Jasinghe 1

Dimithri Jasinghe

Dr Smith

ENG B20

October 06, 20

Write more to improve critical thinking

One can say as an opinion; critical thinking is an indispensable skill, yet its not

effectively being taught in college. This could be due to the fact that an educator can be qualified

and specialized in that particular field and subject; but would have difficulty teaching it in a

manner that the student understands. Student needs to understand the lectures to get better

knowledge. If they dont get a clear idea about the lesson theyll try to memorize the facts, this

could lead to lower critical thinking skills of a student. When they only do memorizing they dont

know how to use that knowledge in general. Student must gain ability to use their knowledge in

the future. Its a collaborative effect both students and teachers should participate to improve

critical thinking skills of a student. In order to improve their critical thinking skills, students should

be required to write more essay questions, narratives, research papers and more.

As stated in I went to some of D.C.s best school My former teachers simply did

not push me to think past a basic level to apply concepts to move beyond memorizing facts and

figures. (Robinson D. Page 83).It is not left to the educator alone to improve on a students

critical thinking skills but a student has bigger role to play in order to improve to the accepted

standard. Writing assignments require both students and teachers participation. It helps to gain

more knowledge about the subject. When student get a writing task he or she must read more
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and think their own way to do the task. Student should be required to write argumentative

writing, summarizing research article, narrative writing and more to improve critical thinking.

Frederick Douglass said, The idea as to how I might learn to write was suggested

to me by being in During and Baileys ship-yard, and frequently seeing the ship carpenters, after

hewing, and getting a piece of timber for use, write on the timber the name of that part of ship

for which it was intend.. (Page 53).He was trying to learn letters that was marked on timbers,

then he copied them and figured out to make a word. Step by step he learned to write and his

narrative was able to change readers mind about slavery. Writing a narrative could be a first

step to learn to write in their own way. In a narrative student can tell a story containing specific

elements that work together to create interest. On narrative writing student could put their

ideas one by one and are able to make a good paragraph. Student can discuss with friends and

get their ideas about the narrative. It always better to share ideas with others it can make high

quality thinking skills. Listing to other people opinion makes it easier to get new ideas and open

your mind to think broad. This should start from elementary school.

Student can develop their critical thinking and research skill when they are

writing an argumentative essay. For this they might need to read more sources on what they

are going to write like scientific books, pieces of literature or examining statistic of political or

social issues. It can be done with a question that needs a solution. When writing an

argumentative essay you make questions and then find ways to answer that question. It is like a

solving a puzzle that we are finding a missing piece. Reading more sources and trying to find a

solution helps student to gain good thinking patterns. When we are reading sources that can
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help us to get others opinion about the topic, it could be lead to open many pathways that we

can discuss about.

Students have to gather more information when they are assigned to do a

research paper. When they gathered enough information they could review the information

that they gathered and then they could compare what they think about their topic before and

after their research. They could synthesize, or put together, different pieces of information that

help them answer their research question. They need to determine which information is most

relevant and appropriate for their research paper. They need to include details that develop or

explain their ideas and they should leave out details that do not. These methods are training

students mind to think critically by deciding what information is effective to support their

ideas.

People with critical thinking skills could be easily get higher paying jobs, such as

information analysts, data analysts, computer programmers, researchers and other

professional jobs. This is because when people can think outside of the box they will achieve

more success. To succeed in their jobs they need to work well together, not to pointing out the

fault in others work. Itll take time to develop critical thinking skills, more problem you handle

more knowledge youll gain.

Paulo Freire said, The teacher talks about reality as if it were motionless, static,

compartmentalized and predictable or else he expounds on a topic completely alien to the

existential experience of the students. His task is to fill the students with the contents of his

narration- (Page 244). Students are not bucket for the professor to fill their ideas. When
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student engage with more writings like essays and research papers, their ideas also come out

not only the professors ideas. Teachers could give their narration, students can listen and get

ideas from it and then they can put their own ideas and solutions on their writing. This could

help to develop their knowledge and thinking ability.

In our psychology midterm test our professor said shell give one essay question

and two weeks before the test she gave three topics that might be the essay question. After

that test I felt that I have more acquaintance about those three topics because we put more

effort to learn those three topics. When we assign to write something we focus on that topic,

try to get clear idea about it. We had discussion about those topics with classmates and

collecting information. When we put more effort on subject we could see more deeply in to it.

We try to understand about the subject.

Critical thinking is most important fact in student life that could be improved by

writing. Student with critical thinking may succeed their life easily. Writing helps a student ask

questions and explore a topic. They have to look at research that supports them and their

argument has to be about one part of a topic.