Stages of Critical Thinking

HUM/115 Version 5

Stages of Critical Thinking

HUM/115 Critical Thinking in Everyday Life

Stages of Critical Thinking

HUM/115 Version 5

Part 1: Stages of Critical Thinking

Complete the matrix by identifying the four beginning stages of critical thinking as detailed in Chapter 2
of Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Learning and Your Life, 3 rd Edition (Paul & Elder,
2011). You must provide a least three (3) complete sentences for your description of each stage. Make
sure to use proper capitalization and punctuation.
Name of Stage of Critical
Thinking
The Unreflective Thinker

The Challenged Thinker

The Beginning Thinker

The Practicing Thinker

Description of Stage
At lower stage people fundamentally unaware of the role that
thinking is playing in our lives (Paul, R. & Elder, L., 2011). As a
consequence, we are not able to assess personal thinking
process, e.g. do not notice what kind of things we say, cant
make proper conclusions or logical assumptions. Although we
dont realize it, our egocentric tendencies at this stage play a
dominant role in our thinking (Paul, R. & Elder, L., 2011).
At this stage people become aware that thinking process affects
our life. Therefore we begin to notice that we make
assumptions and ask questions. However, people can use false
and incomplete information, fail to recognize their problems and
still think egocentrically. We also recognize the difficulty
involved in improving our thinking (Paul, R. & Elder, L., 2011).
We begin to think seriously and realize that sometimes thinking
is egocentric and it has to be improved. We are able to check
information for accuracy, relevance, check sources for
credibility, notice biased information, analyze problems and
express clear conclusions. As a consequence, we are taking
steps to improve our critical thinking, but not all the time (Paul,
R. & Elder, L., 2011).
Person at this stage is able to design his own plan of
developing critical thinking process. Besides, we are able to
evaluate our process of developing by analyzing what we did
during the day, how we would use time more efficiently, for
instance. Another example is an intellectual journal where we
can write down emotionally close situations there have
happened during a day or week and analyze them. (Paul, R. &
Elder, L., 2011).

Stages of Critical Thinking

HUM/115 Version 5

Part 2: Your Thinking

Write a 150+ word explanation of your current level of critical-thinking development, and explain why you
placed yourself at that stage.
According to the GameSpace Activity, I am currently on the fifth level of critical thinking development, i.e.
an Advanced Thinker. However, I would argue with that. Assessing myself, I would refer my personality to
the third level: Beginner Thinker. Usually I can easily identify problems, ask relevant questions, make
logical conclusions, check for accurate information, identify bias, and evaluate myself in different
situations. However, I have gained all of this during my life and I have not been aware before about critical
thinking process. At the advanced stage, we are now skilled at monitoring the role in thinking of
concepts, assumptions, inferences, implications, points of view, questions, purposes, and information
(Developing as Rational Persons: Viewing Our Development in Stages, 2016). I can not say this about
myself. However, I feel that now when I learnt about critical thinking importance and its stages, I can even
move on the fourth level and begin to develop a Game Plan; move from unorganized approach to
thinking improvement to organized.

Stages of Critical Thinking

HUM/115 Version 5

Stages of Critical Thinking

HUM/115 Version 5

References
Paul, R. & Elder, L. (2011) Critical thinking: Tools for taking charge of your learning and your life, 3rd
Edition. Boston, MA. Pearson Learning Solutions
Developing as Rational Persons: Viewing Our Development in Stages. (2016, February 29). Retrieved
from http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/developing-as-rational-persons-viewing-ourdevelopment-in-stages/518