Critical Thinking

"The purpose of critical thinking is, therefore, to achieve understanding, evaluate view points, and solve problems. Since all three areas involve the asking of questions, we can say that critical thinking is the questioning or inquiry we engage in when we seek to understand, evaluate, or resolve."
-Maiorana, Victor P. Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum: Building the Analytical Classroom. 1992.

This statement relates to my experience of writing a hypertext in that I have chosen to write about social problems, such a migrant farm workers, body image issues of women, and a lack of support and funding for non-profit organizations. My goal in writing these hypertexts was to present view points as well as propose solutions to the problems at hand. In doing so I brought up questions that were associated with the various issues such as the foundation of the issues and how they have progressed.



Critical thinking is "the examination and testing of suggested solutions to see whether they will work."
-Lindzey, Hall, and Thompson, 1978.


This statement relates to my experience of writing hypertexts because it served as my thesis for many of my hypertexts. In writing my hypertexts I presented social issues; however my personal contribution was directly related to the possible solutions of the issues and how effective each solution would be.




[Critical thinking is] being concerned more with finding the truth than with being right; not rejecting unpopular views out of hand; being aware of one's own prejudices and biases, and not allowing them to sway one's judgment."
-Kurland, Daniel J. I Know What It Says . . . What does it Mean? 1995.

This statement relates to my experience of writing hypertext because in writing of social issues, there was often more than one view point and opinion on the issue. Despite my personal beliefs of the subject I was presenting, I tried to include all parties involved in the issue as well as their point of view and stake in the problem in a relatively objective manner.