Introduction
According to the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking (NCECT) (2013), critical thinking is a process by which an individual conceptualizes, applies, analyzes, and or evaluates the information that he/she gathered or generated from observation, reasoning, reflection, experience, or a set of beliefs when taking action. Therefore, the process is crucial because it helps individuals to judge and evaluate the situations that they are in, basing on the use of available data to build a clear understanding of the problem and then take appropriate action. So, this paper is going to look at the steps involved in critical thinking and the importance of critical thinking since it is an essential asset in everyday decision making and consists of evaluation that helps develop our judgment and make changes.
The Six Steps of Critical Thinking
For a person to make a sound decision, he or she must follow the critical thinking process. The process involves six steps. The first step is knowledge. In this step, the problem that needs a solution gets identified because for every problem there is a need for a clear vision which will put the individuals seeking to solve it on the correct path towards solving it. At this stage, several questions are asked to get a good understanding of the problem at hand. Such questions can be open-ended, hence, providing a platform for discussion and exploring the main reasons. In this stage, the main questions that should get addressed are based on what the problem is and why it should be solved. However, in some cases, there is no real problem. In such a case, there is no need to proceed to the second step (Zulmaulida, Wahyudin, " Dahlan, 2018; Elmansy, 2017).
The second step is comprehension. After identifying and understanding the problem, one needs to get all the relevant facts associated with the problem. Therefore, one will gather relevant data about the problem. One can even research if there is a need to do so and also if the deadline to solve the problem allows them to do so (Zulmaulida, Wahyudin, " Dahlan, 2018; Elmansy, 2017).
The third step is the application phase. The step is a continuation of the second, and it enables one to thoroughly understand the facts and the necessary resources that are required to solve the problem. The understanding gets achieved by building a link between the information and resources that are available. If possible, mind maps can be used in analyzing the situation and determine the best possible way to move forward (Zulmaulida, Wahyudin, " Dahlan, 2018; Elmansy, 2017).
The fourth step is analyzing. After collecting the relevant information and establishing the links between the main problems and the situation analyzed, both the weak and strong points get considered. Challenges that one experiences when solving a problem will also be addressed during this stage. One of the most common tools that are used here in case the process is being conducted on an organizational level is the cause and effect diagram. The diagram is used to divide a problem from its causes and the different ways to solve the problem (Zulmaulida, Wahyudin, " Dahlan, 2018; Elmansy, 2017).
The fifth stage is the synthesis of information. After conducting an excellent analysis of the problem and consideration of significant information, a decision will be made on how to solve the problem. Also, the steps to follow when solving the problem get outlined here. In case, there are many solutions available, each one of them will be analyzed entirely, looking at their pros and cons. The solution with the option with the highest number of advantages or the one with the least number of drawbacks is the one that is usually selected (Zulmaulida, Wahyudin, " Dahlan, 2018; Elmansy, 2017).
The last step is to take action. This step involves putting the chosen solution/decision that has been made into action. In case the decision requires a particular team, there will be a need to adopt a plan of action that will guide the team and ensure the solutions are executed as planned (Elmansy, 2017).
Importance of Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is also a significant aspect of a person's life. For instance, critical thinking is imperative in a person's career. In whatever field a person chooses to work in, critical thinking is vital as it helps a person to make the correct decisions. A good example is when a manager of a particular company wants to introduce a new strategy, he or she will use critical thinking to determine if that particular strategy is good for the company. Additionally, it should be put to notice that the ability to make good decisions and solve any problem is an essential requirement in any career as Regan (2015) cites.
According to Regan (2015), critical thinking also a person's presentation and language skills. A person who thinks clearly can improve on how they express their ideas to the people. Also, when a person is good at learning the basic structure of texts, his or her comprehension abilities will be significantly improved.
Critical thinking also promotes creativity. When one comes up with a particular solution to a problem, he does not necessarily use the existing ideas, in most cases, people come up with new ideas. Therefore, critical thinking has a vital role in evaluating the new ideas that people have come up with or modify the existing ones wherever necessary to solve a problem at hand. Therefore, this process promotes creativity (Regan, 2015).
Critical thinking provides a platform for self-reflection; hence a person can live a life that is more meaningful and structure it accordingly. There is a need for people to reflect on their values and decisions in life, and critical thinking provides the tools for such processes as Regan (2015) opines.
Other importance of critical thinking includes; it is an imperative aspect in the new knowledge economy because it will enable the concerned individuals to act accordingly since the economy is dynamic, that is it keeps on changing. It is also the foundation of science and liberal society. For one to perform successful experiments or come up with new ways of doing things, he or she requires critical thinking. Also, critical thinking is essential in society as it helps people to make good decisions especially when voting for new leaders, people will vote according to a person's capabilities (Regan, 2015).
Conclusion
In conclusion, critical thinking is a process that helps individuals make sound decisions on issues or problems that they go through in their daily lives. For one to make effective decisions, he or she needs to follow the steps outlined above. Also, critical thinking is essential in various aspects of life such as promoting one's creativity, making career decisions, self-reflection and even during elections where it makes people choose excellent and able leaders.
References
Elmansy, R. (June 26, 2017). Six steps for effective critical thinking. Retrieved from https://www.designorate.com/steps-effective-critical-thinking/
National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking (NCECT) (2013). Conference on critical thinking. Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/files/12th_Annual_CTConf-opt.pdf
Regan, K. (August 5, 2015). Six benefits of critical thinking. Retrieved from https://learn.filtered.com/blog/6-benefits-of-critical-thinking
Zulmaulida, R., Wahyudin, " Dahlan, J. A. (2018). Watson-Glaser’s critical thinking skills. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1028, doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1028/1/012094
