Critical thinking is a done as an AS Level by all girls in the LVI. It is unusual in being an AS level that is primarily about acquiring thinking skills rather than being linked to any particular body of knowledge.

The OCR AS Level syllabus is followed

All Lower Sixth students will be taking the AS course in Critical Thinking, devoting to it one double period per week.

Critical thinking can be defined as a form of reflective reasoning, which analyses and evaluates information and arguments by applying a range of intellectual skills in order to reach clear, logical and coherent judgments within a given context.

Aims of the course:

This course is unusual in that it aims to teach you skills which can be applied in all your other subjects, rather than concentrating on a particular area of knowledge.  The main aims are to teach you how to analyse the processes involved in reasoning and formulating arguments, how to develop, more coherently, your own powers of thinking, and how to evaluate critically the credibility of other people’s ideas.

Content of the course:

By studying this course, you should learn to:

·        understand and apply the language of reasoning;

·        understand and apply different patterns of reasoning;

·        recognise and evaluate special kinds of reasoning;

·        judge the credibility of sources;

·        assess arguments;

·        develop and present relevant arguments;

·        recognise and apply basic logical ideas.

Methods of assessment:

The course is assessed in two written examinations.

Unit 1 – Credibility of Evidence – 1 hour 15 minutes – worth 40%

Comprises structured questions based on one or more stimulus passages.

Unit 2 – Assessing and Developing Argument – 1 hour 45 minutes – worth 60%

Twenty multiple choice questions, and further questions based on one or more stimulus passages.Critical Thinking develops a number of thinking skills:

q        Understanding explanations

q        Drawing inferences/conclusions

q        Developing reasoning

q        Identifying assumptions

q        Evaluating reasoning

q        Raising /evaluating hypotheses

q        Assessing credibility of sources

q        Defining terms and concepts

q        Evaluating definitions

q        Identifying and explaining flaws in arguments

q        Evaluating evidence

q        Examining meaning in context

q        Identifying, assessing and applying principles

q        Evaluating analogies

q        Providing counter-examples

q        Distinguishing between fact and judgement

q        Analysing the structure of arguments

Pupil Comments:

Critical Thinking is very useful, especially if you are going to study a subject like Law at uni. Critical Thinking was helpful for my uni application (mentioned in one of my offer letters)

It is a unique subject as it improves skills that other subjects don't, like the practice of criticising others and coming to a conclusion about issues that may be of real-life concern.

You are taught to think more carefully about things you are told, like in debates or by politicians, and to recognise flaws in their arguments.

The challenging nature of the lessons is very mixed, some things are very easy to grasp and some things I find very difficult. I like the mix. There are debates with arguments being analysed about current topics. The lessons have been varied, with different uses of teaching equipment and ways of helping us grasp what is going on.