Research and Critical Thinking Basics

Course Information

• Course title: Communications CM4203
• Instructor: Dr. Caoilfhionn Ní Bheacháin
• Course content: Academic Writing III and Introduction to Critical Thinking

Library Skills

• Differentiate and identify sources within a bibliography
• Recognize different referencing systems
• Locate books
• Locate journal articles
• Use keyword searches
• Start research with one good article

Database Searching

• Identify key words
• Use core terms
• Find related terms for expanding search

Keywords

• Keywords are a helpful starting point for research, especially when a general topic idea is available.
• Keywords help brainstorm the topic.
• Break sentences into core words, if possible.
• Think of synonyms and related words for the core words.

Evaluating Online Sources

• Prioritize governmental and educational sources over commercial ones.
• Favor sources with authors over those without.
• Select web pages that are regularly updated.
• Favor web sources that cite their claims/have a bibliography.

Critical Thinking

• To think critically, consider RED: Recognize Assumptions, Evaluate Arguments, Draw Conclusions.
• Good critical thinking characteristics: clear, accurate, precise, relevant, consistent, logical, complete, and fair, instead of unclear, inaccurate, vague, irrelevant, inconsistent, illogical, incomplete, and biased.

Critical Thinking for Business Professionals

• Essential critical thinking skills for business include:
  • Problem analysis
  • Evaluating alternatives
  • Precise context analysis for implications, consequences, risk assessment, policy, regulation
  • Problem-solving in contexts with risk, ambiguity, uncertainty; inductive/inferential reasoning for decisions based on likelihood of success given available information.

Defining Critical Thinking

• Awareness of assumptions others and self hold, context of actions/ideas
• Open to questioning quick fixes, single answers to problems, claims of universal truth
• Consideration of different perspectives on looking at and behaving in the world

Questioning the Status Quo

• "Slow Violence" – Rob Nixon

What is it to be critical?

• Skepticism or suspension of belief toward statements, information, or norms.
• Critical analysis of societal structures, values, and rationalities.
• Critique of power relationships and knowledge creation.

Thinking Turned on Itself

• Examining our individual stories/narratives
• Analyzing emotions and their effect on behavior (emotional intelligence)
• Reflection on assumptions about friendship, family, work-life balance, and success, searching for sufficient reasoning

Triggers

• Negative triggers: trauma and life transitions
• Positive triggers: moments of insight and self-awareness

Probing Aspects of Our Lives or Societies

• Thinking critically about important and crucial everyday social or personal values
• Example: personal – coping with job loss; social – unemployment and effects on society

Cruel Optimism

• Personal problems/challenges studied from a societal perspective
• Identity less about conscious choices and more about unconscious compulsions and attachments

Relation of Cruel Optimism

• Something desired may be an obstacle to success/flourishing
• Need to address how compulsions and outdated beliefs hinder well-being

Recognizing Assumptions

• Assumptions are implicit premises or viewpoints taken for granted in thinking/reasoning.
• Recognizing assumptions is critical because flawed assumptions lead to flawed reasoning/conclusion.
• Understanding one’s own and others’ positions is part of the analysis.

Famous Quotes

• “Fish did not discover water” – Marshall McLuhan
• "It is easier to imagine the end of the world than to imagine the end of capitalism". – Frederic Jameson
• "We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings.” – Ursula K. Le Guin

Example of an Unstated Assumption

• 1980s Ireland: Divorce was banned because Irish law was expected to reflect Catholic doctrine.

Further Research

• Ask yourself questions about unstated assumptions regarding future, planetary health, money, and business success.

How to Decide on Working Definitions

• Definitions can change the nature of a fact.
• Examples of poverty definitions – living wage, welfare, debt, lifestyle factors

Evaluating Evidence

• The source of evidence is important.
• Is the evidence current, accurate, relevant, and authoritative?
• Are inferences being presented as fact?
• What definitions are used?
• Are cited instances typical?
• Is the evidence sufficient for the conclusion?
• Who produced the evidence and for what purpose? Factors influencing conclusions and analysis of evidence

Reasons for Defining

• Eliminate ambiguity
• Reduce vagueness
• Expand vocabulary
• Influence attitudes

Scepticism about Tradition

• Less accepting of things as “the way they are.”
• Question assumptions of objectivity (such as quantitative data) and the processes influencing data collection and analysis
• Consider if raised/unraised issues and decisions made reflect particular biases and interests.

Characteristics of a Critical Thinker

• Open-mindedness
• Honesty to yourself and others
• Courage and passion to confront challenges
• Awareness of biases and pre-conceptions.
• Willingness to accept criticism
• Independence of thought

Critical Thinking in Communication

• Disagreements (verbal, evaluative, aesthetic, moral, interpretive, factual)
• Analyzing evidence regarding disagreements
• Synthesis of different information

Argument Structure

• Arguments consist of premises and conclusions
• Premises provide reasons for conclusions
• Premises are the foundation of arguments.

Evaluating Arguments

• Evaluate the truth of premises
• Assess the validity of the argument structure
• Examples of flawed arguments (premise untrue, invalid structure)
• Deductive (premises containing conclusions/conclusion true if premises true and structure valid)
• Inductive (premises leading to conclusions, but not guaranteed true – examples of surveys, polls, generalizations)
• Empirical generalizations, opinion polls, marketing surveys were discussed as examples of inductive reasoning.

Research Terminology

• Qualitative findings from interviews, focus groups, investigating ‘why’ and ‘how’ of decisions; seeks in-depth understanding of behavior
• Quantitative findings from statistics, systemic study of social phenomena, use of mathematical or computational techniques (like The Census)

Other Important Data

• Interactive Citing and Referencing tutorial on Sulis
• Short video “An Introduction to Cite it Right” – available in module folder on Brightspace
• Key terms for academic research – plagiarism, source, referencing

This quiz explores foundational concepts in qualitative and quantitative research, alongside critical thinking and effective academic writing strategies. Test your understanding of inductive reasoning, literature searches, and the role of definitions in discussions. Perfect for students looking to strengthen their analytical skills.