ch1: Defining Critical Thinking

a)Unreflective

A person who is completely unaware of any problems or flaws in their thinking is in which of the following stages? a)Unreflective b)None of these is correct. c)Practicing d)Master

d)Free association

The major dimensions of critical thinking include all EXCEPT which of the following? a)Barriers to critical thinking b)Analysis of thought c)Assessment of thought d)Free association

d)Meta-studies

What can we use to provide the context of a given study or paper in academics? a)Methodology b)Anecdotes c)News reports d)Meta-studies

b)A belief with no proof to back up your claim

What is an assumption? a)An incorrect statement b)A belief with no proof to back up your claim c)A factual statement d)A claim that relies on solid evidence

b)In certain circumstances, the protection of public safety must outweigh individual freedoms.

What is an example of an assumption you might make if you are arguing that universal helmet laws should be created and enforced in all states? a)Based on government financial data, the United States saved $3 billion due to helmet use in 2010. b)In certain circumstances, the protection of public safety must outweigh individual freedoms. c)Protecting a person from their own choices is not the job of the government. d)All of the answers are correct.

d)A person who can look beyond the habits of thinking in day-to-day life

Which of the following best describes the approach of an open-minded person? a)None of the answers are correct. b)A person who rejects their past beliefs and only believes in information that can be proven scientifically c)A person who accepts all new information as the truth d)A person who can look beyond the habits of thinking in day-to-day life

b)Egocentrism and sociocentrism

Which of the following involve the tendency to focus exclusively on our own needs and the needs of our own group? a)None of the answers are correct b)Egocentrism and sociocentrism c)Critical thinking and logical reasoning d)Having empathy and questioning assumptions

d)Curiosity and creativity

Which of the following sets of qualities are seen as important to critical thinking? a)Curiosity and chastisement b)Creativity and condemnation c)Condemnation and cunning d)Curiosity and creativity

c)Challenged thinker

Which of the stages of development involves an individual recognizing that there is some flaw in their thinking? a)None of these is correct. b)Master thinker c)Challenged thinker d)Advanced thinker

d)Anybody can experience these barriers

Who may experience barriers to critical thinking such as sociocentrism, stereotyping, and self-serving bias? a)Only members of elite groups b)Primarily those who are very rich or very poor c)Only members of minority groups d)Anybody can experience these barriers

d)All of the answers are correct

Why is group bias a barrier to critical thinking? a)We may act and believe things without good reason b)We may conform to something that is irrational or unethical c)We may judge those outside of the group unfairly based on prejudice and stereotypes d)All of the answers are correct

d)There is a correlation between GDP and corporate tax rates.

A study shows that increases in GDP occur when corporate tax rates increase. What does this mean? a)There is no link between GDP and corporate tax rates. b)Increases in GDP cause rises in corporate tax rates. c)Corporate tax rates increase GDP. d)There is a correlation between GDP and corporate tax rates.

a)Could the ulcers have other causes?

A study tracks people who drink coffee developing stomach ulcers over the course of 5 years. What is a good question to ask about this study? a)Could the ulcers have other causes? b)Did they really track these people? c)Was the study paid for by coffee companies? d)Should I trust the people to tell the truth to the researchers?

c)All of these are correct.

Critical thinking comes naturally to the master thinker, but they regularly do what to determine whether or not they are incorrect? a)Self-evaluate b)Consider other perspectives c)All of these are correct. d)Alter their process

a)Taking apart claims and examining their parts and relationships.

Critical thinking is: a)Taking apart claims and examining their parts and relationships. b)Looking at how to improve the actions of another person. c)Assessing the morality or immorality of a situation. d)Thinking about how to proceed during an emergency.

b)Prejudice

Critical thinking standards include all EXCEPT which of the following? a)Relevance b)Prejudice c)Completeness d)Clarity

c)Acknowledge and consider the other points of view

How might a person thinking critically best respond to other points of view? a)State that other points of view are obviously wrong b)Attack the integrity of the person making the argument c)Acknowledge and consider the other points of view d)Not give the other point of view any thought

a)Involves having a healthy questioning attitude about new information that you are exposed to and not blindly believing everything everyone tells you

Skepticism: a)Involves having a healthy questioning attitude about new information that you are exposed to and not blindly believing everything everyone tells you b)Involves resolutely rejecting or harshly criticizing everything in an opinionated manner c)Is the ability to admit that your opinions and ideas are wrong when faced with new convincing evidence that states otherwise d)Is the desire to learn more information and seek evidence as well as being open to new ideas

b)Objectivity

The ability to consider information or subjects outside of biases or personal beliefs is referred to as what? a)None of these is correct. b)Objectivity c)Criticism d)Genius

a)Skepticism, curiosity, and humility

What are the three core skills involved in critical thinking? a)Skepticism, curiosity, and humility b)Curiosity, intuition, and cynicism c)Curiosity, rigidity, and humility d)Skepticism, cynicism, and gullibility

a)Methodology

What can you examine to see how a study or paper arrived at its conclusion? a)Methodology b)Anecdotes c)Subtext d)Meta-studies

a)To use logic and reasoning to understand complex problems

What does it mean to be analytical in your approach? a)To use logic and reasoning to understand complex problems b)To use complicated words and thought processes to come to a conclusion c)To leave things up to fate d)To use intuition to quickly assess a situation

a)A story told from a persons experience

What is an anecdote? a)A story told from a persons experience b)A forgotten memory c)A remedy to poison d)A myth or tall tale

a)Making well-informed decisions based on logical, supporting evidence

What is critical thinking? a)Making well-informed decisions based on logical, supporting evidence b)Living life based on gut feelings c)Rejecting or harshly criticizing everything d)Making snap judgments in a life-or-death situation

a)When it blocks you from thinking objectively and treating others fairly

When does self-interested thinking become a problem? a)When it blocks you from thinking objectively and treating others fairly b)When you balance taking care of your own needs with having empathy for others c)Any thinking that focuses on oneself is problematic d)When you put others' interests above your own

d)Analyze and assess your information

When you are critically thinking about a problem, which of the following should you do first? a)Make a decision b)Assess the data c)Establish preconceived ideas about the problem d)Analyze and assess your information

b)Practicing

Which of the development stages involves actively using critical thinking in order to improve one's skills? a)None of these is correct. b)Practicing c)Master d)Advanced

b)A person must be able to acknowledge their own ways of thinking and believing in order to compare them to other ways of thinking and believing

Which of the following best describes a reason self-awareness is important to critical thinking? a)A person must be willing to convince others that their way of thinking is the only right way b)A person must be able to acknowledge their own ways of thinking and believing in order to compare them to other ways of thinking and believing c)A person must be skilled at making themselves look knowledgeable and important even if they do not have evidence to make their case d)A person must stay focused on their own point of view so that others don't change their views

d)All of the answers are correct.

Which of the following is an example of a point of view? a)A universal helmet law is the most effective way for states to save lives related to motorcycle accidents. b)Helmet laws interfere with personal freedoms. c)Partial helmet laws can play a role in saving lives if properly enforced. d)All of the answers are correct.

b)Considering the consequences of your conclusion

Which of the following is recommended during the critical thinking process? a)Avoiding focusing on statistical evidence since most people care more about personal stories b)Considering the consequences of your conclusion c)Avoiding discussing the origins of your point of view d)Judging all points of view as equally valid and acceptable

c)Studies show that helmets reduce the risk of death by 37%.

Which of the following is the best example of evidence? a)Protecting personal freedoms are important to ensuring liberty for every citizen. b)Helmets are important to public safety. c)Studies show that helmets reduce the risk of death by 37%. d)Though not studied, driver education may reduce the risk of motorcycle deaths.

c)All of these answers are correct

Which of the following should NOT influence your assessment of data, information or evidence? a)Assumptions b)Point of view c)All of these answers are correct d)Conceptual knowledge

b)All of the statements are true.

Which of the following statements is true? a)Critical thinking is making informed decisions based on logic. b)All of the statements are true. c)Critical thinking is a way of thinking in which you don't simply accept all arguments and conclusions you are exposed to, but rather have an attitude involving questioning such arguments and conclusions. d)Critical thinking requires you to question and investigate the validity of new information instead of just blindly believing everything you hear.

a)Knowledge

Which of the following tends to be valued and pursued when aiming to think critically? a)Knowledge b)Fame c)Victory d)Admiration