Thinking Critically: Pt. 1 Backing up your Arguments

In the next two posts, we will discuss critical thinking. What is critical thinking? A number of students may receive comments on their written work that it is "too descriptive." On the face of it, description seems like a good thing. How can you have too much description? What does that mean?

Essentially, this term refers to assignments have too much information and lack conclusions and evidence. Evidence, that is quotations and researched information, is important in an essay so that the essay can explain the link between the evidence and the assertion or arguments made in the beginning of the paragraph.  What is evidence? Evidence in an assignment is no different than evidence in a trial. Evidence backs up assertions made in the assignment just like evidence in the court room backs up the assertions of the crown prosecuter or the defense. Usually, an assignment makes assertions in the first sentence of the paragraph or the topic sentence.

Pattern for a Successful Academic Paragraph

Sentence 1 - Topic sentence where the main argument(an assertion) for the paragraph is made.
Sentence 2 - Sentence presents evidence to back up the main argument.
Sentence 3 - An explanation of how the evidence backs up the main argument is made.
Sentence 4 - The final explanation of how the evidence backs up the main argument is made & the sentence anticipates the next argument.
Note: Sometimes, a complex argument may require five sentence paragraphs.

Without evidence and explanation, an assignment lacks critical thinking. In the next posting, we will look at how Bloom's Taxonomy can help students to think critically by showing more complex writing and thinking patterns.