Critical Thinking in the Information Age

The ability to analyze situations logically, avoiding errors in reasoning, and making well-informed decisions.

A mistaken belief or faulty reasoning that can lead to inaccurate conclusions.

The ability to come up with new solutions to problems and adapt to challenges.

The ability to analyze information and judge its trustworthiness.

The unprecedented speed at which information spreads due to social media and news cycles.

The tendency to share information that aligns with our existing beliefs, even if it is inaccurate.

The process of examining the way information flows across different platforms and understanding its influence.

The problem of misleading content spreading rapidly, especially online.

Altering the time intervals on the x-axis of a graph can create a false impression of a trend, even if the actual data stays the same.

Leaving out certain data points that don't fit a desired narrative can make a data set appear more favorable than it actually is.

The method used to choose participants in a study can heavily influence the reliability of the results.

The way questions are worded in surveys or questionnaires can impact how people respond, potentially leading to biased data.

Assessing whether a claim is even possible based on basic understanding and common sense.

Evaluating the credibility and reliability of the sources behind a claim.

Comparing data against similar known values to verify if a claim holds plausibility.

A technique used to evaluate the plausibility of a claim by exaggerating the claim's assumptions to see if it leads to unrealistic or illogical conclusions.

The process of evaluating a claim to determine if it is reasonable or consistent with known facts and evidence.

The ability to assess the probability or likelihood of an event or claim based on available information and evidence.

Analyzing the assumptions made in an argument or claim to identify potential biases or flaws in the reasoning.

The process of identifying and evaluating the potential consequences or impacts of a claim or argument.

When people mostly interact with information and opinions that confirm their existing beliefs, often leading to an echo chamber effect.

A phenomenon where group pressure leads to conformity, often suppressing individual critical thinking.

Actively seeking and considering a variety of opinions to challenge assumptions and make better decisions.

Examining your own beliefs to determine if they are truly yours, or influenced by external sources.

Identifying information that might be biased, manipulated, or even false to ensure that you are consuming accurate information.

Evaluating the reliability of news sources, authors, and research by asking critical questions.

Recognizing the use of manipulated data or statistical methods to influence opinions, often through skewed graphs or misleading representations.

Analyzing the source of information to determine its trustworthiness by examining its reputation and editorial standards.

The ability to identify and challenge assumptions that may be hidden within information.

The act of carefully considering the source and context of information to determine its reliability and validity.

The process of actively seeking out information that challenges your own views and biases.

A common misleading technique where the X-axis is manipulated to create a false impression of a trend or change in data.

A misleading technique where two different Y-axes are used for unrelated variables, creating a false impression of a correlation between them.

The tendency for viewers to perceive a relationship between two datasets simply because they are presented together, even if they are unrelated.

Using different units for similar data points, which can be confusing and misleading to viewers.

When visual representations of data exaggerate or manipulate the perception of change or trends to mislead viewers.

A visual representation where a visual element (like scissors) is exaggerated to create a misleading impression of its size or impact.

A statistical analysis that uses two different Y-axes to create a false impression of a correlation between unrelated variables.

The practice of presenting data with a focus on highlighting positive aspects while downplaying or ignoring negative aspects, potentially misleading viewers.