Critical Thinking: Evidence, Facts, and Opinions

• To think critically means not just accepting the information but using personal experience to form assertions.
• After reading something critically, one should be able to take notes and paraphrase in their own words.
• Confidence should be achieved in understanding the text, so examples can be used, and comparison and contrast can be made with other writings on the same subject.
• Being able to fully analyze the text and state its meaning is crucial.
• Skill in critical reading and thinking challenges the reader to reason out and justify actions, thoughts, and ideas.
• Reasoning is an offshoot of reading and thinking critically.

Evidence, Facts and Opinions

• Evidence supports the validity of assertions.
• Evidence includes testimony, scientific findings, statistics, and physical objects.
• Facts can be verified or proven true through objective means like observation.
• Opinions can't be verified or proven true by objective means. Opinions must be supported with facts before being accepted as valid.

Four Forms of Reasoning:

• Inference: Drawing a new conclusion from existing information. Useful for predicting future events.
• Generalization: Conclusions drawn from multiple facts or cases. Valid generalizations hold true and are supported by evidence.
• Analogy: A comparison between things that are similar in some ways but are essentially unlike. A complete analogy compares two different objects that are similar in some way.
• Cause and Effect: Explains the relationship where an event is caused by prior events.

Correspondence

• Most business communication formerly involved physical letters or telegraphs.
• Now, digital media, including emails, texts, social platform exchanges, and digital agreements.

Resume

• A document that provides an overview of professional qualifications, skills, education, work experience, and accomplishments.
• Paired with a cover letter showcase abilities and convince employers of being qualified.
• "Resume" originates from French, meaning "summary."
• Resume should include contact details such as name, number, email address.
• Introduction: give a concise summary of professional background.

Resume Contents

• Experience: Include relevant work experience such as title, company, years worked and responsibilities.
• Education: Include school names, degree earned, majors, and minors. Include GPA if lacking relevant experience.
• Skills: Include any resume skills, like job related skills.

Types of Resume Formats

• Chronological Format: Emphasizes work experience progress. Best for those applying to jobs related to their previous experiences, especially with ten to fifteen years of experience.
• Functional Format: Focuses on skills, not work history. Useful for career changes or re-entering the industry after a long absence or for students entering the industry.
• Combination/Hybrid Format: Combines chronological and functional formats, suitable for career changes or presenting both skills and accomplishment.

Curriculum Vitae

• A Latin term meaning "course of one's life".
• A comprehensive document detailing education, work history, research, honors, awards, and personal data.

Cover Letter

• Highlights strengths and abilities further than a resume.
• Provides added emphasis and seals good points that make up an applicant.

Book/Article Review

• Examines the quality, meaning, and significance of a literary work.
• It's a reaction paper that examines strengths and weaknesses.
• The review should examine the author's intent, assess their success, and provide evidence.
• The length of the review can vary.
• The writer describes, analyzes, and evaluates the work.
• The review conveys an opinion with supporting evidence.

Sample Outline

• I. Introduction
• II. Summary
• III. Analysis
  • A. Strengths
  • B. Weaknesses
• IV. Conclusion

Summary

• A summary is a brief and concise synopsis.
• It restates the author's main points, purpose, intent, and details in summary.
• Summaries help understand the original work.

Analysis

• Involves a detailed evaluation of the author's arguments or thesis.
• Relates the strengths and weaknesses of the book/article to enhance understanding.

Literature Review

• Critically analyzes and summarizes research, scholarly articles, books, and sources related to a research topic.
• It provides an overview of existing research and identifies gaps and inconsistencies in the literature.
• Informs the development of research projects or proposals.

Literature Review - Parts

• Introduction: States the working topic and thesis, as well as introducing key topics or texts to appear in the review.
• Body: Summarize and synthesize the works, analyze and interpret, and critically evaluate them.
• Conclusion: Summarize key findings, emphasize their significance, and connect it back to research question.

Research Report

• It addresses a topic of interest.
• Assembles data sources and synthesizes them.
• Presents evidence, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Title: It reflects the content and emphasis while being short, including key words.
• Abstract: Overview of the study, typically two to four paragraphs (200-300 words).
• Introduction: Gives the study's key question and any relevant literature.
• Methodology: Permits the reader to evaluate research quality and replicate findings. Information is arranged in chronological order.
• Results: The data and a brief introduction.
• Discussion: The study's results are interpreted against existing knowledge.
• References: Lists all cited authors and papers.

Project Proposal

• A document written for problem-solving, service provision, event planning, or equipment sales.
• Convinces the reader to support the proposal's suggestions.

Project Proposal Contents

• Introduction: Provides background and tells the reader the Rationale (identifies the problem and need), Objectives (SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, Time Bound), and Benefits (what the reader gains).
• Project Description: Indicates how the project will address the identified problem, including Methodology (activities, manpower, resources), Schedule (task duration, start and end dates); and Budget (analysis of all anticipated costs).

Position Paper

• Presents an individual or organization's stance or perspective on an issue.
• Aims to persuade the reader with evidence-based arguments.

Position Paper Contents

• Introduction identifies the issue and authors position.
• The Body contains the central argument, objections (counter arguments), discussion of all sides addressing and refuting arguments, and defense of the author's position by discrediting counter arguments.
• Provides a conclusion that restates points and provides a plan, including restating the position and providing a plan of action.