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The New York Times

The learning network | 10 intriguing photographs to teach close reading and visual thinking skills.

10 Intriguing Photographs to Teach Close Reading and Visual Thinking Skills

Updated, March 17, 2016 | We have published a companion piece: “ 8 Compelling Mini-Documentaries to Teach Close Reading and Critical Thinking Skills .”

Ever want your students to slow down and notice details when they read — whether they’re perusing a book, a poem, a map or a political cartoon? Young people often want to hurry up and make meaning via a quick skim or a cursory glance when a text can demand patience and focus.

Closely reading any text, whether written or visual, requires that students proceed more slowly and methodically, noticing details, making connections and asking questions. This takes practice. But it certainly helps when students want to read the text.

We’ve selected 10 photos from The Times that we’ve used previously in our weekly “What’s Going On in This Picture?” and that have already successfully caught students’ and teachers’ attention. These are some of our most popular images — ones that may make viewers say “huh?” on first glance, but that spark enough curiosity to make them want to dig deeper. ( Please Note: You can quickly learn the backstory about any of these photos by clicking the link in each caption that takes you to the original post, then scrolling down to find the “reveal.”)

Below, we offer ideas from students and teachers who have engaged with these images for ways to use them, or images like them, to teach close reading and visual thinking skills.

1. Be Detectives: Looking closely can almost be like a game, Shirley Jackson, a teacher in Sydney, Australia, said:

I stumbled across your site while looking for alternate ideas. My class of 10-12-year-olds absolutely love the photos and the back story became a competition as to who could “see” the most, justify it and how close they were to the truth. Please don’t stop this amazing resource as it keeps our students informed as well as visually aware.

Indeed, practicing visual thinking skills with these images can be fun and a quick activity, but it can also hone important skills that transfer to other texts. Making sense of intriguing images like these can be more like detective work than anything else: Careful attention to detail rewards the viewer with a “big picture” understanding.

2. Practice Regularly: Every Monday during the school year we post a photograph stripped of its caption and context, and ask students what they see going on in this picture. Hundreds of students participate every week from classrooms across the country and around the world — from elementary through high school, and even adult education E.S.L. classes — sharing their observations. Our partners at Visual Thinking Strategies moderate the discussion and encourage students to look even more closely for more details.

You can use our “What’s Going On?” photos, or ones you select that relate to the content you are teaching, to help your students practice close reading.

3. Ask Open-Ended Questions: At the heart of the activity are the three deceptively simple open-ended questions that make up V.T.S.’s facilitation method. The goal? To help students notice details and make observations without leading them toward any conclusion or “right answer.”

• What’s going on in this picture?
• What do you see that makes you say that?
• What more can you find?

Students then share what they see and comment on what other students notice.

4. Notice Details: For example, here is what Josh W. observed in the image above:

It appears in this picture that a man is trying not to drown in some kind of sewer, and he seems quite in danger because of the frightened look on his face. However, maybe it’s some sort of public punishment because the police are just looking at him while driving by and then walking by, while random people to the left don’t seem to care either. It also looks like the area he is in has been barred off, so maybe nobody is allowed to help him. The place seems to not be the richest place on earth, this area is quite worn down, and it seems Latin because of the writing on the police’s shirt. It is also possible that he is seeking refuge from the police, but he has failed as they have found him.

5. Build on Others’ Observations: Encourage students to comment on other students’ observations to help them evaluate and link to other ideas. We try to do that in our Monday discussions by asking students to use the @ symbol. Here is what Summer wrote to Connor about the above photo:

@Connor: That flip is not effortless, there is pain in his facial expression, which leads me to believe the chaos in the background is not a natural disaster but the aftermath of warfare. My suppositions are supported by the young boy in a uniform nearby in the pic.

6. Adapt These Questions for All Subjects: Jennifer Bradley, a science teacher at Bentonville High School in Arkansas, told us how the practice of finding details to defend their interpretations of each photo improved students’ academic skills in general, and their science skills in particular:

After practicing with “What’s Going On in This Picture?” weekly, I started to see my students get much better at using evidence in their writing. For example, in their lab reports, they started to be much more detailed and to explain the context clues that led them to a conclusion.

In fact, the three simple questions at the heart of V.T.S.’s facilitation method can be adapted for close reading any text, whether in an English or a science classroom:

• What do you notice going on in this chapter? In this diagram? Or in this political cartoon?
• What details do you see that make you say that? What evidence supports your observations?
• What more can you find in the text?

7. Expand Knowledge of the World: Teachers tell us that students enjoy the activity, and that it actually helps expand their knowledge of and curiosity about the world in addition to making them more visually literate. And students make connections between our “What’s Going On?” photographs and what they’re hearing in the news and learning about in school. After finding out the caption of the photo above, Cashel IMS wrote:

This picture and caption makes me think how tough it must be to be sent away to this facility alone, taken away from his parents, and be treated poorly in these conditions. Just because this little boy crossed the border, he should not be held captive. He is only seven years old and it was not his fault. If I were seven years old and I was held in this detention center, I would be very confused.

8. Start Conversations: Julia told us that she uses these photographs to help foster conversation in her adult E.S.L. education classes:

They are great conversation starters to get my class speaking in English. It also brings up new vocabulary words. Students often use their personal knowledge of the world to figure out what is happening in the photos. Some students may have an advantage when the photo is from their region of the world. Thanks!

9. Introduce New Ideas: On Tuesday mornings, we reveal the original caption of the photo and any relevant back story as well. Sometimes, we’re fortunate to hear from the photographers themselves about what they were thinking when they took the shot. The activity, therefore, can transform from practicing visual thinking strategies to gaining a window into another place, time or perspective.

Additionally, many students return to comment on the image with new ideas and questions after reading the caption. Here is Evan K. IMS7 ’s follow-up response to this week’s photo (above):

So my prediction was actually right… (Thank you Animal Planet.) But I find it interesting that something that I learned I could actually apply to my academics. I wonder if the ant can resist the fungus taking over its brain. I also wonder if this fungus could infect another insect or if it can mutate.

10. Experiment With Other Ways to Look Closely: V.T.S.’s three-question facilitation method isn’t the only approach to getting students to practice visual thinking. The National Archives has developed a photograph analysis protocol for noticing people, objects and activities before making inferences.

The International Society for Technology in Education (PDF) and Edutopia both suggest multiple strategies for teaching visual literacy. And the University of Maryland has developed a visual literacy toolbox for helping students learn how to read images.

Many of the recommended approaches are very similar, and build on the principle that students should be encouraged to look closely at images without being told what to see. That concept is at the heart of why every Monday we ask students: What’s going on in this picture? Join us next week!

This resource may be used to address the academic standards listed below.

Common Core E.L.A. Anchor Standards

1   Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

7   Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

Speaking and Listening

1   Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

What a great writing idea

This is a skill hat takes time to develop. As a middle school student my English class was entirely analyzing text. Over the years I noticed steady improvement. It is a life skill to be able to look at a situation and use what you know and what’s around you to come to a conclusion. This is something that should be taught to everyone in several forms. Pictures is a great idea!

Great! It´s a good idea to slow down and notice important things around us

This is so fantastic! I plan on using it in my English Comp. college course for freewriting activities and analyzing visuals. Thank you!

I love this. Did I miss where the pictures with the original captions are for these pics? I understand these are just examples, but I was hoping to have them. Thanks.

Hi Kristal,

You can find the original photo as we posted it for discussion by clicking into each caption at the place where it says “tell us what you see by posting a comment here.” If you scroll down to the bottom of each post, you can find the original caption and more about the photo at the top.

–Katherine

These are great great strategies for integrating visual literacy with reading fiction and nonfiction. These lesson plans //bit.ly/McQuStudio18 follow a similar approach with master works of art. These are free so post as you see fit.

critical thinking team

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How to Teach Critical Thinking

Last Updated: September 28, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Jai Flicker . Jai Flicker is an Academic Tutor and the CEO and Founder of Lifeworks Learning Center, a San Francisco Bay Area-based business focused on providing tutoring, parental support, test preparation, college essay writing help, and psychoeducational evaluations to help students transform their attitude toward learning. Jai has over 20 years of experience in the education management industry. He holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of California, San Diego. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 11 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 293,677 times.

If you want to teach your students critical thinking, give them opportunities to brainstorm and analyze things. Classroom discussions are a great way to encourage open-mindedness and creativity. Teach students to ask "why?" as much as possible and recognize patterns. An important part of critical thinking is also recognizing good and bad sources of information.

Encouraging Students to Have an Open Mind

• For example, ask students an open-ended question like, "What would be a good way to get more people to recycle in the school?"
• Whether or not it's realistic, offer praise for an inventive answer like, "we could start to make a giant sculpture out of recyclable things in the middle of the school. Everyone will want to add to it, and at the end of the year we can take pictures and then break it down to bring to the recycling plant."

• Try including a brief creative exercise in the beginning of class to help get their minds working. For example, you could ask students to identify 5 uses for a shoe besides wearing it.

• For instance, make columns to name the good things about both a camping trip and a city excursion, then have students think about a happy medium between the two.

Helping Students Make Connections

• For instance, environmental themes may come up in science, history, literature, and art lessons.
• If you are teaching geometry, then you might ask if they have ever seen a building that resembles the shapes you are teaching about. You could even show them some images yourself.

• Explain to your students how the clues and their own personal influences form their final conclusions about the picture.
• For instance, show students a picture of a man and woman shaking hands in front of a home with a "For Sale" sign in front of it. Have students explain what they think is happening in the picture, and slowly break down the things that made them reach that conclusion.

• "To take a train."
• "To get to the city."
• "To meet his friend."
• "Because he missed him."
• "Because he was lonely."
• On a more advanced level, students will benefit from interrogating their research and work to determine its relevance.

Teaching Students About Reliable Information

• For instance, if a student says that there are fewer libraries than there used to be, have them provide some actual statistics about libraries to support their statement.

• Encourage students to ask the simple question, "Who is sharing this information, and why?"
• For instance, an advertisement for a low calorie food product may be disguised as a special interest television segment about how to lose weight on a budget.

• The date it was published, whether or not it has been updated, and how current the information is. Tell students where to find this information on the website.
• What the author's qualifications are. For instance, a medical article should be written by a doctor or other medical professional.
• If there is supporting evidence to back up what the writer says. Sources should always have information to back them up, especially when the source is something your students find on the internet.

• For example, if your students are reviewing the political viewpoint of a senator in the USA, ask your students to look up donations provided to that senator from any special interest groups. This may provide your students with insight into the reasons for the senator’s views.

How Do You Improve Critical Thinking Skills?

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/thinking-skills-learning-styles/think-about-it-critical-thinking
• ↑ Jai Flicker. Academic Tutor. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
• ↑ https://www.weareteachers.com/10-tips-for-teaching-kids-to-be-awesome-critical-thinkers/
• ↑ https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/11/06/three-tools-for-teaching-critical-thinking-and-problem-solving-skills/
• ↑ http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/lessonplan-07.html
• ↑ http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/23/503129818/study-finds-students-have-dismaying-inability-to-tell-fake-news-from-real
• ↑ http://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/ptn/2017/05/fake-news.aspx

About This Article

To teach critical thinking, start class discussions by asking open-ended questions, like "What does the author mean?" Alternatively, have your students make lists of pros and cons so they can see that two conflicting ideas can both have merit. You can also encourage your students to think more deeply about their own reasoning by asking them “Why?” 5 times as they explain an answer to you. Finally, teach students to figure out whether information, especially from online sources, is reliable by checking to see if it comes from a trusted source and is backed by evidence. For more from our reviewer on how to help students make connections that lead to more critical thinking, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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41+ Critical Thinking Examples (Definition + Practices)

Critical thinking is an essential skill in our information-overloaded world, where figuring out what is fact and fiction has become increasingly challenging.

But why is critical thinking essential? Put, critical thinking empowers us to make better decisions, challenge and validate our beliefs and assumptions, and understand and interact with the world more effectively and meaningfully.

Critical thinking is like using your brain's "superpowers" to make smart choices. Whether it's picking the right insurance, deciding what to do in a job, or discussing topics in school, thinking deeply helps a lot. In the next parts, we'll share real-life examples of when this superpower comes in handy and give you some fun exercises to practice it.

Critical Thinking Process Outline

Critical thinking means thinking clearly and fairly without letting personal feelings get in the way. It's like being a detective, trying to solve a mystery by using clues and thinking hard about them.

It isn't always easy to think critically, as it can take a pretty smart person to see some of the questions that aren't being answered in a certain situation. But, we can train our brains to think more like puzzle solvers, which can help develop our critical thinking skills.

Here's what it looks like step by step:

Spotting the Problem: It's like discovering a puzzle to solve. You see that there's something you need to figure out or decide.

Collecting Clues: Now, you need to gather information. Maybe you read about it, watch a video, talk to people, or do some research. It's like getting all the pieces to solve your puzzle.

Breaking It Down: This is where you look at all your clues and try to see how they fit together. You're asking questions like: Why did this happen? What could happen next?

Checking Your Clues: You want to make sure your information is good. This means seeing if what you found out is true and if you can trust where it came from.

Making a Guess: After looking at all your clues, you think about what they mean and come up with an answer. This answer is like your best guess based on what you know.

Explaining Your Thoughts: Now, you tell others how you solved the puzzle. You explain how you thought about it and how you answered. 

Checking Your Work: This is like looking back and seeing if you missed anything. Did you make any mistakes? Did you let any personal feelings get in the way? This step helps make sure your thinking is clear and fair.

And remember, you might sometimes need to go back and redo some steps if you discover something new. If you realize you missed an important clue, you might have to go back and collect more information.

Critical Thinking Methods

Just like doing push-ups or running helps our bodies get stronger, there are special exercises that help our brains think better. These brain workouts push us to think harder, look at things closely, and ask many questions.

It's not always about finding the "right" answer. Instead, it's about the journey of thinking and asking "why" or "how." Doing these exercises often helps us become better thinkers and makes us curious to know more about the world.

Now, let's look at some brain workouts to help us think better:

1. "What If" Scenarios

Imagine crazy things happening, like, "What if there was no internet for a month? What would we do?" These games help us think of new and different ideas.

Pick a hot topic. Argue one side of it and then try arguing the opposite. This makes us see different viewpoints and think deeply about a topic.

3. Analyze Visual Data

Check out charts or pictures with lots of numbers and info but no explanations. What story are they telling? This helps us get better at understanding information just by looking at it.

4. Mind Mapping

Write an idea in the center and then draw lines to related ideas. It's like making a map of your thoughts. This helps us see how everything is connected.

There's lots of mind-mapping software , but it's also nice to do this by hand.

5. Weekly Diary

Every week, write about what happened, the choices you made, and what you learned. Writing helps us think about our actions and how we can do better.

6. Evaluating Information Sources

Collect stories or articles about one topic from newspapers or blogs. Which ones are trustworthy? Which ones might be a little biased? This teaches us to be smart about where we get our info.

There are many resources to help you determine if information sources are factual or not.

7. Socratic Questioning

This way of thinking is called the Socrates Method, named after an old-time thinker from Greece. It's about asking lots of questions to understand a topic. You can do this by yourself or chat with a friend.

Start with a Big Question:

"What does 'success' mean?"

Dive Deeper with More Questions:

"Why do you think of success that way?" "Do TV shows, friends, or family make you think that?" "Does everyone think about success the same way?"

"Can someone be a winner even if they aren't rich or famous?" "Can someone feel like they didn't succeed, even if everyone else thinks they did?"

Look for Real-life Examples:

"Who is someone you think is successful? Why?" "Was there a time you felt like a winner? What happened?"

Think About Other People's Views:

"How might a person from another country think about success?" "Does the idea of success change as we grow up or as our life changes?"

Think About What It Means:

"How does your idea of success shape what you want in life?" "Are there problems with only wanting to be rich or famous?"

Look Back and Think:

"After talking about this, did your idea of success change? How?" "Did you learn something new about what success means?"

8. Six Thinking Hats 

Edward de Bono came up with a cool way to solve problems by thinking in six different ways, like wearing different colored hats. You can do this independently, but it might be more effective in a group so everyone can have a different hat color. Each color has its way of thinking:

White Hat (Facts): Just the facts! Ask, "What do we know? What do we need to find out?"

Red Hat (Feelings): Talk about feelings. Ask, "How do I feel about this?"

Black Hat (Careful Thinking): Be cautious. Ask, "What could go wrong?"

Yellow Hat (Positive Thinking): Look on the bright side. Ask, "What's good about this?"

Green Hat (Creative Thinking): Think of new ideas. Ask, "What's another way to look at this?"

Blue Hat (Planning): Organize the talk. Ask, "What should we do next?"

When using this method with a group:

• Explain all the hats.
• Decide which hat to wear first.
• Make sure everyone switches hats at the same time.
• Finish with the Blue Hat to plan the next steps.

9. SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis is like a game plan for businesses to know where they stand and where they should go. "SWOT" stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

There are a lot of SWOT templates out there for how to do this visually, but you can also think it through. It doesn't just apply to businesses but can be a good way to decide if a project you're working on is working.

Strengths: What's working well? Ask, "What are we good at?"

Weaknesses: Where can we do better? Ask, "Where can we improve?"

Opportunities: What good things might come our way? Ask, "What chances can we grab?"

Threats: What challenges might we face? Ask, "What might make things tough for us?"

Steps to do a SWOT Analysis:

• Goal: Decide what you want to find out.
• Research: Learn about your business and the world around it.
• Brainstorm: Get a group and think together. Talk about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Pick the Most Important Points: Some things might be more urgent or important than others.
• Make a Plan: Decide what to do based on your SWOT list.
• Check Again Later: Things change, so look at your SWOT again after a while to update it.

Now that you have a few tools for thinking critically, let’s get into some specific examples.

Everyday Examples

Life is a series of decisions. From the moment we wake up, we're faced with choices – some trivial, like choosing a breakfast cereal, and some more significant, like buying a home or confronting an ethical dilemma at work. While it might seem that these decisions are disparate, they all benefit from the application of critical thinking.

10. Deciding to buy something

Imagine you want a new phone. Don't just buy it because the ad looks cool. Think about what you need in a phone. Look up different phones and see what people say about them. Choose the one that's the best deal for what you want.

11. Deciding what is true

There's a lot of news everywhere. Don't believe everything right away. Think about why someone might be telling you this. Check if what you're reading or watching is true. Make up your mind after you've looked into it.

12. Deciding when you’re wrong

Sometimes, friends can have disagreements. Don't just get mad right away. Try to see where they're coming from. Talk about what's going on. Find a way to fix the problem that's fair for everyone.

13. Deciding what to eat

There's always a new diet or exercise that's popular. Don't just follow it because it's trendy. Find out if it's good for you. Ask someone who knows, like a doctor. Make choices that make you feel good and stay healthy.

14. Deciding what to do today

Everyone is busy with school, chores, and hobbies. Make a list of things you need to do. Decide which ones are most important. Plan your day so you can get things done and still have fun.

15. Making Tough Choices

Sometimes, it's hard to know what's right. Think about how each choice will affect you and others. Talk to people you trust about it. Choose what feels right in your heart and is fair to others.

16. Planning for the Future

Big decisions, like where to go to school, can be tricky. Think about what you want in the future. Look at the good and bad of each choice. Talk to people who know about it. Pick what feels best for your dreams and goals.

Job Examples

17. solving problems.

Workers brainstorm ways to fix a machine quickly without making things worse when a machine breaks at a factory.

18. Decision Making

A store manager decides which products to order more of based on what's selling best.

19. Setting Goals

A team leader helps their team decide what tasks are most important to finish this month and which can wait.

20. Evaluating Ideas

At a team meeting, everyone shares ideas for a new project. The group discusses each idea's pros and cons before picking one.

21. Handling Conflict

Two workers disagree on how to do a job. Instead of arguing, they talk calmly, listen to each other, and find a solution they both like.

22. Improving Processes

A cashier thinks of a faster way to ring up items so customers don't have to wait as long.

23. Asking Questions

Before starting a big task, an employee asks for clear instructions and checks if they have the necessary tools.

24. Checking Facts

Before presenting a report, someone double-checks all their information to make sure there are no mistakes.

25. Planning for the Future

A business owner thinks about what might happen in the next few years, like new competitors or changes in what customers want, and makes plans based on those thoughts.

26. Understanding Perspectives

A team is designing a new toy. They think about what kids and parents would both like instead of just what they think is fun.

School Examples

27. researching a topic.

For a history project, a student looks up different sources to understand an event from multiple viewpoints.

28. Debating an Issue

In a class discussion, students pick sides on a topic, like school uniforms, and share reasons to support their views.

29. Evaluating Sources

While writing an essay, a student checks if the information from a website is trustworthy or might be biased.

30. Problem Solving in Math

When stuck on a tricky math problem, a student tries different methods to find the answer instead of giving up.

31. Analyzing Literature

In English class, students discuss why a character in a book made certain choices and what those decisions reveal about them.

32. Testing a Hypothesis

For a science experiment, students guess what will happen and then conduct tests to see if they're right or wrong.

33. Giving Peer Feedback

After reading a classmate's essay, a student offers suggestions for improving it.

34. Questioning Assumptions

In a geography lesson, students consider why certain countries are called "developed" and what that label means.

35. Designing a Study

For a psychology project, students plan an experiment to understand how people's memories work and think of ways to ensure accurate results.

36. Interpreting Data

In a science class, students look at charts and graphs from a study, then discuss what the information tells them and if there are any patterns.

Critical Thinking Puzzles

Not all scenarios will have a single correct answer that can be figured out by thinking critically. Sometimes we have to think critically about ethical choices or moral behaviors. 

Here are some mind games and scenarios you can solve using critical thinking. You can see the solution(s) at the end of the post.

37. The Farmer, Fox, Chicken, and Grain Problem

A farmer is at a riverbank with a fox, a chicken, and a grain bag. He needs to get all three items across the river. However, his boat can only carry himself and one of the three items at a time. 

Here's the challenge:

• If the fox is left alone with the chicken, the fox will eat the chicken.
• If the chicken is left alone with the grain, the chicken will eat the grain.

How can the farmer get all three items across the river without any item being eaten? 

38. The Rope, Jar, and Pebbles Problem

You are in a room with two long ropes hanging from the ceiling. Each rope is just out of arm's reach from the other, so you can't hold onto one rope and reach the other simultaneously. 

Your task is to tie the two rope ends together, but you can't move the position where they hang from the ceiling.

You are given a jar full of pebbles. How do you complete the task?

39. The Two Guards Problem

Imagine there are two doors. One door leads to certain doom, and the other leads to freedom. You don't know which is which.

In front of each door stands a guard. One guard always tells the truth. The other guard always lies. You don't know which guard is which.

You can ask only one question to one of the guards. What question should you ask to find the door that leads to freedom?

40. The Hourglass Problem

You have two hourglasses. One measures 7 minutes when turned over, and the other measures 4 minutes. Using just these hourglasses, how can you time exactly 9 minutes?

41. The Lifeboat Dilemma

Imagine you're on a ship that's sinking. You get on a lifeboat, but it's already too full and might flip over. 

Nearby in the water, five people are struggling: a scientist close to finding a cure for a sickness, an old couple who've been together for a long time, a mom with three kids waiting at home, and a tired teenager who helped save others but is now in danger. 

You can only save one person without making the boat flip. Who would you choose?

42. The Tech Dilemma

You work at a tech company and help make a computer program to help small businesses. You're almost ready to share it with everyone, but you find out there might be a small chance it has a problem that could show users' private info. 

If you decide to fix it, you must wait two more months before sharing it. But your bosses want you to share it now. What would you do?

43. The History Mystery

Dr. Amelia is a history expert. She's studying where a group of people traveled long ago. She reads old letters and documents to learn about it. But she finds some letters that tell a different story than what most people believe. 

If she says this new story is true, it could change what people learn in school and what they think about history. What should she do?

The Role of Bias in Critical Thinking

Have you ever decided you don’t like someone before you even know them? Or maybe someone shared an idea with you that you immediately loved without even knowing all the details. 

This experience is called bias, which occurs when you like or dislike something or someone without a good reason or knowing why. It can also take shape in certain reactions to situations, like a habit or instinct. 

Bias comes from our own experiences, what friends or family tell us, or even things we are born believing. Sometimes, bias can help us stay safe, but other times it stops us from seeing the truth.

Not all bias is bad. Bias can be a mechanism for assessing our potential safety in a new situation. If we are biased to think that anything long, thin, and curled up is a snake, we might assume the rope is something to be afraid of before we know it is just a rope.

While bias might serve us in some situations (like jumping out of the way of an actual snake before we have time to process that we need to be jumping out of the way), it often harms our ability to think critically.

How Bias Gets in the Way of Good Thinking

Selective Perception: We only notice things that match our ideas and ignore the rest. 

It's like only picking red candies from a mixed bowl because you think they taste the best, but they taste the same as every other candy in the bowl. It could also be when we see all the signs that our partner is cheating on us but choose to ignore them because we are happy the way we are (or at least, we think we are).

Agreeing with Yourself: This is called “ confirmation bias ” when we only listen to ideas that match our own and seek, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms what we already think we know or believe. 

An example is when someone wants to know if it is safe to vaccinate their children but already believes that vaccines are not safe, so they only look for information supporting the idea that vaccines are bad.

Thinking We Know It All: Similar to confirmation bias, this is called “overconfidence bias.” Sometimes we think our ideas are the best and don't listen to others. This can stop us from learning.

Have you ever met someone who you consider a “know it”? Probably, they have a lot of overconfidence bias because while they may know many things accurately, they can’t know everything. Still, if they act like they do, they show overconfidence bias.

There's a weird kind of bias similar to this called the Dunning Kruger Effect, and that is when someone is bad at what they do, but they believe and act like they are the best .

Following the Crowd: This is formally called “groupthink”. It's hard to speak up with a different idea if everyone agrees. But this can lead to mistakes.

An example of this we’ve all likely seen is the cool clique in primary school. There is usually one person that is the head of the group, the “coolest kid in school”, and everyone listens to them and does what they want, even if they don’t think it’s a good idea.

How to Overcome Biases

Here are a few ways to learn to think better, free from our biases (or at least aware of them!).

Know Your Biases: Realize that everyone has biases. If we know about them, we can think better.

Listen to Different People: Talking to different kinds of people can give us new ideas.

Ask Why: Always ask yourself why you believe something. Is it true, or is it just a bias?

Understand Others: Try to think about how others feel. It helps you see things in new ways.

Keep Learning: Always be curious and open to new information.

In today's world, everything changes fast, and there's so much information everywhere. This makes critical thinking super important. It helps us distinguish between what's real and what's made up. It also helps us make good choices. But thinking this way can be tough sometimes because of biases. These are like sneaky thoughts that can trick us. The good news is we can learn to see them and think better.

There are cool tools and ways we've talked about, like the "Socratic Questioning" method and the "Six Thinking Hats." These tools help us get better at thinking. These thinking skills can also help us in school, work, and everyday life.

We’ve also looked at specific scenarios where critical thinking would be helpful, such as deciding what diet to follow and checking facts.

Thinking isn't just a skill—it's a special talent we improve over time. Working on it lets us see things more clearly and understand the world better. So, keep practicing and asking questions! It'll make you a smarter thinker and help you see the world differently.

Critical Thinking Puzzles (Solutions)

The farmer, fox, chicken, and grain problem.

• The farmer first takes the chicken across the river and leaves it on the other side.
• He returns to the original side and takes the fox across the river.
• After leaving the fox on the other side, he returns the chicken to the starting side.
• He leaves the chicken on the starting side and takes the grain bag across the river.
• He leaves the grain with the fox on the other side and returns to get the chicken.
• The farmer takes the chicken across, and now all three items -- the fox, the chicken, and the grain -- are safely on the other side of the river.

The Rope, Jar, and Pebbles Problem

• Take one rope and tie the jar of pebbles to its end.
• Swing the rope with the jar in a pendulum motion.
• While the rope is swinging, grab the other rope and wait.
• As the swinging rope comes back within reach due to its pendulum motion, grab it.
• With both ropes within reach, untie the jar and tie the rope ends together.

The Two Guards Problem

The question is, "What would the other guard say is the door to doom?" Then choose the opposite door.

The Hourglass Problem

• Start both hourglasses. 
• When the 4-minute hourglass runs out, turn it over.
• When the 7-minute hourglass runs out, the 4-minute hourglass will have been running for 3 minutes. Turn the 7-minute hourglass over. 
• When the 4-minute hourglass runs out for the second time (a total of 8 minutes have passed), the 7-minute hourglass will run for 1 minute. Turn the 7-minute hourglass again for 1 minute to empty the hourglass (a total of 9 minutes passed).

The Boat and Weights Problem

Take the cat over first and leave it on the other side. Then, return and take the fish across next. When you get there, take the cat back with you. Leave the cat on the starting side and take the cat food across. Lastly, return to get the cat and bring it to the other side.

The Lifeboat Dilemma

There isn’t one correct answer to this problem. Here are some elements to consider:

• Moral Principles: What values guide your decision? Is it the potential greater good for humanity (the scientist)? What is the value of long-standing love and commitment (the elderly couple)? What is the future of young children who depend on their mothers? Or the selfless bravery of the teenager?
• Future Implications: Consider the future consequences of each choice. Saving the scientist might benefit millions in the future, but what moral message does it send about the value of individual lives?
• Emotional vs. Logical Thinking: While it's essential to engage empathy, it's also crucial not to let emotions cloud judgment entirely. For instance, while the teenager's bravery is commendable, does it make him more deserving of a spot on the boat than the others?
• Acknowledging Uncertainty: The scientist claims to be close to a significant breakthrough, but there's no certainty. How does this uncertainty factor into your decision?
• Personal Bias: Recognize and challenge any personal biases, such as biases towards age, profession, or familial status.

The Tech Dilemma

Again, there isn’t one correct answer to this problem. Here are some elements to consider:

• Evaluate the Risk: How severe is the potential vulnerability? Can it be easily exploited, or would it require significant expertise? Even if the circumstances are rare, what would be the consequences if the vulnerability were exploited?
• Stakeholder Considerations: Different stakeholders will have different priorities. Upper management might prioritize financial projections, the marketing team might be concerned about the product's reputation, and customers might prioritize the security of their data. How do you balance these competing interests?
• Short-Term vs. Long-Term Implications: While launching on time could meet immediate financial goals, consider the potential long-term damage to the company's reputation if the vulnerability is exploited. Would the short-term gains be worth the potential long-term costs?
• Ethical Implications : Beyond the financial and reputational aspects, there's an ethical dimension to consider. Is it right to release a product with a known vulnerability, even if the chances of it being exploited are low?
• Seek External Input: Consulting with cybersecurity experts outside your company might be beneficial. They could provide a more objective risk assessment and potential mitigation strategies.
• Communication: How will you communicate the decision, whatever it may be, both internally to your team and upper management and externally to your customers and potential users?

The History Mystery

Dr. Amelia should take the following steps:

• Verify the Letters: Before making any claims, she should check if the letters are actual and not fake. She can do this by seeing when and where they were written and if they match with other things from that time.
• Get a Second Opinion: It's always good to have someone else look at what you've found. Dr. Amelia could show the letters to other history experts and see their thoughts.
• Research More: Maybe there are more documents or letters out there that support this new story. Dr. Amelia should keep looking to see if she can find more evidence.
• Share the Findings: If Dr. Amelia believes the letters are true after all her checks, she should tell others. This can be through books, talks, or articles.
• Stay Open to Feedback: Some people might agree with Dr. Amelia, and others might not. She should listen to everyone and be ready to learn more or change her mind if new information arises.

Ultimately, Dr. Amelia's job is to find out the truth about history and share it. It's okay if this new truth differs from what people used to believe. History is about learning from the past, no matter the story.

Related posts:

• Experimenter Bias (Definition + Examples)
• Hasty Generalization Fallacy (31 Examples + Similar Names)
• Ad Hoc Fallacy (29 Examples + Other Names)
• Confirmation Bias (Examples + Definition)
• Equivocation Fallacy (26 Examples + Description)

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Critical thinking definition

Critical thinking, as described by Oxford Languages, is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgement.

Active and skillful approach, evaluation, assessment, synthesis, and/or evaluation of information obtained from, or made by, observation, knowledge, reflection, acumen or conversation, as a guide to belief and action, requires the critical thinking process, which is why it's often used in education and academics.

Some even may view it as a backbone of modern thought.

However, it's a skill, and skills must be trained and encouraged to be used at its full potential.

People turn up to various approaches in improving their critical thinking, like:

• Developing technical and problem-solving skills
• Engaging in more active listening
• Actively questioning their assumptions and beliefs
• Seeking out more diversity of thought
• Opening up their curiosity in an intellectual way etc.

Is critical thinking useful in writing?

Critical thinking can help in planning your paper and making it more concise, but it's not obvious at first. We carefully pinpointed some the questions you should ask yourself when boosting critical thinking in writing:

• What information should be included?
• Which information resources should the author look to?
• What degree of technical knowledge should the report assume its audience has?
• What is the most effective way to show information?
• How should the report be organized?
• How should it be designed?
• What tone and level of language difficulty should the document have?

Usage of critical thinking comes down not only to the outline of your paper, it also begs the question: How can we use critical thinking solving problems in our writing's topic?

Let's say, you have a Powerpoint on how critical thinking can reduce poverty in the United States. You'll primarily have to define critical thinking for the viewers, as well as use a lot of critical thinking questions and synonyms to get them to be familiar with your methods and start the thinking process behind it.

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Kinesiology students tackle questions and build skills through research

Critical questions, like how the benefits of physical activity can be observed at the brain level, are the core of Mariane Bacelar’s Skill Acquisition and Psychophysiology Lab . Bacelar, an assistant professor of kinesiology, helps her students get to the bottom of questions such as:

If you say you want to exercise and don’t, why is that? And what would change the situation for you?

How have you acquired a certain motor skill? Has motivation played a part?

How do rewards of various types shape your behavior?

How do you apply feedback to learn a certain skill? How do you translate that information into action?

Bacelar’s lab was built when Bacelar joined Boise State in the fall of 2022 after completing her doctoral program at Auburn University. She serves as the lab’s director. The lab’s physical space opened this spring.

Joined by six undergraduate students and one graduate student, she investigates questions related to motor skill acquisition and physical activity. They mostly focus on young adults, however, and as a result of a new grant, older adults will be the focus of study in the future.

Because the team examines motor learning and physical activity using neuropsychological measures to uncover the neural mechanisms underlying these phenomena, the lab is housed in Department of Kinesiology. But because human movement – and its hows and whys – is universal, the research and findings are important and applicable to most human endeavors.

Engaging student researchers

Along with groundbreaking research, students who sign up for the lab experience also embark on other meaningful work. They’re learning practical skills and helping to rebuild the credibility of the scientific community at the same time.

The student researchers learn how to apply behavioral and neurophysiological methods, such as electroencephalography (commonly referred to as EEG) to record brain activity and metascience techniques into research. They’re also learning how to collect and analyze data, design experiments, present research findings, think critically and work as part of a research team. Every other week, student teams present on scientific articles with group discussions to follow.

“It has a broader impact,” Bacelar said.

“Some students may not know how important research is. Some people may associate this experience with wanting to become a researcher, but this helps develop a lot of skills. It’s not necessarily ‘for’ research. It’s ‘through’ research.” –Mariane Bacelar, assistant professor of kinesiology

And while it’s early days for the lab and lab findings, the lab is succeeding in the ways its director has envisioned.

“We’re still collecting data, but we have a couple of predictions,” Bacelar said, adding that it has become apparent that a fundamental premise underpinning these parts of science is still, in fact, an open question.

“We often assume that motivation is associated with learning, but we’re learning that it has not been established,” she said.

The lab is built on the concept of “open science,” the idea that science should be transparent, accessible and collaborative. Bacelar and many others are hopeful that these principles roll back some of the criticism and skepticism the sciences have faced in recent years, what she describes as a “replication crisis.”

“Our goal is to enhance reliability in our research findings,” she said. “We need to be able to verify our findings, and we need to be transparent, and we need to have rigor.”

Bacelar encourages students from across the university’s disciplines to get involved – but there’s a catch. Because she wants to ensure a quality experience, she’s able to accept only a handful of student researchers. And this year’s lab team will likely be next year’s as well.

“We welcome all types of researchers,” she said. “I think having research experience as an undergrad is valuable. It should be a meaningful experience.”

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“What’s Going On in This Picture?,” one of our most popular weekly features, is a fun and engaging activity that can be used across grades and subject areas to help students develop critical thinking and observation skills.

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Student loan forgiveness will be halted for this group starting next week: 6 takeaways.

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WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 10: U.S. Secretary of Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona (R) testifies at ... [+] Capitol Hill on April 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Education Department will suspend student loan forgiveness processing for the PSLF program starting in May. (Photo by Sha Hanting/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images)

The Education Department will stop all student loan forgiveness processing for a critical cohort of borrowers starting next week. The temporary pause is part of a broader effort to transition the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program to a new servicing platform.

PSLF can wipe out the federal student loan debt for borrowers in as little as 10 years if they work for certain qualifying nonprofit or government organizations. The program requires 120 qualifying payments, each of which must meet certain requirements. To get PSLF credit, borrowers must submit employment certification forms. Up until now, these forms have been processed by MOHELA, the department’s contracted PSLF servicer. But as part of a long-planned transition, the department will be moving PSLF servicing from MOHELA to the StudentAid.gov platform.

Starting on May 1st, all PSLF processing will be temporarily halted as the department begins to implement the shift to StudentAid.gov. This will have major implications for borrowers pursuing loan forgiveness under the program. Here’s what you need to know.

All PSLF Processing Will Be Halted During Student Loan Forgiveness Pause Starting May 1

The PSLF processing pause begins on May 1st and is expected to last through July. During that time, the Education Department will not process any PSLF employment certifications, will not approve any student loan forgiveness under PSLF, and will not update PSLF qualifying payment counts. In addition, borrowers will not be able to get any questions about their PSLF progress answered during the transition.

Borrowers will also lose all access to their PSLF data. This includes PSLF tracking information accessible through their online MOHELA account such as qualifying PSLF payment counts and approved employment periods. Once the transition to StudentAid.gov is completed in July, borrowers will regain access to their PSLF data through that platform.

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Rudy giuliani and mark meadows indicted in arizona fake electors case, tupac shakur s estate challenges drake over ai vocals in kendrick lamar diss song, student loan forgiveness applications for pslf will not be reviewed during the pause.

Borrowers can still submit PSLF employment certification forms during the pause, which will eventually allow them to update their PSLF payment counts and — if applicable — receive student loan forgiveness. But no forms will be reviewed during the transition period.

“Starting May 1, 2024, you can continue to submit your PSLF forms, but they will be put on hold and not processed until July,” said the Education Department on an informational website addressing the suspension.

“If you reach loan forgiveness during the processing pause, you can still submit your last Employment Certification Form (ECF) to apply to have your loans forgiven, but your application will not be processed until after the pause ends,” said the National Consumer Law Center in a new blog post discussing the PSLF pause.

Loan Forgiveness Delays Expected Once PSLF Processing Resumes In July

The PSLF processing pause is currently set to end in July, at which point student loan forgiveness processing should resume under the program. But the Biden administration and advocacy groups are warning borrowers to expect delays due to anticipated backlogs.

“Your qualifying payment counts will be updated after the transition is complete in July. At that time, you will be able to access a new PSLF dashboard on StudentAid.gov. You might also see delays and further updates to your eligible and qualifying payment counts,” said the department. The department warns borrowers not to resubmit a PSLF form a second time after the pause ends if they submitted one during the suspension period, as doing so “could cause delays with your submission.”

“We anticipate substantial PSLF processing delays after the pause ends,” said NCLC. Borrowers should expect “significant” delays in processing student loan forgiveness applications and updating PSLF qualifying payment counts.

Download PSLF Records Before May 1st To Mitigate Student Loan Forgiveness Disruptions

Because borrowers will lose access to their student loan forgiveness records associated with the PSLF program, including qualifying payment counts and other information, both the Education Department and advocates are urging borrowers to download and save their PSLF tracking information currently accessible via their online MOHELA account.

“If you want to save screenshots and correspondence for your personal records, we recommend accessing the portal by April 30, 2024,” said the department.

NCLC warned that borrowers not only will lose access to their PSLF records, but that they anticipate errors in PSLF tracking once the transition to StudentAid.gov is complete. This could jeopardize eligibility for student loan forgiveness under the program, or delay approvals, particularly as the Education Department simultaneously works to complete the related IDR Account Adjustment initiative .

“We strongly advise borrowers to download all PSLF payment count and tracking information from MOHELA by April 30th,” said the group in its blog post, as borrowers will lose access to this data and may not get it back in July.

Your Servicer Could Change As A Result Of PSLF Transition

MOHELA has been the designated loan servicer for the PSLF program since it took over from FedLoan Servicing. But with the upcoming transition to StudentAid.gov, borrowers with any servicer will be able to get on track for student loan forgiveness under the PSLF program without necessarily needing MOHELA to be their servicer. “Under the new USDS contract, all loan servicers will be able to service PSLF accounts,” said NCLC. “MOHELA will no longer be the only PSLF loan servicer.”

Borrowers currently with MOHELA could experience a servicing change as a result of the transition. And even those who remain with MOHELA will see changes to their loan servicing experience as the agency goes through its own transition to a different platform.

“If MOHELA is your loan servicer, your account might be transferred to their new servicing platform or another servicer after May 1,” warned the department.

“At some point in the future, the Department may transfer some accounts from MOHELA to other loan servicers,” said NCLC. “Make sure your contact information is up to date with your loan servicer and the Department of Education on StudentAid.gov, so you don’t miss any notices about your loans being transferred.”

Keep Making Student Loan Payments During PSLF Processing Pause

While student loan forgiveness processing under the PSLF program will be suspended, borrowers should continue to make their payments as required.

“Payments are still due during this pause, so continue to make payments to your loan servicer,” said the Education Department.

“The temporary pause on PSLF processing is not a payment pause,” warned NCLC. “Borrowers are still required to make timely monthly payments to MOHELA.” This includes borrowers who anticipate reaching the 120-payment threshold for student loan forgiveness under the PSLF program. “Unless you request a forbearance while your forgiveness application is processed, you will still be required to make payments until your application is reviewed and approved,” said the group.

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