Critical Thinking: Tools for Evaluating ResearchCritical Thinking prepares students to thoughtfully interpret information and develop a sophisticated understanding of our increasingly complex and multi-mediated world. Peter M. Nardi’s approach helps students sharpen their critical thinking skills and improve their analytical reasoning, enabling them to ward off gullibility, develop insightful skepticism, and ask the right questions about material online, in the mass media, or in scholarly publications. Students will learn to understand common errors in thinking; create reliable and valid research methodologies; understand social science concepts needed to make sense of popular and academic claims; and communicate, apply, and integrate the methods learned in both research and daily life. A companion website includes links to articles and books mentioned in the chapters, illustrative items, videos, and current news and research that elaborate on each chapter’s key concepts. |
Contents
| 1 | |
1 Numeracy | 13 |
2 Sampling and Generalizability | 32 |
3 Probability and Coincidence | 52 |
4 Visual Thinking | 64 |
5 Correlation and Causation | 92 |
6 Scientific Thinking | 106 |
7 Fact Opinion and Logical Reasoning | 127 |
| 143 | |
| 153 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accurate alternative explanations anecdotal assess average bar chart beliefs Big Data causal cause cause-and-effect chapter claims concepts conclusions confirmation bias Consider control group correlation critical thinking skills critical thinking tip critical thinking tools crosstabs distorted estimate evaluate evidence example Facebook facts fake figure findings Hart and Chabris hypotheses important interpret interval/ratio issues law of noncontradiction learning level of measurement Line graph logic margin of error mathematical Mean number media reports methodology nonprobability sampling null hypothesis number of hours numeracy odds opinions outcome participants percent Pew Research Center pie chart placebo poll population pseudoscience quantitative random sample randomly reasoning relationship relevant reliable and valid replicated requires research design research questions respondents same-sex marriage sampling methods scientific selected skepticism social media statistically significant survey tion Triple Package U.S. presidential election variables visual vitamins y-axis