C168 Critical Thinking Study Guide (2026/2027) | WGU Complete Exam Review & Assessment Prep

, C168 Critical Thinking Study Guide

Module 1
What is Critical Thinking?


Critical thinking means to carefully scrutinize a problem or issue that deserves the additional
effort this requires. This means to resist the first conclusion that comes to mind, but to not
discard it. Rather, I try to think of other responses to this dilemma. Then I try to evaluate
each answer to see what will hold up upon examination. I try to identify the one best
response, but not to embrace it to the exclusion of other thinking that may come later. The
way I evaluate each possible conclusion is to ask myself, why would this be true or not true?
This means to look for credible evidence or to identify credible reasoning to support or put
into question each possibility.

Critical thinking is a model that helps us contemplate an issue or problem through deep
analysis and questioning to persist beyond the easiest, quickest, or most obvious conclusion
to arrive at a well-reasoned conclusion. This model asks us to be open-minded yet skeptical,
and helps us honestly consider and transcend our own deeply held beliefs and prejudices.

“The art of thinking about thinking while thinking in order to make thinking better."

Fundamentally, it involves thinking about one's own thinking. Critical thinking comprises three interlinking
dimensions:

1 Analyzing one's own thinking-
breaking it down into its component
parts.




2 Evaluating one's own thinking-
identifying its weaknesses while
recognizing its strengths.




3 Improving one's own thinking-
reconstructing it to make it better.



Critical thinkers develop high standards for their own thinking. They are able to
step back from it, assess it, and then act upon it.

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The goal of critical thinking is to bring one's best thinking to bear in every realm
of one's life and in any set of circumstances one faces. The general aim of our
thinking is to figure out, solve, or resolve some situation, problem, or issue we are
confronting. How well we do so hinges on the soundness and skillfulness of our thinking.

We maximize the quality of our thinking when we learn how to critique it on our
own. How does the thinking person become an effective self-critic? By making a
commitment to learning about thinking. Serious thinking about thinking is rare in our society.
But as Paul and Elder note, "The best thinkers make the study of thinking second nature."

Impediments to sound thinking include the BAD HABITS of thinking that all of us, to
one degree or another, indulge:

 Making generalizations unsupported by evidence
 Letting a stereotype--a fixed or over simplified conception of a person,
group, or idea shape our thinking
 Viewing the world from one fixed vantage point
 Forming false beliefs
 Dismissing or attacking viewpoints that conflict with our own
 Thinking deceptively about our own experiences

How does one develop as a critical thinker? It starts with consciously noticing how one's
thinking operates—i.e., what it is doing. And then it involves a commitment to
recognizing strengths (on the one hand) and weaknesses (on the other) in that thinking.

Critical thinking provides the mental tools and fosters the intellectual skills needed to
reason through anything in life that demands thought.

CRITICAL THINKING = The way you approach everything you do.



The purpose in engaging in critical thinking is to know "what to believe or do." Also, critical
thinking is a systematic process, one that takes lots of practice. I also think there are several
ways to be systematic. Another benefit of critical thinking is the opportunity to improve the
way I think. I'm not only seeking resolution to a problem, but I'm also examining the way I
think. Years ago, I thought critical thinking meant finding fault, but I now know it is much
more than this.

Critical thinking is characteristically:

 self-directed
 self-disciplined
 self-monitored
 self-corrective

It strives to meet rigorous standards of excellence. Critical thinking also demands a
commitment to surmounting two barriers native to everyone:

 egocentrism*, or the tendency to view everything in relationship to oneself and to
regard one’s own opinions, values, or interests as most important; and

,  sociocentrism*, or the assumption that one's own social group is inherently superior
to all others

First-Order versus Second-Order Thinking


Richard Paul and Linda Elder observe that critical thinking adds a second level of thinking to ordinary thinking.
This second level analyzes, assesses, and improves ordinary thinking.

They make a distinction between first-order thinking* and second-order thinking*.


First-order thinking Second-order thinking
(ordinary thinking) (critical thinking)


 Spontaneous and non-reflective First-order thinking that is consciously realized (i.e., analyzed,
assessed, and reconstructed)
 Contains insight, prejudice, good and
bad reasoning

 Indiscriminately combined



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Weak-sense critical thinking—thinking that does not consider counter viewpoints, that
lacks fair-mindedness, and that uses critical thinking skills to defend current beliefs.

 Ignores flaws in own thinking
 Employ lower-level rhetorical skills (making unreasonable thinking appear reasonable, and reasonable
thinking appear unreasonable).
 Seeks to win arguments through intellectual trickery and deceit

Strong-sense critical thinking—thinking that uses critical thinking skills to evaluate all
beliefs, especially one’s own, and that pursues what is intellectually fair and just.

Beyond fair-mindedness, strong-sense critical thinking implies higher-order
thinking—i.e., thinking which is deep and highly insightful.



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Mindedness
The traits of a critical thinker all relate fundamentally to fair-mindedness—the
commitment to consider all relevant opinions equally without regard to one’s own
sentiments or selfish interests. To be fair-minded, Richard Paul and Linda Elder note, is
to bring an unbiased and unprejudiced perspective to all viewpoints relevant to a
situation. The fair-minded thinker is aware that people by nature tend to prejudge others'
views. We are inclined to categorize them as favorable when they validate our own views;
and unfavorable when they conflict with what we already believe.

Fair-mindedness involves adherence to intellectual standards (e.g., accuracy,
sound logic, clarity, and depth of thought), uninfluenced by whatever advantage
one or one's social group enjoys.