Six Levels of Critical Thinking and the Questions Associated With Them

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Quiz Chapter 7
1. Level 1 thinking answers, "Can I invent something new based on this idea?" False
2. Level 2 thinking answers, "Can I explain this idea in my own words?" True
3. The process of narrowing down possible solutions to a problem is called convergent thinking.
4. The process of opening alternatives and considering many options is called divergent thinking.
5. The categories of suggestions for critical thinking include: All of the answer choices
6. The statement "doctors are greedy" is an example of: Thinking in all-or-nothing terms
7. Creative thinking is only useful for artists, not those who run a company. False
8. Learning through inquiry is based on asking questions. True
9. The suggested strategies for making decisions do not include: Establish priorities
10. The text suggests that you think of problem-solving as a process based on: Four "P's" – problem, possibilities, plan, perform (Ellis and Toft).
Chapter Review Question
The six levels of critical thinking are unreflective thinking, challenged thinking, beginning thinking, practicing thinking, advanced thinking, and master thinking. The first level of critical thinking is unreflective thinking. Unreflective thinking is when one does not consider their thoughts and proceeds only on their feelings and prejudices. This level of thinking is usually characterized by misconceptions and biases, which often harm one's decisions and general life. Unreflective thinkers are impulsive in their decisions and lack the necessary skills to analyze their thought processes. They also do not apply appropriate logic, accuracy, and precision standards to their thinking in any dependable manner (Ratner). The second level of critical thinking is challenged thinking. Challenged thinking is when one understands the importance of thinking about one's existence and behavior and acknowledges that failure to apply critical thinking during decision-making can result in big problems.
The challenged thinker will have some awareness that critical thinking requires one to tackle assumptions, biases, and inferences. Although these thinkers recognize their self-deception, not all flaws in their thinking are obvious. For instance, they might not accept that mental processes can be founded on false assumptions and beliefs. Critical thinkers at this level may sometimes think their decision-making is better than it actually is. The third level of critical thinking is the beginning thinker. People at this stage are better aware of their thinking and actions. They can therefore recognize blind spots in their decision-making process. Unlike the challenged thinker, the beginner thinker can appreciate the value of logic and will try to be more self-conscious in their decision-making process to identify any underlying prejudices or assumptions (Ratner). Beginner thinker is starting to apply critical thinking in their thoughts by eliminating feelings and ego in their decisions. Moreover, at this level of critical thinking, one is more receptive to criticism and feedback and is even willing to readjust their line of thinking.
The fourth level of critical thinking is practical thinking. This thinke...