back on something you believe to be true without any proof. 

TedTalks to improve your critical thinking skills

Prefer to learn by watching or listening? The experts at TED have created some useful talks on the subject of critical thinking:

1.  5 tips to improve your critical thinking

Samantha Agoos takes us through a five step process we can apply to decision making in any area of life.  

2.  Encourage critical thinking with these 3 questions

Eric Wilberding shared the Socratic Method of critical thinking developed by Socrates one of the founding fathers of philosophical thought.  

3.  How can you change someone's mind

Hugo Mercier demonstrates how critical thinking skills can be used to change the minds of others. Particularly useful for people managers who have to influence others within the business. 

The most important thing to remember when it comes to using critical thinking effectively is there is no one right answer. You can use this skill to create a number of options, all of which may work well.  Although people management may be fraught with difficult decisions. International health insurance for your expat employees does not have to be one of them. We offer tailor made solutions for businesses of all sizes. Get in touch with us today to discover more. 

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Why critical thinking is so important.

Updated: Oct 16, 2020

What Is Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.

Value of Critical Thinking

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Critical Thinking

Developing the right mindset and skills.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

We make hundreds of decisions every day and, whether we realize it or not, we're all critical thinkers.

We use critical thinking each time we weigh up our options, prioritize our responsibilities, or think about the likely effects of our actions. It's a crucial skill that helps us to cut out misinformation and make wise decisions. The trouble is, we're not always very good at it!

In this article, we'll explore the key skills that you need to develop your critical thinking skills, and how to adopt a critical thinking mindset, so that you can make well-informed decisions.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the discipline of rigorously and skillfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions, and beliefs. You'll need to actively question every step of your thinking process to do it well.

Collecting, analyzing and evaluating information is an important skill in life, and a highly valued asset in the workplace. People who score highly in critical thinking assessments are also rated by their managers as having good problem-solving skills, creativity, strong decision-making skills, and good overall performance. [1]

Key Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinkers possess a set of key characteristics which help them to question information and their own thinking. Focus on the following areas to develop your critical thinking skills:

Being willing and able to explore alternative approaches and experimental ideas is crucial. Can you think through "what if" scenarios, create plausible options, and test out your theories? If not, you'll tend to write off ideas and options too soon, so you may miss the best answer to your situation.

To nurture your curiosity, stay up to date with facts and trends. You'll overlook important information if you allow yourself to become "blinkered," so always be open to new information.

But don't stop there! Look for opposing views or evidence to challenge your information, and seek clarification when things are unclear. This will help you to reassess your beliefs and make a well-informed decision later. Read our article, Opening Closed Minds , for more ways to stay receptive.

Logical Thinking

You must be skilled at reasoning and extending logic to come up with plausible options or outcomes.

It's also important to emphasize logic over emotion. Emotion can be motivating but it can also lead you to take hasty and unwise action, so control your emotions and be cautious in your judgments. Know when a conclusion is "fact" and when it is not. "Could-be-true" conclusions are based on assumptions and must be tested further. Read our article, Logical Fallacies , for help with this.

Use creative problem solving to balance cold logic. By thinking outside of the box you can identify new possible outcomes by using pieces of information that you already have.

Self-Awareness

Many of the decisions we make in life are subtly informed by our values and beliefs. These influences are called cognitive biases and it can be difficult to identify them in ourselves because they're often subconscious.

Practicing self-awareness will allow you to reflect on the beliefs you have and the choices you make. You'll then be better equipped to challenge your own thinking and make improved, unbiased decisions.

One particularly useful tool for critical thinking is the Ladder of Inference . It allows you to test and validate your thinking process, rather than jumping to poorly supported conclusions.

Developing a Critical Thinking Mindset

Combine the above skills with the right mindset so that you can make better decisions and adopt more effective courses of action. You can develop your critical thinking mindset by following this process:

Gather Information

First, collect data, opinions and facts on the issue that you need to solve. Draw on what you already know, and turn to new sources of information to help inform your understanding. Consider what gaps there are in your knowledge and seek to fill them. And look for information that challenges your assumptions and beliefs.

Be sure to verify the authority and authenticity of your sources. Not everything you read is true! Use this checklist to ensure that your information is valid:

• Are your information sources trustworthy ? (For example, well-respected authors, trusted colleagues or peers, recognized industry publications, websites, blogs, etc.)
• Is the information you have gathered up to date ?
• Has the information received any direct criticism ?
• Does the information have any errors or inaccuracies ?
• Is there any evidence to support or corroborate the information you have gathered?
• Is the information you have gathered subjective or biased in any way? (For example, is it based on opinion, rather than fact? Is any of the information you have gathered designed to promote a particular service or organization?)

If any information appears to be irrelevant or invalid, don't include it in your decision making. But don't omit information just because you disagree with it, or your final decision will be flawed and bias.

Now observe the information you have gathered, and interpret it. What are the key findings and main takeaways? What does the evidence point to? Start to build one or two possible arguments based on what you have found.

You'll need to look for the details within the mass of information, so use your powers of observation to identify any patterns or similarities. You can then analyze and extend these trends to make sensible predictions about the future.

To help you to sift through the multiple ideas and theories, it can be useful to group and order items according to their characteristics. From here, you can compare and contrast the different items. And once you've determined how similar or different things are from one another, Paired Comparison Analysis can help you to analyze them.

The final step involves challenging the information and rationalizing its arguments.

Apply the laws of reason (induction, deduction, analogy) to judge an argument and determine its merits. To do this, it's essential that you can determine the significance and validity of an argument to put it in the correct perspective. Take a look at our article, Rational Thinking , for more information about how to do this.

Once you have considered all of the arguments and options rationally, you can finally make an informed decision.

Afterward, take time to reflect on what you have learned and what you found challenging. Step back from the detail of your decision or problem, and look at the bigger picture. Record what you've learned from your observations and experience.

Critical thinking involves rigorously and skilfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions and beliefs. It's a useful skill in the workplace and in life.

You'll need to be curious and creative to explore alternative possibilities, but rational to apply logic, and self-aware to identify when your beliefs could affect your decisions or actions.

You can demonstrate a high level of critical thinking by validating your information, analyzing its meaning, and finally evaluating the argument.

Critical Thinking Infographic

See Critical Thinking represented in our infographic: An Elementary Guide to Critical Thinking .

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How to Make Better-Informed HR Decisions: Applying Critical Evaluation

Written especially for HR professionals at small businesses and HR departments of one, Applying Critical Evaluation (Society for Human Resource Management, 2017) by Jennifer Currence, SHRM-SCP, draws from thought leaders' insights and real-life examples to provide ready-to-use recommendations that HR professionals can incorporate into nearly every aspect of the job. The book is the second title in the SHRM Competency Series, which will cover nine behavioral competencies that are critical to effective HR performance.

Currence, president of  OnCore Management Solutions  in Tampa Bay, Fla., and a professor of human resource management at the University of Tampa, is a presenter at the SHRM 2017 Annual Conference & Exposition June 18-21 in New Orleans on Top Five Priorities for an HR Department of One , How to Create a Dynamic Onboarding Experience and Developing Business Acumen as an HR Department of One . 

HR Magazine 's Book Blog recently spoke with her about how HR can make an impact by applying critical evaluation. 

What makes critical evaluation an indispensable tool for the day-to-day work of HR professionals?

Critical evaluation is about going deep instead of wide. In the first book in the SHRM Competency Series, Developing Business Acumen , we talked about how HR can effectively develop business goals, mission and values. HR must be able to create and recommend programs that align with those goals. Critical evaluation is the linchpin between understanding the business and offering consultative solutions for effective people programs.

Why is it important to start the critical evaluation process by assessing the big picture?

Sometimes when confronted with a situation, we try to solve it quickly based on past experience. Or we immediately address what we think is the causation. When we start midway into the process, we miss the opportunity to ask the right questions. That's what enables us to examine all the options.

How has learning about critical evaluation changed your approach to problem-solving and decision-making?

I realized I had an unconscious bias against the very term "critical evaluation." Critical evaluation means a lot of hard work, right? But what I learned was that I gained so much more confidence going through the process, and that's when some magic started to happen. I have learned that following the process is immensely rewarding.

How can HR best evaluate the quality of its decisions?

Decide on three optimal choices or plans of action and measure each of them against what works for your organization [and] what doesn't work, and critically evaluate whether or not there are any unconscious biases or assumptions that are playing a part in your decision.

Not every situation requires a formal critical evaluation process. What advice do you have for making everyday decisions?

Successful solutions invariably derive from an openness to possibilities. If we remain curious, we'll overcome our biases and gather key information and data to make sound decisions. But beware of over-analyzing. One trick I use to move myself from thinking to doing (or deciding) is to schedule a deadline for myself—and promise someone an answer at that time to help hold myself accountable.

What's one thing HR professionals can do today to apply critical evaluation in their decision-making?

Develop this habit: When confronted with an issue or problem, ask yourself "why" five times. Simple, but you'll be surprised how your responses will guide a realistic and manageable approach. Next step? Read Applying Critical Evaluation , naturally!

Matt Davis manages book publishing at SHRM.

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Critical thinking

Learn the principles of critical thinking in HR so you can interpret large amounts of information, evaluate without bias and make reasoned business decisions.

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You'll learn how to:.

• explain what critical thinking is and how it supports effective work
• identify and overcome barriers to critical thinking
• use strategies for critical thinking.

About this course

Course length: 60-90 minutes

Delivery: Online, self-directed

Suitable for: Professionals of all abilities who want to develop their decision-making ability.

What you can expect from this ‘critical thinking’ course

This short course focuses on critical thinking in HR. You’ll explore how to sort fact from fiction and how to use critical thinking to solve problems, research, and work effectively. You’ll focus on the principles of critical thinking in HR and learn about ethical approaches and evidence-based practice to understand more about bias and how this influences thinking.​​

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By the end of this course, you'll be able to:​.

• use the principles of critical thinking in HR to make sound decisions and communicate effectively
• recognise the biases and assumptions that can limit your ability to think critically
• reach the best decision in any situation and communicate it clearly and persuasively to others.

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Are human resource people critical thinkers?

In The Workplace

By Rey Elbo

I ’m the operations manager of a medium-sized organization. My concern centers on our human resource (HR) manager, a 34-year-old man who appears to be clueless about what’s happening in our company and around the industry. He’s reactive on many people management problems and his programs don’t generate the maximum participation of the intended beneficiaries. And yet, he’s been doing the same things over and over for the past three years. I’ve seen the same thing happening in other companies as well. This is confirmed by my industry friends who think that many HR “professionals” are plain administrative managers incapable of being critical thinkers in this challenging world. What are your thoughts? — Blue Star.

I’m not sure if it’s the adverse effects of the pandemic on mental health. I’ve seen people jumping to conclusions, antagonizing their colleagues, sidestepping responsibility, and pushing their luck without any concrete evidence about their expertise. So, what’s making us focus our attention on HR people?

First and foremost, it’s the job of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to evaluate the HR manager’s work performance. And that should not prevent you from sharing your thoughts with the CEO if you perceive the HR programs are not meeting your department requirements and those of the organization.

But you’re right, except that we can’t make a generalization about the poor qualifications and performance of HR people unless we can come up with objective metrics for measuring what they can and cannot do.

“Recent complaints about the HR function have touched a nerve in a large, sympathetic audience, particularly in the United States,” according to Wharton management professor Peter Capelli in Forbes (2015). “The most vocal critics say that HR managers focus too much on ‘administrivia’ and lack vision and strategic insight.”

I share the same view. Here in the Philippines, I’ve seen many HR practitioners who perpetuate the reactive practice of exit interviews for resigned employees instead of promoting the “stay” interview or a kumustahan , motivational approach long before the employees even think of leaving.

LEAN HR So, how do we define “critical thinking?” My short and crisp definition is “challenging the status quo to discover the best way of doing things.” You can create your own definition, but I’m confident that regardless of how you define “critical thinking,” the terms originality, initiative, rational or logical thought will be included.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report (2020) highlights the finding that “(c)ritical thinking and problem-solving top the list of skills employers believe will grow in prominence in the next five years.” Does the critical thinking requirement apply to HR? There’s no doubt about it. Critical thinking is imperative for all, including those in the HR profession. There is no cogent and practical reason why not.

If there’s a single formula for HR to follow in practicing critical thinking, I would recommend “Lean HR” or the application of kaizen and lean principles to help reduce, if not eliminate waste in operations. In so doing, we end up asking a lot of questions about how HR is doing its job. Here are some of them:

One, why does it take time for HR to hire job applicants? The last time I checked with my industry sources, I was told they’re averaging two-and-a-half months to source, screen, interview, negotiate, and do the on-boarding of new employees in across all jobs. There are many reasons that contribute to the delay. One thing that irritates me is when they refuse to interview applicants with incomplete documents.

Are we not supposed to do only paper screening of the applicants’ curriculum vitae? Interviews can be fast-tracked online, with or without the pandemic. Further, should we not secure only pre-employment documents from the top two candidates?

Two, why focus on the perfect attendance award instead of merit? Why reward people who are required to report daily and on time? Why focus on physical presence rather than actual results? Why do we micromanage people on work-from-home arrangements by turning on their laptop cameras? Why not strengthen the performance management system instead?

Or, if your organization can afford it, procure software that monitors worker progress on an hourly basis. Why must we retain the services of deadwood who can’t do other jobs?

Last, why delay the issuance of an employment certificate? You won’t believe the arrogance of HR people on this issue. Many organizations drag their feet in issuing this simple, one-page document stating only bare facts like the employee’s job title and the duration of their employment. And yet HR would often claim the signatories were absent, which is another issue — why should a simple document require several signatories?

Due to the increasing number of complaints from the general public, the labor department issued Labor Advisory 06-20 (signed on Jan. 31, 2020) that requires employers to issue a certificate of employment within three days and to release the clearance and terminal pay of resigned employees within 30 days.

REACTIVE APPROACH The list of issues against HR is endless. That’s because they’re reactive to many people issues, if not outright wrong on many things. Do a simple check of what HR people post on social media. You’ll wonder how they can call themselves “HR managers” when they write and behave poorly in a public setting.

HR people are averse to critical thinking. They hate to experiment with new things. Identifying with tradition has been a survival strategy for many in HR. They prefer to be “yes” men and women rather than rock the boat. Submissiveness to top management rather than persuading them to do something new reflects how they understand risk and avoid uncertainty.

Have a consulting chat with Rey Elbo on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter or you can send anonymous questions to

[email protected] or via https://reyelbo.consulting

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HR must encourage staff to think more critically

HR leaders can and should create the right environments for critical thinking and creative problem solving

It is HR’s responsibility to ensure that employees understand critical thinking, according to Jon Hull, head of resourcing at construction firm Carillion.

“From an organisational perspective, HR can create frameworks and environments for this learning to take place,” Hull told HR magazine. “The most important element is having a coaching-led culture that puts humility and the ability to take risks at its core.”

He added that HR professionals should also ensure their own critical thinking skills are well developed.

“Having a broader understanding of what people are saying or thinking in the business means that an HR professional can engage and challenge assumptions,” he said. “This is a critical part of being a trusted adviser.”

Training platform Macat, which is researching critical thinking skills with Cambridge University, has defined critical thinkers as those who listen to criticism, can expose fallacies, and think for themselves.

Speaking at the Macat Critical Thinking Summit 2015, the company’s chief research and development officer Mike Dash said anyone has the ability to develop these skills. “Critical thinking skills are now almost universally regarded as teachable,” he said.

“It is vital that critical thinking be elevated from its current position as a skill that is either assumed to be taught innately, or if taught explicitly, is not taught well.”

Lancaster University professor and dean Tony McEnery said critical thinking is key to business and technology.

“If business had not engaged with critical and creative thinking the world we live in today may look very different indeed,” he told HR magazine. “Consider speech recognition. This is now commonplace through services such as Siri. But if researchers at IBM in the late 1970s had not thought critically and creatively we would only be talking into, not to, our smartphones today.”

The curriculum of our schools and universities is one of the reasons critical thinking is being stifled, according to McEnery. “In the process of assessing students, we create an aversion to risk,” he said.

To encourage people to think critically organisations and educational institutions must embrace a ‘free to fail’ culture, he added. “It’s about giving people the freedom to make mistakes, and persisting when mistakes are made.”

Further reading

HR must encourage collaboration

Lucy Adams: when hiring HR should consider the 'finished product'

Fear of tech worker exodus puts pressure on HR

E-learning packages must consider different learning styles

HR must understand automation versus digitisation

Focus on 'opportunities' to encourage women into STEM

Ulrich: HR must engage more with the outside world

HR should encourage ethical leadership, says Ian Muir

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11 principles of critical thinking  .

Our blog “ 25 In-Demand Jobs That Require Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills ” highlighted examples of critical thinking skills employers are seeking. Job applicants who are well versed in the principles of critical thinking, and are able to expertly describe those skills on their résumés and during job interviews bring added value to any organization.

Table of Contents

What are the main principles of critical thinking?

Back in 1994, professor Larry Larson at Ohio State University, gave his students added insight on the principles of critical thinking.

“Don’t mistake ignorance for perspective,” he advised. “Gather complete information.” In fact, lack of thoroughness in critical thinking is “one of the most important and violated principles.”

So, if critical thinking requires facts, “erroneous conclusions often stem from inadequate factual knowledge.”

Professor Larson’s 11 principles of critical thinking are listed below:

1. Understanding and defining all terms

2. gathering the most complete information, 3. questioning the source of facts, 4. questioning the ways and methods by which the facts were gathered or derived, 5. looking for hidden assumptions and biases, 6. understanding your own biases and values, 7. using thought stopping techniques, 8. questioning conclusions based on the available information.

9. Never expecting all of the answers

10. Examining the big picture

11. Examining multiple causes and effect

The Ultimate Guide To Critical Thinking

• Is Critical Thinking A Soft Skill Or Hard Skill?
• 10 Best Books On Critical Thinking And Problem Solving
• 12 Common Barriers To Critical Thinking (And How To Overcome Them)

Principles of critical thinking explained:

Understanding and agreement on the definition of terms is one key to gathering factual information. Each organization has its own culture and, frequently, its special jargon. When the critical thinker encounters an unfamiliar term, the fact finding stops until the thinker arrives at a complete and unambiguous understanding of the term and any associated modifiers or contextual meanings.

The critical thinker must have both a starting and ending point for information gathering. The starting point has to be narrow enough to avoid information overload. Likewise, the end point has to meet an essential criterion of the word “complete.” That is, the information must consist of all relevant and appropriate data. The results of the fact gathering must form a solid foundation for higher order critical thinking.

The explosion of information on the worldwide web is both a blessing and a curse for researchers. For example, a Google search for the phrase “how to improve employee performance” will return over 540 million results in less than one second.

To make it to the top of the list, the websites, articles, white papers, and other linked data had to pass Google’s search algorithm. The Google search looks for structure and good web design—not authenticity or reliability. Even a so-called “neutral” source like  Consumer Reports  might rate a product or service based on the preference or bias of its editorial board.

So, always question the source of your facts. Is it a primary source or based on hearsay? Is there some hidden cultural or political agenda that fed its conclusions?

The blessing is that there is no shortage of information on any subject. The curse is that the validity of the information must pass the scrutiny of a human with experience and critical thinking skills.

Besides questioning the source of facts, the critical thinker must investigate and evaluate how the facts in a source were gathered or derived.

Were the findings based on reputable  survey methods ? What primary sources did the source reference, and did those primary sources have a good academic or professional standing? When a colleague begins a sentence with “According to…” the critical thinker says “Please show me.”

Imagine a critical thinking brainstorming session at the  The Flat Earth Society.  The basic assumption that the earth is a flat disk undoubtedly led to the society’s conclusion that gravity does not exist; objects simply fall. End of discussion. While the Flat Earth Society example is extreme, it does illustrate how unquestioned assumptions can mire critical thinking into a morass of inaccurate findings.

We discussed how confirmation bias and the halo effect can also influence judgment in our blog “ 5 creative and critical thinking examples in the Workplace .”

Self-knowledge is an important element of critical thinking. Biases and values are ingredients in both our psychological makeup and how we think. Biases are prejudices and values that can be skewed based on bias.

The value of critical thinking is that anyone can think critically about the way they think. It is one of those few tautologies that make complete sense. Critical thinkers recognize their bias and values and throughout their lives strive to shed bias in favor of positive values.

If you understand your biases and values, you’ll recognize the warning signs of anxiety and resentment when faced with challenging and dysfunctional thoughts. Thought stopping is a cognitive skill that employs  techniques  of distraction to stop the negative thoughts and direct them to a more positive (or neutral) orientation.

Conclusions are only as good as the available information. Why, for example, does the Flat Earth Society conclude that the earth is not a sphere? They look up and see the Sun. The Sun, they say, moves in circles around the North Pole, behaving like a spotlight.

It is, therefore, possible to come up with off-beat conclusions, as long as the “available information” matches a preconceived notion. Says one Boston University academic: “Flat-Earthers seem to have a very low standard of evidence for what they want to believe…”

The same applies when we come to either unexpected or counterintuitive conclusions in critical thinking. Our standards of evidence must be high and past the test of objectivity and validity.

9. Never expect all of the answers

To get all the answers, you must ask all the possible questions. Likewise, you must ask the right—or critical—questions, for example:

• What facts or elements of a problem or challenge am I taking for granted?
• Does cause A result in outcome B?
• What if outcome B is really a cause?
• What do independent researchers have to say about my assumptions and conclusions?
• Have I stopped looking for answers because of time constraints or burnout?

10. Examining multiple causes and effects

If problems and people were simple, most events, behaviors, and phenomena would result from a single cause. The APA Dictionary of Psychology has a more realistic view. It is known as multiple causation. Most events rarely result from a single cause. Rather, our problems are a result of multiple causes “working in complex combinations.”

So, even if only one causal factor appears to have contributed to a particular outcome, there are other factors that need to be identified and attended to.

Say that your organization is losing productivity because of chronic absenteeism. A critical thinking approach would look at all the factors surrounding employee absences: illness, malingering, working conditions, quality of supervision, employee compensation, etc.

The fact gathering and resulting analysis would be based on documented and verifiable attendance records as well as seasonal and other trends. The absenteeism might be the obvious cause of lowered productivity, but what are the multiple causes of absenteeism?

11. Examining the big picture

The most effective critical thinkers don’t get swamped in detail. What  big-picture thinking  allows you to do is:

• grasp abstract concepts, ideas and possibilities
• emphasize the rules and constraints of the existing system at work
• look at all players—customers, employees, investors, as well as competitors
• anticipate future social, economic, and technological trends (Think “COVID-19”)

So as a critical thinking strategy, big picture thinking looks at the entirety of a concept, rather than each individual detail. This enables you to see possibilities over a timespan that exceeds the duration of the problem at hand. The resulting solutions can be breathtaking in the scope—because you looked at the big picture.

Let’s Recap

Hone your critical thinking skills, and employers will be eager to hire you. Critical thinking skills involve the gathering and evaluating of information in a complete and thorough manner, adhering to the following principles:

• You must fully understand and define the terms you are working with.
• You must gather facts that are the rock-solid foundation of your critical thinking.
• Your research must take into account the validity of the facts you gather.
• Survey methods involved in your research must be valid.
• Hidden assumptions and biases can lead to wrong conclusions.
• Understand your own biases and values, and don’t let them interfere with logical thought.
• Use thought stopping to overcome skewed values and bias.
• Always question your conclusions and reexamine the information that led to those conclusions.
• Your critical thinking will never result in all the available answers, because you don’t know all the questions.
• Be aware that most problems, situations, and events have more than one cause, and sometimes multiple effects.
• Becoming a big-picture thinker can broaden your horizons and effectiveness as a critical thinker.
• How To Promote Critical Thinking In The Workplace
• Critical Thinking vs Problem Solving: What’s the Difference?
• What Is The Role Of Communication In Critical Thinking?  
• How To Improve Critical Thinking Skills At Work And Make Better Decisions
• Brainstorming: Techniques Used To Boost Critical Thinking and Creativity

Jenny Palmer

Founder of Eggcellentwork.com. With over 20 years of experience in HR and various roles in corporate world, Jenny shares tips and advice to help professionals advance in their careers. Her blog is a go-to resource for anyone looking to improve their skills, land their dream job, or make a career change.

Further Reading...

Brainstorming: Techniques Used To Boost Critical Thinking and Creativity  

How To Become a Polymath in 4 Steps  

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• What Is Critical Thinking? | Definition & Examples

What Is Critical Thinking? | Definition & Examples

Published on May 30, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on May 31, 2023.

Critical thinking is the ability to effectively analyze information and form a judgment .

To think critically, you must be aware of your own biases and assumptions when encountering information, and apply consistent standards when evaluating sources .

Critical thinking skills help you to:

• Identify credible sources
• Evaluate and respond to arguments
• Assess alternative viewpoints
• Test hypotheses against relevant criteria

Table of contents

Why is critical thinking important, critical thinking examples, how to think critically, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about critical thinking.

Critical thinking is important for making judgments about sources of information and forming your own arguments. It emphasizes a rational, objective, and self-aware approach that can help you to identify credible sources and strengthen your conclusions.

Critical thinking is important in all disciplines and throughout all stages of the research process . The types of evidence used in the sciences and in the humanities may differ, but critical thinking skills are relevant to both.

In academic writing , critical thinking can help you to determine whether a source:

• Is free from research bias
• Provides evidence to support its research findings
• Considers alternative viewpoints

Outside of academia, critical thinking goes hand in hand with information literacy to help you form opinions rationally and engage independently and critically with popular media.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Critical thinking can help you to identify reliable sources of information that you can cite in your research paper . It can also guide your own research methods and inform your own arguments.

Outside of academia, critical thinking can help you to be aware of both your own and others’ biases and assumptions.

Academic examples

However, when you compare the findings of the study with other current research, you determine that the results seem improbable. You analyze the paper again, consulting the sources it cites.

You notice that the research was funded by the pharmaceutical company that created the treatment. Because of this, you view its results skeptically and determine that more independent research is necessary to confirm or refute them. Example: Poor critical thinking in an academic context You’re researching a paper on the impact wireless technology has had on developing countries that previously did not have large-scale communications infrastructure. You read an article that seems to confirm your hypothesis: the impact is mainly positive. Rather than evaluating the research methodology, you accept the findings uncritically.

Nonacademic examples

However, you decide to compare this review article with consumer reviews on a different site. You find that these reviews are not as positive. Some customers have had problems installing the alarm, and some have noted that it activates for no apparent reason.

You revisit the original review article. You notice that the words “sponsored content” appear in small print under the article title. Based on this, you conclude that the review is advertising and is therefore not an unbiased source. Example: Poor critical thinking in a nonacademic context You support a candidate in an upcoming election. You visit an online news site affiliated with their political party and read an article that criticizes their opponent. The article claims that the opponent is inexperienced in politics. You accept this without evidence, because it fits your preconceptions about the opponent.

There is no single way to think critically. How you engage with information will depend on the type of source you’re using and the information you need.

However, you can engage with sources in a systematic and critical way by asking certain questions when you encounter information. Like the CRAAP test , these questions focus on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

When encountering information, ask:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert in their field?
• What do they say? Is their argument clear? Can you summarize it?
• When did they say this? Is the source current?
• Where is the information published? Is it an academic article? Is it peer-reviewed ?
• Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence? Does it rely on opinion, speculation, or appeals to emotion ? Do they address alternative arguments?

Critical thinking also involves being aware of your own biases, not only those of others. When you make an argument or draw your own conclusions, you can ask similar questions about your own writing:

• Am I only considering evidence that supports my preconceptions?
• Is my argument expressed clearly and backed up with credible sources?
• Would I be convinced by this argument coming from someone else?

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Paraphrasing

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

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Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

Critical thinking skills include the ability to:

You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

Ask questions such as:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

A credible source should pass the CRAAP test  and follow these guidelines:

• The information should be up to date and current.
• The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching.
• The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased.
• For a web source, the URL and layout should signify that it is trustworthy.

Information literacy refers to a broad range of skills, including the ability to find, evaluate, and use sources of information effectively.

Being information literate means that you:

• Know how to find credible sources
• Use relevant sources to inform your research
• Understand what constitutes plagiarism
• Know how to cite your sources correctly

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search, interpret, and recall information in a way that aligns with our pre-existing values, opinions, or beliefs. It refers to the ability to recollect information best when it amplifies what we already believe. Relatedly, we tend to forget information that contradicts our opinions.

Although selective recall is a component of confirmation bias, it should not be confused with recall bias.

On the other hand, recall bias refers to the differences in the ability between study participants to recall past events when self-reporting is used. This difference in accuracy or completeness of recollection is not related to beliefs or opinions. Rather, recall bias relates to other factors, such as the length of the recall period, age, and the characteristics of the disease under investigation.

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