Critical Thinking

Evaluating Opinions

 

 

An important first step in improving the critical thinking skill of science students lies in teaching students to evaluate the opinions and arguments of others. Covitt et al. propose that students are too reliant on what they call ‘fast thinking’ (System 1) in which judgements are made quickly, automatically, and with incomplete evidence. Instead, students should be taught to use ‘slow thinking’ (System 2) where judgements are made in a deliberate and intentional manner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

System 1 thinking leads students to believe that all arguments are rigorous, honest and accurate, in essence blinding them to the weaknesses in arguments. System 2, on the other hand, can force students to avoid easy pitfalls (see figure below) and maintain a more critical view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In our survey of the literature, we’ve found that experts recommend the direct teaching of evaluation skills, with the content filling a supporting role rather than being the focal point. We must show students how to ‘think slowly’ by breaking down the components of an argument and asking them to evaluate each in turn.

 

 In pedagogical models for evaluating arguments (Covitt et al., Bulgren et al., and Chiappetta and Koballa), educators outline four major steps that students should learn to work through:

• The claim. Student must identify the main points of the argument

• The evidence. Students must identify and evaluate the quality of the evidence used to support the claim

• The reasoning. Students must identify and evaluate the quality of the reasoning that ties the evidence to the claim.

• The conclusion. Students must make a conclusion about the quality of the argument.

 

 

Covitt et al. propose that teaching this process should begin with class discussions that focus on defining what constitutes a scientific argument and what makes these arguments strong or weak. Students are then given a handout that will guide them through the four stages above. In evaluating evidence, students should use the criteria that they themselves generated first, and then after use teacher-provided criteria that is based on how scientists operate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bulgen et al. have created a similar student handout that uses the same main flow called the “Argumentation & Evaluation Guide” (see below)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In order to assess the quality of the students’ evaluations, Bulgren et al. also provide a rubric that addresses each component of a scientific argument.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

 

Covitt, Beth A., Cornelia B. Harris, and Charles W. Anderson. 2013. Evaluating scientific arguments with slow thinking. Science Scope 37, (3) (11): 44-52, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1458259998?accountid=15115 (accessed February 16, 2015).

 

Bulgren, Janis A. and James D. ellis. Argumentation and Evaluation Intervention in Science Classes. In “Perspective on Scientific Argumentation: Theory, Practice and Research”. Chapter 8. Ed: Myint Swe Khine. 2012. http://link.springer.com.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/book/10.1007%2F978-94-007-2470-9

 

Chiappetta, Eugene L. and Thomas R. Koballa, Jr. Scientific Argumentation. In "Science Instruction in the Middle and Seconday Schools." Chapter 11. 2015.